Spider-Man: High School

The Beginning of the End (Part 3)

~Who would've thought someone two days ago she'd be telling me her biggest secret~

"Why does your mom do this to you?"
"S- She wanted to be the next White Tiger, but my dad demanded it be me. I trained while she grew envious each day. Now that father is gone, she can take all of that hate out on me and drink her life away. The White Tiger is suppose to mean something. My father may not of been the best dad ever, but at least he stole from Fisk and gave him a reason to leave our territories of New York alone. My mother would have let Fisk take over because she's not as strong as me. My dad knew that."
"I don't really have any words for that. Here I thought you were just a thief looking for excitement."
"I know someone like that. Our names both reference Felines too hahaha."

There was a slight pause and only a brisk moment of us breathing at the same heavy pace. It seemed as if she wanted to say something so I asked her.

"I don't know what else to say really. I'm just scared. Scared that I won't be able to beat Kingpin. What are you scared of?"
"What am I scared of?", I gulped.

~What am I scared of... what am I afraid of? I- I don't know~

"I -um- I don't know. It's -um- kinda deep. I'm not really comfortable talking about it."
"It's ok, you can tell me.", she said completely ignoring what I JUST said.
"I know I can but I don't want nor have to."
"Yeah but I wanna know."
"But I just..."
"Spill it Parker."
"H-How can the team even trust you? Everything you could be saying is a lie. You could be some secret spy sent here by the Kingpin himself! Your dad may be alive in England or wherever you're 'from'!"
"TAKE IT BACK!"
"No! You're not here to stay so just leave like everyone else in my life."

By the time I finished, I realized it was already too late. My trust issues got the better of me.

"Take it back now, Parker or I swear to God I'll claw your goddamn face off and leave your sorry ass team."
"You'd be doing us a favor.", I retaliated.
Ava stuck out her right hand and bitch-slapped me while saying, "What the hell is wrong with you?! You're depressing and broken and just annoying! Why are you like this?! Who did you lose?"
"Cindy. M-My Uncle. My parents. My innocence. I-... I'm an orphan. The only family I have now is someone who isn't even directly related to me. So sorry for being a little skeptical when talking to a stranger. Especially one who tried to kill me not so long ago."
"Oh... Peter. I-I'm sorry I didn't know it was that bad.", she mumbled. "Will you forgive me? Honestly, I didn't know. I thought you were just bei-"
"Yeah, sure, whatever."
"By the way--I'm not a spy or a secret agent or something. Please believe that. Fisk really did kill my dad. I really am being beaten and tortured by mom over and over and over until the meat on my body shows."
"Why don't you just kill her?"
"I don't kill and neither should you. I was going to kill my mom at first, but the other 'landowners' would take everything. Plus, I wouldn't be able to get Fisk. Can I ask something about Cindy?"
"Go ahead."
"Who was she?"
I took a deep breath and smiled at all the memories Cindy Moon and I spent in eighth grade. Even the bad ones. The days where I took out my suppressed anger from Sarah out on her. "She was bitten by the same spider as me. That's all."
"What happened to her?"

~No... stay here. I- I don't want to be alone. Peter? Can you- can you tell everyone what I did? If my parents can't know, I just want the team to. Don't- don't shut everyone out. You know? Don't do it because of me. Promise~

"She moved."

She placed her hand on my injured arm. I flinched at the sudden rise of pain. "Oh my God is your arm out of place?!", she gasped.
"Yeah, I've been meaning to bring it up. It hurts like heck."
"Heck? Don't you mean hell?"
"No, heck. I don't really say bad words."
Ava stood up and placed my arm upwards a bit until I started to make a fist.
"Ok ok ok! That hurts! I'm pretty sure my body will heal itself. I heal extremely fast so no need to pop it or do whatev-"

*Pop*

**********
"So he lied to Ava about y'all two dating?", I asked Gwen. She nodded and put her hands over her face while saying 'I don't know' maybe a gazillion times. It was lunchtime. The only period of the day the team has together. Of course we were in our regular spot at the library. It was louder than usual because of mild construction on a wall that fell apart back in September or something. I was in Bayville at the time, so I don't know a whole lot about it. It was a little colder than it should've been in here. I'm not a big fan of the cold. Want to know what I am a fan of? The Spider-Man. Oh wait! He's not here right now! Peter missed the first three periods! The first three! I hope he finds a way to be himself and Peter Parker at the same time.

"I just don't know.", Gwen continued. "He's always trying to protect us!"
"He just cares that's all. He couldn't save his uncle remember? Remember? He's just scared."
"I'm scared too. I'm scared one day he's going to get himself killed. I already lost a brother... I already lost myself, I don't want to lose him."
"You won't, Gwen. He'll come back safety." Just as I finished--Peter came through the door with a fucking sling on his left arm. A fucking sling. His timing has no chill whatsoever...
Gwen got out of the seat and sprinted towards Peter. I followed behind her as BF, what Bailey apparently goes by now, and Raj tailgated.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! Are you ok?! Your arm!!! This wouldn't of happened if she-" Gwen pointed at Ava. "didn't go against the plan! You're a bitch and a stealer!"
"Shut up you pig!"
"You could've gotten my father killed you whore!"

**********
I don't know if something in Ava snapped or what but she immediately began bawling her eyes out. Some people in the library started staring at us profusely. One of the people staring was the guy from first period. The guy with the yellow beanie thingy. He was sitting by himself at a small wooden table with another gigantic book in his hands making awkward eye contact with me. Me calling someone awkward is kinda weird since I'm one of the most awkward people on the planet, but you know... I still kissed Liz Allan. No big deal.

"I'll go get her.", I asked while hugging Gwen since she was so distraught.
"No no no, I made her cry. I'll go talk to her I guess. I don't want her on the team anymore after this, Peter."
"B-But she's going to lead us to-"
"I don't trust her. You and my dad could've been killed!"
"I know I know... but we have to."
She let go of me and looked me dead in the eyes for a couple of seconds... then walked away to go help Ava.

I'm guessing that's a no.

JWfss1