Walking the Wire | PETER PARKER [1]

| 11 |

"Oh."

Cliff looks down at Eloise and raises his brow. She whispers under her breath, "Ask them about Star Wars."

Cliff has always been a fan of Star Wars, but never has anyone to talk to about it because none of his friends really care for the movies as much as he does. Maybe Peter and Ned would be the perfect people to talk geeky to.

"So," Cliff starts, clearing his throat. "Did you guys see the newest Star Wars movie?"

Peter and Ned's heads perk up. Peter glances at Eloise like she put Cliff up to something (which isn't false) and nods.

"Yeah. Have you seen it?"

Cliff scoffs. "Yeah. It was fucking amazing."

The boys talk about Star Wars the rest of the way to the apartments and even up into the hall in front of their doors. They even invite Cliff over to see their LEGO Death Star and Millennium Falcon before Eloise and Cliff start their project.

Once the boys are done with their obsessive conversation and Cliff and Eloise slide into chairs at her kitchen table, Cliff lets out a breath and meets her eyes.

Sincerely, he says, "I approve."

🕸

Eloise never really realized how much she walks the streets of New York. She has no car and never wants to pay for bus fare, so she guesses walking is the next best thing.

She's on her way to the library to meet up with Elena and Lucy for another study date. The sun is still shining, cars whizz by, and there's the usual buzz of New Yorkers treading the streets. She bumps into a few shoulders per usual, nothing out of the ordinary.

Eloise's phone buzzes in her pocket. She takes it out and looks at the screen.

Of course, it's just Lucy being impatient. Eloise starts to type a response real quick, but there's a blast and she's thrown to the ground. Her phone clatters to the sidewalk beside her body.

Screams erupt from all around. Fast footfalls, shrieks, people running over her. A foot stumbles over her leg as they sprint, a baby clutched tight against their chest in their arms. 

For a second, Eloise is dazed; her vision is cloudy and her hands graze the concrete sidewalk.

Another blast. More thumps and screams ensue as people land on the ground.

"HELP!" A scream rips through someone's throat. "HELP!"

Coming to her senses, Eloise pushes herself up on her knees and look around frantically, wincing as she tucks her cracked phone into her pocket.