Walking the Wire | PETER PARKER [1]

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Their plates eventually empty. Eloise thought that she was masking her emotions well, but then May watches her closer and halts the conversation.

"There's something bothering you," she observes. Eloise stays quiet. May picks up theirs vacant plates and utensils, getting up and dropping them into the sink. She turns and opens up the freezer at the bottom of the fridge. "I don't know what it is, and if you don't want to share, I get it." She takes out two pints of chocolate ice cream and two metal spoons from a cabinet. She holds them up. "But we could watch a movie, if you want."

Eloise smiles at her kindness and understanding personality. She doesn't push, which Eloise is glad for, and she knows exactly how to make her feel better without even knowing her all that well— movies and food.

May and Eloise move to the living room and sit down on the couch, sharing a fuzzy blue blanket that is draped over their laps. May curls her legs under her body and points the remote at the TV. She turns on Netflix and the girls sit back and watch some random chick flick Eloise has never heard of with a hot blond guy as the main character, all the while they eat their chocolate ice cream.

Towards the end of the movie, Eloise glances at May. Her eyes are trained on the screen as she scoops more ice cream into her mouth, never looking away from the cliche love story taking place in front of them. A smile grazes Eloise's lips and she looks away. Her eyes trail over the rest of the darkening room, taking in the warmth and how homie the space feels. There are pictures set up and various other pieces of personal decor around the room.

Traces of the unfamiliar man from the pictures on Peter's desk are found in some photos, too. May and the man are hugging with Peter squished between the two in one photo hanging up on a wall. Next to it is a framed photo of Peter with a missing front tooth.

This house has been lived in. There is evidence of love and of good memories.

Eloise glances at the kitchen behind the couch. How many birthday cakes have been made in that oven? How many family meals have been eaten with stories about what happened throughout the day being shared?

Her eyes slip back to the living room where she and May are curled up. Eloise picks at the hem of the warm blanket on her lap and wonders how many times May has cheered Peter up with ice cream and movies, too. Were hearts broken in this home? Did love grow in this home?

May turns her head, tearing her eyes from the screen. She smiles warmly at Eloise.

Knowing that she's is in a place of love and of security, Eloise smiles back. Maybe these next few days won't be so bad. Thanksgiving is practically over, and nothing happened. Did Peter stop Russo's plans? And, if he did, are he and Ned okay?

🕸

"Where are you going?"

Mrs. Jones doesn't spare Eloise a look as she continues to pack her phone charger and other accessories into her purse. "The office called, they need me," she answers briefly. She pulls her purse over her shoulder and grabs her car keys from the counter. "I'll be back late. Order a pizza or something for supper." She leaves and locks the door behind her.

Eloise gets up from the table and moves over to the fridge. She just stares blankly at its contents for a minute before closing it and moving to the cabinets. Eloise ends up pulling out a bag of Doritos and moving to her room where she flops onto her bed.

Eloise is just scrolling through the pictures on her phone, not really looking at them, when a certain photo catches her eye. She stops scrolling and curses the warm fuzziness swelling in her heart at the sight of a selfie Peter took of himself that she wasn't aware of. He must've taken her phone while Eloise was distracted and took a selfie of himself crinkling his nose. Eloise swipes her thumb across the image and another selfie of Peter pops up. He's sticking out his tongue and has a double-chin in this one.

No matter how hard Eloise tries not to, she smiles. Peter might've hurt her feelings, but that didn't take away how she cares about him or how he still makes her feel a certain way. Eloise can't help that.

There are at least ten more ridiculous selfies on her phone that she's never noticed before. Eloise takes the most unflattering one—Peter's bright brown eyes are crossed, his thin lips are curled in the most awkward smile, and his nostrils are flaring—and inserts it in for Peter's contact image. She smiles.

Eloise swipes through his selfies one last time and pauses over a nice one. Peter's smiling, teeth showing, skin glowing, eyes bright. There are even some very faint freckles that are dusted across his nose that catch the light.

But then the words Peter, the boy who took her phone to take funny and cute selfies, said about her being useless causes her happiness to falter. Sighing, Eloise drops her phone and glances out the window. She falls out of the bed when she sees Peter and Ned on the fire escape.

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Attached Song: I'm A Mess by Ed Sheeran

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