Us Against The World ｡ Peter Parker [2]

50 - Chasing Cars

***

There was a nervous tick racing against my mind as I slowly made my way through the white painted hallways of the hospital. Peter Parker was right beside me, hand in my own. It felt really comforting knowing he would be here with me right now. He hadn't said much when I voiced my idea about seeing Harry Osborn today but he supported my decision anyway. None of us had gotten around to seeing our friend just yet, none of us quite brave enough. Not even Peter, who usually held so much courage in his heart. 

"We don't have to do this today." Peter started quietly, pulling on my hand softly and making us pause right outside the room dedicated to Harry. A few nurses wandered by us, chatting aimlessly. "We could come back tomorrow. I'm sure a day won't make much of a difference--"

I placed my hand on his elbow, gently pulling him closer to me. He reluctantly leaned against me, eyes closing for a second or two. When he finally opened his eyes again, there a new shade of bravery. "We've been putting this off for too long, Pete." I told him. "I know this is going to hurt but we're his family. Things are complicated, but without us, his friends, he's all alone."

Peter blew out a sigh. "You're right. How are you always right?"

A smile graced my lips. "It's a gift."

He offered a tiny laugh, but slung his arm around my shoulders in an effortless manner before guiding us around the bend in the hallway. The door was wide open to Harry's bedroom, the very place he had been stuck in for almost a month. When we entered his room, we found him anything but alone. A blonde girl was perched in the chair beside his bed, her eyes frosty and her body ridged. Her head snapped towards us, lips pulling up into a slight frown. Harry was quick to push himself into a sitting position, mouth gapping open with the very sight of us. 

"Amara, can you give us a second?" Harry turned to the girl, who didn't look remotely supportive of the idea. Slowly, she peeled her long limps from the chair and gave him a curt nod, her lips pursed. She didn't say a single word as she moved by us. It only took one tiny glance over her shoulder back at the boy stuck in bed for me to realise she looked vaguely familiar. 

Awkwardly, we waited for somebody to speak but we were completely silent.  

Harry winched in pain as he tried to move his leg. Peter glanced everywhere else around the room but at his best friend. Naturally, it fell upon my shoulders to start. "Who's the girl?" I mumbled. 

"Um, a friend from my private school days." Harry offered stiffly, eyes pinned to the pair of us. Harry Osborn looked mostly recovered in the ugly florescent hospital lights. I knew he had gone through an extensive detox program to remove all the Green Goblin serum from his body. Now, his skin was almost back to normal and his eyes no longer so black. "Why haven't you guys visited me yet? It's been weeks."

Peter glanced across at me. "Well, um..."

I inched forward, hands griping around his bed frame. "We're sorry, Harry."

He scoffed loudly. "You're sorry? I've been stuck in this hell for weeks and none of you even thought to come check on me? You both are my best friends and I've been so alone and the only person who's even remotely cared about me is Amara and she's...why didn't you both come sooner? I can't even get Mary Jane to call me back. Why?"

Tears pricked my eyes. "Do you even know what happened, Harry?"

Harry was quiet for a second. "I don't really remember anything."

"You don't remember the night on the rooftop?" Peter asked with a frown, voice filled with tears too. "You don't remember how Gwen fell, how she...hit her head? You don't remember anything about you being Green Goblin?"