Spider-Man Imagines II

The Shy Girl | Ned Leeds

finally a ned x reader! i was surprised to get THREE requests for ned x readers bc most people don't like these. which is why i'm not very surprised i opened up requests for miles morales and ganke earlier today and got 0 requests lol. that's fine. i'm writing some for myself. 

this was requested by KateAnn21

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Ned didn't know much about his chemistry project partner. He knew she was in his writing class, and that she was really quiet. He knew she sat alone at lunch and didn't smile much. He was a little nervous to get paired up with her, because he would have to spend so much time with someone he hardly knew. But maybe all she needed was a friend. He could do that for her.

It was a three week project, and they would have to work at least four days a week to get it done. Ned got her number from her the day the project was assigned and he offered up Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday as work days for them. She agreed to coming over to his house, and Ned's mom provided nothing but giant family meals and delicious desserts to hopefully win over the pretty girl hanging around with her son.

"I'm sorry about her," he said, staring at the bowl of banana pudding on the table. "She gets excited about company."

"It's okay," you said. You continued writing in the notebook you and Ned were sharing. A moment later, you glanced up at the pudding. "Is she... bringing bowls?"

Ned grinned at you. "I'll go get some for us."

She wasn't much for smiling or talking, but he was sure they would be friends by the end of the three weeks. 

...

"We'll be done by Wednesday," Ned said on a Sunday. She was sitting at the table, gluing tabs into the binder they were turning in for their grade. "It's looking great."

"Mhm."

He sat down in the chair across from you. "So I was thinking about lunch - not, like, thinking about eating lunch - anyway, no. What I meant is, I see you sit by yourself at lunch all of the time, and I just want you to know that you can sit with me, if you want. I mean, it's just me and Peter."

You slowly looked up to meet his eyes. Your lips pressed together. "I, uh... don't know."

"Oh. Well... if you ever don't want to sit alone, there's a spot at our table."

You seemed to freeze. Your fingers were tight on the bottle of glue. "Um... I think I need to go."

"Oh, yeah, sure. It's getting pretty late." He reached over and helped gather your books for you. He placed them in your arms and smiled, but you didn't smile back. He started to feel a little discouraged. "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

You put your backpack on your shoulders and hurried towards the door. You stopped suddenly, grabbing the doorway. You turned towards Ned. 

"Thank you," you said.

He looked up in surprise. "You're... welcome."

She smiled, and Ned's heart skipped a beat. She turned away and walked out of the kitchen.

If she had a smile like that, why wouldn't she show it more often?

...

The next day at school, she didn't eat lunch with him. Ned wasn't sure what to do, and Peter didn't know how to help. 

"I think you did the best you could," Peter said. "Maybe she just doesn't want to be your friend, dude."

He gave him a look.

"I'm not saying there's a reason, but maybe... maybe it's just her." He shrugged and took a bite of peanut butter and jelly. "You were nice to her and it didn't work out."

"Yeah," he said. "I'm gonna go buy a soda from the vending machine." He got up and turned around just as Peter was reaching into his bag of chips. "One chip, dude. I already counted. I got sixteen left."

"Dang it," Peter hissed. 

Ned laughed as he walked towards the vending machines. As he unfolded a couple of ones from his pocket, he saw ___ walking away with a chocolate bar and a can of soda. Flash Thompson went by, pausing to shove her into the side of the vending machine. She dropped her soda and it dented, the top of it breaking open and spraying. 

"Oh, yikes," Flash said. "Sucks for you." 

She looked at him, her eyes slightly watery. She bent down to pick it up and hurried to the trash.

"You should really lay off the sugar," he suggested, "you really can't afford to gain any more weight."

Ned filled with anger. "Really, Flash? You couldn't go a day without picking on a girl?"

Flash looked at him. "What? She needed to hear it. I could say the same for y-"

"No," she snapped angrily. "You don't get to say stuff like that to him."

"Oh, you can talk." Flash grinned. "I had no idea. I thought you were mute."

"Shut up! Maybe she just doesn't like to waste her breath talking to people like you, Flash." Ned said. "You might as well get used to people not talking to you, because you're most likely going to die alone."

"What the heck-"

She giggled, stifling the sound with her palm pressed to her mouth. Flash stomped off, head ducked down.

"He's totally going to go cry," she said.

Ned grinned. "Probably." She walked up to him, still laughing as she watched Flash speed-walk out of the room. "Hey, thanks for taking up for me."

"Oh, it wasn't a big deal. Flash is a jerk. Thank you for stopping him from talking. I... hate his voice."

Ned laughed. She was so funny. He was starting to like her so much.

"I'm sorry for not talking much," she said. "It's just... I'm really shy, and it kind of... it's hard sometimes."

"It's alright," he said. "I just wanted you to know that you didn't have to be alone. I would love to be your friend."

She grinned at him. 

"Do you want another soda? I can buy you one."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, c'mon. You can pick. I usually get grape..."

"Grape is good," she said. "We should pick a flavor for each other. Just don't pick ginger ale for me. I'm allergic."

He laughed. "Alright, alright. Steer clear of ginger ale. Let's see..." He grinned to himself, looking over the selection, beyond happy that he had finally become friends with his pretty chemistry partner.

//

fun fact: i am actually this shy (those of you that met me in wdw know this) and also allergic to ginger ale