The Girl Next Door (Slowly Editing)

Fourteen

"Th-Thank you, Mr. Stark. But I'm good" Peter says. I can tell by his expression how hard that was for him to say. 

"You-your good? What do you mean you're good?" Tony asks, surprised. 

"I-I-I'd rather stay on the ground for awhile. Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man" Peter says, a small laugh escaping. 

"You're turning me down," Tony says, taking off his glasses "you better think about this, like look at that. Look at me. Last chance, yes or no" Tony asks.

"No," Peter says, confidently.

"Okay. Well, I think someone needs your help, Spider-Man" Tony says, directing him towards me. Peter spins to face me and a soft smile spreads across his face. I motioned for him to follow, and he catches up to me. 

"Why did you turn him down?" I ask, walking up the stairs. 

"I can't leave Aunt May and make her move here with me," he explains.

"That makes sense," I say, as we enter my room. 

"Need some help unpacking?" Peter asks.

"Please!" I say. 

Box by box, Peter and I slowly unpack them. We look at the pictures together, and to my luck, he was able to help me hand them on my wall. Hours have gone by and we started to get hungry. 

"Want to go grab some food? On me," Peter asks. 

"Sure!" I say, excited. We head downstairs and I run ahead of Peter to grab his suit that Tony took from him, and handed it back to him. He wandered off into the bathroom while I slipped on my shoes. 

"Ready?" He called, walking out of the bathroom in his suit. 

"Yes!" I say as he gets closer. Once we step outside, I wrap my arms around his neck and we are gliding through the air. I'm not sure where we are going to eat but I am excited. It wasn't long until Peter set me down on the ledge of the sandwich shop he's always talking about. Peter steps off of the ledge onto the rock floored roof. I turn around to face Peter too quickly and lose my balance, beginning to fall back. 

My life flashes before my eyes as I fall backwards off the roof to my death. In my fear of falling, I scream his name. 

"Peter!" I call, as I fall backwards. We make eye contact for a brief moment before I can only see the sky above. It feels like I'm moving in slow motion as I feel myself slowly fall towards the hard concrete sidewalk. I close my eyes in fear of the pain I will feel when hitting the ground but it never comes. I slowly open my eyes to see a web stuck to the centre of my chest and Peter bracing himself on the edge pulling me back up. 

As I get closer to the top, he reaches out his hand and I grab onto it. He pulls me up to the roof and I immediately throw my arms around his neck, and I don't let go for what feels like hours. 

"It's okay, I've got you," He says soothingly, while rubbing my back, "Hey, hey, it's okay. No need to cry, you're safe," 

I didn't even realize I had been crying until he mentioned it. I use the back of my hand to wipe my eyes and I release my hold on him. 

"Thank you," I mutter, moving to sit on the ground. I don't want to risk my clumsy ass tripping and knocking myself out. I have already accidentally fallen off a building, I don't need anymore trauma for the day. 

"How are you feeling?" He asks, crouching down in front of me. 

"Fine," I say, pulling my legs to my chest and wrapping my arms around them, "I'm hungry," 

Peter laughs loudly, "Of course, I'll be right back." Peter pulls on some clothes he had in his backpack on top of his suit, and climbs down the fire escape ladder.