Possession < Spider-Man • Book 1 >

- 24 -

chapter twenty-four:

Getting back in schedule with school was hard. Caelum was doing three times his usual work. During class, he took as much notes as possible, spending his free-time in the library or other quiet study places. His teachers greeted him warmly, a few offered to help him after school, in sympathy for his mother.

The rumour was that she had gotten sick with cancer, but had been shot before she could have the chance to live. They commemorated him for returning to school so quickly, most would stay in bed and cry, one of his teachers noted.

The real reason for his return was Principal Davis saying that mourning the dead wasted time, he couldn't revive her, and then proceeded to rub his head. Caelum flinched away and Principal Davis didn’t like it.

He dragged him from the chair by his ear, tossing him on the ground. Then, he proceeded to straddling him and strangling him. Caelum thrashed and cried out, and after nearly losing consciousness, he let go.

Caelum gasped in air, his eyes watering and the room shifting left and right. Principal Davis smiled at him and said, “Go to class now.”

Caelum slowly made his way back to the library, it as lunchtime. He grabbed a few books out of his locker, and was stopped when Peter grabbed his arm.

“We need to talk,” Peter said and Caelum flinched away, his heart pounding.

“Don't grab me like that,” he snapped and looked around. Principal Davis would kill him if he saw him talking to Peter. There were cameras everywhere, it wouldn't be hard to spot him ― nobody else was in the hallway. “Leave me alone.” He pulled his arm but Peter held tighter.

“We need to talk,” Peter frowned, “You left your brothers at Sarah and Dorri's. You abandoned them. What's going on? Why would you do that to them?”

Caelum glared at him, “I didn't abandon them,” he snarled. “And what is going on is none of your business. Leave me alone, Parker.”

“Caelum, you look sick,” Peter said. “What is going on? Why are you here? Your mom just. . . y’know. You should be resting, you should be with your brothers.”

“I can't be with my brothers right now.” Peter frowned at him.

“Why did you come here?” Peter urged, “Why didn't you just―!” He shook his head, sighing deeply. “If you wanted to go back to school, why didn't you go to a different school, any different school! Why did you come back here!? Do you even have the scholarship anymore?”

Caelum gave a kind of half swallow, “I can't. . . I have to go, Parker.”

“Cael.” God, Caelum missed that name. He missed the way Peter breathed it, as if it was too heavy to hold on his tongue. He missed the weight and emotion and Peter behind the word.

He missed him.

“I need to go,” he said and turned around. His heart promptly jumped into his throat.

Principal Davis stood behind them, smiling and arms crossed. “Sir,” Caelum fumbled, nearly dropping all his books. “Sir, I. . . this. . . I–I was just about to go to the library, sir.” Principal Davis rose an eyebrow. Caelum's arms shook.

He gripped his books tighter and saw Peter move between them, eyes narrowed, “Mr. Pier,” Principal Davis spoke. It was annoyed, and mildly angry. Caelum was going to die tonight. “I do believe you should be in the cafeteria, am I right?”