The Amazing Life of Peter Parker

Skateboarding

After school, Peter Parker was walking home, the sun shining and the autumn leaves falling all around him. Queens was so beautiful around this time of year, he thought with his photographer sense, and snapped a few pictures. Peter continued to walk up the sidewalk, past the Watson’s house, and opened the door to the Parker residence. He walked in the door and dropped his backpack and jacket on the floor, immediately regretting doing so.

            “Peter Parker! You are fifteen years old! I should not have to tell you to pick up your stuff off of the floor!” His aunt came up to him, hands on her hips, her black but grey tinted hair put up into a bun.

            “Nice to see you too, aunt May.” Peter said as he picked up his backpack and coat, hanging them up.

            “Now that’s better.” She smiled and hugged Peter, the top of her head only coming up to Peter’s nose.

            “How was your day, Aunt May?” Peter asked when they broke from the hug.

            “Well, it started out a little shaken up. The eggs that I had asked a specific someone to pick up,” she glared at Peter when she said this, causing him to adopt a guilty expression on his face, “had strangely disappeared. Either that or they had never made it to the refrigerator in the first place.” She raised an eyebrow. Peter nervously scratched the back of his neck and mumbled something that sounded like sorry. “Anyway, I had to run to the store to pick up eggs, because I intended to do some baking. I ran home, and realized I had the wrong kind. Then I ran back to the store to return the eggs and get the right kind, only to discover that they were out. At that point, I had wasted the entire morning not doing what I intended to do, which was bake.”

            Peter continued to look guilty. “Sorry Aunt May. I forgot. I promise I’ll pick some up later.”

            Aunt May smiled, causing lines to show on her face. “Thank you Peter. And, however my morning was a mess, I picked up a little something for you.”

            Peter raised an eyebrow. “For me? For what occasion?”

            “Well, you could call it more or less an early birthday present. Or a back to school present. Wait a second I’ll get it.” She hurried into the kitchen leaving Peter in wonder in the entry hall. She returned holding something behind her back, that something looking rather large, however Peter couldn’t quite see it. Aunt May uncovered it and held a skateboard in front of Peter. His eyes went wide as a smile started to slowly appear on his face. Peter took it in his hands and looked at it more closely.

            “Wow, um, thanks Aunt May! This is really nice.” Peter (carefully) placed the skateboard on the floor and gave his aunt May a big hug.

            “Well,” Aunt May started as she pushed herself off of him, “we live too close to the school for you to take the bus, and I noticed that even at the hour I get you up at you still get to school late. So, I figured that this would help. Happy Birthday Peter.” She said with a smile. Peter smiled back.

            “Thanks Aunt May, even though my birthday is October 8th, I still appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Peter. Now, go try it out!” She finished enthusiastically, practically pushing Peter out of the door. He grabbed the board and walked out, smiling to his Aunt as he closed the door behind him.

A sudden burst of autumn wind hit Peter in the face the second he stepped out the door. He suddenly regretted not wearing a jacket, and considered going back inside to get one when he figured that he was probably going to get overheated anyway trying to ride this thing. Peter walked down to the sidewalk and placed the board down. Setting his left foot on it, he pushed off with his right and placed his right foot on the board, immediately losing his balance and falling on his butt, the board continuing to glide forward a ways.

Unfortunately, Mary Jane Watson, the girl who lived next door, chose just a second earlier to take the garbage out. She glanced at Peter, with all her red-headed glory, and looked slightly confused but slightly humored at the same time.

“Um, wha-”

“I fell off my new, uh, skateboard.” Peter interrupted her, motioning to the board that had slid about twenty feet in front of him. She gave an understanding nod and an inaudible Oh, and began to walk to the edge of the block to drop off the garbage.

Peter began to get up, brushing off his butt and feeling a bruise beginning to form in said area. He then glanced back up at Mary Jane. He never really had the hots for her, well, except for one time in seventh grade but that was for like two weeks so it doesn’t really count. They had been childhood friends, and had known each other since Peter had moved in with his aunt and uncle. However, this ended when they got into high school. MJ got popular, and sort of abandoned Peter for her bratty so-called friends. They were always cheating with each other’s boyfriends and talking behind each other’s backs. But they still stuck together. For popularity’s sake he guessed.

Deciding to drop the subject, Peter retrieved his board and tried again.