The marvellous spider-man

Chapter 5

Despite the bad news about those cops Peter was in a good mood by the time he made it to school. He saw Harry and Gwen waiting for him and made a decision. Flash Thompson wouldn't be pushing Harry around any-more.

If Flash made a move, Peter would do something about it.

Of course he knew he couldn't go overboard. He wasn't ready to reveal himself to the world as Spiderman...yet. That would require a more...festive environment.

He said Hi to his friend and went inside, watching for Flash. Any moment now that blonde jock would pounce and peter could counter pounce. Any time now. He was ready. He...

"You okay Peter?" asked Gwen?

"Hmm?" Peter replied, only half conscious that Gwen had noticed him.

"You're looking around like you're nervous or something."

"Yeah Pete," said Harry. "You're acting strange. Is everything alright?"

For a moment Peter considered telling them everything. After all, they had been his best friends since...well...forever, but something held him back. He wasn't ready to spring this one on them just yet.

Besides, on cue, here came Flash Thompson down the hall, and he was looking at Harry.

"Nothing to worry about," said Peter. "In fact, I think things are going to go great today."

As Flash walked up to Harry Peter stepped between them with a fierce look in his eyes. He clenched his fists, ready for a fight.

"Alright Flash," said Peter angrily. "Stay away from my friend. I can't let you...give him...a twenty dollar bill?"

Much to the surprised of Peter, Harry, and Gwen, Flash wasn't holding his fists up, nor did he look like he was about to rob anyone. In fact he looked a little nervous.

"Hey, uh Harry..." he said slowly. "This is that twenty dollar bill I took from you before...so...here."

The three of them held their mouths open for a few seconds trying to process what had just happened.

"Say what?" said Harry.

Flash didn't respond, but just put the money in Harry's hand. All three of them looked at Flash, astounded.

"What brought this on?" asked Gwen.

"Well," said Flash. "You know that Spiderman guy everyone's been hearing about?"

They nodded.

"Well," Flash went on. "He kind of saved my life a couple weeks back."

They were surprised, none more so than Peter, who didn't remember this at all.

"You see," said Flash. "I was on my way to a costume party, dressed as Iron Man, when someone came at me with a gun. It was then that Spiderman swung in and took the guy down. Man you should have seen him! He was dodging bullets! And he was taunting the guy while he did it! You know, 'missed me! Missed again! Sheesh what do you practice your aim with, a super soaker?' Hilarious. And when the mugger emptied his clip Spiderman took him down! It was...wow. Then I said 'thanks man,' and he said, 'no sweat dude. I'll take any opportunity to deal with a bully'"

Flash Thompson when from being excited to nervous again.

"That really got to me. I was the one being bullied there, but I'd been the bully too. It made me realize just what I've been doing this whole time."

All three of them were astounded, especially Peter. He had thought that Iron man sounded familiar, but he had never pictured it as Flash. Seriously, Flash dressed up as Iron Man? Tony Stark is cool and all but his image conjures up things that Flash just can't pull off.