From the Shadows | PETER PARKER [2]

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Walking down the street isn't the same as before when Eloise's identity was still a secret. She's wearing a ball cap, sunglasses, and a dark hoodie, and the layered clothes heat her up like a hot pocket in a microwave as the sun beats down on her. She still walks with a slight limp as a result of a sprained ankle from the battle. The bruises and cuts on her face have just started healing, it being only two days after she got them. Eloise doesn't want to be out in public—or away from Peter, really—but she knows that she owes some people an explanation. After everything that blew up on the news, all the videos on YouTube that were uploaded by witnesses or drama channels, and the articles that were written about her and Peter, she knows her Park East friends know about her secret. Although she doesn't want them to be mad at her, she wouldn't get too hung up over it if they were.

The library comes into view. Eloise looks both ways down the street before crossing with swift steps. She hasn't even looked at the texts her friends sent her, but she has a pretty good idea what they all say. That's why she's here at the library where she and her friends have met countless times before—to set things straight.

The air-conditioning envelops Eloise as she steps inside. The library is a stark opposite from the buzzing city outside: near-vacant, clean, and quiet. The only people besides an old man in the back near the autobiography section and the librarian in the library are a group of teens who turn at the sound of the door closing.

Alev, Lucy, Luis, Elena sit around a rectangular table. Eloise takes a deep breath and walks over to them, sliding off the sunglasses and avoiding their eyes. It's deathly silent as she slides out a chair and takes a seat. The whole set up and atmosphere feels more like a conference than a friend gathering, and Eloise feels unprepared and exposed. She hasn't seen them in at least two months, and a lot has happened since their last encounter. After being called a liar and being full of bullshit, Eloise isn't sure how well this will go.

Glancing up from the table and finally meeting her old friends' eyes, Eloise asks, "So what's up?"

The group exchanges looks. Lucy seems to be in shock while Elena and Alev just look confused. Luis, however, is nothing short of excited. He leans forward with his palms on the table top and exclaims, "You are a badass, Eloise Jones."

Eloise's brow furrows. "Um, what?"

Lucy gives Luis a look, and he sits back with a slight pout. Sighing, Lucy turns to Eloise. "So is it true?"

"What, is her face all over the news not enough evidence for you? Or her beat-up face, or her limp?" Luis scoffs.

"Are you okay?" Elena asks, bringing Eloise's attention to her. The girl is studying Eloise with a concerned gaze. "I saw all that destruction downtown."

"It looked very dangerous," Alev adds.

Before Eloise can answer, Luis shouts, "You took down Zagan and Dark Menace!" He throws his arms up and stands. He leans forward on his hands on the table. "You and Peter are the ultimate power couple."

Eloise blushes and looks down at her hands on the table. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you guys that I'm Shadow, it was safer if you guys didn't know. Cliff found out and he . . ." She clears her throat, giving a sad, strained smile. "You know what happened, and even though I'm not sure if him knowing had anything to do with it, I didn't want to take those chances anyways."

"How long have you had your, um, powers?" Elena asks. "Or whatever you want to call them?"

Eloise taps her fingers against the wooden surface anxiously. "Technically I got them last year around Thanksgiving, but I didn't actually know I had them until the end of school."