Behind the Mask ➙ Peter Parker

Chapter Four

Alex laid on her bed with her legs crossed at the ankles, a thick Biology textbook in her lap. Her teacher had dropped a bomb on her on her second day of classes that there would be a test next week, so Alex had a lot of catching up to do. Biology came naturally to her though, and the life cycle of a cell was something she was familiar with.

The sunset was breaking through the window beside her bed, casting an orange glow across the words of her book. The girl closed the book with a muffled snapping sound before shifting over to the window to get a better gaze at the city outside. For such a busy city, Queens was peaceful. It felt like home for Alex, even though her entire life had changed in the past year. She finally felt like she could exhale.

There was a subtle knock on her door before the painted wood opened and revealed Angela in the doorway. Alex glanced over before returning her eyes to the sun-glowed city.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Angela spoke as she stepped into the room. "This was my office before you guys moved in."

"That explains the Calculus textbook you left in my closet." Alex turned to her sister with a smirk and moved to the edge of her bed, her feet resting on the floor and her hands in her lap.

"Yeah, I never wanted to see that thing again so I hid it." Angela chuckled in response before moving to sit next to her sister.

"Well, I always find things." Alex replied before her tone dropped. "Mom would've loved it here." The girl mumbled, looking down at her hands.

"She's been here before. And she's still with us, Kid." The elder blonde replied.

"I know."

A silence settled over the room before Angela sighed heavily and turned to face Alex.

"Are you doing okay?"

Alex nodded in response. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just different, that's all. I mean, all of us under the same roof again. Anthony and I not trying to kill each other every day. Dad even made breakfast this morning." The blonde spoke with a short laugh at the end, looking up at Angela.

"He's trying. Besides, he probably got up early to escape Anthony's snoring." Angela replied, both of the Hale girls laughing softly to each other.

"Yeah, I feel bad for dad that he has to share a room with a seventeen year old."

"Well, it could be worse. You could have to share a room with that seventeen year old." Angela nudged her sister in a joking way.

"Hell no. I'd rather sleep on the balcony in the dead of winter." Alex replied, shaking her head dramatically.

"That's what I thought." Angela laughed before standing up. "Dad said he'd be home late tonight and asked if you could run to the bank for him. He left a cheque on the counter, and I'll give you some cash to pick up food on your way back."

"Okay, I'll go. Where's everyone else?" Alex asked as she pushed herself off her bed and walked over to her desk chair to pull her blue denim jacket off the back.

"Anthony is at football tryouts and Marcus is at the grocery store. I'd offer to drive you, but the car isn't here." Angela replied.

"That's fine, I can walk. Thanks though."

Angela smiled before walking out of the room. "I'll leave money on the counter." She called from the hallway.

Alex pulled her jacket and red converse on before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind herself. She walked into the kitchen and shoved the cheque from her father and a fifty dollar bill from Angela into her pockets.