Pointe Shoes and Spider Webs

81. Nerves

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"Yo, Pete." Peter's brought back to reality by MJ, who looks at him bored, with her eyebrows raised. The pencil in his hand freezes.
"Wha-?" he asks sheepishly, unaware of what he was doing. MJ nods at the pencil and looks back up at him.
"That's annoying." Peter's eyebrows shoot to his hairline as he grabs the pencil with both hands, straightening his himself and leaning back.
"Sorry!" He presses his lips on top of each other.
"What's got you so worked up, dude?" When Peter opens his mouth to reply, she continues: "No, wait, I don't think I actually care that much. If you could just stop tapping that pencil, that'd be great."

Peter scratches the back of his head with a smile and a scoff and nods.
"Alright, alright."
"Well, MJ might not care, but I do. What's up, bro?" Ned glances back from where he's seated so he can make eye contact with his best friend. Peter drops his arms on the desk and presses his mouth into his elbow.
"It's nothing," he says quickly, muffled.
"Liarrrrr," Ned laughs quietly, trying not to disturb the class too much.
"I'm not a liar!"
"Said Pinocchio," MJ says with a grin.
"Gahh, you guys!" Peter now presses his forehead into his crossed arms.
"Is everything alright back there, Mr. Parker?" The teacher looks up from his book and cocks an eyebrow. Once again, Peter shoots to sit back upright and nods once.
"Yes, sir."

Peter rushes out of the class when the bell finally rings, evading further questions from his friends. He wants to get there first. At her locker. He rushes past Flash and some others, easily evading them. He turns the corner and pulls a face when he spots her already putting some stuff in her locker. She can't see him, because her locker door opens on his side. He comes to a halt right next to her and tries to casually lean against the lockers. Without success. He pants slightly and raises his eyebrows when Daphne chuckles.
"Smooth." He can hear her smile. She closes her locker and makes eye contact with him, cocking one eyebrow. His whole body lights up when he sees her face again. "You ready?"

Peter blinks a few times and has to take a breath.
"Kind of nervous, to be honest." Daphne nods once and takes a step closer to him to press a quick peck on his cheek. He swiftly grabs her face with his hands and connects their lips, closing his eyes as he breathes her in.
"Wow, Pete, we're in public." She laughs as she pulls back. His thumb caresses her cheekbone and he half smiles.
"I know, I know... I just... I'm really nervous," he admits, changing his earlier statement.
"And kissing me makes you less nervous?" She grins mischievously and stretches her back, letting go of him.
"A little, yeah."
"Can't kiss all the time, Pete," she chuckles. "Besides, it's just a costume fitting."
"A dress rehearsal is more than a costume fitting, you know that," he counters. Daphne nods and grabs her bag.
"True, true." She brings her hand up to push it through Peter's hair and he closes his eyes, leaning into her touch. "You'll be fine," she says reassuringly.
"Are you sure?" He asks with a slight frown. She leans in to press another kiss on his lips, making Peter's heart skip a beat. She smiles against him.
"One-hundred-twenty percent."

...

"Peter, I can tell you're tense," Madame Touha groans softly. This is the seventh time she's told him to relax, but Peter can't help himself.
"Sorry, Madame," he breathes while placing Daphne gently on the ground.
"To be fair, I kind of expected you to have nerves of steel," she chuckles as she looks down. She tries keeping it vague, because she still doesn't know Daphne knows about Peter being Spider-Man. Peter pulls at the sleeve of his costume, rolls his shoulder and laughs sheepishly. Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and decides to refill their water bottles.

Peter can't help but stare at Daphne as she walks away from him. The big white and pink-ish red costume fits her perfectly. The pancake tutu is gigantic, making her seem even smaller than she already is. She's stunning, like a porcelain doll. He sighs longingly as Daphne walks out of the dance hall to the changing rooms, but gets pulled out of it by a snap in front of his face.
"This is not Romeo and Juliet, Peter, I need you to focus," Madame Touha says sternly.
"Right!" he yelps. "I'm just..." He takes a breath. "I'm nervous for Sunday."
"You'll be fine," Madame Touha says with a nod. "If you focus." Madame Touha glances at the door and back at Peter. "That concussion..." She mumbles.