Pointe Shoes and Spider Webs

100. Chemistry

"Can't you see I'm trying to be responsible?" She lets out an exasperated groan. "I might be ready at that point and that means I'm going to have to let everybody down!" Her voice shakes. "I can't dance if Somm could show up at any second. Hell, he might've already shown up before the performances!"

"Do you want the role?"
"Madame-"
"Forget about this Zephyr crap, Daphne. That's what understudies are for. If you're not ready before the performances you will regret not taking the role. If you're really quitting after this school year, then you might as well go out with a bang."
"But-"
"Do you want the role?" A heavy silence falls. Daphne doesn't know what to do. Peter's hands land on her shoulders and he squeezes slightly, encouraging her to tell the truth.
"I do."
"Alright, then it's settled," Madame Touha exclaims excited. "Oh, by the way, the board really loved the chemistry between you and Peter so they automatically cast him as prince Siegfried, bye!"

Before Peter can protest, Madame Touha hangs up. Peter stares at the phone in Daphne's hand. The heavy silence now turns awkward and he chuckles nervously.
"I guess I'm no longer kicked out, then."

...

Daphne's disrupted from doing her homework by two short knocks on her window. She purses her lips into a knowing smile. There's only one person who knocks on her window like that. She lets out a short scoff and corrects herself; there's only one person who knocks on her window, period. It's halfway through February now. Things managed to get to 'normal' rather quickly again. Sure, Sarah had questions about Peter and Daphne suddenly dating again and it's taken some time to get used to the new art curriculum at Midtown Tech, but Daphne would be lying if she said she's not enjoying her regular life. A life without magic or gods or sorcerers. Being a Zephyr didn't matter right now. Her grades mattered. Her ballet classes and rehearsals mattered. Her father mattered. Peter mattered. Zephyr who?

She stands up from her desk and moves to the other side of the room. Her fingers curl around the fabric of the curtains, and she pushes them to the side. Spider-Man tilts his head at the other side of the glass. Daphne places her hands on her hips and grins, raising one eyebrow. Spider-Man points at the lock on her window with one finger and then folds his hands together to plead. He cocks his head the other way in a cutesy manner and then hugs himself, emphasizing how cold it is outside. Daphne can't help but laugh at Spider-Man's dramatics. She holds her chin with her thumb and pointer finger and pretends to think very deeply. She squints and purses her lips, which then curl up into a smirk. She grabs hold of the curtains. Spider-Man aggressively shakes his head, resting his hands against the window. Daphne chuckles while she closes the curtains again as Spider-Man follows along the fabric to stay in her line of sight. She can hear him faintly.
"Noooo-"

When the curtains are completely closed, Daphne waits a few seconds to creep her fingers under the fabric. She can't see her hands, or Spider-Man on the other side, but she waves at him. She feels around for the lock, pretending she can't find it for a little bit. Eventually, she rests her hand on the cold metal and she pushes to unlock it. She pulls her hands back again and takes a few steps away from the window so she can return to her spot at her desk. When she sits down, she hears someone fumble with the window. She scribbles down the last couple of numbers of the equation she was working on and closes her notebook. It's quiet again, but there's a cold breeze, which means he must've opened the window. The curtains shuffle, and judging by the way they move, she can tell he must be holding each in his hands.

Just when Daphne's about to stand up again, Spider-Man pokes just his head through the curtains and looks forward with wide lenses.
"Peek-a-boo," he exclaims cheerfully. When he realizes Daphne is no longer at the window, but at her seat, he angles his head to actually look her in the eye. "Oh, there you are!" Spider-Man's head is framed by her curtains and it looks absolutely hilarious. Daphne bursts out laughing and leans back in her chair, covering her face with her hands. She can hear Spider-Man jump into her room and close the window, but she can't stop her laughter. Tears nearly run down her cheeks as she keeps her eyes squeezed shut during her fit.