The whole world faded away as you turned the corner. Peter's brown eyes widened, wet at the corners as they softened. Absentmindedly, you brushed your hair off your shoulder, annoyed by the few strands sticking to your red lipstick.
"Yo, Peter," Ned said. He leaned close to his friend's ear. "She's looking right at you. She can totally see you gawking at her."
Peter's face burned. He didn't turn away until you were close in front of him. You grinned and hugged your books to your chest.
"Hey, Peter," you said.
Sucked back into reality, Peter blinked. He stammered before he managed to choke out a coherent sentence. "Hey... hey. Hey."
You raised your eyebrows. "Uh, you feeling alright?" you laughed softly.
Ned planted a hand on Peter's shoulder. "He's been like this since this morning. Coffee, I think."
You nodded. "Ah... okay. Um, Peter, I hope you don't care, but I'll be ordering pizza for us tonight instead of picking up some takeout. I hope that's okay."
"Uh, yeah, that would be fine. But actually I can't do the studying thing tonight. I've got to be with Tony again-"
"Oh." As much as you tried to hide it, disappointment turned your lips down. You looked forward to hanging out with Peter every Friday. He made night-ins so much better. "That's okay."
Peter opened his mouth then shut it again. You looked so disappointed. He wanted to take back everything he said. It was all pretty much a lie, anyway.
The only reason he wasn't letting you over was because he was embarrassed. In a matter of months, he had fallen so head over heels in love with you that it was horrifying.
He had told you things hardly anyone knew about him, like his second life as Spider-Man and his guilt over the death of Uncle Ben. He never learned to keep things to himself - not even his own insecurities. You were just too easy to talk to and too pretty.
There was no way the feelings could be mutual.
"Maybe I can, uh, cancel," he stumbled over his words, holding up his hands. "I mean-"
"Oh gosh, Peter, no," you said. "I have you every Friday. If Tony needs you, he needs you. Just tell him I said hi, okay?"
"Okay," he said, nodding. He felt a little better when a smile stretched the dimples on your cheeks, but there wasn't that sparkle in your eye. "I'll text you."
You nodded and walked around them, saying a see you later to Ned, who grinned.
Peter whipped his head towards his friend. "You're hanging out with her?" he said defensively.
Ned widened his eyes. "Relax, dude. She's my friend too." He chuckled. "And anyway, she's totally hung up on you."
"She is not," Peter mumbled.
Ned jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "You saw her reaction when you ditched her, right? I thought that lip couldn't come out any further."
Peter ran a hand nervously through his curls. "I feel so bad."
"As you should. You totally blew her off. Plus she's hot, so you're a total idiot."
"Thanks, man," Peter said, nodding.
"No problem. Anyway, I gotta get to the library. Have fun at Tony's."
Peter sighed. He felt nothing but regret as he adjusted his backpack on his shoulders and headed out of school.
...
In the end, he did end up hanging out with Tony. He was lazily draped across the couch, face in hands, a can of soda on the coffee table.
Tony strode in, a glass of liquor in his hand. He pointed to the sweating can that dripped on the glass tabletop. "Uh, yeah - use a coaster, will you?"
Peter sat up, nodding and moving his drink. Tony sat down in a chair and observed the kid he had grown to know well.
"What's got you so down today?"
Peter looked up. There was a pout on his face. "Nothing," he murmured.
Tony rolled his eyes. Sighing, he crossed one leg. "Come on, kid. Spill it. You come over here - uninvited, might I add - and just mope around on my sofa."
Peter looked down at his hands. He wiped his palms against each other. "You know... ___? The one I brought over here-"
"The cute one you like," he finished.
Peter pressed his lips together and blushed. "Yeah, uh, her. Anyway, we usually do this thing on Fridays where we order food and watch movies or study. But I cancelled for the first time tonight and lied."
Tony acted like he was hearing the most interesting story in the world. "Uh-huh."
"Thing is, I don't want to cancel on her. It's just - I like he so much and she would never like me. But she gets so sad when I cancel and her frown just... and I, like, love her-"
Tony cringed. Holding up a hand to stop him, Peter fell silent. "Look. Don't... don't tell her you love her. You're like, in what, eighth grade?"
"Eleventh."
"Right. Just tell her... tell her you like her. I guarantee she will feel the same because, first of all, she's a geek. Second of all, you're a geek and Spider-Man. Just tell her and stop hiding behind me when girls get too scary for you. Got me, kid?"
Peter nodded slowly.
Tony sipped his drink. "Take it from me, Parker. Take it from me."
"Alright. I'll tell her." He stood up from the couch, suddenly feeling a bit of courage outweigh the anxiety. He rubbed his hands together and huffed. "Thanks, Tony."
Tony was busy sucking down his drink. "Mhm..."
...
You were curled up on the floor, sitting on the pile of soft blankets. A plate stacked with this week's leftovers sat in front of you. You were trying to make the best out of your solo viewing of Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back.
None of the movie caught your interest. Star Wars was your favorite thing to watch, but without Peter by your side, laughing through a mouthful of noodles and peas, it was boring and too quiet.
Oh well. At least you had a good time with Ned earlier. The two of you had gone to every store in Queens that sold toys so he could add on to his collection of Star Wars Legos. He managed to walk out with a few new X-Wing and Y-Wing pilots. That was fun, at least.
You shoved a forkful of boxed mashed potatoes in your mouth. Leia and Han has just been betrayed by Lando when there was a loud and rapid knock on your door.
Swallowing the potatoes in your mouth, you paused the movie and crawled out of your blankets. You cracked the front door just enough to see the familiar brown eyes of Peter Parker.
Furrowing your eyebrows, you opened the door all the way. "Uh, Peter. Hey."
"Hi," he said softly. In his arms, two six inch subs. "I forgot to grab sodas."
"That's okay," you said softly. "I have cans of Coke in the fridge."
He smiled a little. "So I can come in?"
You nodded. He stepped inside, kicking off his shoes by the door. You followed him through the living room and into the kitchen. He paused briefly.
"Empire Strikes Back," he said, smiling. "Cool."
He took the subs to the counter and opened up one of your cupboards like he owned the place. He pulled out two plates and a knife out of the drawer.
"What are you going here, Peter?" you asked.
He glanced up. "I'm not too late for movie night, am I?"
You looked away and shrugged. Peter frowned deeply.
"I know I hurt your feelings," he said. He unintentionally tripped over his words. "And I am sorry. It's just... I sort of, I don't know, like you. And I have a lot of doubts that you feel the same-"
He was shocked to feel a pair of warm lips pressed against the corner of his mouth, stopping his words short. His eyes widened and his face turned red as you smiled.
"I wish you had told me sooner," you said, "because I like you, too. I thought you knew. And I sort of, well, guessed that maybe... maybe you liked me, too."
He grinned. "Wow," he breathed.
You laughed softly when he dropped the knife on the counter and turned to face you directly. His hands awkwardly placed themselves on your hips and the side of your neck.
You shut your eyes so you wouldn't be too nervous. Suddenly you felt him dip down, his fingers brushing at the back of your neck, pulling you close by the end of your t-shirt.
He kissed you gently. It was everything a couple's first kiss should be. Soft, gentle, and beautiful. It was a test of the waters.
When he pulled away, he touched his forehead to yours. He opened his eyes to admire the dusting of pink across your cheeks. He smiled.
"I, uh, ordered a smoked ham sub and a pizza sub so we could have half of each," he said.
You opened your eyes and smiled. "And I ordered the special edition Blu-ray of The Force Awakens, so we can watch a bunch of behind the scenes stuff."
He pulled away, taking your hand in his. "Holy crap, you're the best," he said.
You beamed. Feeling like Han when Leia finally admitted her feelings for him, you squeezed his hand. "I know."