"You should have asked her, like, weeks ago."
You were approaching the turned backs of Peter and Ned the very next day. You were trying your absolute best to ignore the fact that it was Valentine's Day and you were no closer to getting a boyfriend than you were last year. It was a hard thing to ignore.
"Asked who what?" you asked.
They turned around. Peter opened his mouth, blanched, then clamped his thin lips shut. He looked at Ned, who took in a deep breath, forced and smile, and shook his head.
"Ask who... what?" you repeated, since neither boys were giving you an amswer. You gave a half laugh, shaking your head. "Guys? What is it?"
"Pete was just," Ned paused, giving a nervous laugh, "he was just telling me that he wanted to ask a girl to be his Valentine."
"Oh." When Ned's words registered, your heart plummeted. "Oh. W-Who? Who is it?" You crossed your arms.
"Um-" Peter's head snapped from you to Ned. His face was red.
And a moment went by, and then no one said a single world. They just stared at one another, silently conveying thoughts you weren't a part of to one another.
You understood with a fall of dread from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet. You gave a quick nod, knowing quite well that, if it wasn't for the endless meltdown you'd had the day before, you would be fighting to hold back tears.
"Oh," you said. "Okay, I get it."
They looked at you. If possible, Peter looked more sick. "Y-You get it?"
"Yeah," you said. You forced a sad smile on your face and held out the two small, wrapped packages in your hands to the two boys. They looked at them and took at them. "Happy Valentine's Day, guys. Sorry if I did something that made you not trust me." You didn't say it in a bitter way, but in a way that really voiced how sorry you were.
Because although you couldn't begin to understand or wonder what it was you had done to get them to not trust you, you felt horrible. It wasn't easy to upset Ned and Peter, as they were two genuinely happy, kind people.
And yet-
You gave one nod, not really taking in their looks of horror as they realized what you were thinking. You turned away and headed down the opposite way you were meant to go, hitting Flash Thompson in the shoulder with your arm as you went by.
He stopped, scoffed, and called after you. "Hey! Watch where you're going, nerd." He shook his head. You didn't even snap back as you usually would. Flash looked at Ned and Peter. "Jeez. What did you two freaks do to her?"
They stared after you. Then, Ned whispered, "Uh-oh."
...
"Where is she?" Peter hissed, eyes scanning the cafeteria.
Ned shook his head, searching as well. "I don't know! Dude, what if she left?"
"No way," he said. He spoke surely; Peter knew you. He could read you like a book. "She's too focused on Biology to just up and leave."
Ned sighed and shook his head. "I'm gonna text her," he said. He pulled out his phone and clicked your contact name.
Peter elbowed him. "Dude! There she is."
Ned looked up. You strode in a moment later, head down, hair free from the ponytail you had had it in last he had seen you. You hurried to an empty table (you weren't sitting by your friends) and picked up a book (ignoring the lunch line completely) and lifted your head slightly, breathing heavily and staring at the wall (your face was red and streaked with what had to be tears).
"Oh no," Ned whispered. His voice was weak. "We made her cry, dude."
Peter could have sworn that his heart physically snapped in half. You wiped your cheeks and pulled the book up to cover your face. You didn't even look his way.
"Ned," he said, shaking his head. He felt so sad. "Why didn't I just tell her?"
"You still can," he said. "Just... go over there and tell her."
Peter nodded. "Okay," he said. "Okay." And he wasn't sure how he did it, since he didn't feel brave or strong enough at all, he got up and walked over to your table where you sat alone.
You lifted your face, all red and covered in tears. You blinked at him.
"___," he said softly.
"Whoa, dude," the obnoxious voice of Flash Thompson rose over Peter's. He was obviously trying to get some attention drawn to him - and to you. A sinister smirk appeared on his face. "Peter Parker made his nerdy friend cry!" He pointed and snickered. "What did you do, Parker? Did you say no when you asked her out?" Peter gaped. Before he could stammer out an answer, Flash was blabbering on again. "Oh crap, that is totally what happened! Parker didn't want to date the nerd. Aw, how freaking sad." He fake pouted.
Peter shook his head. "No. No, that- that isn't-" He looked down and you weren't there. His eyes trailed the path you had taken through the doors. "___, no, wait!" But you were gone and the entire cafeteria was laughing except for Michelle, Peter, and Ned.
Ned got up and hurried out the doors, Michelle following. And Peter stood frozen on the spot, hearing the roar of the laughter all caused by Flash. Flash, who had made his best friend - his ___ - cry.
Peter stomped forward and went right over to Flash. He reared his fist all the way back and then shot it forward with all of his strength. It hit Flash right in the nose, causing a loud crack! and the entire cafeteria went silent with a synchronized, collective gasp. Flash hit the ground hard, landing on his side with his hands cupped around his nose. Blood gushed from between his fingers.
"You shut up!" Peter shouted.
He breathed heavily. All of it had happened in less than a second.