It was the same thing each night, both May and Ben predicted it before Peter's bedtime routine came into play. It happened in steps, Peter would take his bath, get his pajamas on, they would tuck the four year old in, and then be woken up to Peter being startled, and saying: "There's someone in my rwoom uncle Ben."
Ben would get up, check Peter's room, and conclude no one was there. Though it never reassured the boy, they'd eventually give up and let Peter bunk with them. But this time, Peter was going to sleep in his own bed, like a big kid. So as his bedtime was in full swing, and Peter was (as many nights before.) tucked into bed May spoke;
"Goodnight sweetie, it's time to be a big kid and sleep in your bed tonight, okay?" She asked. They hoped Peter would finally go to sleep instead of waking them up every night.
"Ohtay auntie May." Peter replied, May kissed Peter's forehead and then turned the light off, leaving the boy alone in the room. Hours passed before Peter rushed into Ben and May's room petrified and crying, like he's done nights before. "Buddy, no one's in your room." Ben told the boy.
Peter whimpered in fear, "Yeah thwere is uncle Ben." Before Ben could say anything a loud crash came directly from Peter's room. May gasped, Ben took Peter and handed him to May. She held him tight, as Ben ventured off, with a baseball bat in hand to the room where his nephew slept.
When Ben went in he flicked the light on and saw a figure glaring back at him, the figure lunged forward towards him and Ben swung his weapon. Only thinking of one thing: I have to protect May and Peter. There were crashes and banging coming from the room, May wished she could run in and try to help Ben, but she knew it wouldn't be safe for Peter.
Peter hid his head into May's chest, she kept whispering to him, while on the phone with a 911 operator. The noises came to a screeching halt when Ben ran in the room and searched through his drawers. Grabbing handcuffs, and bolting back to Peter's room.
Police arrived minutes later and arrested the culprit, turns out Peter was right the whole time, someone was hiding in his room and watching him sleep, but that night he was threatened by the figure holding a knife. May and Ben felt awful, if Peter had stayed in his room, he could've been killed.
After that traumatizing event, Peter went to therapy for years, to heal his PTSD. It helped, along with medication. But the boy's trust issues grew, he thought if he made friends and tried telling them something, he was afraid they wouldn't believe him. Just like May and Ben, he forgave them after some time, but the forgetting part was something he couldn't let go.
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In his freshman year of high school a boy sat next to him in biology class, he didn't even glance up at him, he acted as if he didn't exist. "Hey I'm Ned. Ned Leeds, do you mind if I sit here?" Ned asked, Peter couldn't care less where he sat, technically the seat was already taken.
But in response he simply shook his head, Ned smiled, showing gratitude. While Peter just kept jotting his notes down. Once his class was over, it was lunch, and as always Peter sat alone, reading a book and munching on his food.
"Hey, you're from biology class right?" Peter fixed his gaze upward seeing the same boy from his previous class. "Could I sit with you?" Ned asked.
Peter shrugged his shoulders, "You don't talk much do you?" The other boy questioned, again, Peter shook his head. "Well, could I at least know your name?"
Peter sighed, Maybe if I tell him he'll be quiet. "Peter. Peter Parker." He said.
"Alright, nice to meet you Peter." Ned didn't really know how else to continue the conversation, it seemed Peter wasn't in the mood. What if I ask him about being his friend? He thought.
"So... Peter, do you have any friends?" Peter stared at him, was this Leeds kid trying to make small talk? Or was he actually being genuine? Peter couldn't tell. What's your game Leeds? Peter pondered.
"What's your mission here Leeds?" Peter asked. It was hard for him to trust people, not because of what happened, but because kids are cruel and ruthless these days. They'll make fun of your looks, personality, and even how you walk. For reasons of them being insecure.
"What do you mean Peter?" Ned was puzzled, what did Peter mean? Does he not like me? What if he thinks I'm weird like everyone else? Thoughts rushed through Ned's mind, he hoped Peter wasn't like everyone. He's in luck, because he technically isn't like everyone.
"I mean, why are you sitting with me? Because no one sits with me, I'm known as the weirdo, I doubt you want to be associated with me." Peter explained.
Ned chuckled, "I'd love to be associated with you." He replied.
"Why? So you can betray me later on?"
"Did someone betray you in the past?" Ned felt saddened for the other boy, he too always felt like an outcast. No one wanted to be in the same room with him, I guess it broke Peter's spirit more than his.
Peter glanced down at his book and sighed, that was Ned's answer, the conclusion was, Peter has trust issues. The reason he didn't have friends was because he put up walls every time there was a betrayal. All Ned had to do was make those walls crumble down.
"I won't betray you." He answered confidently.
Peter scoffed, "Yeah, that's what they all say."
"I'm not everyone else, I'm Ned Leeds. Loyal, trustworthy, honest, and a huge fan of Star Wars, though my friend MJ would argue Harry Potter is better." Ned said.
"I'll give you a week, if you do something I don't like then we're no longer even considered friends, okay?" Peter was dead serious, Ned could tell by the look in his eye, there was a slight glimmer of hope, but also disbelief.
"You've got a deal Parker." They shook hands, and from that day forward, Peter had finally made a friend that would be there till the end of the line. His walls crumbled and his heart was open wide.
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The End of Chapter 111