LOUD MOUTH → PETER PARKER ✓

Chapter Three: Rodrigo and Gillian

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄: RODRIGO AND GILLIAN

It was Saturday. Mrs. Edelstein was off to see a matinee in a few hours and Callie was set to watch Peggy when the woman called last minute to ask if Callie would pick up her regular coffee order. Callie, of course, obliged and took the train into downtown a little early. Once there, she figured she had an hour or two to spend before she had to be anywhere, so she perused the area, looking in shop windows and fantasizing about all the outfits she would wear when she was actually the president.

She turned a corner and found herself in a massive square of open space, lined with trees and scattered with benches. And all of it led up the steps to the Oscorp building, a.k.a. the science palace. Nearly one hundred floors of smart people doing smart things.

She crossed the street, still squinting up at the top of the building when she saw someone not too far away doing the same thing. Someone who was all too familiar.

"Peter?"

He saw her and a confused look crossed his face. She looked closer and saw that he had ditched his contacts for glasses. She had to admit, it was a nice change. "Hey."

"What're you doing?" she asked. "And what's with the spectacles, Professor?"

"Oh, uh," he stuttered with a laugh.

"No, no, I like them. It's just―I wasn't expecting it. But they're cool." she smiled. "Any specific reason you're stalking the Oscorp building?"

"Yeah, um, one of the scientists who works there, Curt Connors, he used to work with my dad."

"Huh, cool. You going in?" she asked.

"That's the plan." he said, staring up at the building

"Mind if I come? I have nothing to do for the next hour or so."

"Nope."

He stood in the same place, staring up at the building and not moving.

Finally, Callie, cleared her throat. "Do I need to push you, or-"

"I'm going, I'm going." he said, finally starting to walk towards the Oscorp building.

Though she had walked by it dozens of times in her life, Callie had never actually seen the inside of the Oscorp building. And it was . . intimidating, to say the least. Filled with important looking people in suits and important and expensive looking inventions that looked like they could tear the sun in half.

They both found themselves staring at the lobby, awe-struck, when a voice spoke up. "Excuse me?"

They looked to see a woman at the reception desk, looking at them expectantly. Her hair was tied into a tight twist, not a single hair out of place. She practically screamed professional.

"What?" Peter said, caught off-guard. Callie suppressed a sigh.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Oh, uh, I don't know, I'm here to see Doctor Connors? W-We are." Peter said, pointing at Callie. "Us."

"Right," the lady said with an impatient smile. "You'll find yourselves to the left."

They both gave her blank stares, not understanding what she meant. She looked back at them with just as much confusion. "You two are . . here for the internship." she said, as though reminding them.

"Huh?" Callie said, looking at Peter.

"Y-Yeah." he responded, nudging her as if to say go with it.