LOUD MOUTH → PETER PARKER ✓

Chapter Eight: National Pancake Day

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓: NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY

present day

The next few days after Ben dies flew by in a blur. Callie walked the halls silently, returning cheerful greetings with quiet smiles and waves with glances. It seemed that the Loud Mouth had been silenced.

After a few days, Gwen Stacy approached Callie at her locker before class started. Callie knew she was coming, but tried to stay focused on the books she was putting away instead of turning towards her.

"Hey," Gwen said, "how are you?" She said it like she knew something was wrong, but she didn't want to outright admit it.

"Fine, thanks." Callie said, short and clipped. She suspected Gwen new about what had happened.

"Are you sure? I, um, I heard about what happened, and I wanted to make sure you felt okay."

Callie closed her locker, turning to Gwen. "Why wouldn't I?"

The blonde looked at her oddly before lowering her voice. "Callie, they said you were the one who found him."

"I was. So?" Callie said, not rudely, but quickly, as though she wanted the conversation over quickly―and she did.

Gwen looked at her incredulously. "That's not something someone can just get over in a matter of days. You should probably talk to someone. The guidance counselor is really―"

"Gwen." Callie interrupted, trying to give her a smile. "I promise you, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired, that's all." She turned to leave.

"Callie, Callie, wait." Gwen said, speeding up to catch up with her. She moved to stand in front of her, blocking Callie's path. "Look, I know you might feel like you can deal with what happened on your own, but it's not that easy."

"I don't understand why you suddenly care, Gwen."

The blonde sighed, "My dad is the police captain, he knows your mom―she said you haven't come home in a few days and she's worried."

Callie scoffed. "She's worried about me? She knew what happened that night and she didn't call to make sure I was okay. She didn't come to get me. If she's worried, she's doing an A plus job of hiding it."

She tried yet again to walk away, but Gwen stepped in front of her again. Tears were now welling in Callie's eyes. Gwen continued. "Can you at least tell me where you're going?"

"Why? So you can tell your dad?"

"To make sure you're safe."

"Gwen, I don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of this!" Callie finally shouted, causing a few heads to turn in their direction.

She looked back at Gwen, who set her jaw and gave her a look that told Callie she wasn't letting her go until she got an answer. Callie sighed, giving up. "I'm staying with my cousin, Lily. She lives close to here and, more importantly, she said she'll leave my mom out of it until I'm ready. And I'm not ready. Can I go to class now?"

Gwen nodded, but before Callie could walk away, she pulled her into a hug. "I really am sorry." she said quietly.

"It's okay." Callie whispered, but the tears were now starting to run down her face. She pulled away and wiped them quickly. "Bye," she said before walking away.

Callie supposed she didn't know why this was hitting her so hard. Every morning she woke up, hoping she would feel better, and every morning she was disappointed to find that she didn't. It probably didn't help that she could barely sleep. She had dreams nearly every night, and in every one, she found someone she loved, lying in the middle of that dim street with a bullet in their chest. The first time it was Ben, then it was Peter. Then it was her mom. And every time she'd wake up and turn on the light, feeling like her hands were covered in blood again.