Going Through Changes -> Peter Parker

12.

The next days went by in the same pattern. Liam gave the boys a ride to school; they parted for their individual classes and got back together during lunch and decathlon practice. Liz as the leader of the team, got more and more demanding as the championship came closer. She was aiming high, and everyone supported her as best as possible, but with little sleep at night, Peter sometimes struggled to keep track. Liam, on the other hand, equally sleep-deprived but handling it way more professional, was keeping an eye out for him when he wasn't paying attention so he could distract Liz from the younger boy. In fact, there was no one better distracting or calming Liz than Liam as it was an open secret the girl had taken a liking to the handsome boy, and he knew how to use that to everyone's advantage.

Peter watched them interact with envy, the feeling of jealousy deep in his stomach growing stronger with each day. It didn't help that Liz now actively talked to him, even joining them at their lunch table from time to time, and she was clearly the nicest person ever, nor that she would smile at him kindly every time their eyes would meet. And no one accepts Peter seemed to feel as weird about Liz and Liam, not even Ned. Ned, who was in a way better state of mind than Peter as he would sleep whenever he felt like it, enjoyed his newfound popularity at Liam's side and never got rid of pointing out when Liz actually talked to Peter. The only other person he caught glaring at the couple was Michelle, who would shoot him knowing looks over the rims of her books. She preferred to keep herself out of their interaction and her strange friendship with Liam low-key for some reason Peter didn't understand and Liam was somehow fine with.

Overshadowing all of that teenage drama in Peter's life was the fact that the tracking device hadn't changed location for days now, and the boy was more than concerned the operation had been uncovered. And h wasn't looking forward to another sleepless night in front of the holographic map while his friends discussing everything and anything while building Ned's lego death star.

"Peter!" someone addressed him, and the boy snapped out of his thoughts. He was sitting in the middle of a training quiz, teamed up with Liam and Michelle against the rest. He quickly looked up at Liz, who was glaring at him disapprovingly. " Yes?" "Do you care to participate?" she asked. " Of course. Can you repeat the question, please?" Peter spluttered, once again bright red in the face from embarrassment. Liz looked like she wanted to say something, but as her gaze caught Liam's, she simply sighed. "Who discovered penicillin?" she read out aloud from the stash of cards in her hands. " Alexander Flemming.", Peter shot out with a bright smile, glad he knew the answer. "Good.", Liz commented way softer than before. "That's a win for team A."
"That was easy.", Michelle shrugged, getting up from the chair shed slouched on for the lesson.

" You're getting better and better.", Mister Harrington, the teacher, announced. "I'm sure you're gonna rock the championship." Everyone cringed at the last comment but buddies themselves with getting out anyway. Peter laid his head down on the table for a moment to take a breath, his friends waiting for him as the room emptied. "Thanks for nothing, Penis Parker.", Flash growled while passing by, bumping into the other boy in the process. Peter just sighed, ignoring the comment. " Ok, let's go, "he finally detached his forehead from the cool wooden surface to face the two other boys. Ned was as bubbly as ever while Liam looked like he was with his attention elsewhere.
" Yeah, just a minute. I forgot something in my locker. ", he quickly excused himself. Peter looked after him puzzled. But his brain was too foggy with the tiredness that he choose to dismiss his suspicion soon after.

If he had been more awake he would have had noticed how Liam was following after a certain bully with intentions, Peter wouldn't like. But Liam was sleep-deprived and pissed and overall way less diplomatic than the spider-man. "Yo, Flash!", he hollered as he approached the other teen at his locker, who just rose one dark eyebrow at him questionably. "What do you want? ", Flash asked in his usual arrogant way. "Look, I'm just going to ask you once: keep your hands off of Parker. ", the other teenager responded with his demand, his bright eyes glimmering dangerously. "Why? Is Penis Parker you're boyfriend now? How pathetic.", Flash let out a sufficient little laugh.
Liam sighed. This was going to become a complete abuse of his skills. But again, he was sick and tired of Flash's mannerisms. So he choose what he had learned worked best.Steve would be judging him for what he was about to do but he had never claimed to be the good guy anyways.
In a swift motion, he grabbed Flash's arm and twisted it behind the boy's back while swirling him around to press his front against his locker. Flash let out a groan of pain, a completely ridiculous reaction as Liam was hardly applying any pressure at all and that was really not enough for such a violent sound. But in this position, Flash was suddenly not as arrogant anymore.
"Listen." Liam started, almost whispering into the other boy's ears. He enjoyed how Flash was now the one wanting to disappear on the spot. "Stop being a dick to Peter and any other kid you like to make fun of or I rearrange your bones without anyone ever believing you. Simple as that, right?" His voice was calm but sharp leaving no doubt about his seriousness. So Flash had no choice but to nod in agreement. "Good talk.", the other teenager concluded, letting Flash go free as quickly as he had caught him. Content with things had turned out, Liam let his gaze roam over Flash for a last time,before turning around to get Peter and Ned, well aware of Flash staring after him.