You've got the wrong number

15 - harmful accusations

"So since this is a project-based class," Mr Wilson starts, "You've got a lot of freedom with this upcoming assignment. You can work in partners or by yourself. You must research and give a presentation on a famous scientist or mathematician.

"Peter!" A whisper comes from across the room "Peter!" It's Kate, and she makes a face at me.

I glare at her and turn back to Mr Wilson who's explaining the rubric. I know what she was trying to communicate. Just didn't feel like trying to talk in whisper-yells across the classroom. My phone lights up, and thankfully, it was on vibrate.

Pigeon
What's for dinner
I'm hungry

FBI Agent
It's like 1 pm dude
just eat lunch or something

Language
I have no clue.

FBI Agent
Idk bucky's probably making something good
or pepper
it might be nat's turn though

Bucket
i don't trust natasha in my kitchen

Sherlock
It's my kitchen what are you talking about?

Bucket
when was the last time you made food for more than just yourself?

Sherlock
I made cup a noodles like yesterday

Bucket
that doesn't count

Sherlock
Fuck you too

Bucket
😏

Language
Ew.

——————

"We decided to do our project on two modern-day doctors, Helen Cho and Bruce Banner," I announce. "Now you may be recognizing the latter from his work in nuclear science or as one of the original 6 Avengers. But Doctor Helen Cho has spent her time on a variety of biomedical research projects, and one of them contralto the creation of The Vision." I look over at Kate who's trying not to laugh, she always found it funny whenever someone used the full proper names of the Avengers.

——————

"You should come over tonight Peter," Kate says. "Bucky's been on a baking spree and we cannot eat all of these on our own. We need your spidey metabolism."

"As much as I would love to help, I have this gut feeling that May is going to be home tonight, and if she sees that I'm not there she'll freak out. I'm supposed to ask her before I go anywhere."

"You don't do that." Kate states.

"Nope. I realized that I had to break her rules when I hadn't hung out with my friends in over a month and was becoming depressed. And my uncle had died like 3 months earlier."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to bring you something tomorrow? Like a cookie or something?"

"As long as it's not a sympathy cookie and you were going to offer it whether or not, sure." 

"I was."

"Then yes." I pause. "I really should get going though."

"Yeah I don't want you to get in trouble," She says.

——————

"I'm home Peter!" I hear May yell as the door scapes closed.

I knew it. "Hi May!" I say poking my head up from the dining room table. "How was your day?" more like month

"It was fine. How's school? Are you still getting straight As?"

"Of course May. Kate and I just got a hundred percent on a project we did together."

"That's nice." She says absentmindedly, scrolling through her phone. "How does Chinese sound?"

"Chinese is fine." I say. "From where?"

"Panda Express." She says. "I won't go pick it up we can get doordash or something."

———————

The door rings and I hear May scramble towards it. "Oh god." She says. "I'll go grab some cash for a tip she says and scrambles into her room. Shit. I think. If she sees that I've been taking money for food I'm done for. "Bye thank you!" She says cheerfully before closing the door and the patter of her footsteps

"Peter?" May asks, poking her head into my room. "We need to talk."

"Okay..." I say. "About what?"

"I think you know. I have money stashed in my dresser. It keeps mysteriously going missing. I know you're taking it, Peter. I'm giving you one chance to tell you why. Are you buying drugs?"

"What?" I ask. "Drugs? You honestly think I'm buying drugs?"

"I wouldn't put it past you," she mutters. "Why else would you take my money?" She questions and I scoff.

"You honestly can't think of any reason I might be taking money?" I ask. She shakes her head. "Food, May."

"What?" She asks.

"I need food. I know you're trying, May." I say. "But I need to eat. It's a basic human necessity. You don't need to leave food for yourself because you get to eat at work. But I don't. I don't have anywhere I can eat."

"I leave you lunch money." She says. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

"Yeah," I say. "Lunch money. But what about breakfast? Dinner? May, you already do enough. You work such long shifts at the hospital and I'm so grateful. You pay for all the water and electric bills. You don't need to do more. All you need to do is leave some money. I can go grocery shopping, get necessities like toilet paper and toothbrushes. You just need to give me more money."

"But I do go grocery shopping." May protests. "I went last week."

"And only got alcohol and potato chips." I finish. "That's not food. I depend on the Leeds' so much. I go over, and they give me dinner. That's the only time I get an actual dinner. All the other times I get the cheapest sandwich from Delmar's and only eat half, just so I have something to eat in the evening."

"Peter, we can't afford for every meal, you know that. We're suffering together." May says and I shake my head.

"You're a nurse! You eat at the hospital! We have enough money for you to get ten bottles of nice wine!" I retort and her face falls. "May, you don't understand, I-"

"I understand Peter!" She roars. "I know what being hungry feels like! You are exaggerating this! I am doing-"

"I will call CPS!" I scream at her. "You need to find some way for me to eat or I will call the Child Protection Services," I say. "Starvation is considered child neglect. I will get put in the foster system, I know I don't want that, and I don't think you want that either."

"You don't know that." She says.

"But I do May! I've done my research."

"Research?" She echoes, her voice hollow.

"1-800-342-3720" I recite. "I am ready to call them. I don't want to, but I will."

"You will?" She asks, tears beginning to pool in her eyes, "but you're all I have left. You can't just leave me, I'm your family! I wouldn't do this to you."

"You have me May." I pause. "But I don't have you."

---------

HAHA THE MCU IS FAKE SO I CAN WRITE IT IN THAT CPS ACTUALLY DOES SHIT FOR KIDS WHO ARE ABUSED BUT DONT HAVE FUCKING BRUISES

i hate america

Anyways i'm aware that this was very choppy and had like zero flow but i'm doin my best y'all

shoutout to @marvelcraver because they added this book to a reading list called 'will there be more?' and it made me laugh

thank you everyone <3