Chemistry

05

Peter ran towards a deli and nodded at a man sitting at the corner. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey, man," the man replied.

Peter entered Delmar's Deli-Grocery and headed to the counter. Alessa walked in a short while later, grumbling in Spanish about her grandmother's overprotectiveness.

"What's up, Mr. Delmar?" Peter asked, seeing his friend. "Hey, Lessa."

"Hey, Mr. Parker," Mr. Delmar replied. "Number five, right? A slice of cheesecake Miss Perez?"

Alessa nodded. "Gracias, Mr. Delmar."

Peter picked up jelly in a plastic bag and puts it on the counter. It said 'Best By 03.16.18.'

"Yeah, um, and, uh, with pickles, and can you smush it down real flat?" Peter said. "Thanks."

"You got it, boss," the deli clerk replied.

Alessa's nose scrunched in disgust. "I don't understand how you can like pickles. They're disgusting."

"How's your aunt and grandmother?" Mr. Delmar asked.

"Bueno," Alessa answered as she grabbed napkins and a fork for her cheesecake.

"Yeah, she's all right," Peter replied.

Mr. Delmar turned to speak to his staff in Spanish. "La tía de é les una italiana muy bellissima.

(His aunt is a very hot Italian woman.)

"¿Ah, sí?" the deli clerk said.

(Oh, yeah?)

"¿Cómo está tu hija, eh?" Peter shot back, earning a kick in the shin from Alessa. "Hey!"

(How is your daughter, huh?)

The deli staff hooted behind the counter. Mr. Delmar's grin faded and he stated, "Ten dollars."

"It's five dollars."

"For that comment, ten dollars."

"Hey, come on, I'm joking. I'm joking." Peter pulled out some cash from his wallet and handed it over to Delmar. Delmar took the money with a grumpy look on his face. "Here's five dollars." Peter moved towards a fat cat lying on the counter and petted him. "What's up, Murph? How you doing, buddy?"

Alessa sneezed and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Murph. I'd pet you, but then I'd need medicine."

When he returned to collect his food, Mr. Delmar struck up a conversation. "So, how's school?"

"Ah, you know, it's boring," Peter replied. "Got better things to do."

"Stay in school, kids. Stay in school. Otherwise, you're both gonna end up like me."

"This is great."

"Best sandwiches in Queens." He handed Peter his sandwich.

Peter and Alessa left the store and ran across the street with the bagged sandwich in his hand and the boxed cheesecake in her hand. They passed under an elevated train track, Peter holding up his palm at a cab that honks at them, and runs into an alley. He took off his shoes and threw them aside. He seemed to be in a hurry. Alessa rolled her eyes and sighed as she moved to an area where she couldn't see. While she didn't mind being a hero, she also wanted to eat her slice of cheesecake.

From his backpack, Peter pulled out a blue and red Spider-Man suit. He knocked over a garbage can as he awkwardly took off his pants, making sure Alessa wasn't looking. Peter yanked off his shirt and sweater, then stepped into his suit, wearing only his boxers. Jumping, he pulled the full-body suit up over his legs. Peter fit his arms in the sleeves, then put on the mask, which covered his entire head. The baggy suit hung loosely over his slender frame.