Veins and Wires // Peter Parker

Disappointment and Doom

I gripped the tiny letter in my hands while holding the bag that was over my shoulder in place so it didn't plummet 200 feet as I flew to MJ's coffee shop where she worked to meet the group who should have gotten an MIT letter too. I sighed in disappointment, already knowing I didn't get in because of the size of the envelope but maybe, hopefully, they got in. I knew it was a long shot but I couldn't help but feel a little hopeful. Just a little. Disappointment

I stopped right outside the familiar, small coffee shop with a few people staring at the girl who dropped down from the sky but I ignored them. I walked through the slightly dirty glass doors to see Peter and Ned already there sitting at the counter and MJ leaning over the counter in front of them.

"Damn. I got beat by silly string?" I whined sorely at Peter, referring to his webs like old times.

"Ha ha," he mocked with a smirk and I huffed before sitting down beside him. I looked at the counter and realized they all had small envelopes though none of them seemed like they knew about the general rule of college letters.

"Ready?" MJ asked us

"Jones... I told you to take down the Halloween decorations," MJ's boss said with a glare at her.

"Actually, that was Sasha, so..."

"Enough attitude, just do it," he sighed crankily and walked away but not before MJ sighed quietly and said 'on it.'

"I feel like I'm gonna puke," Ned confessed as he stared at his small envelopes anxiously.

"Well, don't. Because, he will just make me clean it," MJ said exasperatedly as she continued to wipe the counter beneath her with a dirty rag.

"Should have taken my proposition to go work at Stark Industries when you had the chance," I pointed out.

"Yeah and then I could've been investigated twice! So fun," she snarked and I sighed with disappointment dramatically.

"This is our only shot. It's here, or nowhere," Ned pointed out the obvious and my nonexistent heart sunk, knowing none of us we're getting into college. All because of me and Peter. And Mysterio.

"Hey! Come on," Peter said trying to cheer Ned up but in a few seconds no one will being feeling very cheerful.

"Okay. You guys ready?" MJ checked, looking at all of us and we nodded our heads, none of their eyes leaving the letters but me. "Okay. On three. One... Two... Three..." MJ counted down cuing all of us to rip our letters open, myself including except less ecstatically and more sullenly. When we all opened the envelopes and read the first lines all their faces fall. I looked down and gently placed the paper down in front of me.

"No," MJ spoke up, referring to not getting into MIT.

"No," I said stiffly, keeping my eyes down at the paper.

"No. You?" Peter asked Ned who stared at the letter glumly.

"In light of recent controversy, we are unable to consider your application at this time," Ned read out loud with defeat evident in his voice.

"This is so not fair. I mean, this is so not fair. I didn't do anything wrong. You didn't do anything wrong. And you guys definitely didn't do anything wrong," Peter complained, gesturing to all of us.

"Well technically my existence is wrong so," I laughed weakly and crumpled the piece of paper in my hand.

"Expect disappointment, and you will never get disappointed," MJ breathed out tiredly with a stiff smile. Suddenly, Flash bursted through the cafe door making the bell above chime in announcement as he chanted something.