chasing waterfalls [Peter Parker]

~56~

The next few days were a blur. I got called in to answer questions by the DDC. Between that and the press at school, there was not a single moment of peace. To escape the chaos, Peter would often go up to the roof.

"Can we just stay up here all day? It's so crazy down there." Peter was laying on the roof, staring up at the sky. I was laying next to him.

"Oh yeah, definitely. I mean, it's either stay up here, or go to class and listen to Flash talk about his book." I chuckled. Peter smiled. I then heard the sound of Ned and MJ coming up onto the roof.

"It is so crazy down there." He put his stuff down. "I was thinking, when we get into MIT, we should live together. You, me, MJ, and..." He looked over at me. "oh... right. Sorry." I looked down. Out of the four of us, I was the only one who did not apply to MIT.

"No, it's okay. That sounds like a great idea. You guys should definitely do that." I looked over at Peter. Ned sighed.

"Well, the deadline hasn't passed. You could still apply." I shook my head.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna stay in New York. I mean, MIT's great and I hope all three of you get in, but..." I sighed. "Anyway, I don't have to submit my application until January, so I get to watch all three of you freak out while you wait for acceptance letters." The three chuckled.

By November, every single school that Peter, Ned, and MJ applied to had rejected them. The only one left was MIT. We planned to meet at the coffee shop that MJ worked at to read their letters.

"I feel like I'm gonna puke." Ned said, and MJ looked in the back.

"Well don't, because he will just make me clean it." She gestured to her manager. Ned kept his eyes on his letter.

"This is our only shot. It's here or nowhere." Peter shook his head.

"Hey, come on." MJ sighed.

"Okay. You guys ready?" The two boys nodded. "On three, two, one." All three opened their letters, and I watched as their nervous faces fell. "No." Peter sighed.

"No." He looked at Ned. "You?"

"In light of recent controversy, we are unable to consider your application at this time." Peter looked down at his letter.

"This is so not fair. I mean this is so not fair. I didn't do anything wrong. You guys didn't do anything wrong." MJ shook her head.

"Expect disappointment, and you will never get disappointed." The bell jingled, and I turned my head to see Flash walk in, wearing a MIT sweatshirt.

"No sleep til b-b-b-buh Boston." Flash started singing. I rolled my eyes. "You guys didn't get in?" Ned shook his head.

"Yeah, because we're actually friends with Spider-Man." Flash just stood there, not knowing what to say. He looked at his wrist.

"Uh, yeah, I better get going. There's a mixer for new admissions and... sorry guys." He left the coffee shop. MJ ripped up the letter.

"You know what? I wouldn't change a thing I did." She went back to work.

"Me neither." Ned ripped up his letter too. "Although I do need to show this letter to my parents." He gathered up the torn pieces of paper. Peter looked up at the halloween decorations.

"Well, I should get going." I sighed, standing up. "I'm so sorry about MIT." Peter nodded, and I went back to Dani's house.