𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒆 𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍? // Peter Parker fanfic

9: The Watchers.

My whole body shuttered as I got that feeling again, someone's gaze on me. Lately, my senses have been going berserk. I can feel it all the time, even when I am alone. It's worse when I'm alone. It feels like someone is tracking my moves, everything I do. It's not safe to go on patrol, but I can't keep blowing it off because I have a feeling that someone is watching me. It could easily be passed off as being paranoid or anxious. I put my headphones in and blasted my music, getting a bit of pep in my step as I strutted down the street to get back to the group home after school.

It's not that far from school, so I can walk. Training is off for a week while the tower gets rebuilt, but I've been going on runs and training the best I can in my room. That feeling was everywhere in my body, and it made my head spin. My head ached as my senses told me to look behind me, then left, then right, but there was nothing there. It was just me and the buzzing streets. All I could do was walk forward, back to my home. I opened the door as I was greeted with "hey" and "how was your day" from my foster parents. I slumped my shoulders a bit when my bag was lifted off my shoulders and I felt light as a feather.

"Thanks, my day was overly boring, but now it's better now that I'm back." I smiled as she took my coat off my shoulders and placed it on the rack. My gaze went outside when the snow began to float down from the sky. "Wow, I love the snow." It just makes everything so romantic, don't you agree? "I smiled as my eyes watched the beautiful white sheet of snow begin to lie on the pavement. She nodded with a smile and stood next to me, placing an arm over my shoulder, smiling and nodding, "I love the snow." It does make everything so romantic and magical. You were really a blessing to us, Ophelia. You are just the sweetest, kindest girl and we all adore you. " She hugged me and I hugged her back for the first time, saying, "You guys are a blessing to me too. I finally have a loving family. " I mumbled into her shoulder as we hugged for a long time before we pulled apart and she put her warm, soft hands on my cheeks and kissed my head softly while squeezing her eyes shut. Go put some warm, clean clothes on after you have a bath. We need to get you all warmed up. " She said She was like the mother I never had, in a loving motherly way, and this place made me so happy. I gave her a genuine smile as she took her hands off my cheeks and handed me my bag, and I skipped up the stairs. The aching pain was still there, but my mood had improved so much that I didn't care.

I dropped my bag in my room and went straight to the bathroom. I opened the door and locked it. I drew the warm, steamy bath, stripped out of my damp clothes, and waited patiently while watching the bath. A dreadful feeling came over me, and my mind began to wander.

Mum, It's too hot. Can you add a little cold water? " My six-year-old voice quarried to my mother as she stared back down at me with a stone-cold gaze that could have cooled down the bath itself, but she simply replied with a monotone voice, "No, it's fine as it is." She picked me up tightly, making sure I wouldn't escape her deadly grasp, and I squirmed and tried to protest against her, but it was no use. I was too small and weak for her, and she placed me in the bath so my face was submerged. I tried to scream while the water burned my skin, but all that came out were bubbles. I inhaled the water as I tried to hack and cough, but I inhaled more water. All the air was gone and she brought me back up when I was about to pass out and she patted my back. I hacked out the water and looked at her. She had a sickly sweet smile plastered on her face. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" She said as her voice spat venom at me.

And it all spun back to reality as I reached out and turned the handle, placing one foot after another in the bath as my gurgled screams haunted me. I lay in the bath, trying to relate, but every time I would hear it and feel the water around my face just lingering like a ghost, I was being haunted by my twisted past just after I broke my shackles holding me down. My past is always going to linger over me, and there is no intercepting it.