Home Is Where The Heart Is (Peter Parker)

[17] Growing Up

I clicked the big red "SUBMIT" button at the bottom of the screen and a pit dug itself in my stomach as I fiddled with the black dahlia around my neck. One of the biggest steps in growing up is submitting your first college application the day before your first day of your last year of high school. At least for me. Boxes laid, scattered across the floor of my new bedroom. Privacy at last. The apartment wasn't exactly the best. I told Pepper that I wanted to stay out of the public eye and live somewhere lowkey. Rockefeller Center is where we decided.

My phone rang and the screen illuminated with Peter's picture. I closed my laptop and answered the call.

"Hey lovey." He said, smiling.

"What's up Pete?" I asked.

"Nothing really."

"Did you send in your applications yet?"

"I literally just finished my MIT one."

"Well that doesn't sound like nothing. I just finished mine too."

"Can you imagine if we both got in? And Ned and MJ." He said, gushing.

"Yeah but what if I only get in because my last name starts with an 'S' and ends with 'tark' and you guys don't because you're all..."

"Hey, come on. I know everyone thinks the system is unfair, which yes it is, but they can't do that."

"You think I'm overthinking it."

"No no no... Well kinda. But that's okay it's one of my favorite things about you."

"But why? Overthinking girlfriends are insane and it never ends well."

"You're doing it again."

"Okay, well what are your... other... favorite things?" I asked, taking a deep breath.

"Well your sense of humor, you definitely got that from your dad. It's so dark and deep but it's also snippy."

I let out a small laugh. It's true.

"I really like how you don't let everything get to you. Oh I also love that you and I share the same interests."

"Oh, how will the world recover from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

"Still pissed that we were blipped when that came out." He chuckled.

I hear a low grumble from the chair next to Peter.

"What's that noise?" I ask.

"Oh, it's Happy. Look. He gave his room to May so he's sleeping down here."

"What a simp." I say as he shifts his phone to show Happy wearing his cPAP, snoring loudly.

The pit in my stomach deepens as it all sets in. Peter's identity was revealed and he's still expected to go to school. I'm still expected to go to school after I was spotted with Peter Parker aka Spider-Man on top of a bridge and after Flash Thompson the one and only "gossip girl" in our school watched as a purple aura flickered around my fingers during the attack on the Tower Bridge.

I take a deep breath and ask Peter, "I have a weird question. Um... does any part of you feel relieved about all this?"

He pauses for a moment, thinking, before he responds.

"Ever since I got bit by that spider, I've only had one week where my life has felt normal. Or kinda normal, I guess. And... that was when you found out. Because then everyone that was in my life that I wanted to know, knew. And it was perfect. But now everybody knows. And I am the most famous person in the entire world... and I'm still broke." He says.