Trepidation || Wanda Maximoff

4|A regular day

Riley's POV
I could not find anywhere to sleep last night, and I only got a few hours the night before. I ended up patrolling all night to try and keep myself awake, otherwise I would have just fallen asleep on the road or something. I have school today too, i'll end up falling asleep in one of my classes.

I meet Peter, Ned and MJ just outside of the school gates. "You look like shit" MJ tells me.

"Why Thank you, your compliments are greatly appreciated" I respond tiredly, Peter whispers something to MJ and she gasps, I assume Peter told her about my living situation. Ned looks around confused before Peter walks over to him, his reaction was similar I to MJ's. "Peter, I'm not stupid I know you are taking about me and my 'situation' you are not sneaky" I say, Peter smiles sheepishly and mumbles something about needing to get to class.

"I'm sorry Riley, I didn't know' MJ tells me sadly.

"Don't worry about it MJ, I am used to it and have accepted that i will live like that for a while, its fine" I respond smiling awkwardly, looking around I start to feel slightly suffocated at the volume and amount of people. MJ seems to pick up on this and links her arm with mine pulling me along until we get to class, which was biology. I smile gratefully when we arrive and sit down next to her.

When everyone arrives class the teacher announces we will have a test. While everyone groans she hands out the papers. "You may begin" she announces. I fond it a very simple test and finish in a few minutes. When I look round everyone seems to be struggling, even Peter. I put my hand up and the teacher comes over, I just show her my paper and she realises I am finished. She knows that I finish most test early.

She smiles at me "you can leave Riley, same thing happens every time we have test, next time just bring it to my desk and you can leave. well done" she tells me happily. I smile shyly before getting up and leaving the class.

I decide to spend the hour in the library reading the new book I got. I have no homework or anything else important that I need to do.

After about half an hour of reading I get a text. It's MJ

Spider Crew

MJ:
Hey Riley, where are you, me and Peter have finished
We thought we could chill together for a bit
Ned is still working though

Riley:
Yeah thats cool
I'm in the library reading

MJ:
Me and Pete are on the way

Spider Boy:
I can text myself you know
You don't have to do it for me
I am on my way
With MJ

Ned:
you make me sound dumb
I have just finished the test
Biology isn't my strongest subject okay
So I'm the guy in the chair
It doesn't involve biology

Riley:
Okay?
Oh I see MJ and Peter
See you in a few minutes Ned?

Ned:
Yep :)
Im on the way

MJ and Peter sit down next to me. I put a book my in my book and put my book away into my bag. "How did you finish so early? The test was so difficult." Peter says, I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. It wasn't that hard was it?

"Oh, I though it was pretty easy" I state, Peter just look at me with an expression that says 'really'

"Stop rubbing salt in my wound ok" Peter says, I chuckle lightly but my smile drops as I look towards the door and see who is walking through it. Flash. I quickly hand my head low in hopes he doesn't notice me.

Flash looks around the room for a minute before spotting me and Peter, he heads over to us with a smirk on his face. "Hey Penis Parker, Worthless Walker" Flash says while walking past pushing my head as he goes. "Later losers" Flash calls, I put middle finger up at him thinking and he looks livid at that, he gets closer to me and looks ready to punch but a teacher shoes up and he scurried off. my eyes are glued on my feet, fearing that if I look flash in the eye he will punch me on the spot.

"Piss of Eugene" MJ shouts "Why do you let him call you that, both of you could easily beat his ass" MJ whispers to us.

"Yeah but then he would know about us MJ" Peter responds, giving me a side hug noticing I am Tense and slightly upset. Peter has known me for long enough to read me well.

"It's alright Riley, he's gone. Your okay" Peter tells me as he notices my breathing pick up slightly, I know what is going to happen later, it means more bruises and cuts. Living on the streets is tough, I get beaten frequently but Flash manages to bruise my bruises. He takes opportunities to beat me up, ensuring that most of the time I have bruises and cuts. He knows I live on the streets and takes advantage of it, he only does it rarely if he is around some other he is trying to impress. He seems to have go mixed in with a bad crowd. Sometimes it's not too bad but the other bruises I have from fighting criminals and people in to streets make them feel much worse.

I nod at Peter and he hugs me tighter. I lift my head up, my eyes watering. MJ smiles at me and Peter looks over to the door and sees someone, I assume its Ned as Peter smiles happily.

"Im just going to the bathroom" I say before walking out of the room putting both my earphones in, they cancel out all the noise which I love. I have some headphones but they need charging. My earphones and headphones are black and I love them, they help me detach from he world when I really need to and allow me to enter my own peaceful world of music.

Instead of heading to the bathroom like I told Peter, Ned and MJ I head towards the music practice rooms. The teacher knows me well and he has given me a key and my own small practice room which I am very grateful for. I can play my instrument as loud as I need as there is good noise cancelling. I can play the Piano, guitar and drums. I decide to play the drums and get my frustration out.

I set a timer so i am not late to my next lesson but i have a while as I have a free period then its break.

After a good hour of playing the drums I head to my next class where I sit on my own in the corner with both my earphones in and my hood up desperately not wanting to socialise with anyone really. Peter sits next to me but I don't really mind. It's physics but we area learning something I learnt years ago. I decide to draw Peter in his Spider-Man suit, I really like drawing and painting and doodling. It's another distraction so i enjoy it.

When the lesson is done I give Peter the picture, he smiles wildly and puts it in his bag.

I walk out of school, hood up earphones in but someone grab my shoulder and pulls me into an alley. How did flash recognise me? I can tell that its flash, its too weak to be anyone else, I just go along with it but he thinks he is strong, he is very weak. Flash has a few others with him, surrounding him and chanting for him to fight. They are people I have encountered before and are actually dangerous.

Slowly I raise my head, Flash punches my face, he has some rings which end up cutting my left eyebrow, he punches me in the stomach a few more times before he hears a siren and runs off. It was just an ambulance passing by but I am grateful it did, as the group fled. The people surrounding Flash normally got some punches in and theirs were lots worse. Flash looks up and sees my face, a flash of regret crossing his? This beating was worse than usual, The ambulance had driven past a little to late as some of the other people had wanted a punch.

I walk until I find a dry spot behind a block of flats underneath some draping fabric and I drift asleep, blood slowly trickling down my face as I do.