𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐄 . [peter parker]¹ ✓

vi.

𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: 1,170

guinevere smiled in triumph, laughing at colin's misery. colin glared at her, not appreciating the yellow ugly jacket he had to wear. the two stood next to mj who had the jacket tied around their waist as they read from their book. the trio leaned against the bus, waiting for mr. harrington to do a headcount before they boarded the bus.

"i can't believe you've convinced me to go. this is ridiculous." colin grumbled to the two, who simply chuckled at him.

"you were drunk and it was the perfect opportunity. had you been sober, i knew you would've said no." colin scoffed, shaking his head.

"of course, i would've said no! in case you don't know peter is in the decathlon! sorry, but i don't wanna keep watching peter and liz stare each other down like two hormonal rabbits." colin said with his full chest, letting the two know his feelings. he had to be honest about them, it kept eating him up and he was tired.

"babe, you'll never get over him if you can't handle being near him." guinevere softly spoke, feeling bad for roping colin into this mess. colin sighed but nodded.

it was time for him to move on, peter had his priorities elsewhere that didn't involve him. if spider-man and some senior girl he's barely spoken a word to until now is his main focus, then colin will step away.

colin doesn't understand how ned is still around and is fine with it all. maybe because colin hasn't accepted the fact that he no longer matters to peter and doesn't belong in his life. that ship sailed years ago and crashed.

colin smiled at guinevere who leaned into his side, her head on his shoulder. looking down, colin traced the ink from his new tattoo. he had gotten it one night after reuniting with guinevere. he wanted to get one in memory of his mom but didn't know what to get. he wanted the tattoo to be simple and something people won't question.

on his right wrist, over his scars from years ago was a flame behind a phoenix. it was his little thing that only he would get. and he loved it.

hearing commotion, colin looked up and stopped his tracing, allowing guinevere to trace his tattoo instead as she ignored the rest of the group, not caring about whatever was happening.

"peter?" liz asked, watching him walk up to the bus.

"i was hoping i could rejoin the team."

"no, no way. you can't quit on us, stroll up and be welcomed back by everyone." flash told peter, annoyed with the crap he pulls and gets away with.

"peter! hey, welcome back! flash, you're back to first alternate." harrington said as he walked out of the bus.

"what?"

"he's taking your place" abe laughed as did everyone else minus guinevere, colin, and mj who spoke up next.

"excuse me, can we go already? 'cause i was hoping to get in some protesting in front of an embassy before dinner." mj walked up with colin and guinevere, the trio just wanting to take a nap on the bus and in mj's case, read.

"protesting is patriotic. let's get on the bus."

"thank god." colin exclaimed before racing onto the bus, bored out of his mind. guinevere laughed at him before following behind, grabbing his hand.

guinevere sat in the window seat and colin sat to her right in the aisle, leaning against her as he tried to take a nap. if she woke him up early as hell to go to washington dc, he was gonna nap the whole way there.

colin and guinevere shared headphones, ghost softly played as guinevere texted their group chat which consisted of michael, colin, guinevere, shuri, and harley. colin watched over her shoulder, telling her to text on his behalf because he was too comfortable to move and get his phone out.

"yo, clark, you good?" colin looked over at flash who sat next to him. considering the seat was a three-seater and colin was up against guinevere, that left space for flash to invite himself.

"yeah, why?" colin asked skeptically as flash was being nice to him.

"just wanted to make sure. you've been at our place for the past couple of nights, and wanted to know if you were okay." colin raised his eyebrow but nodded and accepted that flash was being nice to him.

"i'm good man, thanks." colin smiled at him before flash nodded and went back to his seat. looking up at guinevere he gaped at her, "was i hallucinating, or was your brother nice to me just now?"

guinevere chuckled at colin, "i told ya he wasn't always a dick." colin laughed too before he was interrupted by his phone buzzing. answering the phone, colin didn't realize that peter and ned were listening in.

"yo happy, why you callin'?" colin spoke into the phone, laughing at a meme guinevere showed him.

"how come you didn't think to tell me or your parents about you leaving for washington dc?"

"uh, who the hell told you? was it peter?" after no response for a few seconds colin scoffs. "of course it was. jesus christ, the kid acts like i don't exist most times and unknowingly hurts my feelings and then goes to you about me."

"give him a break, colin."

"a break?! are you kidding me? no. i've given him enough breaks. i'm moving on after years of unnecessary heartbreak haps. i'm done. i'm only going on this stupid trip because gwen roped me into it." colin ranted, before sighing, more exhausted than before because of the rush of sad thoughts.

"that girl you've been spending the past week with? you know you still gotta pack."

"i finished packing, and yeah. you remember qwen from cali. she used to hang out with michael and me." colin explained, to which he heard happy let out an "oh".

"the girl you used to have a crush on?"

"woah, hey, happy i'm going now, i'll text my parents. bye." colin quickly hung up the phone, ignoring guinevere's laughs. if he heard peter choke on his breath, he ignored it. 'course he would be listening in on his call.

"you used to have a crush on moi? since when?" guinevere laughed out, pinching colin's cheeks that turned pink.

"alright, i won't be a wuss and admit it. i did have a crush on ya. it was what, 7th grade? you beat up what's his face for me after he bullied me for dressing more masculine." colin confessed, reminiscing on their times together in middle school.

"oh yeah, his name was jake i think? i don't remember. whoever he was, he wasn't important enough for us to remember." guinevere shrugged. "between you and me," she whispered in his ear that was still on her shoulder. "i had a crush on you too."

the two smiled, oblivious to the hurt arachnid that sat behind them with ned.