Dreaming of You

Spider-boy (2)

— "Alright, that's enough for today, kids!" Peter's commanding voice echoed throughout the training chamber. I heeded his instruction, gracefully swinging back from my web line. Miles, my ever-eager classmate, sprinted back towards Peter. "Little slow there, bestie," I couldn't resist teasing Miles as I playfully checked my wrist, pretending to glance at a nonexistent watch. He responded by shushing me, a mischievous glint in his eyes that I couldn't help but find endearing. "Great job today, kiddos. That's all I've got for you today," Peter announced, his tone filled with satisfaction. Miles and I exchanging triumphant glances, giving each other a high five. "Miles, you can keep the web swingers; those are yours now," Peter continued. Miles practically radiated excitement, and witnessing his unrestrained enthusiasm was both amusing and heartwarming.

— "Sweet! Ahem I mean, cool thanks." Miles replied with genuine fervor, his eyes locked on the web-shooters in his hands before quickly regaining his composure. As I watched him, a warm feeling swelled in my chest. In that moment, I couldn't help but marvel at the journey we were taking together. "Alright, your next class should be with Peni. I've got some stuff to do, so Lyla will guide you to her room," Peter explained, seamlessly transitioning us to the next phase of our training. As he mentioned Lyla, the holographic assistant, she materialized before us, ready to fulfill her role.

— "Your little holographic Tinkerbell at your service," Lyla chimed in, her voice a blend of cheerfulness and efficiency. "Though guiding you guys like this is a little hard," Lyla remarked before, in a surprising twist, she began to grow until she stood at the height of an adult woman. "Wow" "Alright, much better," she declared with newfound confidence. "Follow me." Lyla beckoned, leading the way out of the training room.

— As we walked down the hallway, my footsteps fell in rhythm with Lyla's, the silence between Miles and me speaking volumes. The awkwardness lingered, and I couldn't help but replay the moment our faces had been so close, his warm breath against my lips. "So... how was class for you?" Miles's voice broke the silence, and I felt the weight of the unspoken tension in the air. "Oh, well, it wasn't that bad because, you know, I've been doing this for a while," I replied, trying to break the ice with an awkward chuckle. "Oh, right," he responded, scratching the back of his neck as the silence returned, heavy and filled with unsaid words. I gathered the courage to bring up the subject that hung between us. "So, about earlier—"

— "We're here," Lyla interrupted as we reached our destination, saving us from a conversation we weren't quite ready to have. "Head on in, you two." As we approached Peni's door, I couldn't help but wonder when we'd find the right time to talk about what had happened between us.

— I cautiously pushed open the door to Peni's room, unsure of what to expect. As we stepped inside, we found ourselves in a surreal blend of a teenager's haven and a high-tech workshop.

— The room was bathed in soft, neon hues of blues and purples, casting a soothing ambiance. A massive holographic screen adorned one wall, displaying a colorful anime scene. It seemed to be playing Peni's favorite show, complete with sound effects and subtitles in Japanese. Miles couldn't help but grin at the familiar anime characters decorating the walls. "Wow, Peni really loves her anime," he whispered to me. I nodded, my eyes scanning the room. "Look at that bedspread. It's covered in anime characters." Indeed, her bed appeared to be a standard teenage bed at first glance, but upon closer inspection, we noticed it had built-in sensors and adjustability settings, a high-tech touch for a good night's sleep.

— On the desk in one corner where she sat, a gleaming array of monitors and holographic displays blinked with lines of code and schematics. I could only assume that was Peni's command center for programming and designing her tech. The both of us exchanged impressed glances as we watched her coding skills in action, lines of code constantly running down the screen as she typed away, paying us no heed. Plushies of cute robots and anime characters were scattered on the bed and shelves, adding a playful touch to the room's futuristic vibe. Some of the plushies seemed to twitch and interact as if they were animated themselves.