The Astonishing Spider-Man - Growing Pains

1 | A Normal Day

I zoned out of my teacher's lecture and daydreamed while gazing out the classroom window.

Sitting there, I waited for inspiration, but my notepad remained empty. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, an idea struck me, and I began sketching a detailed moth with my mechanical pencil.

Suddenly, I heard my teacher, Mr. Riley, clear his throat and realize he had asked me a question. "What's four times five, Pepper?" he asked.

I hesitated for a second and then nervously guessed, "Twenty?"

"Correct," he said, nodding his head. "But next time, please pay attention."

I nodded, feeling embarrassed but grateful that I had guessed correctly. As I continued working on my sketch, Flash, a jock who always tried to distract me during class, leaned over and whispered in my ear, "What are you drawing, Pepper? something dorky?"

I ignored him and continued working on my sketch, determined to finish it. Flash chuckled, and I sat back in my seat, defeated.

I sat by the fence at lunchtime and ate my pepperoni and cheese sandwich. As I scrolled through my phone, Gwen, my best friend, sat beside me. "Hey, Pepper, what's up?" she asked.

"Not much," I replied. "Just drawing in class and trying to ignore Flash."

Gwen laughed. "You know he's just jealous of you, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right. He's just annoying."

Gwen grinned. "Anyway, have you heard about the internships at the lab? I was thinking of applying."

"No way!" I said excitedly. "That sounds amazing. You should go for it."

Gwen smiled. "Thanks, Pepper. I think I will."

As we hugged, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. "I can't believe how fast this week has gone by," Gwen said, smiling at me.

"I know, right?" I replied, returning the smile. "But I'm excited for the weekend. I'm thinking of checking out that new bakery that just opened up. Want to come with?"

"Definitely!" Gwen said, her eyes lighting up. "And speaking of exciting things, have you heard back from that internship you applied for?"

I shook my head. "Not yet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It would be amazing if I got it."

"Well, I have a good feeling about it," Gwen said, reassuringly touching my shoulder. "You're a talented artist; they'd be lucky to have you."

I grinned at her, feeling the warmth of her encouragement. "Thanks, Gwen. That means a lot coming from you."

As we headed off to our following classes, Gwen to biology and me to art, we continued to chat about our plans and dreams for the future. Despite the stress of school and the uncertainty of what lay ahead, I felt grateful to have a friend like Gwen by my side.

I lay my messenger bag on the table and greet my art teacher, Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee was a man about in his 60s/70s. He had white hair and a charming perma-smile that no one couldn't help smiling along. He has always been a role model and teacher to me, more than a teacher... like a father.

"Good morning, class. Today, I have an exciting assignment for you - to design and create your clothes." The class murmured excitedly as Mr. Lee pulled out various fabrics with different colors, patterns, textures, and styles. I gazed at them in awe.

"You can make anything you like, whether a shirt, dress or something entirely new. Take this period to let your imagination run wild." Mr. Lee encouraged us with a smile.