Spider-X: A Spider-Man Story

Chapter 17: Mrs. Reilly

His alarm clock is going off. The realization is a relief, because in his dream, it's the fire alarm in Happy's condo building. The world is on fire, police are outside, but it doesn't matter because May is dying.

So when Peter realizes it's just his alarm clock, it's a massive relief. He doesn't have to live through it again, he's only left with the crushing guilt, dread, and grief.

Peter groans as he drags himself to his feet. His body is sore and his head is pounding. He unwraps the towel from his hand and is pleased that the wound is closed. The flesh is pink and delicate, very sensitive to the touch, but it's closed. He washes his hand of blood, gently. He washes his face too. He has some dried blood on his forehead from a small cut that's now healed. He must have cut it on some glass.

Banging at his door makes him wince.

"Peter! The damn clock!" It's Kitty, screaming at him through the door.

Peter slightly limps over and turns the beeping off. The banging also ceases. He grabs some clean clothes and goes back to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for school. His side is bruised a deep purple but when he checks his ribs, there are no breaks, no signs anything is cracked, just a mean surface level bruise.

He feels better once he's clean. Sore, but better. Once he gets some food, his healing factor will be even better.

**
The lights are intense at school. The fluorescent lights in the hallway hurt his head. The sounds of lockers banging and students yelling hurt his head. God, he's never had a headache like this, even before he was enhanced. It's like something inside his mind is burrowing its way out. Slowly. An internal ache.

"Hey."

Peter jumps slightly. Somehow he'd missed Jean walking up behind him. She backs up at the sight of his face. He squints a little. "Oh, hey. I, um, I have a headache."

"You look awful," Jean shifts her book bag to her other shoulder.

"Thanks," Peter grumbles. He rubs his forehead and closes his eyes. This is not a good day. Why can't his head heal already? He had a big breakfast, a good night's sleep. Well, it was more a passing out on the bathroom floor, but he was unconscious. Same difference.

Jean furrows her eyebrows, "Peter, do you want me to-" she shakes her head, changing her mind about something. "Um, nevermind. I'm not a doctor."

"Yet." Peter smirks.

Jean smirks back. "Yet. Well, you look in no shape to talk physics."

Peter winces slightly. "Rain check."

Jean nods and branches off into her first period. Peter continues walking to chemistry.

"Mr. Parker!"

Peter freezes at the sound of his aunt's voice. It's not his aunt, of course, but that tone, the one that says he's in trouble, probably grounded, is exactly the same. Peter turns slowly to see Mrs. Reilly's smiling face, beckoning him to come inside her classroom. He debates running, but she has a clear visual, and she can find his schedule if she really wants to, so reluctantly, he follows her inside.

"H-hi Mrs. Reilly."

"Mr. Parker, are you allergic to books?"

"No ma'am."

"Intolerant to grammar?"

"No ma'am."

"Does reading aloud make you anxious?"

"No ma'am."

She sits on the edge of her desk, arms crossed. "Then what possible reason do you have to skip my class?"