Sunflower (or, a Solangelo Spider-Man AU)

Welcome to New York! (where everyone thinks you're in the Mafia!)

By the time Will reached the school, both his anxiety and pace had slowed. The only thing on his mind as he squeezed through the crowded hallways was to hopefully not be noticed or bullied.

Fortunately, he was successful in that today, and made it to his locker without being shoved, stolen from, or harassed. His two best (and only) friends, Cecil and Lou Ellen were standing there, too preoccupied to notice him. Lou Ellen appeared to be in the midst of showing Cecil an elaborate card trick.

She pulled a card from the stack, holding it up. "The Queen of Diamonds. Is this your card?"

Cecil gasped and grabbed the card from her hand. "How did you DO that?"

Lou Ellen turned to where Will was putting his stuff in his locker, caught his eye, and mouthed "he's a moron." while gesturing at Cecil, who was still marveling at the card.

Will chuckled. He had figured out months ago that Lou Ellen's card deck ONLY consisted of the Queen of Diamonds, but Cecil was still fully convinced that she was magic.

Cecil looked up from the card in his hands. "Oh, hey, Will!" Cecil squinted at him. "You okay? You don't look so good."

"Why is EVERYONE saying that today?" Will mumbled. He shut his locker and turned to his friends. "I'm fine. Just had a...situation in the middle of the night. So I didn't get the best sleep."

Lou Ellen and Cecil nodded sympathetically. They were the only people who knew about his double life. Will was grateful for that, especially considering how much they had been willing to- and had helped him. Cecil, despite his gullibility when it came to card tricks, had built him some AWESOME web shooters, and Lou Ellen had designed his costume.

Cecil cleared his throat, breaking the silence that they had fallen into. "Oh. Well. On another note, I heard some interesting news."

Will rolled his eyes at the subject change, but he couldn't blame Cecil. The guy couldn't focus on one thing for more than twenty seconds unless he was hyperfocused.

"How did YOU hear interesting news, Cecil?" Lou Ellen scoffed. "I've never even seen you talk to someone besides us."

Cecil slugged her on the arm. "Shut up! I have resources." He turned his focus to Will. "I heard there's a new guy at our school."

Will raised an eyebrow. "How is THAT interesting news? I don't even know half the people who go here. I'm willing to bet we get a new guy, like, every week."

"Let me finish!" Cecil snapped. "Where was I? Oh, yeah. So this new guy..."

He trailed off and glanced behind him, as if he was scared someone might be listening. He moved in closer to Will and Lou Ellen and spoke in a hushed voice.

"Apparently he's, like, super sus. Creepy looking, quiet. No real records of him before here, at least not in the US. Rumor has it he's Italian." Cecil paused for dramatic effect. "You know what all that means, right? He's in the MAFIA."

Lou Ellen and Will both looked at Cecil incredulously. "Cecil," Lou Ellen said slowly. "That is possibly the stupidest thing you've ever said."

"Not to mention mildly racist." Will added.

Cecil ignored Lou Ellen's statement and whirled towards Will. "Racist? What about that is RACIST?"

"Assuming an Italian dude is in the Mafia? That's racist, Cecil."

"How is- that is not racist! And I'm not assuming he's in the Mafia just because he's Italian. I'm assuming he's in the Mafia because he's creepy and mysterious and, oh, just HAPPENS to be Italian."