Spider-Byte: Multiversal Madness

Chapter 8: Right Here

The swing back home was...quiet. The Spider-Duo eventually made it back and stayed by a water tower, both of them staring at different parts of the party a good distance away from each other. Miles played with Melody's bracelet while Melody played with her hands. The silence killed them both.

Was anyone gonna man up and start talking?

Of course not.

Like- what would they even say?

'Hey, let's try to forget the fact that we almost had a moment?'

Please.

After a few minutes of the agonizing silence, Melody spoke up.

"So...how was the meeting?"

This caught Miles attention as he perked up and glanced at Melody. "It was good. We talked about me going to Princeton, and I think I just might go."

Melody's brows drawed together, "Princeton? What happened to NYU or UCLA?" She looked at Miles, slightly frowning, "I've never heard of a visual arts program in Princeton..." Miles hesitantly replied, "I'm...not going to Princeton for visual arts."

This was all strange news to Melody. Miles always talked about wanting to take his art skills to a professional level...what's with the sudden change? "But, Morales, it's been your dream to do art!"

"Yeah, well, things change." He shrugged, "Plus, it's not the best paying major out there."

"Miles, I remember helping you convince your parents to let you do art as a career-"

"I just think that Quantum Physics is a better way to go."

Melody paused. "Quantum Physics? Seriously?"

Miles defended himself (again), "Princeton has the best quantum researchers in the country, Mel! We could figure out how to travel dimensions!"

She furrowed her brows, "Why would you want to- wait a second." She folded her arms and asked, "You're really giving away your life-long passion to do visual arts just to figure out how to travel across the multiverse to see people you only spent time with for half of a week?"

Miles sighed, "Don't you miss them?"

"Well, yeah sometimes, but I know I have yo-"

"It could be kinda lonely or we do the same things alot sometimes...it would be so cool if we could fight crime and hang out with the whole gang! Change is good, you know."

Melody felt a bit insecure. "What, am I not enough or something? Am I boring?"

"What- no! Never! You're just...different."

Melody back up more from Miles, feeling offended. "Different? Different how? I'm your friend, arent I?"

"Of course- well no, not just that! You're-"

"HELLOOOOOOOO!" Rio barged in the tower, coming up the ladder, making the teenagers jump.

"Hey, Mrs. Morales!" Melody said, gritting her teeth.

"I was wondering where you two were. I had a feeling y'all would be here again!" Rio replied, patting Miles' hair. "Some kids were actually looking for you guys."

Miles stepped closer to Melody. "I mean, we aren't doing anything really. I guess we could go say hi?" He asked, reaching out to touch her arm. In response, Melody pulled her arm away subtly, pretending to look at her watch. "Ooh, would you look at the time? Sorry, I'd love to, but it's...it's getting late! I have so so much work to catch up on and stuff!" She lied.

Miles chuckled, "Mel, it's Friday. You can do that on the weekend!" "You know my schedule is tight on the weekends, Miles." Melody insisted.

She stretched out her hand to Miles, waiting to do their iconic handshake, "I'll see you sometime?" Miles frowned, his voice flat, "Yeah, totally." They did their handshake before Melody left the tower.