Arachnoblast: I'm Fourteen This is Ridiculous

Chapter 4: That Famous Phrase

"You ready, Kelsey?" Justin called, tucking in his button-up shirt.

"Yep!" Kelsey replied, trotting downstairs. She couldn't be more ready for a nice, quiet, friendly dinner with the Parkers and the Captain.

"Let's head over, then." Justin opened the door, letting Kelsey pass through before closing and locking it behind her. Then the pair walked next door to the Parkers' home.

As soon as Justin knocked, Peter answered, wearing a neat sweater and a pair of jeans. His short brown hair was neatly combed, except for a small cowlick in the back of his head that seemed impossible to tame. He smiled warmly as he invited Kelsey and Justin inside.

"Justin, Kelsey!" Ben greeted. "Glad you could make it!"

"Us, too," Justin smiled as he shook Ben's hand. "Where's George? He's usually here at least half an hour before anyone else."

"Oh, he couldn't make it," Ben answered. "Apparently someone at the station got a lead on a lunatic the police have been after for a long while, so he went to join the force in tracking him down."

Kelsey and Justin nodded in understanding, though Kelsey was disappointed that the captain couldn't be there. Captain Stacy had taught a self-defense class that had replaced PE during the last semester of her seventh and eighth grade years and had been an excellent teacher and an all-around kind man, ready to answer any question patiently and clearly. Despite having a lot of students, he had also made sure each one felt important and safe, even keeping some of the bullies off of Peter's back. Although he had only been her teacher for a few months, Captain Stacy had become almost a second father to Kelsey at school, and Kelsey had really enjoyed his class and still remembered his advice.

"Why don't you two have a seat," May said, bringing the food into the dining room from the kitchen. "Then we can go ahead and eat!"

"Sounds perfect. Thank you, May," Ben replied, leading Peter and the guests to the table.

"Do you need help with anything, Mrs. Parker?" Kelsey asked.

"That's sweet of you, dear, but no thank you." May set the food down and took her seat. "I've got it all taken care of."

Once everyone was seated, they all dug in.

"So, Peter, how's school going?" Justin asked after swallowing his first bite of food.

Peter shrugged. "It's good."

"Come on, Peter, don't be so modest," May laughed, then turned to Justin. "He's got straight A's, he's doing wonderfully on the chess team, and he's already on track to being valedictorian."

Justin smiled. "Good job, Pete! All while being a great friend to my little Kelsey."

"And how have you been lately, Kelsey? Feeling better after yesterday?" Ben asked, taking another bite of food.

Kelsey nodded. "Yeah, I'm all better. And I've been good, too. Keeping up grades, just hanging out, that sort of thing."

Justin and Ben nodded approvingly. "You kids have bright futures ahead of you," Ben said. "You've both got a lot of power. Just remember that with great power comes great responsibility."

Kelsey paused. With great power comes great responsibility, she repeated in her mind. With superpowers comes super responsibility. I need to use my powers for something, something important. But what?

"Don't worry, Uncle Ben," Peter promised, interrupting Kelsey's thoughts. "We won't let you down."

"Yeah," Kelsey affirmed. "We'll make you guys proud."