Spider-Man: No Way Home [6]

3

"No way! No freaking way." Peter was marveling on and on about Astra's supposed new responsibility once she got into MIT.

"That's so cool! I swear, we'd be the four most popular kids once we get into MIT," Ned said excitedly. "If your name ever goes public, I mean."

There was a knock on Astra's doorframe.

"You told them already?" Kathryn asked, half humouredly, half exasperatedly. "It's only been a few hours since I told you!"

Astra only grinned, and Kathryn sighed. "Carry on with your chat. Just don't sleep too late, first day of school tomorrow."

"How could I forget," Astra sighed.

"Yeah, your mom's right, it's getting late," said MJ. "'Night, guys." She hung up.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Ned hung up.

Now it was just Astra and Peter in the call. A silence ensued, until Astra broke it, changing the subject.

"Did you send in the rest of your applications yet?" she asked.

"I literally just finished my MIT one," Peter replied. "You?"

"Same," Astra replied.

"Can you imagine if we both got in? And Ned and MJ?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, but we'd have to get scholarships so we could actually go," Astra said. She knew that public school education on Earth was basically free, and the prices for public colleges weren't that bad. But the MIT tuition was insane, and Astra didn't know how she'd be able to afford it even after financial aid.

"Come on, you've got the scores and the grades, after just two years in school," Peter told her. "More like, two years on this planet!"

"So you think I'm being pragmatic."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Peter said quickly. "Well... kind of. It's okay. It's one of my favourite things about you."

"Really? That's nice." Astra blushed. "What are your other favourite things about me?"

"I love your constantly cheerful attitude," he offered.

"I didn't think I was that cheerful."

"I love how you're a people person."

"Yeah, that one I can agree with, I love hanging out," Astra said cheerfully, a smile coming to her face.

"You like sports."

"Don't get me wrong, I think this year's the year the Mets will go all the way," said Astra. She heard something that sounded like snoring from Peter's side of the call. "What's that noise?"

"Oh, it's Happy. Look." Peter turned his phone to show Happy snoring loudly on a couch. "Gave his room to May so he's sleeping down here."

Astra cringed. "In your personal space? That's a bit creepy, to be honest."

Peter laughed. Then Astra changed the subject.

"Uh, I have a weird question," she said. "Uh, does any part of you feel relieved about all this?"

Peter thought for a moment. "Ever since I got bit by that spider, I've only had one week where my life has felt normal," he said. "Or kind of normal, I guess. That was when we found out about each other's identities. When I found out you and MJ both knew I was Spider-Man. And I found out you were the Indigo Fairy. Because then everyone who was in my life that I wanted to know, knew. And it was perfect. But now everybody knows, and..." he sighed. "I am the most famous person in the entire world. And I'm still broke."

He and Astra both laughed.

"Yeah, otherwise you could afford MIT without any problems," Astra giggled.

There was a pause.

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow," said Astra dreamily, gazing into his eyes through the phone.

"Yeah, me too," said Peter.

"Wrap it up," came Happy's voice from Peter's side of the call, so suddenly that Peter jumped. "You both like each other. You get it. Hang up. There's no new ground being broken. I need my eight hours."

"Have you been listening this whole time?" Peter asked, dumbfounded.

"Hi, Happy," Astra decided to say at that exact moment.

"Not by choice."

"Astra says hi," said Peter, pointing his camera at Happy.

"Hello." Happy waved at her.

Midtown School of Science and Technology, Queens

"We're covering the first day of senior year for Midtown High's most famous student, Peter Parker! Go get them, tiger! Or should I say, 'spider?'"

Betty Brant, one of Astra's closest friends and a host for the Midtown News channel, stood at the school's front entrance, where a huge mob was gathered as Astra, Peter, Ned, and MJ walked towards the school entrance. Astra clasped Peter's hand tightly as they walked through the crowd.

News reporters were at the scene, recording live for their channels, as cameras and phones pointed at the four friends as they walked through the crowd.

"The crowd has continued to grow here all morning long at the Midtown School of Science and Technology..."

"The crowd seems evenly divided between supporters of Spider-Man and the Indigo Fairy, and protestors."

"Astra! Astra! We love you!" yelled a man at the front of the crowd who was wearing a shirt with Astra's face on it. "Astra! Are you going to have his spider-babies?!" he continued to yell.

Astra balled her free hand into a fist, punched the guy square in the face, and flipped him off without a word.

"Astra, you know he's a murderer, right?" someone else yelled.

"Back up! Back up!" yelled a police officer, who was splitting the crowd in two to make a path for Astra and her friends to walk through.

"Peter! Do a TikTok with me!"

"Mysterio forever!"

"Do a flip!"

"Hey! Let's see you and Astra kiss!"

No thanks, Astra thought.

The shouts kept coming and didn't stop as Astra walked into the school. She flipped off the police officers stationed at the entrance when they searched her and her friends.

"Just go on, Peter, I'll be fine," Astra reassured him when he tried to wait for her when she was being screened.

"But I-"

"Go," Astra told him.

Inside the school, it was even worse. In contrast to the usual lively first day of school atmosphere, the whole hallway was silent today and every kid had their phone out, filming Astra and Peter.

A/N: Quick question - to all swifties, which Taylor Swift eras suit Astra, MJ, Ned, and Peter the most?