The Enigmatic Midnight-Spider

Chapter 3: Guardian Angel

BRRRING!!!

The sound of the bell echoed throughout the university, indicating the end of the day, but no one would be released without a warning that many were waiting for...

"Okay, class, listen up," Mrs. Dinkley said, with an authoritative tone in her voice. "This Thursday, there will be the excursion to Oscorp, and it is necessary for all of you to be present, as it will be important for next week's work, which will obviously be worth a grade."

The class whispered debating, some imagining this visit, others already coming up with strategies to sit together on the bus, Matthew on the one hand... was only interested 'cuz he would get to know one of the biggest laboratories/companies in the country, but at the same time, just thinking about the bus full... crowded, full of chatters, and probably someone will sing a stupid song, other jokes, and that's it. The thought of having someone sitting next to him... Ugh was stressful for him.

"Mr. Lacey," she said, her tone calm but still sharp. "As it will be a field class, it is mandatory that everyone stays together, and any mischiefs will not be tolerated during the visit, so behave yourself and don't act like last year."

Matthew rolled his eyes, clearly not giving a shit about anything she said.

Annoying old hag...

In the end, he just hoped to survive this constant horror show that his life has been giving him during these 10 years.

* * *

Later that day, as he put his books away in his locker, his head was still full of pain, but he wasn't going to let it ruin his day (after all, you can't ruin something that's already a complete mess, right?). Matthew pondered about this visit to Oscorp, thinking about the possibilities that it could lead to, after all, it was a bunch of kids entering one of the biggest companies/laboratories in the world, almost as big as Stark Industries.

Maybe it's interesting...

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a noise coming from the other hallway.

What the hell...

Matthew goes to the place, where he sees Flash and Ned pushing someone into the locker, "Where's Lacey to save you now, huh, Parker?" Flash said, laughing in a cruel mocking tone.

"P-Please stop!"

But obviously it was no use, they push him into the locker and lock him there, "Ha... stupid nerdy," Flash said. "He's a little shit, let's go, before some teacher shows up," Ned said.

The two finally left there, Matthew, clearly irritated, watched them, Sons of bitches he thought, going to the locker where they put Peter to get him out of there.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM

Peter's knocks on the locker door were loud and desperate, "HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE, GET ME OUT OF HERE!" He screamed, his voice muffled by the metal. Matthew approached, fiddling with the lock. It wasn't the first time he broke down a door, but that was another story...

When he opened the door, he saw Peter there, his hair messed up, his shirt wrinkled, his glasses falling off, his eyes watering. He stared at him for a moment, analyzing him. Matthew knew it wasn't his problem, but... he was just a kid, and seeing those bastards messing with him like that irritated him... A LOT!

"Are you okay, kid?" Matthew asked, his voice serious, but with a hint of concern.

"Y-Yeah..." Peter answered, his voice broken, low and tearful.

"What happened this time?"

Peter hesitated, avoiding eye contact, still crying a little. Matthew looked at him, then sighed, "Come on, get out of there, I'm taking you to the infirmary."

* * *

At the infirmary...

Peter was being examined by the nurse, Matthew was leaning against the wall, waiting, she then stood up, turned to him and said:

"He's fine, it was just light scratches, he'll be fine."

Matthew nodded, grateful. "Okay, thank you, ma'am."

* * *

After the two left there, the atmosphere became a little tense, the silence heavy, Peter giving Matthew light glances, finally breaking the silence. "T-thank you for helping me..." Peter said, his voice low and broken.

Matthew looked at him lightly, "I didn't do anything, I didn't stop them from doing this to you, I just took you to the infirmary."

"And that's more than enough that someone has already done it for me here."

Matthew looks at him fully now, turning his head more, "What do you mean you don't have any friends?" Peter sighs with his head down, "What do you think?"

Matthew stays silent, not knowing exactly what to say, "I... I'm sorry, kid."

"Don't be, it's not like it's important anyway..."

Matthew looked at him, he knew the kid wasn't his problem, but... fuck, no one deserves to go through this, but the kid needs someone to protect him, a guardian angel, a... friend, maybe, and if it's not him, who will it be?

The problem was that Matthew wasn't known for being sociable, so he kind of had no idea how to start a friendship, especially an unlikely one with a nerd.

Arriving in the next room, Peter was getting ready to enter, Matthew behind him, until the silence broke.

"Hey, Peter..." Matthew said, with a somewhat hesitant tone.

Peter turned to him, with his hand on the doorknob, "Yeah?"

Matthew took a deep breath, thinking about his words, but all he said was...

"...Nothing, forget it, take care, okay?"

And then he turned around and went to his next class, which he was probably very late for (not that he cared), he walked down the halls, thinking that this time he might be a jerk than usual.

Although he was aware that he wasn't good at this, and that it might still be too early, after all he met Peter yesterday, and it's been 10 years of social isolation that... it seems unlikely to let someone come into his life like that out of the blue, maybe it would be better this way, maybe not, maybe it was his destiny to live and die alone.

The way is to keep going, and find out...