At 15, Peter Parker faces a harsh awakening after the tragic death of his uncle, realizing the weight of the responsibilities that come with his newfound powers. Balancing the challenges of high school, a mysterious new girl, and the shocking transf...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
~~~
"IT'S just for a little while, May. Things between her and her dad are...tense right now. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important." I try to keep my voice steady, even though May can probably see right through me. She's standing there, arms crossed, giving Felicia and me the once-over.
For a second, I think she's going to say no. But then her expression softens, and a small smile tugs at her lips. "Felicia's been a big help at the shelter while you were...well, you know. And she was worried sick about you when you were missing. Of course, she can stay. I'll get a few things ready for her to sleep." She pauses, eyeing me with a smirk. "And since you brought her here, Peter, she can use your room. You'll take the couch."
Felicia's face flushes instantly. "Oh, no, really, that's not necessary—"
"It's fine," May interrupts with a playful smile, clearly enjoying herself. "Peter doesn't mind, right?"
I sigh, knowing there's no winning this one. "I don't."
Felicia just nods, though her embarrassment is written all over her face. May heads upstairs to get the room ready, and the second she's out of sight, the tension between Felicia and me settles into the room like a heavy fog.
At least we made it here before May noticed anything was wrong. My leg's still killing me, but I guess I'm doing a good enough job of pretending that May hasn't asked any awkward questions.
Yet.
Felicia breaks the silence first, fiddling with her fingers. "You didn't have to do all this."
I lean back into the couch, trying to ease the throbbing in my leg. "Yeah, I did. Felicia, your dad shouldn't be putting his hands on you. I'm not just going to stand by and let that happen."
She keeps her gaze on her hands, the tension in her shoulders saying more than her words ever could. "Yeah, well, there's a lot of things he shouldn't have done. But I guess... I should say thanks." Slowly, her eyes lift to meet mine. "Thanks, Peter."
I smile, shrugging like it's no big deal, but inside I feel a little lighter. "What are friends for?"
Felicia leans back, letting out a breath she's probably been holding for a while. "I didn't really bring any clothes with me, though."
I scratch the back of my neck, suddenly aware of how much I hadn't thought this through. "Oh, right. Maybe Gwen can help with that. Once I tell her what's going on and everything."
Felicia glances at me, her expression unreadable for a second. "And she'll be okay with this?"
The question catches me off guard. "Why wouldn't she be?" I ask, genuinely confused.
