The Denial Twist ~-~ Miles Morales

2. Zip Zap Zop And We Answer To No One

"Really Dad, we were fine walking."

"You can walk plenty on Saturday when you peel those stickers off."

Miles mumbles something about his father seeing the two of you placing stickers around.

"I don't know if that was us Dad."

"And the two on Clinton."

Mr. Davis looks at the two of you in the rear-view, Miles sighs, shrinking in his seat. Letting his father win.

"Yeah, that was us."

You drive on for a little before Mr. Davis drives past a news report of the earthquakes that have been going on lately. You weren't even sure what was going on and you hardly saw your Dad these days to ask. With highschool and his work as the city's crime-fighting vigilante, there wasn't a lot of time for catching up or questions. The radio says it all, your Dad has been looking into it.

Jeff turns the radio off, scoffing, an unhumorous look on his face.

"Spider-man." He grumbles. "I mean this guy swings in once a day and answers to no one right?"

"Yeah." Miles replies lamely, staring out the window as your fingers move over the legs of your pants. Trying to keep your mouth shut.

"Meanwhile, my guys are out there, lives on the line-."

"Mhm. Yup." Miles replies again. Clearly paying no attention to anything before beginning to shrink in his seat.

"Hey! Dad! Dad! Speed up, I know these guys!"

A couple of kids are mocking him on the other side of the window. You move between Miles and the door. Shielding him with your arm. You flip them off as Miles shrinks. Your bag between the cameras and him.

"Y/n." Jeff warns and you turn to look at him. "Seat belt."

A quirk shows in your lip as you take the seat belt from Miles. Who is glad to be rid of the ridicule his Dad had put him up too.

"Don't cops run red lights?"

"Yeah, but uh, not your Dad."

The drive is quiet after that. Not a word spoken about Spider-Man or any coffee shop on the street corner where the coffee definitely costs twelve dollars. Miles doesn't move to get out of the car. You look expectantly at him, he had your way out. You weren't going to step into the busy street.

"Why can't I go back to Brooklyn Middle?"

"Miles," Mr. Davis starts, a raise of his eyebrow showing clear exhaustion. You doubt Miles had let it sit. He loved that school, and he missed his friends. "You've given it two weeks, we are not having this conversation."

"I just think that this new school is elitist-"

"Elitist?"

"- and I'd prefer to be at a normal school, among the people-"

"The people? Miles, these are your people."

"I'm only here because I won that stupid lottery-"

Jeff looks back at Miles over the seat, shaking his head as his son crosses his arms.

"No. No way. You passed the entry test just like everyone else. You have an opportunity here. You wanna blow that? You wanna end up like your uncle Aaron?"

"What's wrong with uncle Aaron? He's a good guy."

Mr.Davis is clearly angry at the statement btu takes a breath. He knows his son has an affinity for his uncle. If anything Miles treated Aaron more like a father than he did Jeff. He takes a breath before speaking calmly.

"We all make choices in life-"

"It doesn't feel like I have a choice right now-"

"You don't." Jeff says, pissed. A beat passes before Miles gets out of the car. You follow suit. Holding your bag at your side as the bite of autumn air fills your bones. You hated sixty degrees in the shade. Sixty degrees in the sun was warm, but not hot. It had just the right amount of balance.

In the shade it felt like you were going to start freezing because it was going to snow.

"I love you Miles." Mr.Davis says. Giving his son a small, apologetic smile. You watch the scene play out before you.

"Yeah. I know, Dad. See you friday."

He closes the door, you give Miles a smile and Jefferson a wave. Who glares. The window starts to roll down as the crackle of the radio makes your anxiety spike.

"You gotta say I love you back."

Miles whips around in an instant as the crowd on the steps goes silent. You turn around with Miles.

"Dad, are you serious?"

"I wanna hear it."
"You wanna hear me say it-"

"I love you, Dad"

"- you're dropping me off at a school-"

"I love you, Dad."

"Look at this place-"

"Dad, I love you."

Miles looks up to the sky, already asking for the day to end. Maybe you'd feel the same way in his shoes. If your dad dropped you off at school. Maybe if either of your parents dropped you off at school. Aunt May had occasionally when you had been late once or twice already this year. You doubted you'd take something like this for granted.

"Dad..." Miles starts, looking back disdainfully at the police car at the bottom of the stairs on the street beside the sidewalk. "I love you."

"That's a copy. And tie your shoes please!"
You waved to Mr.Davis.

"I love you too Jeff!"

He rolls his eyes with an amused grin as he drives off, you direct Miles inside with a comforting hand on his shoulder. He mumbles to you as you make your way through the crowd already laughing and mumbling from the incident that happened seconds ago.

"You didn't have to go down with me."

You shrug, replying with a nonchalant air that he bought completely.

"Yeah, but I want to experience all of school. Good and embarrassing."

You adjust Miles' tie, placing his headphones around his neck. He had nearly forgotten them in the car. You give him a smile.

"¿Llámame después de escuela?"

"Por supuesto, Girasol. Hasta pronto!"

He sent you a wave and you chuckled a little. Your Spanish has definitely gotten better. You still had a lot to learn though, and to your dislike, the class was at the start of your day. The bell rang as you walked leisurely down the hallway.

You cursed, begging something in the universe to let the teacher be gracious with you. You did not need a bad start to the day.

Unfortunately for you, it was a bad start to the day, and it only got worse.