Spider-Man | Doesn't Need Help

CHAPTER 12

  "Class, silence!" I flinched involuntarily at the teacher’s loud shout.

  Okay, maybe it wasn’t that loud, but for me, with my heightened senses, it certainly felt that way.

  I hesitantly glanced around the classroom, immediately noticing how incredibly mixed this class was.

  I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, and as I scanned the room, I unfortunately made brief eye contact with each of them.

  "This is your new classmate, Peter Parker." He introduced me quickly, to my relief, as I had feared he might start talking about my rather uneventful past. "Would you like to say something about yourself, Peter?" He addressed me, and I immediately shook my head. "In that case, please take a seat next to…" The man began looking around the room, presumably searching for an empty spot. "Ned, over there at the back."

  Without much delay, I walked to the seat assigned to me, sitting next to a short, round boy with slightly darker skin and short, cropped black hair. He looked at me with a smile as I took the seat beside him.

  "Hey, I’m Edward Leeds." He introduced himself, and in that moment, I felt a wave of nausea.

  That name.

  "But everyone calls me Ned." He added.

  I nodded, unsure of what to say in response.

  I had never had much interaction with people. In my childhood, when my parents were still alive, I didn’t attend any kind of preschool. I always played with my cousin, who was also my best friend. Later, at the orphanage, I barely talked to anyone. I had my own room, which I didn’t share with anyone. At school, I was invisible to everyone—I even remember teachers occasionally skipping my name altogether. And then, with Mr. Adams… I still don’t know why I ended up in that practically dysfunctional school, where no one seemed to realize they were teaching someone who was officially declared dead.

  That’s why now, I sat silently, looking into Ned’s big brown eyes.

  "I-I’m Peter, but I guess you already know that." I purposefully mirrored his slight smile.

  I turned my gaze away, feeling genuinely… unwell.

  My heart was beating faster than it should. I could hear it.

  "I heard…" He began, trying to continue the conversation, but thankfully, my teacher saved me by slamming his hand on the desk.

  My ears…

  Instantly, all conversations ceased, and everyone’s attention focused on Mr. Flores.

  I quickly realized that this was a physics lesson, and, I must admit, I was immediately intrigued by what the teacher was enthusiastically explaining. At my previous school, lessons were practically nonexistent. A topic was assigned, and we were told to read about it and take our own notes. Physics genuinely fascinated me, and better yet, I absorbed it effortlessly. In fact, this applied to all science subjects, but physics and mathematics were my favorites.

  I didn’t even notice when the bell rang, signaling the end of the lesson.

  Reluctantly, I packed my things into the backpack May had given me, then left the classroom as one of the last students.

  According to the schedule I had received, my next class was History.

  "Hey, wait up!" I heard a voice behind me, and I instinctively turned to see Ned walking toward me. "Do you want to sit with me in History too?" My eyebrows shot up involuntarily.

  I was surprised by his offer.

  "Um… Sure." I replied uncertainly.

  I had to be careful. He was being too nice. And besides, you never know what someone might really want from you.