Life as Spiderwoman

The Beginning

Life as Spiderwoman and earlier...

Well, what can I tell you about me now, right at the beginning of my story? My name is Joi Leroy. My boyfriend's name is Peter Parker. My mum is from Germany, my dad is from France. I am 16 years old. I love watching my favorite series, playing tennis and piano, singing, dancing, some things teenagers love. But there's more that I love. I love being Spiderwoman.

MOVING

I mean, most of you have already moved somewhere else. Maybe first into a house that is only a few miles away from your old house, so that you can still meet your neighbors' kids again. Or then into a new city, that is not too far away from your old city, so that you can still see your friends. But has someone ever moved to another country, which is so far away, that it takes you ten hours with the plane? If there is someone who did this, tell me, because I seriously need some advice on how to get over that.

It was a usual Monday morning; I rode my bike to school, went into the classroom, sat down next to my best friend Alissa and unpacked my schoolbag. We said hello, while the most annoying teacher there is came in and forced us to get up and sing: "Good Morning, Miss Sanders." The lesson was boring and unilluminating as always. Just like the rest of the school day.

I didn't manage to tell Alissa all day what I needed to tell her and as we went to our bikes and she was telling me about some boy that had been texting her such cute things I thought about how to tell her. "...And then he said, I'd have amazing eyes, like no one else, and-"

"Sorry, Al, but I need to interrupt you."

"Sure, what's the matter?"

"I... we... we're moving, you know."

"Moving.. where exactly?"

"Err... New York."

She stood still. Her mouth was opened as wide as her eyes. "That's a joke, right? Ahahaha... No, really, stop making those, they're not really funny."

„Al, that's no joke. I mean, I wanted to tell you before, but I thought I could argue my parents into staying here. But they didn't really think about me. It's because of dad's job. There's not much hope, I guess."

"Oh... okay. When, I mean, when will you go?"

"In a week. Next Monday I'll be on my way to New York City."

"I mean, it's not that bad, Joi, it's New York, isn't it? You will find lots of new friends and maybe you will hang a bit with Spiderman, won't you?", she said with a smile.

I laughed a bit - at least I tried. I still love today, how she pulled me up at that time. My cell phone rang, my dad asked me not to come home late, Alissa and I said bye and drove home in different directions.

At home I ate something and as I wanted to start homework I had a call.

"Joooooi! You won't sit at home and do your homework, like a nice little girl? You don't need to, you know, no teacher in Germany can ever give you bad marks anymore, in a week you'll never see them again, you understand me?", shouted Alissa thorugh the phone.

"Well, maybe if you scream a bit louder I'll understand you better!", I laughed.

"Come on, I'm already on my way to you, get some money and your bike, we're going shopping. How could you go to New York without some nice clothes?", said she and hung up. I couldn't do any other than laugh.

That's how it went on all week: we went shopping, we worked us through my whole room, decided what to throw away, what to give away and what to take with me and Alissa made us both Skype to stay in contact. She was sad, but she tried to hide it and I was thankful, I didn't want to cry so much. When we saw each other the last time, we had to cry, but it was okay, I felt relieved.

The next Monday I had to get up at 5 a.m. We drove to the airport and waited. As we entered the plane I looked for my seat. The flight was okay, but when we arrived I was so done. We started the 10 hour flight at 7 a.m. in Germany, and landed at 9 a.m. in New York, because of time difference.

We first went into a café to eat something and then took a taxi to our new house in Forest Hills, Queens. As we unpacked the taxi, an energetic lady, something like 50 years old came over from the house next door.

"Hello, welcome to Forest Hills! You must be the new neighbors, I've already heard about you. Mr. and Mrs. Leroy and you must be... Joannie?" asked she and gave my mum a plate with cake. Her voice made her appear much younger. And yes, that is my whole, French name. Joannie. I prefer being called Joi, no misunderstandings.

"Good morning, Mrs. Parker, right? Thank you so much, we don't even have something to drink at home.", said my mum.

"Please, call me May! So, why don't you go shopping and I talk a bit with Joannie, here? We'll stay in the house until you come back.", suggested May Parker.

"Great idea! Why don't you do that, mum, dad? I'm so done, I don't really want to come with you." So it happened like May suggested, she fetched some milk from her kitchen and we ate cake in my new home and talked.

"How old are you?", asked May. "I'm 16, finally!", said I and May laughed. "I guessed something like that, you know, my nephew, he lives with me, his name is Peter, he's 16 too.", said she with a smile. "He's a good boy, maybe you'll become friends." "Sure, I am happy about every single new friend.", said I.

As my parents came back Mrs. Parker went home and we unpacked everything. I had the room above, I could look into a room in Mrs. Parker's house and I guessed it was Peter's room, a little messy, like every boy's room.

When we were ready I first called Alissa, then took my favorite book and sat down on a bench in front of our house. I wanted to see this Peter.
He came home with his bike, he didn't see me, because I had hid the bench a bit. As I wanted to go in I heard Mrs. Parker through the open kitchen window say: "The new neighbors have arrived, why don't you say hello?" I laughed and hurried up to get into the house before Peter could come out. I chucked myself on the couch and put on the TV, like I was doing that for an hour now.

The doorbell rang, my mum opened. "Oh hello, you must be Peter. Well, I..." was the only thing I heard them say, because then they went into the kitchen.

After a few minutes my mum called me. Oh no. "Yeah, mum, what's up?", asked I and acted like I didn't know that Peter was here. Then I acted like I would have noticed him.

I'm good in things like these.

Mum said: "This is Peter, Mrs. Parker's nephew, remember?" "Yes, I do remember what May said an hour ago, mum.", said I with a smile. Peter laughed.

"Why don't you go up and talk a bit?", suggested dad. Double no. "Well, if you've got homework, I don't want to disturb you, err - ", I said.

"There's no homework, but I can go if you want to, you've had a long flight, I'd understand that.", interrupted Peter me, still sounding like a well-behaved little boy.
"No, I don't.", said I. "Why don't we go for a walk? I'll just tell Aunt May, alright?", asked he. "Sure.", answered I.

As we were outside, he began to talk. He talked about the city, the people here and school. I found out, that my mum had applied for me at Peter's school, the Midtown High. As we were home again, he said good bye and waited till I was inside.

Really nice boy.

And I had to admit that he's pretty good looking. And guess what my mum would tell me now. He's such a nice boy, he gets good marks, why don't you marry him, blablabla. Okay, she might not tell me to marry him, but deep inside her... "Joi? You're home? Peter is nice isn't he?" "Yes mum." "And so well-behaved." "Sure mum." . . .

After mum told me all positive things about a boy she had just met an hour ago and I had made myself ready I finally laid in my bed. First I read a bit, then I turned off the lamp next to me. But there still was some light. I went to my window and saw Peter sitting in his room, doing - guess what? His homework. I went to bed with a big smile on my face.

☺