Catch Me // Spider-Man (BOOK 1)

Chapter 4 - Gracias

After everything that went down on Thursday night I wasn't surprised when Peter wasn't waiting to walk to school with me the next morning. I didn't bother going to knock on the Parker's front door to ask why, it was pretty obvious.

The file that was hidden in the secret compartment of his Dad's briefcase had baffled both of us. I was still at his house after midnight trawling the internet trying to find out any information we could. Equations for something called the Decay Rate Algorithm were scribbled all over the Oscorp headed pages and that's what we were trying to work out. We found nothing, and it was only when I heard my Aunt Penny's taxi pulling up across the street that I dragged myself away and went home.

I've got to admit that it was weird walking to school on my own. Ever since the first time Peter suggested we walked together we'd been doing it every day, there and back for 2 months. He'd not missed it once, not until now.

I wasn't sure what to do. Did I skip school, sneak off with him to a library somewhere and try and find out more? Do I walk into his house and drag him to school, telling him to get his act together? Or do I just leave it, give him space and tackle the school day on my own? It turns out my absent friend made the choice for me. It was by text. I know, not exactly original.

Sorry. Just need a day 2 try and work this all out. P

No need 2 explain. Let me know if u find anything. I'll tell school u got sick last nt. L

Thx. I'll make it up 2 u, I promise. P x

Did he just put a kiss at the end? He's never done that before. How do I answer? Am I over reacting? I am, aren't I? Peter's going through all this stress and all I can concentrate on is a little x at the end of a message.

U better. L

Smiley face to the rescue. Shows I care but not too committal. Get a grip Adams.

School went by so slowly. I've never known anything to drag so much. Gwen was practically chewing my ear off about how excited she was for me starting at Oscorp the next day and rather than me joining in I just nodded my head and forced a smile. I should be excited. I should be looking forward to it. Kids from all around the country go for these internships and I got one. Damn, Peter Parker for taking over my life. All I could think about all day was him. Every spare second I had was spent checking my phone for messages and googling about Dr Connors and Peter's Dad. We needed to work this out, sooner rather than later.

By 10 that night I still didn't have a message from Peter so I decided to leave him to himself. He knew where I was if he needed me and I didn't want to butt in. I needed to get myself sorted for the next day anyway. Make sure my clothes were ready and everything I would have to take was packed away.

Once I'd got everything sorted and Aunt Penny had finished gushing about how proud she was of me I decided to take myself off to bed and get an early night.

I was only in bed for 5 minutes when my phone start to ring. Looking down at the screen I wasn't surprised to see Peter's face flashing back at me.

"Hey Pete," I answered with a yawn. Slowly I stepped out of bed and walked over to the window, knowing he would have done the same so we could see each other from across the street. Our bedroom windows faced one another. This way we could talk face to face, late at night without having to be in the same room. It was an ingenious idea really.

"Did I wake you?"

"No. I was just settling in to bed. What's up?"

"I just wondered if you wanted me to walk with you to your new job in the morning." This had hidden agenda written all over it.