Catch Me // Spider-Man (BOOK 1)

Chapter 7 - I saw him

Monday at school was pretty much the same as all the others I'd experienced the past week or so, including Peter's absence. After sending the text the night before I lay in bed for hours just staring at my phone, hoping beyond hope that it would start flashing, flashing because he had opened his eyes. He could see me again. The phone did not light up though, no message came and once more I went to sleep wandering if I'd ever see the old version of my best friend again.

After school I went into the city. Aunt Penny's birthday was coming up and I wanted to get her something nice. She'd done so much for me. She'd held me together the past few days I wanted her to know that I cared, how much she meant to me. It was whilst walking down West 57th towards Madison that I felt it, this strange feeling that someone was watching me. Usually I'd be scared, cautious of such a feeling but for some reason I felt safe with its presence. Whatever or whoever it was, wasn't just watching me, they were watching over me. There's the difference.

I shook it off, wanting to get all my shopping done and get home. I had a ton of homework that was late, chores that needed doing. I've never been one of those people that spend countless hours wandering from store to store. I'm a more get in, pick up what you need and get out of there kind of girl.

Eventually I decided on a gorgeous rose gold bracelet from a store called the Jewel Box. It was pretty pricey and used up most of the wages I had earned from my internship so far, but it was worth it. The second I saw it, it screamed Aunt Penny. It was made for her and I knew I would regret it if I didn't buy it.

Within moments of me leaving the store, mighty pleased with my purchase, I saw him. The guy that everyone had been talking about. He shot over my head in a streak of red and blue. I'd heard the stories, seen the blurry phone videos on the news but actually witnessing him in person was something else. I'd never seen anything like it in my life.

He journeyed ahead of me, swinging from building to building. It appeared he was travelling towards a disturbance of some kind. I could see the faint signs of police car lights in the direction he was going, the distant sound of sirens. I couldn't take my eyes off him as I carried on walking towards the subway, my eyes glued to the masked man above. One thought, just one ran through my head as he got further and further away, smaller and smaller. I wish Peter was here.

"Aunt Penny? Aunt Penny I saw him," I practically screamed as I entered the house an hour later.

"Saw who honey?" She asked confused as she joined me in the hallway.

"That guy that was on the news."

"What guy?"

"Spider-Man."

"I have no idea who you're talking about."

"Come on, are you kidding me? Red and blue suit, mask, webs, saves people?" She really was clueless. I was gonna have to get her to read the paper more often.

"Nope, not the foggiest."

I bet Pete knew about him. I bet whilst he was locked away in his room he'd been watching the news, seeing it all online. If Spider-Man had appeared a month ago Peter and I would have spent hours talking about him I have no doubt. Discussing how he shoots those web things, how he sees through that mask. All types of stuff. Who do I go to now? Seeing the 'vigilante' as the police are calling him should have been a really exciting moment but with everything else that was going on it just made me feel even more alone.

"Hey, Lauren," Gwen called out as I walked through the school hall the next morning.

"Hi."

"Did you give your Aunt her birthday card from me?"