Silk❃││ Peter Parker

8. Shopping Spree

5 MONTHS AGO

MIDTOWN HIGH

[THE NEXT DAY]

At first period AP Spanish, I knew Gwen was the first to jump at me with questions. She had a very apparent frown. Which made me a bit skeptical about what she was going to ask... Nah, I wasn't actually. I was dreading what she was going to say.

"So you ran away for three days, I heard," Gwen whispered as she got most of her school stuff out.

I, on the other hand, had no pens at all. Only a text book. "Yeah," I replied and stared right past her. "I'm 'rebellious' like that."

Gwen rolled her eyes and fully turned around to face me. I looked back at her and gave her a sheepish smile. Okay, maybe it was too soon to be sarcastic?

"You know what I mean, Cindy. I was worried...you were gone for a long time."

I shrugged it off and smiled ghastly at the ground. "I wasn't doing drugs, if that's what you're thinking. I don't have that kind of money."

Gwen really wasn't amused, and wasn't buying any of my excuses. Well, crap, I really do have a good friend now, don't I?

"I'm sorry for being absent for three days, Gwen. I only missed like one day of school—which was yesterday."

"No," she sighed and placed her hand on my desk. "I'm talking about you basically going MIA. Everyone was looking for you."

I remembered Peter said the same thing yesterday. I also know what I'm doing, and I wished that Gwen could just drop it—and be happy that I'm not out there doing drugs, but actually kicking their asses instead. But, I kept my mouth shut and also rolled my eyes like she did. No talking, or else it wouldn't stop.

Seeing Gwen disappointed like that though, it kind of made me want to tell her. I mean, she's my friend, a new friend. And I didn't want to lose that. "I knew Ben Urich," I whispered to her after a while.

She whipped her head back towards me and I thought she almost took her head off that time. "You knew him? Since when?"

I bit my lip. Okay, now I actually have to lie to her about that reason... "After you mentioned him...not that long ago. It's just that when he died, I was sad and I went back to the New York Bulletin to grief for a while. Then I spent most of my time at their local hospital with Mrs. Urich."

I was surprised I told that lie pretty well, because I never hesitated. It was like the words just flowed out of my mouth like a river.

Gwen's mouth turned upside down, her eyes filled with sadness. "Oh, Cindy. I never knew that..."

I shrugged again and pointed to the front of class when the bell rang. "Class is starting, Gwenny. Solo espanol."

"Callate," she giggled and turned back around in her chair to the front of the class.

_________

After the boring classes of talking about the history of Spain and Mexico, in Spanish, and burning my brain out with formula's, I wandered around the school like I always did. I kind of was waiting for Peter, because to be honest, that boy can probably tattle me out about being at OS-CORP.

But I didn't really find him, instead I saw Gwen and a red-head walking around the corner. I almost wanted to just sprint to the opposite hall, but it was too late—she saw me.

"Cindy!" Gwen called out and I waved at her with my hands stuffed inside my sweatshirt pockets.

When the two girls caught up to me, Gwen introduced the red head as Lily.