Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep

Peter Parker

Another cold day in New York City making my way to Midtown High School. As I walk down the freezing street, I pull at the ends of my light gray sweater. My deep breaths turning into a cloud of milky fog. The streets around me buzz with the sounds of the city, the horns of impatient drivers wanting to get to work on time today. I look to my right, a man dressed in shredded clothing standing behind a dumpster with the sound of fluid hitting the ground. He stares as I adjust my black beanie that had been falling off my head as I hurried my paces towards the school.

I arrive not to long after that, making my way inside to my locker. I open it up as I hear the locker across from mine being opened. Peter I thought as I stopped what I was originally doing. Peter had been different ever since he went to Oscorp. He had said he was going to meet with Doctor Curt Connors, something about him knowing Mr. Parker, Peters dad. He has been distant from me which isn't like him. He also has been talking to Gwen Stacey, my friend since 10th grade, more.

I turned around to find them talking and looking to me ever so often. I sighed and started to walk to class, figuring it would only hurt more if I talked to him. I've had a crush on Peter since grade 7, I only wish I would have told him before he started to ignore me. My phone buzz's.

From: Mom

Hey sweetpea!! Just texting you to remind you I am picking you up after school to take you to your Dad's house in Brooklyn. The bridge shouldn't be awfully crowded so we'll go that way. Love you!!

I sent a quick 'love you too' back as I sat in my seat. Great. My mom had to deal with my obbsesive fear of the ocean since I was little and now we were going to be driving over one. How fun. Not only was this trip going to be terrifying, I also have to see my dad. I hadn't seen him since he left my mom and I for some hooker, oops I mean my moms best friend. I hated him, but my mom persuaded me to visit him.

My morning classes started with Geometry, English, and Photography. In photography, I sit by Peter.

"Good morning class! Today you'll be doing a project with the person you sit next to!" Mrs. Johnson boomed. I looked at Peter out of the corner of my eye, he was doing the same. "You and your partner will be spending time together after school this week. Collecting pictures of some things you share in common. For example: if Steven and I were partners and we both like football, we would go take pictures of a football or even some family or friends playing the sport! After you take the picture, you must write a 5-8 sentence paragraph about why you chose what you did and what you like about it. You must take 5 pictures and glue them all to a poster bored. This is due Monday. Go ahead and start making a list of what you both have in common!" I sigh, maybe we can start talking again due to this project.

I grab a piece of paper and a pencil from my bag and turn to Peter. "Hi." He gives an obvious fake smile. I sigh again, "Hi." My voice is quiet as I title the page 'Photography Project With Peter Due Monday'. "Okay well for one we have photography in comm-" I cut him off "Why have you been ignoring me?" Peter looks at his hands as he fiddles with them. "I mean I get if you ignore a text or two but since you went to Oscorp," His eyes dart up to look at me. " It's like you've completely cut me off from your life." I finish my rant and wait for an answer. I cross my arms over my chest. "Fine. Don't say anything to me. It's not like I was there when your parents left. Or when your first girlfriend broke up with you. Or when Flash was bullying you. It's not like iv'e been your shoulder to cry on. But what about me Peter? I have had the shittiest couple of days and I needed you and you weren't there. You promised you would be there for me and you weren't." I take a deep breath as my vision is clouded with built up tears.

" Max i'm sorry. Iv'e just been.. caught up and needed time to myself." I laugh. "You call spending every waking moment with Gwen time to yourself? Whatever, lets just do this project... You said Photography right?" I wipe away a stray tear as I write it down. We continue writing things down all period and share little laughs whenever we tell memories from the past. I want to fix things, I do, but when I see Peter, I see lies.

It was finally lunch, a period just about food,also known as my favorite period of the day. Even though the air is chilly outside, I sit in my usual spot. I pulled out an apple to munch on as I look up the places where Peter and I could go to get pictures of our things we share in common. It came down to these 5 things:

1.Photography

2.Chemistry

3.Skateboarding

4.Books

5.Dog Town And Z boys, our favorite movie.

It was a pretty easy task since we already know each other. The rest of the day went by fast and soon it was after school. I sat in the empty parking lot waiting for my mom to come and get me. "Hey." I heard Peters voice behind me. "Hi." "What are you still doing here?" He takes a seat next to me, putting his skateboard down next to him. I lean my head on his shoulder. "Waiting for my mom so she can drag me across the Brooklyn Bridge to go to my da- a doctors appointment." I sighed, I didn't want to talk about it right now so I lied, remembering the large body of water would be right under us. He looked down at me with concern written on his face. "But your fear of the ocean." He put his arm around me, trying to comfort me seeing i was totally freaked. "Yeah, I know. We could have easily taken the tunnel, but noooo." My moms black chevrolet malibu pulled up and i stood up, Peter following my actions.

"See you tomorrow Max."Peter says as he hugs me tightly. "Its good to be talking to you again Peter." I disable the hug getting into the car, waving him goodbye. "It's nice to see you two talking again." My mom pats my shoulder as we drive off.

Yeah. It is.