INVISIBLE | P. PARKER

TWENTY ONE

TWENTY-ONE;
COMFORT

+++

"THIS IS STUPID."

To say Cassie was beyond uncomfortable was an understatement, she felt completely out of place. As she tapped her fingers on her knee and scanned the busy streets of New York, she couldn't help to feel butterflies in her stomach as she thought about going to school like almost a complete different person.

Her leg bounced up and down as her gaze diverted from the window to her shaking hands, she never felt that way before. She almost forgot the horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, some called it nervousness, but Cassie liked to call it 'the horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach'.

"We're here." The Happy mumbled, stopping in front of the crowded school.

Cassie cleaned the sweat from her hands on the fabric of her black jeans and admired the teenagers happily chatting between each other outside the high school. She exhaled deeply and clung her backpack on her shoulder.

"It's going to be fine." The man reassured, catching her attention. She slowly nodded and opened the door. "Pietro and Wanda are coming to pick you up." He explained, making the brunette to turn around and ignore the glares the students were sending her.

"Alright." She hesitantly spoke, feeling a lump in her throat forming. "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks."

She knew she had to turn around and face reality sooner or later. Questions and what if's began to drown her mind with negative thoughts as she turned around and met everyone's surprised eyes. It made her want to throw up, but she slowly made her way inside the building.

Eyes pierced her back as she silently strode around the halls in search of her locker, the attention made her hands shake and her head to spin. She tried to hold herself from reading everyone's thoughts and she was doing a great job so far, but she didn't trust herself to stop herself for such long time.

"Hey!" She jumped as a tall figure stood next to her. Cassie exhaled as she stupidly opened her locker. "You look good, Cassie. Really good." Her eyes met with a pair of brown ones, making her frown with confusion.

"Do you need something?" She asked, nervously searching for her book inside the locker. The boy noticed her anxiousness and exhaled deeply.

"Look, I know that–" He began, but Cassie turned around to face him, making him cut himself off.

"Listen, I know you're Peter's friend, and maybe you were mine too, but that was a long time ago." She blurted, causing to look at her bewildered. "Please leave it there."

"Cassie, I'm sorry." Harry exhaled, looking down at his expensive, French shoes. "For spreading those dumb rumours about you and–"

"Harry, stop." She closed her eyes, trying to erase the negative thoughts of the students from her mind. "This is not the right moment."

Before she could say something else, her eyes traveled from the pair of chocolate eyes in front of her to the figure walking to her. She exhaled deeply and turned her face to her locker, trying her best to act normal.

"C–Cassie?" Peter stammered, looking at her with surprise. "W–Wow. You look, uh–You look beauti–amazing." He blushed, shoving his hands inside the pockets of his jeans in a nervous manner. Cassie blushed, too.