Idiosyncratic || Peter Parker ||

||3||

PE was never a particularly fun subject for many students, this included Isabelle. While yes, she did train rigorously with Tony but that was to enhance her combat skills, PE was a poor excuse of a subject that only existed purely to torment the non-physical students. And today's 'test of strength' was that incredibly daunting task of climbing up a long rope to get to the Gym's ceiling. 

Isabelle couldn't understand why there was a gymnasium and PE subject in a school full of 'nerds' in the first place. Everyone here was exceptionally intelligent, and she couldn't see the benefit climbing up a rope was to their intellectual abilities. Peter and Ned groaned at the sight of the rope, neither of them successfully able to climb to the top in their freshman year. "Ah, Man. You think if I pretend I'm sick, Mr Wilson will let me sit out?" Ned looked at Peter for an answer, however simply got a shrug in response. 

While Peter couldn't climb the rope last year, he didn't have powers then. How he could impress Liz by effortlessly climbing up the rope, hell, he could even try and impress Isabelle if he wanted too. But he could never climb the damn thing before, he hadn't changed much physically, so why should he climb it now? 

The group of students circled around the rope, all having mixed feelings but almost everyone shared the same thoughts and that was 'hell no'. "Isabelle Jones - Newbie - I gotta say I'm impressed with your physical report they sent in upon admission. Why don't you show everyone what you got." Mr Wilson, the teacher was yearning for a new star student and his current Star Student was Flash Thompson.

Isabelle looked around at everyone's gaze on her, it was like a mob of predators circling its prey. Her eyes flicked to the Rope, swaying ever so slightly in the room and then she locked eyes with Peter. He so desperately wanted to cringe for her, he felt terrible that Mr Wilson singled her out specifically, and add to the fact she looked like she could snap under the slightest amount of pressure. But nonetheless, she huffed out a deep breath and wrapped her hands around the rope. 

She recalled everything Tony had ever taught her, she was stronger than she looks and she knew that. Jumping up to begin her ascent up, she strategically wrapped the rope around her hands as she went up so that it acted like a ladder - a very flimsy ladder - which made it easier. Gravity was pulling her down but she persisted upward, disregarding the shaky breaths expelling from her lungs.

Rather focused on getting up, Isabelle hadn't even noticed she was at the top until the class applauded her. She made the mistake of looking down, the sight made her gag almost. Nevermind she was superhuman in her own way, she was petrified of heights. Following the same technic down she tried to tell herself how it would be all right once she hit the ground - with two feet - not face first. "That's insane, there's no way she could've made that," Ned whispered to Peter who was as equally shocked as the rest of the class. 

"Truly Impressive Newbie." Mr Wilson complimented once both her feet touched the ground, she pushed her glasses up her nose and nodded awkwardly. "All right, who's next - Parker!" Peter sighed at the sound of his name, his shoulders slumped slightly. Of course, he had to go after Isabelle, who quite frankly had astounded everyone mainly by getting up to the top, but Peter took notice of her technique and was impressed himself. 

She was smarter than she led on too. Perhaps that was the reason he was drawn to her, intelligent people attract other intelligent people. He stared at the Rope, sure he was quite capable of climbing it but oddly he'd much rather deal with the ridicule of not being able to make it past the first jump. And he did just that, jumping up off the ground and gripping his fingers around the rope only for them to 'slip' and him immediately fall back onto the crash mats. 

This earned a disappointing hum from Mr Wilson and laughter from his classmates. "Poor Penis Parker." Flash Thompson opened his loud mouth which caused more laughter, only egging him on more. The only people who didn't laugh were Liz, Ned and Isabelle. There was just something about bullies that Isabelle didn't like - no one likes bullies - but in particular, she hated them. Stepping forward from her spot she helped Peter up from the floor and smiled at him, he was taken aback at first and couldn't muster a smile from nervousness. 

"All right, Flash you're up!" Mr Wilson called out as the laughter died down. Isabelle now stood beside Ned and Peter watching the cocky kid walk up to the rope. Ned was rather surprised at her behaviour, and he most definitely clocked that Star Wars shirt she wore before she changed into their PE uniform. "You are badass-." He blurted to her, immediately hushing himself up after he realised what he was saying. Nevermind that this was the first girl he'd spoken too aside from Michelle. 

She looked at him and laughed lightly, she wasn't sure how to take the compliment and pushed her glasses up her nose, "uh..thank you..." It was just how she was as a person, even when Tony complimented her it was awkward for her to thank him. Peter hit his friend not-so-subtly and eye balled him, the two were having a silent argument between their eyes and it was most definitely over Isabelle. 

For the remainder of the class, the three hadn't spoken much and that was only because Mr Wilson was routinely looking over at Isabelle, the 'new girl' the 'fresh face' the 'newbie' had in just under ten minutes somehow impressed him and she was well and truly on her way to becoming his new star student. Now they dispersed from their circle formed around the rope to change back into their normal clothes for the rest of today's classes.

Peter and Ned lagged behind, even further from Isabelle. "Dude, we gotta hang out with her." Ned pressed, to him she was the coolest person he'd ever met and the fact she so much as interacted with Peter was invitation enough for him to try and befriend her. Peter stared back at his friend with wide eyes, "you're not serious? Ned?" 

"Of course I'm being serious, maybe if she hangs out with us we'll be cool." Ned suggested, however, neither of them realised Isabelle was within earshot of their conversation only a few feet away from them, "not likely, boys." Both of them jumped at the sudden sight of her, both incredibly flustered. She awkwardly eyed the two, not meaning to startle them at all, in fact, she didn't even mean to eavesdrop on the conversation entirely. "Uh... Sorry - I'll just uh...yeah.." She began to ease herself away from the two when Mr Wilson caught her. 

"Tell me, Isabelle, did you do any sports at your old school?" He queried her, earning a shrug and not so much a word from her lips. "Well, I said it before and I'll say it again, you impressed me. Enough that I think you'd make a perfect addition to our track team." The thought of track made her retract from the conversation entirely, her eyes widened and she shook her head, "Oh n-no -- no way... Running makes me... well... uncomfortable. I don't like it..." She admitted. 

"Look. You don't have to be fantastic, but I really think with your fitness build you'd make a great asset to our team." He encouraged her before letting her go. She spun on her feet in hopes Peter and Ned were still there, thankfully they were. "I'm gonna... gonna go before he asks me to join another team.. or something." She played with her fingers, chuckling nervously and turning her back on them as she headed to the change rooms. 

Peter frowned slightly, he wanted to know Isabelle better, she was just as intriguing today as she had been yesterday. A slight moment of impulse caused his outburst, one which he admits he doesn't regret but part of him did. "w-wait! D-do you -- Do you wanna hang out... with uh... me - and Ned!... or... something..?" She offered him a smile and contemplated on the thought, while it was only day two and she made little progress on finding out this hero's identity maybe High School wouldn't be so bad if she had some company along the way. 

"Oh!... Well, I'm free...tonight?" She mentally double checked that today was indeed Friday and that meant the weekend and that meant there was no way she could figure out this guys identity. Peter took a sharp inhale, realising she agreed to hang out with the two underdogs of Midtown High School. Funny, how they were picked on and ridiculed for their geekiness in an all nerds school. "Perfect! We'll see you at - at lunch then... Isabelle?" Ned grinned at her, he was shy at heart but as soon as he warmed up to someone - which didn't take much at all - he wasn't as nervous talking to them. 

"Call me Issie." She smiled and turned away, it was strange for her interacting with people her own age. She was used to Tony, Pepper or Happy to talk too that it was like every time she spoke to a fellow peer she couldn't help but feel flustered. Nonetheless, she would become very accustomed to Peter Parker, Ned Leeds and the other students of Midtown.