Alice. (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Chapter Ten.

A/N: Hello, you guys, I'm back wiht the daily updates. Just wanted to let you guys know, if you like poetry I have a new book up on my profile, and I'd appreciate it if you went and read or commented!

Read, feel, enjoy.

ch

*

"Did you hear about that thing that happened with the ferry, like, yesterday?" Alice asked Michelle, walking down the hallway together to their next class. The hallway was still packed with students, most of them talking about the same thing as they were. The news had spread like wildfire.

"Yeah, I did," Michelle answered, opening her locker to grab her textbooks.

Alice waited for her to continue. She didn't. "And?" she urged, her books pressed to her chest.

Michelle shrugged, closing her locker. "Well, what's there to say? Spider-Man did something the boat got cut in half, and Tony Stark helped put the pieces back together. Simple as that."

Alice opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment Peter Parker walked over.

"Alice, hey, can- can I talk to you after school?" He asked, actually looking at her in the face now.

"Sure."

Michelle's eyebrows were raised, forever unimpressed. "I'll see you later, Alice," she said, before walking into her classroom.

Alice turned on her heel, walking behind Peter to History. Peter noticed, looking a little flustered.

"Uh, we can talk later?" he said, offering a small smile.

"We have the same class." Alice raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. Right."

---

Alice sat two rows behind Peter, taking notes as Mr Wayne talked about the dates. After the tournament, Alice found herself able to stay awake during class. Maybe I was sleepy because of the stress, or something.

When Mr Wayne paused to let them copy down some notes, which Alice had already done, she realised something was off. It wasn't a big difference, one more person moving to copy notes, but it was really noticeable. Peter was actually in class, and he was actually paying attention.

Stop obsessing. It's nothing, and you're being stupid.

The student sitting next to her twitched, blinking confusedly.

---

Alice sat on the step outside the school, sketching a drawing of Michelle, with the words "resting bitch face" written in a speech bubble over her head. On the back of that page was a doodle of Peter, but he didn't need to know about that.

Michelle waved at her and got into her dad's car, driving home. Alice waved back to her and her dad. She felt a buzz in her pocket, and saw a text from Michelle.

"if he does anything stupid im gonna kick his ass :)"

Alice smiled and looked up at her in the car window. Michelle flipped her off without her dad seeing, grinning. Alice shook her head, smiling back at her.

"Hey," Peter said, walking up behind her. Alice covered the sketchbook with her sleeve.

"Hey," she replied, gesturing at the spot on the pavement next to her for him to sit.

"So...," Peter said, wildly attempting to start a conversation.

"You heard about that thing that happened with Spider-Man?" Alice asked, pressing her lips together.

"Yeah, yeah," Peter said, nodding vehemently.

"Pretty dick move of Iron Man to ditch Spidey back there on the ferry by himself," Alice said, turning back to her sketch of Michelle.

Peter sighed. "I'm really, really sorry, Alice. I'm- I don't know why I left you there, and I'm sorry for ignoring you," Peter said, biting his lip, his eyebrows furrowed.

Alice kept her face blank. "It's alright, Peter."

"No, I'm actually really sorry, and I want to make it up to you, and-," Peter took a breath, leaning his forehead on Alice's shoulder. She gave a start to the abrupt contact, but warmed at the familiar smell. "I'm sorry."

Alice's shoulders tensed up again.

"It's alright, Peter." She sighed, closing her eyes.

Peter made eye contact, he looked miserable. Alice guessed that she didn't look much better either.

"It's alright?" he echoed, incredulous.

Alice exhaled, turning toward him. "I mean, you did ditch me at a party with a socially inept friend, kiss me and then ignored me for about a week, and you did disappear the day of the tournament, and have suddenly started turning up to class and paying attention," Alice listed, smiling cheekily at Peter, whose cheeks were growing pinker with each statement. "But, yeah. I'm pretty tired of not having anyone to talk to in class. I think it's alright."

Peter grimaced, face heated up with a blush. "Where did this sass come from?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "I guess Michelle has rubbed off on me more than I thought."

---

They were still sitting outside the school. It was mostly deserted now, save for a few students milling around for after school activities.

Alice took out her sketch, continuing the drawing of Michelle. She doodled around it, some cartoons of Michelle grinning and flipping her off. Peter was sitting next to her, making light, easy, conversation.

"Are we completely OK?" Peter asked after a minute.

Alice paused. "I don't think so. Not yet." After realizing how dramatic that sounded, she added: "I mean, it's not like we were dating or anything to begin with, right? It's not like you even cheated on me or anything, it's fine. No harm, no foul."

Peter seemed content with that, leaning his elbows back on the steps. He looked over her shoulder at her drawings, enjoying this quiet moment between them.

Alice broke the comfortable silence. "Hey, Peter?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you... Do you have a date for homecoming?" she asked tentatively, her hair covering face. She doodled a few sunflowers on the corner of her page. When he didn't answer she looked away.

"Cause- I mean, I know we weren't, like, exclusive? Or anything, and I just," she said, not pausing to let him talk. "I like you. Peter. A lot. And I'm sorry for making it so hard for you to talk to me, and I'm sorry for not talking to you sooner. Because I like you." She took a breath, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. Oh, God, shut up.

Peter paused. He looked pained. "Alice," he said, biting his lip, distressed. "I- I asked Liz. To the dance."

Oh. Alice paused, her face now blank in surprise. "Oh." She looked back down at her sketchbook.

"I'm really, really sorry, Alice, I just thought you wouldn't forgive me, and-," Peter started, cutting himself off before he said anything else. Probably for the best.

Alice's throat was tight. "It's alright," she said, throwing her sketchbook and blunt pencil into her backpack, standing up. Peter practically jumped up, to stand next to her.

"I'm sorry," Peter said. He looked just about ready to cry.

"It's alright, Peter." Alice smiled tightly. She knew that this was bound to happen. "I'll see you around."

Peter didn't say anything. He stood there, watching her walked away. After a few seconds, he collected himself, inhaling deeply and turned to walk home.

*

A/N: I apologize for this chapter, haha! Leave a comment, and remember to add this to your library if you want to be notified. Just to let you know again, I have a new book out for poetry. Anyway, I hop you enjoyed this chapter!

ch