Idiosyncratic || Peter Parker ||

||11||

The school cafeteria was at most, an incredibly loud space filled with students during their lunch break. Mostly the sophomores and freshman took up the tables in the cafeteria as the seniors and juniors were off either studying for midterms or went elsewhere for lunch. On the table closest to the doors, sat Peter, Ned and Isabelle hunched over their food discussing plans for Saturday night. 

"What time does your practice finish?" Ned asked, swallowing a mouthful of food. "Twelve - then I have this lame physics assignment to finish, which I'll probably leave until Sunday night," Isabelle admitted, biting into her Salad that crunched satisfyingly in her mouth. "What's your topic?" Peter asked, fiddling with his fork in between his fingers. He had long finished his lunch, in fact, he basically inhaled his food he ate it that quickly. 

"Velocity - I just have to write up this report on it, use some examples - trust me, I'm already figuring out a way to bullshit it." She scrolled through her phone, ignoring the hourly texts Tony sent her and ignoring him whenever he called. It was Friday of course, he wanted a report due in which he would get after school. He just didn't know that. Ned looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, "how did you even get into this school?" 

He noticed how she would often nap or not pay attention in classes, and given that Midtown was a school for gifted intelligent students it was a wonder to him how Isabelle earned a spot at the school if it seemed like she wasn't putting in the effort at all. He enjoyed her company no doubt about that factor and she was incredibly cool but since he's met her and sat with her in class all he's noticed was her lack of interest in any of the topics. 

She stopped chewing her food and eyed Ned as Peter looked up wide eyed at his friend, she didn't take offence to it. Shrugging she continued to eat her food, "I just don't like physics. Chemistry and Biology appeal to me more. Calculus is boring, I can speak Spanish fine and Social Studies is cool I guess." It was an honest truth, aside from the fact she wasn't giving out the information of 'I'm here undercover to find out who Spider-Man really is' which she certainly wouldn't be revealing anytime soon. 

"I heard you got a hundred percent on the chemistry quiz, actually," Peter commented looking at her then glancing at Ned as an attempt to mediate the situation. Ned often said things out on impulse but it was always honest, which is why Peter liked him so much because he was honest. And this was something Isabelle noticed as well, she appreciated his honesty and thought it quite humorous that he was questioning her position at the school. If only he knew the reason why she was truly here. 

Ned went to apologise to her when she shook her head, waving him off, "don't worry about it... Anyway, I'm free to hang out after one tomorrow? I was eyeing this totally awesome star wars edition Trivial Pursuit and on my way home tonight I could buy it?" Both Peter and Ned exchanged a glance, a surprised one. How quickly she was to brush off Neds 'not-so-rude-but-unintentionally-rude-comment'. Isabelle hardly held grudges, as she detested the idea of them. 

"Oh, that'd be great." Peter flashed her a smile, which she returned. His eyes trailed off past her and they fell onto Liz Allan, who was walking through the cafeteria with Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Charles Murphy and Jenny Carson. The clique as a whole never spared much attention to Peter, with the exception of Flash of course, whom often tormented him. Liz was the only one of them to show any bout of kindness toward Peter and Ned, which may have been the route of why he liked her in the first place. 

She was kind, she was pretty and she was smart. She was also a senior, which meant after the graduating year he'd never see her again unless they somehow miraculously crossed paths in the future. "Dude... you're staring...again." Ned slapped Peter's arm, jolting him out of his trance, he noticed how both Ned and Isabelle were looking at him with amused smiles. "o-oh, was I?" He cleared his throat and avoided their gaze. "Yeah, can't say I blame you. That's Liz Allan, right?" Isabelle had long finished her salad and pushed it to the side.