The Girl and the Superhero{Peter Parker}

Part Three(Kenzie's POV)

          My heart was beating unnaturally fast as I walked up the steps to the bus, Peter close behind me. I didn't know why my it was going so fast- I had no reason to be nervous.

          Since our school was placed on the edge of New York City, many of the students come from the heart of the Big Apple itself. So Peter and I chose the school bus that would take us down into the heart of the city.

          I found an open seat and motioned for Peter to come and sit next to me. He nodded with a little smile and plopped down next to me, his mouth open as if he wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

          "What's the book you're reading?" I asked him, looking at the worn down book he held tightly in his hands.

          He smiled a big smile, as if he could talk about it for hours on end. "I'm re-reading Harry Potter for the millionth time, it's my favorite!"

          I got a floating sensation in the pit of my stomach- Harry Potter was my favorite too.

          "Harry Potter is my all time favorite series I've ever read! Which book is it you're reading?" I probably sounded like a complete nerd, but I couldn't care less in that moment. Peter loved my favorite book series on the planet.

          "I'm reading Prisoner of Azkaban right now, it's one of my favorite of the books, but I could never choose a single favorite. They're all so special." he gushed.

          The fangirl inside of me was screaming with happiness, but outwardly I talked semi-normally, I think.

          "That is literally me. I could never choose a favorite- they are all to unique and special in many ways. I have a couple favorites, though. Prisoner of Azkaban is definitely one of them." I said.

          I looked over at Peter sitting next to me, and his face was lit up with happiness. I don't think he minded me nerding out on him, because he was doing the exact same thing.

          We talked about books the whole half an hour ride there, and the time flew. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed talking to him until the bus stopped and everyone stood to get out, and was disappointed when we had to stop talking for a few minutes.

          He stood up first, shyly and quietly letting me go first past him, and then followed me off of the bus.

          Our bus had dropped us off about a mile or two away from Times Square, so I figured we could walk in that direction, while looking for a store to go and buy a backpack from.

          Peter stopped to look around for a second, admiring the scenery of the city that millions of people came from around the world to see. I saw all of the buildings reflected in his eyes, a love in them like he had been here a thousand times and it never got old.

          He turned to look at me, and then said, "Well, where do you want to go? I can show you around the city if you want!" A look of panic momentarily crossed his face, and then he quickly continued, "I- I mean, only if you want. I really don't have to, but if you want, I mean, I know my way around so—"

          "Peter, Peter! I would love that. We'll find a place to buy a backpack somewhere along the way." I interrupted him, but his worry about what he said intrigued me in a way that I loved. No other guys seemed to care about what they said at all, and his obvious concern showed a maturity and a selflessness in him that I hadn't seen in anybody else. I wondered what had happened to make a seventeen year old boy grow up so fast.

          His shoulders relaxed, and he started walking, motioning for me to follow him. I walked right next to him, and he told me all of these cool things about the city.

          "You know, all of these buildings in the square were built in 1928, and their infrastructure hasn't been changed or manipulated at all with modern technology? If an earthquake were to hit these buildings, they would still be as strong or stronger than most of these other buildings, and they've been here a hundred years longer." Peter looked around the city square with pride, as if he had somehow helped build it or protect it in some way.

          "Peter, why aren't you in college? You're the smartest guy I've ever met. You could be graduated from college with that brain of yours. You could finish college by the time you're twenty, and then get whatever job you want at any time after that. Why don't you?" I asked.

          Peter looked at me as if what he was going to say next was only meant for me to hear. "Life moves too fast as it is," he said. "Sometimes things happen, or you make choices that force you to go too quickly through life. A lot of things in my life have moved too quickly. I want to slow down and enjoy high school while I've got it," he finished, looking down at the ground.

          I stood there, momentarily in shock and admiration. "That is so cool, I- I've never thought about it like that before," I stuttered. I had always been so excited to get out of high school, but Peter was right. I should make the best of it, because before I know it, it will be gone.

           He turned away from me and smiled, then looked back at me. "Yeah, well. I've had to learn to think differently about things."

          I had a million questions in my head about that, but I didn't want to pry, so I didn't. "Well, do you know any good backpack places around here?" I questioned with a little grin.

          "That depends on what kind you're looking for. I obviously wouldn't know any fancy places, but I could show you to a Target a few blocks off of 5th Avenue. They might have some cool backpacks there." he offered.

          The fact that Target was the first place he thought of while we were in New York City made me want to laugh- it was so Peter. And, I realized, so me. I smiled kindly and replied, "Target it is!"

          As we walked through the city, something seemed to finally dawn on me. I was walking through a city that many of most people dreamed of going to. Not only that, I was walking through it with Peter Parker, a special someone that was special to me in a way I couldn't pinpoint. Being around him made me excited, and something about him made me want to talk to him forever. He was different from everyone else somehow- but all I knew was he made me happy. In what way, I wasn't quite sure yet. All I knew was I never wanted this day to end.

A/N: 7-11-18
Word count: 1183

k this is my least favorite chapter I've written for whatever reason haha. You know that feeling as an author where everything you write seems like trash even tho it's prolly not? Mhm. That's me. But I'm pretty sure this is trash so whatevaaaa

Peter is such a soft, nerdy bean. Also, I feel like, after Infinity War, Peter would have a lot more respect for the little things. Hence the whole "I wanna slow down and enjoy it" tidbit I put in here. Also, I love Target. Hence this chapter, and especially the upcoming one:)

~n.s.