The Girl and the Superhero{Peter Parker}

Part Twelve(Kenzie's POV)

          That school week went by painfully slowly. Friday seemed to be coming through molasses. I started to wonder if Friday would ever actually come, or if I would die of anticipation first.

          I sat with Peter every day during lunch, which was always the highlight. Lunch was the only thing that kept me going to school every day that week.

          Friday came, and my excitement for the movie night started to expand until it was the only thing I could think about. During lunch, Peter sat by me again. Each day, he seemed to get more and more comfortable sitting next to me, which was the biggest relief and cause of happiness for me.

          Finally, finally, biology came. Since it was the week before school was out, all we did was watch a nature documentary. Lucy came from the other side of the room to sit by me, so she and I talked the whole time, Peter and Ned occasionally joining in on our conversations.

          An hour and a half later, plus a few snippy remarks from Mr. Phyllis, and it was time to go home.

          I waved goodbye to Peter with a smile, And Lucy and I walked out and onto the bus swiftly. I was light on my feet, practically flying on and off of the bus.

          As soon as I got home, I started to eat a quick snack, scrolling through my phone in the process. It took me a second to realize that my father was home, sitting in the living room on his computer.

         "Hello?" I started, hardly daring to believe my eyes. I hadn't seen him in over two years.

          My father turned away from his computer, his brown eyes, my brown eyes, staring me down.

          I braced myself for a quick hello, or for a brash rejection. When he shut his computer, and stood up to face me, my expression must have been one of absolute shock.

          "It's good to see you, Kenz." My dad stuttered, guilt and discomfort evident in his face.

          I didn't respond. I didn't know how to. I didn't know the man standing in front of me. He had always been the father of his business. Not of his daughter.

          "Well, I'm only here for another," my father checked his watch, "five minutes. Then, I'm headed up to Montreal for a work convention." he sighed, as if wishing he could get going already. "I have some work I need to finish, so, um, I'd better get working on it. Can your dad have a hug before he has to leave again?" He asked, reaching out his arms.

          I stood there, rooted in place. "You're not my dad. Not really." I breathed, gathering up the courage to look him in the eyes.

          He looked back at me in confusion, his brows burrowed. A seed of courage started to grow within me.

          I continued, "Physically, yes. You are my father. You provide me shelter, food, clothing, protection, and all that kind of stuff. But you are not my dad. A dad kisses his daughter goodnight. A dad rocks his child when they've had a bad day. A dad will do anything to make his child happy. A dad will be overprotective when his daughter goes on her first date. A dad looks at his daughter like a princess well before any boy ever should. A dad will always care about the well being of his child. A dad would care about what I do, what I wear, what I say, who I hang out with, where I want to go with my life. A dad would care enough to know who his daughter is. He would know who she was because he was with her every step of the way. A dad loves his daughter. I doubt you remember my birthday. I know that you know absolutely nothing about my life. All that matters to you is keeping your life exactly the way it is. So yes. You are my father. But you have never  been my dad." I ended, my heart racing. It was my turn to stare him down, beneath the tears that were swimming in my eyes. All of my pent up feelings that had built up over the last eighteen years were finally out in the open.