The Masks we Hide Behind || Peter Parker [1]

one: the beginning of a friendship

When the night is this quiet in Queens, you know that something can't be right.

The air is crisp and cool, the kind of cool when summer and fall overlap and the weather is more fall like, but it's still bearable and the trees are still green. I'm standing on a rooftop in Queens, New York, dressed in my black-and-white suit with hints of bright pink and teal on the arms and inside the hood. A mask covers my face, and the silence of the city almost scares me.

My backpack sits on my back, and my headphones rest around my neck. It's Tuesday night, and I should be home, either doing homework or sleeping, but, being the very responsible student that I am (note my sarcasm), I'm out doing shenanigans. I seriously can't believe I just said that.

The buildings rise up and tower over the streets, packed in close to each other, with narrow alleyways in between. Small crowds of pedestrians are scattered across the sidewalks, and cars move slowly across the road, due to traffic. Yellow taxis dot the lanes, and the lights from the buildings shine onto the streets.

It's dark, but not too dark, it's never too dark in New York. There's so many lights from the city that you can't even see the stars - it's kind of sad, actually, but in a way it's beautiful at the same time. I've lived here my entire life, and I've never been outside the city. I do love it here, the rush, the noise, the lights, the food...the foooooood. I could really use a burger from Joe's right about now-

My thoughts are quickly interrupted as I see the infamous and all too familiar red blur swing right past me, slapping a crisp breeze up against my mask. I smirk as I set my eyes on him, slowly rising to my feet. New York's friendly neighborhood himself, the Spider-Man. We run into each other about every night that I'm out, or, at least, I run into him. He doesn't see me. Ever.

Ever since I started suiting up and sneaking out every night, I've kept my identity a secret, from everyone. I've never been on the news, my family and friends will never know about this, and not even the Spider-Man knows I exist.

That is, until tonight.

I've debated this for awhile, and I finally came to the conclusion that I would show myself around the guy. I mean, it can't go that bad...right? How bad could he take it? I doubt he'd try to kill me.

Would he??

I inch closer to the edge of the building and look out into the distance, watching as the Spider-Man shoots and releases webs in a flurry. They carry him quickly down the street, and his muscular build flails and sways rather ungracefully in the air as he makes his way down the street. I decide to follow him, and excitement begins to rise in my stomach, like a thousand balloons are carrying me off of the ground.