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

six: the football game

The crowd stands up in the bleachers, cheering and shouting as midtown scores yet again.

"How long is this supposed to last?" MJ shouts to me over the crowd.

"There's only like fifteen more minutes," I shout back, clapping and sitting back down.

"I'm going to get another hot dog," Peter tells me. "Care to join?"

"Sure." I say, standing up and following him out of the stands. We walk up to the concession stand, watching the players running across the football field, lit up by the stadium lights.

"What can I get you two?" The guy at the counter asks flatly.

"I'll have a hot dog," Peter says quietly, leaning on the counter and giving me a smile.

"And I'll have a Pepsi." I say, my arm brushing Peter's as I lean on the counter.

We pay and grab our stuff, turning and heading back to the stands. I spot Flash and one of his friends walking in our direction, and Peter quickly glances at me.

"Flash." I say, holding back a sigh.

"Well, if it isn't-" he starts.

"Don't even try." I cut him off. "You said you would meet me at the library yesterday. Where were you?" I ask.

"I was busy."

"I told you, you're not throwing this whole project on me." I say.

"I'm not. I just wasn't there. It was a one time thing."

"Yeah, okay. Sure." I say, walking back with Peter to our spot in the bleachers.

"He's going to throw the whole project on me. Why couldn't we just choose our own partners?" I shout over the crowd to Peter. He just shrugs as we sit down in between Ned and MJ.

I crane my neck around MJ, looking for my brother, who tagged along with Liz Allan. I scan the crowd, eventually finding him in the middle of the crowd, cuddled up with his arm around her. I snort and return my focus to the football field.

"Is it almost over?" MJ asks.

"Yes, there's like ten more minutes." I reply. She mutters something under her breath and opens her book, setting it in her lap.

"Can I have a sip of that?" Peter shouts of the cheering crowd. Midtown just scored again. I hand my Pepsi over to Peter, who chugs basically half of the can.

"That's not a sip." I say flatly. He hands it back, his eyes watering.

"I was thirsty."

"It's not a good idea to chug soda." I say, chuckling. "You drank like, half of it. I deserve a bite of your hot dog."

"Didn't you already have one?" He asks, smirking.

"Yes. And you already had one, too." I say, laughing and grabbing the hot dog. I take a big bite out of it and hand it back.

"That was huge!" He exclaims.

"You chugged my soda," I giggle, spotting Liz and Lucas standing up and walking away from the crowd, hand in hand.

"He better not ditch me." I say to myself. MJ looks up, following my gaze to Lucas and Liz.

"He probably will." She says, returning her attention to her book.

The game eventually ends, ending up with Midtown winning. The four of us grab our stuff and leave the bleachers, throwing our trash out in the trash cans we pass.