Youth ➳ Peter Parker

EPILOGUE

    Homecoming. Peter Parker and Maggie Hamilton were going to homecoming together. Maggie wasn't sure how it had happened. Peter swore up and down that he had been the one to ask her, but Maggie wasn't so sure. Even Aunt May wasn't convinced that Peter was the one who'd done it. 

  Maggie had never been to a school dance. One of Peter's close friends, Harry Osborn, had been persuaded by Peter to ask Rachel to homecoming. So the four were going as a group, and although Maggie felt comfortable with Peter, she had never been more relieved to learn that she wouldn't have to spend the entire night alone with Peter. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to make it through that. 

  All four teenagers had been in Peter's apartment, with the two boys in the kitchen and Rachel and Maggie in the bathroom with Aunt May. May was helping them get ready. Rachel and Maggie couldn't stop laughing at how different they looked. Maggie only wore mascara and foundation to school- she wasn't good at makeup by any means- so seeing herself in the mirror all done up made her feel a little weird.

  Okay, more than a little weird. A lot weird. What would Peter think?

  "Hey, May? Thank you." Maggie said, and her voice came out a hoarse whisper. Her eyes widened and she cleared her throat, embarrassed to have choked on her words like that. It was something she did often, but almost never in front of adults. She always chose her words carefully before speaking to adults. She needed them to think she was as intelligent as she really was. 

  But you didn't choose your words before speaking to May. You're... you're comfortable with her. This is a good thing for you, Maggie.

  May looked startled for a second, because Maggie had pretty much been quiet the entire evening. The look passed quickly and May recovered, flashing Maggie a bright smile in response. All that was to be said was revealed in May Parker's warm, toothy smile. 

  "Are you guys ready? We're going to be late to the dance!" Peter whined, appearing in the doorway. Maggie shrieked and Rachel flew at him, placing her hand over his face immediately, barring him from seeing Maggie before she was done. 

   "Yes, we are. Can you chill out for a second?" Maggie teased, and she caught a glimpse of Peter's smile in the bathroom mirror. 

    I'd do anything to see that boy smile every second of my life.

***

  There was too much going on. Maggie felt as if she were going to collapse. Peter and Maggie stood in the middle of the dance floor, the bass thumping in the background and shaking the floor, going straight up from her feet through her entire body. Her breathing start coming at short intervals, and she was repeatedly pushed against Peter by everyone dancing around her.

  ihatethisihatethisihatethis

  "Are you okay?" Peter's face appeared in front of hers, his brown eyes swimming with concern, searching. 

  "Yeah, I jus-" Maggie began to reply and then felt her legs go weak. She grasped in front of her for anything to hold on to, which happened to be Peter. Peter dragged her off the dance floor as she clung to him, barely able to stay on her feet.

  "Maggie? What's going on?" 

  She sat down right there on the floor in her dress, and when Peter followed suit with no hesitation, his hand glued to hers, she let out everything.

  I have these thoughts, they aren't nice, they tell me what to do, I'm always nervous and anxious and freaked out and I want to die. Except I don't want to die, because I like it here, and I like being with you and you make me feel calm. 

  She told him everything and Peter was quiet, like she knew he would be. She felt like she was explaining for three hours, but she knew it couldn't have been longer than a few minutes. When she was finished talking, Peter stared at her for a minute.

  Did I misjudge you?

  "I love you." He blurted out, and Maggie started. Now it was her turn to stare.

  As she opened her mouth to respond, Peter shook his head. 

  "Wait. Sorry. I meant... no, I meant it. I love you. Um. I think. I'm pretty sure. Is that okay?" 

  Maggie felt tears form in the corners of her eyes and, so she wouldn't start crying in the middle of the homecoming dance as she sat on the floor with Peter Parker, she said it back. 

  "I love you, too. I think. Is that okay?" 

  All Peter had to do was nod, and she started crying anyway. He stood up, pulling the two of them to her feet, the look on his face incredibly sheepish. Both their cheeks were flushed, and Maggie was sure her makeup had began to run since she was crying.

  "Wanna get out of here? Maybe try and stop some bad guys?" Peter suggested to her, his gait awkward and smile genuine, and Maggie stopped crying and started giggling instead. As the pair walked towards the exit, Maggie caught Rachel's eye from across the dance floor, and Rachel, grinning, sent her a thumbs-up.

  "Sure. Sounds like a date, Spider-Man."