Lovebug ── PETER PARKER¹

19. First Date

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         The night went great. Except for one minor factor.

         As planned, the two girls met at the pizzeria at five o'clock sharp. Danielle was already waiting when she got there, but she was quick to reassure Luna she'd only been there a minute when Luna began blurting out apologies. This left a blush on Luna's cheeks, one that only intensified when Danielle held her hand and led her in. Their conversation flowed well, not a single awkward silence in the two hours they spent talking. It varied from a heated debate on wether pineapple should be on pizza, to a light-hearted conversation about all things wrong with the Little Mermaid. "But she was pretty, and didn't have a voice." "Exactly, that's why they fell in love, it's not right!"

          It turned out to be such a good night that both girls immediately planned a second date, the moon not shining bright enough to reveal the redness of Luna's cheeks. Danielle had given her a kiss on the cheek before they bid farewell, and Luna found herself smiling the whole train ride back to her house. She had been so focused on texting Liz and Mia every little detail of the night, it seemed to have slipped from her mind that she was walking home that evening.

         She'd avoided coming home after dark just for the sole purpose of not having to walk the street at night. Nightmares weren't as frequent as they once were, but occasionally the terror she felt that one forsaken night would creep into her dreams, leaving her sweating and shaking. But she'd been so happy, it seemed to slip from her mind that night as she grinned, strolling down the street towards her home.

         Her breathe caught in her throat as she was dragged into an alley, the neon light of the bar streaking past in a blur. She writhed in the arms, frustrated grunts leaving her lips. "Not this time darling." She stiffened as the familiar gruff voice spoke into her ear, chuckling immediately after. "No Spider-Man to save you now, huh? Go on, scream. He won't come."

        So she did. "Help! Hel–" A hand was slapped over her mouth as she cried out, his grip on her tightening, pressing her against him more. She could feel tears welling in her eyes as he forcefully turned her head, cold eyes glaring into her own.

         "He's not coming," he sneered, removing his hand from her mouth. "Now, sweetie, you broke my nose last time. So you owe me, try not to move so much, you'll only make this harder."

          She squeezed her eyes shut, prepping herself to feel greedy hands once more, a single tear streaking down her cheek. Then her eyes snapped open. She took self-defense classes, she was taught a way to get out of this situation. The gears in her head worked fast as his hand creeped lower, and Luna swallowed harshly. Grab his arms. Luna gripped onto his wrist quickly, pausing his movement for a moment. Pull yourself in. She pushed back against him, writhing once more. Punch his groin. He was barely able to utter a complaint before her fist came down, striking him in the groin. Attack. In his moment of weakness, Luna quickly whirled around, latched onto his neck, bringing her knee repeatedly into his groin. He tumbled down to the ground in pain, and Luna scrambled away from him, her hands shaking at her side.

         He raised his head to glare at her, and before he could even think to push himself off the ground, a woosh sounded through the air. Luna's head snapped up, her gaze landing on the red and blue clad hero, his webbing aimed at the man on the ground. Not even a second later, he was covered in the webs, leaving him stuck to the ground. "Fuck you!" He grunted, tugging relentlessly against the webs.

         "Good look getting out of that," Spider-Man muttered sarcastically, dropping down to the ground. He eventually turned to Luna, his eyes widening at the sight of her, while she smiled slightly at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but immediately shut it at the sound of people approaching. In a rush to not be seen, he grabbed onto the girl, latching onto the building and bringing them onto the roof. "You okay miss?"

          She blinked in shock, looking back down to the alley where she stood just a second ago, then back to the hero. "Yeah," she breathed, before releasing a breathe. "I mean, I was able to fight him off, which I learned in my self defense class by the way, but I wouldn't have been able to outrun him. Well maybe, but probably not, so thanks for that and stuff." It all came out in one breathe, and she huffed as she finished her sentence, smiling sheepishly. "Luna Giraldo."

          Peter stopped himself before he could blurt out the words "I know," instead taking hold on Luna's hand that was outstretched. "Spider-Man."

          For a second, she'd hoped he'd tell her his real name, but that was quickly pushed back with that realization that he wasn't an idiot. Who would reveal their secret identity to a complete stranger, a teenager nonetheless? "Right, well," she withdrew her hand after a prolonged hand shake, glancing back down at the man stuck to the floor beneath them. "I should probably call the police on him this time." Spider-Man nodded to her, and Luna let out a shaky sigh as she took out her phone, frowning at the crack that went down the screen.

          The phone call lasted no longer than two minutes, and throughout the entire two minutes, the boy beneath the suit examined her. She was wearing an outfit different than the one she wore to school, and if he was Peter, he would have complimented her on it with a stutter and a nervous smile. There was a faint lipstick mark on her cheek in the shape of lips, making him frown. Why was he even waiting here? She didn't need Spider-Man here if she was calling the police, the police hated him. Just as he prepared to leave, Luna ended the phone call with a sigh.

         "They're coming," she informed him, and he nodded. It fell silent between the two, and Peter opened his mouth to bid her farewell when Luna spoke again. "Sorry, but can I ask you something?" He tensed up, but Luna didn't wait for a response before speaking. "This is super random, but I was coming back from a date when this whole thing was happening. And since you're most likely old and have your shit together–well not old, but older than me. Anyways, I need an unbiased opinion." He bit his cheek to stop from laughing at her assumption of him being older, choosing to nod in response. "Is it bad if I think about another guy while I'm on a date with someone?"

          Spider-Man remained silent, while Peter Parker was trying to calm his racing heart. Could it be him? Was she thinking about him while being out with Danielle? He hoped it was him. "Who is this guy you're thinking of?" He eventually asked, and Luna tensed up.

          She then relaxed, realizing the hero most likely had no idea who Peter Parker was out of the millions of New Yorkers. Still, she refrained from saying his name in fear that someone passing would hear. "Just this guy at my school, we have class together and... I've liked him for months, but I don't think he likes me. So I went on a date with this girl to try to get over him, but even when I was with her, I was just thinking about how he'd react if he walked in and saw us." She paused, looking away from the hero. "Is that wrong?"

          Peter mentally cursed as she gave little to nothing about said guy, leaving him just as clueless as before. "I think... it's not wrong, but it is." Luna turned to him, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "You want to give her all your attention, you agreed to go on a date, it's only fair. But at the same time, you won't get over this person immediately, especially if you've liked them for so long. But you also won't like this person after one date, so maybe as time passes, you'll stop thinking about that other person."

          It was solid advice, at least in her opinion it was. Hopefully, with time, Danielle will be the one to occupy her thoughts rather than Peter. She opened her mouth to thank him, but sirens rang around them. "Hey, can you..." She trailed off, pointing to the ground. Spider-Man nodded, grabbing onto the girl once more and lowering her to the ground. She turned to thank him, but he'd already shot his web and disappeared before she got the chance. She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as the red and blue lights illuminated the streets. Thank you Spider-Man, again.