Rollercoaster - Peter Parker

08. One of Those 80's Movies

"What are you all dressed up for?"

Caden turned away from the bathroom mirror to face his younger sister Tabitha who was standing in the doorway. He straightened out his collared shirt, buttoning the last button as he stared at her. The girl rose her eyebrows, waiting for an answer with her lips curled into a smirk.

"I'm not dressed up," he told her, self consciously glancing in the mirror before looking back to her. She crossed her arms, clearly not believing a word he said, causing him to let out an exasperated groan.

"You're wearing your best pair of jeans and a nice looking shirt," she pointed out, gesturing to his clothing choice. Her blue eyes narrowed at him. "I'd say you were going out on a date with how spiffy you look."

Caden let out a sarcastic laugh, rolling his eyes. "You're 14, don't say spiffy."

"And, you're 16 and still a horrible liar," she countered, the smirk returning to her lips.

He sighed, turning back to the mirror to look at his hair for what seemed like the millionth time. "If you really need to know, I'm going over to a friend's house to watch some movies."

"What friend?" Tabitha scoffed. "The only friends you have are Reese and Jackie, and you would've said their names if it was either of them. You are so going on a date!" Her smirk widened into an excited grin, living vicariously through her older brother's love life.

"Peter Parker," Caden gave into her endless interrogations, "It's Peter Parker. Happy now, conspiracy theorist Tabby?" The use of her childhood nickname causing her to frown while he cracked a triumphant grin.

Suddenly, the girl's eyes widened in disbelief. The words that Caden had shot at her in his exasperated tone settled in her mind. She bit her lip, her smile being held back by her newly straightened teeth. Caden drew his eyebrows together as she shut the door to the bathroom, turning to him in wild excitement and shock.

"Peter Parker?!" she asked, clutching her heart dramatically, leaning back on the shut door. "The Peter Parker? As in one of the cutest guys in the class above mine and the class below yours? Since when are you friends with someone as cute as him?!"

The shocked yet confused expression of Caden had warped into another eye roll by the end of Tabitha's swooning, brushing off her insult. "We've talked on and off for a few months, but we're closer friends now," he informed her, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Wow..." she breathed in disbelief, running her hands through her long dark hair. "Tabitha Parker..."

Caden scoffed, shaking his head at her dramatic antics. "Want me to put in a good word for you or something?" he joked, watching her stop her swooning to shoot him a glare.

"That still doesn't explain why you're dressing nicely though. It's not like you're going to the movies, right?" she remarked, crossing her arms and standing upright once more.

Caden felt a blush creep up his neck and eventually onto his cheeks. Tabitha stared at her brother for a few seconds, her eyes narrowing as if she was trying to figure out what was going on in his mind. Not wanting to go through the ordeal of coming out to his younger sister, and to avoid the spiral of her questions focused solely on his Saturday night plans, Caden passed her, leaving the girl alone in the bathroom.

While Tabitha was left thoroughly confused in the bathroom, Peter was freaking out in his bedroom. Reese sighed, sitting on Peter's bed next to Ned.

"Dude, stop hyperventilating," MJ told him sternly, pulling the boy to his feet, "It's just, like, two movies at the most. Jackie and I are the couple here, not you two. I doubt Caden would want to stay around with you being a nervous wreck. Pull yourself together."