Agent Parker

Chapter Three (Peter)

I left Chemistry class and headed to my next class, theater, and I realized what I had to do.

I had to ask Betty to Homecoming.

I have always had this feeling that she's maybe had the slightest crush on me, but now I'm just going to go for it. I already fake said I was going with her, and now I'm going to ask her for real.

In my theater class it was a free day, where we could either act, make set pieces, or try on costumes. I could hopefully use this time to make a poster to ask her with. I needed a little help though, because I wasn't the best when it came to asking out girls.

I got to class and immediately knew who I would ask to help.

"Hey Emaline, could you help me with something?" I asked.

"Uhh, sure," she said. Emaline was the biggest theater girl at our school. She was almost always acting in a character and is super creative. She was always super nice to me when we talked, which wasn't often, but it was nice because she was an upperclassman.

"What do you need help with, Peter?"

"Well, you know Betty?"

"Betty Cooper?"

"Yeah. I'm planning on asking her to Homecoming, but I'm not quite sure how to do it, and you're like really creative and the only person I trust in this class and-"

"Okay, calm down. I will help you," Emaline said, laughing.

We went behind the stage to the props area and got a poster board, markers, and things to glue on the poster.

"Okay, so you need to come up with some kind of pun to put on the board," Emaline told me.

"Oh, what about a Spider-Man pun?" I said.

"Like the rumored new superhero?"

"Yes! Exactly." I said, excitedly. There has been rumors of a new Avenger, they're called Spider-Man. I've seen online pictures of his suit and he looks really cool and I really like him, even though I don't know who it is or if Spider-Man is even real.

"Okay I've got one," Emaline said. "Don't leave me hanging and come to Homecoming with me! And then when you ask her you could figure out a way to be upside down and be wearing a Spider-Man suit."

"That actually sounds really good. Thank you so so much."

"How are you going to get upside down though?"

"I'm pretty flexible. I can figure out a way. Plus, our Chemistry teacher really likes me, so she'll let me set it up in her classroom," I said.

"Alright then, we'll make this poster and then you have to get the suit from somewhere. Also get her flowers. Every girl likes flowers."

We worked on the poster together, making sure it was perfect. Working with Emaline was so much fun, and I could actually consider her my friend, something I've never really had before.

"That looks really good," Emaline said, looking at the finished poster. I really hope Betty likes it.

"Wait, what's that sound?" I said, I heard someone sniffling softly, it sounded like someone was crying.

We were behind the stage and I heard it coming from a corner of backstage. I motioned for Emaline to come over with me and we saw a red-headed girl sitting there, crying.

"Cheryl?" I asked, softly. It was so weird seeing her like this, she was a queen bee of the school, one of the most popular people. Why was she crying?

"Are you okay?" I asked, sitting down next to her. I felt really bad for her. She had never talked to me before, but I still felt it was necessary to help her.

"No," Cheryl said, softly.

"I know you don't know me well, but whatever happened, you can talk to us about it and we won't judge," I said. Cheryl looked at me and then looked at Emaline, who gave a sympathetic smile.

"Okay, I guess," she said. It was weird seeing someone who acted like a queen bee being so vulnerable.

"Well, my family is crazy, as you know. The whole Jason situation and my dad killing him and then hanging himself is just the start. Last night I was just sleeping peacefully and I heard something loud, so it startled me and I got out of bed quickly and saw my Nana Rose laying at the bottom of the staircase. I think my hideous mother pushed her," Cheryl said, and she started tearing up. I looked to Emaline looking for what to do and she mouthed to me to hug her.

I put my arms around Cheryl awkwardly, but she hugged back. She was just crying onto my shoulder. We stayed like that for a couple seconds and then she let go. She had mascara dripping down her face, but she seemed to have calmed down.

"And on top of all of that, my friends have all decided they don't want me around anymore. They basically kicked me out of our group and now I don't know what to do," she said.

"I know it'd kind of be social suicide to hang out with me, but if you want to, I don't mind," I said.

"It's not social suicide, Peter," Cheryl said laughing. "It'd just be weird because you're not popular like I am."

"Oh," I said, laughing with her.

"I didn't mean that in a mean way though, even though that's what you might expect coming from me. You actually seem cool and not fake like my others friends, and I appreciate that."

"I don't like seeing anyone sad. I don't want any bad things to happen because of me."

"I don't think you could ever do anything wrong, Peter. Thank you for this," Cheryl said, and gave me one last hug.

"I'm guessing you'll need us to hang out with then," Emaline said, watching us stand up. I almost forgot she was here.

"Yeah, that'd be great," Cheryl said.

"Peter, should we go put the poster in that one teachers room?" Emaline asked me.

"Sure, it's her free period so it'd be fine."

"What are you doing?" Cheryl asked.

"Oh, Emaline helped me make a poster to ask Betty Cooper to homecoming and I have this whole skit planned."

"Aww, that's adorable. I hope to hear about it when she says yes," Cheryl said.

"Oh you will, because Peter will steal her heart," Emaline said, laughing.

We walked to Ms. Warren's room and she gladly let me set up in her room, even though it might be a bit distracting to her other classes for the rest of the day, she didn't care. Emaline and I had such a fun time setting up for the rest of second period.

Tomorrow is going to be a good day.