TELEKINETIC │ p.p

Chapter Twenty

He threw on pants and ran quietly into the girls' room. He woke them up silently and shushed them as soon as their eyes opened.

"Somebody might be inside," he whispered to Vanessa. "Stay hidden, and stay safe." He pecks her forehead before leaving the room, heading back to his bedroom. Would he have time to put on his suit? He felt like the answer was no and began to panic. He needed a distraction.

As if she could read his mind, Vanessa laughed loudly and flung open their door so hard it hit the wall with a thud. Peter practically shit himself. He opened the door and gestured for her to hide. She shook her head and told him with her eyes to get ready, a.k.a change into Spider-Man. She crept downstairs after peeking over the landing, still keeping up the act of a silly, carefree teenager.

Just as Peter was about to fall back from the doorway to change, he heard his name. "Peter, Ned!" She didn't sound as if she were captured, but she was definitely worried.

Peter ran downstairs, telling Ned to check on Vanessa while he checked the perimeter, inside and out.

"They want me," Vanessa whispered to Ned. "What do I tell Peter?"

"Hide the note," Ned spoke, pushing the piece of paper in her hand toward her sweatshirt pocket. "It's best if he doesn't know that they're on the hunt for you."

"He needs to know, Ned," Vanessa retorted.

"You can't do that to him," Ned sighs. "He's so busy as it is-"

"You're right," Vanessa interjected. "I won't tell him." She felt her stomach ball up with guilt.

"What happened, Nessa?" Peter questioned, kneeling beside her and Ned, noticing the brick in one hand and her other in her pocket. "What's in your hand?"

"A brick," Vanessa replied, removing her other hand from her pocket, trying to force a smile but Peter caught on.

"Stand up," he ordered, standing himself. Vanessa slowly stood on her feet, staring at Peter with a nervous expression clung to her face. "What's in your pocket?"

"Psh, nothing," Vanessa responds, trying to laugh it off. Peter sneaks his hand inside and pulls out the note. "Hey!" Vanessa shouts, trying her best to get it back before Peter read it. It was a success on her fifth grab, and she ran around the cabin, looking for a place to hide it. But Peter was hot on her tail and eventually caught up to her, lifting her into the air and grabbing the note.

He held her into his side and read the note with his body twisted away from hers. She tried to reach for it but failed all attempts this go around. She sighed and frowned as she watched his face drop.

"Maybe somebody's pranking us," Vanessa spoke.

"'Better watch your girl - We're coming for her'?" Peter questioned sharply. "That's not a fucking prank."

"We have a few cruel peers in our school-"

"Shut up, Vanessa," Peter growls. Vanessa's body folds a bit, her mind searching for something to say or an idea as to what the hell should be done.

"What do we do?" she questions, defeated.

"I'm not letting them get you, that's for damn sure," Peter proclaimed, pulling her into the living area. "Ned, we need to keep our eyes on Vanessa at all times."

"Got it, boss," Ned responds.

"What's going on?" Kate whispers. "Is it clear?"

"Yeah," Peter responds, stepping away from Vanessa but not pulling his attention off her for a second. "Somebody thought it would be cool to break one of the windows with a brick."

"That's fucking ridiculous," Kate responded, stepping over to them and analyzing the brick. "No note attached either?"

"Nope," Peter mumbles. "Cowards." His growl gave Vanessa the chills.

"Let's go calm down," Vanessa suggests softly, tugging Peter into the kitchen. "Breathe, Pete," she carefully speaks, grabbing hold of his wrists. He harshly tugs his arms away out of her grasp and slumps away from her.

"I fucking am," he snaps, leaning over the island countertop. He slams his hands down onto it, letting out a grunt. "What the fuck," he mutters.

"I'm sorry," Vanessa sighs. "This is all my fault."

"How?" Peter questions. "You did fucking nothing."

"Well it wasn't you either," Vanessa protests. "So don't even think about that."

"Ever since I told you about Spider-Man-"

"They would've used me anyway," Vanessa retorts. "There's no way they just decided to use me because you told me your biggest secret. They couldn't have known."

"Of course they could have," Peter snaps again. "I have the worst fucking luck in the world."

"Peter, please calm down," Vanessa begs. Peter closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, his face softening.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, turning around. He rests his backside against the counter, sighing. "This is a lot to take in."

"I know," Vanessa responds. She walks over to Peter, embracing him. "But we can do this." Peter hugs back, taking in her scent. She still smelled of coconuts and green apples. He smiled into her hair, resting his cheek on her scalp as he thought.