golden | peter parker

sixteen

Three weeks had passed since Penny and Peter had that moment. Both chose to ignore it and go back to being friends, before that happened.

Ned and Michelle noticed a slight difference in their friends, but when questioned about it they wouldn't find out anything. So they let it go, if it was really nothing than it wouldn't matter.

Peter sat next to Penny in their joined class together, them both on their phones because class hadn't started yet. They only had a week left for both of their projects, and they were savoring every class they had left. It was going to be hard to readjust with having one less class together.

The bell rung and they both looked at each other sighing, not wanting to fully start the day yet.

"Should this camera be the one that you build and I take photos for?" Peter asked as he slouched in his chair.

"I suppose," Penny's lips were pursed together, "But you choose the camera."

"Alright. Be back in a sec," Peter stood up and made his way to the front. He looked at the selections in front of him before his gaze settled on a vintage looking one that would require film. He also chose it because it would be really easy to build. It would probably only take this class period.

"Here you go, and here you go," Peter spoke as he set the instructions and camera down in front of Penny.

"Okay so I start with this black candy cane looking piece and put it in this other black waffle looking piece," Penny started, confused already.

"These are the gears and what keeps them together, Pen," Peter laughed, shaking his head at the girl.

Peter walked her through how to tighten the tiny screws, where to connect the plates, and when pieces would need to be slid in place. He was very good at breaking down the information so she could understand it better.

When Penny was in deep concentration, he would snap a photo of her. He would also obnoxiously zoom in on her face, taking quite unflattering photos of her.

"Woah, this is actually starting to resemble a camera!" Penny excitedly said. She flipped the page of the instructions, eager to finish.

"Okay this part is tricky. You have to make sure that the shutter is fully attached, but isn't blocking the lens itself. You do this by carefully wiggling the slits into place, and tightening the screws," Peter carefully explained, his arm going over hers to point at the exact pieces.

Penny nodded her head before doing it perfectly.

"Nice job," Peter said impressed. Penny smiled at him, happy that she was able to build something so cool.

By the end of the period, she had almost finished. There were only five minutes left but she had a solid twenty minutes of work left. She wouldn't be able to do it in time.

"Hey can you finish it up? I know you could do it in like three seconds if you really tried," Penny asked motioning to the camera. Peter raised his eyebrows.

"You sure? I don't want to take that away from you," He said, genuinely asking.

"Yeah I'm sure, it would be cool to have a completed camera in under an hour," She responded, pushing the pieces over to Peter.

He quickly got to work, his fingers moving like lightning. And just as Penny predicted, he was finished in three minutes.

She quickly inserted some film into the cartridge holder and turned the camera around.

"Peter come here," Penny ushered, wanting to get a photo with him. "Make a funny face in 3, 2,-" She cut herself off as she clicked the button. Peter had opted for cross eyes, while Penny had gone for a fish face.

She set the camera down, and started to pack up her things.

"Hey can you put the camera at the front of the class?" Penny asked as the bell rung, since they weren't allowed to keep the cameras.

"Yeah sure, but give me a sec," Peter replied, a small plan forming in his head.

"See you at lunch Peter," Penny waved as she walked out the classroom. Peter than walked up to the front of the class to talk to Mr. Wayne.

"Um, excuse me, Mr. Wayne?" He asked nervously.

"Ah Peter, what can I do for ya?" Mr. Wayne asked sitting down on his desk, his arms folded across his chest.

"So Penny built this camera today, and I don't know, she kinda took a liking to it? So I was just wondering if maybe I could keep it, and like give it to her for her birthday or something? I'd be willing to pay you for it," Peter asked, feeling unbelievably shy.

Mr. Wayne's face lit up at Peter's request. He had noticed the two getting increasingly closer with every class period. Him and Ms. Robyns often talked and gossiped about how cute Peter and Penny would be together.

She was already Mr. Wayne's favorite student, and if she had any specific attachment to a camera, especially one she built with Peter helping her, then by god he would give her that camera.

"No need for money, Pete. The camera's yours. Or at least, yours to give to Penny," Mr. Wayne replied, full sincerity in his voice.

"Thank you so much!" Peter spoke, happiness radiating off of him as he left the classroom.

Lunch rolled around, and Peter had been sure to put the camera in his locker. He would surprise Penny when the time was right.

As Peter sat at the table, Liz walked past him accidentally dropping her student ID. He quickly picked it up and chased after her, to return it.

"Liz! You dropped your ID," Peter explained as he returned her card.

"Oh thanks Peter, I really appreciate it," Liz said, him lost in her mesmerizing dark brown eyes.

"Yeah, no problem. It would be awful if you got locked out of the school if you had like, a free or something," Peter tried creating casual conversation, intentionally trying to drag out how long he could talk to his crush.

When Penny entered the lunchroom with Michelle, her eyes landed on Peter chatting with Liz. She couldn't explain it, but as she stopped in her tracks, her stomach dropped. She had lost all appetite.

"Hey you good? You went pale," Michelle asked concerned for her best friend.

"Yeah I'm fine," Penny choked out, starting to walk to their table.

She knew Peter liked Liz, hell she even teased him about it. Why did she suddenly care? There was no reasonable explanation, or at least none that she liked.

"So... You like Peter, huh?" Michelle asked, her gaze only on Penny.

Penny stiffened, completely taken aback by her bluntness, though she shouldn't have been all that surprised considering they'd been friends for years.

"What? No! What gave you that notion?" Penny yelped, her voice going up an octave. Michelle rolled her eyes.

"Chill, Pen. I'm not gonna make fun of you. I'm just confirming."

"Well, I'm denying. Because I do not like Peter. And frankly, I'm appalled that you would even think that I would consider him like that," Penny said rather harshly. Truth be told, she didn't agree with what she said in the slightest, but she couldn't have Michelle think that she did like him. Which she didn't.

"Whatever you say," Michelle sighed, deciding to start reading.

Peter had overheard the back half of their conversation, and he wasn't going to lie. It stung. Of course he knew that him and Penny were just friends, but hearing her sound almost disgusted made a bigger blow to Peter's heart than he would've cared to admit.