Broken But Not Alone

Chapter 5

Peter knew he couldn't be late again but he also didn't care so he walked at the same speed as Ned who just didn't want to run.

"If you get in trouble because of me, I'm sorry," Peter said looking at Ned with a believable smile.

"Stop. apologising. alright? Making sure you're okay is more important than school," Ned said smiling.

Peter smiled back putting his arm around his shoulders.

•

They both signed in late and Peter got send to the principal.

"You've already been late to four classes in the past three days. If that goes up to five then I'll have no choice but to suspend you Peter and I don't want to see that happen. You're a good kid and your smart I don't want to see you waste that. Now go to class," he said, Peter expected him to be angry but he wasn't.

•

At lunch he found Ned, Mj and Travis. "So you told Mj about your date but not me?" Ned asked smiling, Travis looked a bit embarrassed but smiled when he saw Peter.

"I didn't know what to wear I needed advise from someone, who..You know doesn't own a four year old Star Wars hoodie," pointing at the hoodie he was wearing and laughing.

"Thats all I had," Ned said also laughing.

"I think you look cute in it," Travis said smiling at him, Peter smiled back.

Mj and Ned were smiling. "So where are you losers sitting for lunch?" Mj asked putting her arm around Ned and pushing into Peter's side.

They ended up at their usual table and Peter didn't eat again he just said he wasn't hungry, they didn't believe him he'd gotten so skinny lately he hadn't been eating probably for a while but it was just getting picked up now. They didn't want to push him though.

"So I know what happened to your eye but what about your head? You've just been like..ignoring anyone who says anything about it," Travis asked Peter who looked worried.

Great another person to add to the already way to long list of people who looked at me that way.

"Bad idea," Mj mouthed to Travis. "He doesn't like answering questions like that," she said out loud seeing what response she get from him.

Peter just got up and walked away, Ned got up to go after him but he'd already lost him and had no idea where he'd go.

Peter didn't know why he left them. He didn't think he deserved them and realised he was just pushing them away even further he wasn't meaning it but he didn't see why would they want to stay anyway.

He was late to his class after lunch but he didn't care, he didn't care about much anymore. His teacher sent him to the principal as soon as he walked in the door.

"Peter, come in."

Peter stood up from the seat outside the principals office and walked in. He sat in the seat he had sat in earlier that day.

"So I spoke to some of your teachers today and they almost all said the same thing." He looked at him worried. "Your grades are starting to drop, your attending less classes and you're late nearly every morning and they've said you've been withdrawing from your usual group of friends. They all seem worried about you Peter and so am I. I want help bring your grades back up and get you back into your classes. Maybe get you back around your friends more."

"I'm fine, I'm just...I'm just tired," Peter said trying to smile.

"Alright well I'm going to phone May, tell her what we've spoke about and she can bring you home and you get some rest," he said picking up the phone and putting her number in that was already in front of him.

"Am I suspended? You said earlier that you'd have no choice but to. I'm guessing I am," Peter knew aunt May wouldn't be happy.

"Mostly I'm just concerned about your recent behaviour so no, you'll just be going home for today maybe tomorrow to rest and come back on Monday," he said before putting the phone to his ear and talking.

Peter zoned out not paying attention to much.
May walked in after 10 minutes and spoke to the principal. Peter had to wait outside the office for them so he just went for a walk and ended up wait outside the building for May.

"Peter, what the hell happened to you face?" She asked once they were in the car in the way home.

"Nothing really."

"What like yesterday you got that black eye by falling was it? Or did flash hit your head off a table?" May asked in an angry way but she wasn't, she was just worried. "Yeah I got told he didn't believe that Flash just tripped over. But because you didn't tell the truth they can't do anything."

"Look it's nothing really, don't worry about it." Peter knew she wouldn't just take it that easily.

"Stop this Peter. I hate seeing you coming home covered in cuts and bruises you never talk to me anymore and you don't do anything to help yourself." As the car stopped she took the keys out and looked at him. "Are you going to tell me the truth?"

"Yeah ok it uhh..it was Flash," he said hoping she doesn't talk to the principal because he knew he'd look worse if he got him into trouble.

When they got in Peter told May he was going to bed because he was tired.

"Maybe if you didn't sneak out as Spiderman all night you wouldn't be," she said turning to look at him. "What? I know you don't come back until four in the morning most of the time."

"Night May," he smiled.

Closed his bedroom door and locked it and completely broke down crying trying not to make a noise.