Spider-Man Imagines I

I Was Better (Part Two) | Peter Parker [TH]

For the rest of the day, Peter mentally promised himself again and again that he would obey your wishes.

He wouldn't try to cheat off of you anymore.

He would leave you alone.

That was going to be difficult.

You were his best friend. He was typically with you everywhere. He sat by you at lunch, walked with you to last period, carried your things, rode the bus home with you, called you at night, and even snuck in through your window just to hang out after he was finished being Spider-Man.

Now you were distant. Two days had done by and you hadn't done anything more than glance in Peter's direction. You sat with Flash at lunch. He walked you to your classes and carried your things and even took you home in his dad's car.

At least Peter assumed he did. You weren't at the bus stop like you typically were and while a part of him wanted to text and ask if you were alright, he knew better.

He wanted to ask if your detention went over well, if you were grounded or in trouble with your parents. He wanted to explain himself again - he wanted you to forgive him.

Clearly it wasn't going to be easy.

Without having you as a way to ensure his homework was done, Peter found himself turning in less and less every day. On Wednesday, he was asked to turn in his lab from two days previous.

"I don't have it," he said, voice heavy with sleep (he had just taken a nap during a movie in English). He rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand and sniffed, lowering himself further down in his chair miserably. "I... I don't know when I can get it in to you."

"Alright, Mr. Parker. I'm afraid I'll have to send you to detention. Perhaps then you can make time for your schoolwork."

He nodded. That was an easier punishment than he thought he was going to get.

Peter's heavy eyes flickered over to where you sat. Ever since he was put on the spot, he'd felt your gaze. Now he knew that you were glaring at him.

You gave him a disappointed shake of your head. He sighed, tearing his eyes away. His chest grew heavier as he pulled the collar of his flannel over his ears and cheeks. He decided to look out the window instead.

He wished he didn't have spidey-senses. He wished he couldn't feel your disappointment and sadness. He wished he wasn't tired. He wished he hadn't heard Flash ask you out this morning at your locker, but most of all he wished that you hadn't said yes.

...

On Monday the next week, Ned came back. His nose was still stuffy and his eyes weren't as bright with life as they typically were. He had just gotten over the flu, and now he was thrown in the middle of a dispute with his two best friends.

"Man, I have so much work," he said, voice deeper than usual. "I have to read an entire book in my novel class. Why in the heck did I take a novel class, anyway?"

Peter wasn't really paying attention. He was watching you. "I don't know, man," he said.

Ned followed his gaze. When he saw you and Flash, hand in hand at your locker, his nose inches from yours, Ned sighed. He stepped in front of Peter.

"Look, dude. I know it's weird and all that ___ is kissing Flash Thompson, but I'm kind of ranting to you. Give me a bit of attention, man!"

"Right, right," he mumbled. "I'm sorry." Peter followed Ned to his locker and collapsed against it tiredly. "It just sucks, man."

"I know." He opened his locker and picked out what he needed.

"None of this would have happened if I hadn't gotten her in trouble," he decided.

Ned frowned. "You do realize that she's like Flash for a while, right? They've always been close. It makes sense that they're dating."

Peter grimaced and looked at the floor.

"I know you like her, man," Ned said sadly. "But honestly... if you hadn't gotten her in trouble, this still would have happened. But that doesn't mean that you don't have a chance. I've seen the way she looks at you. Not... not recently, obviously. She might hate you now. I don't know."

Peter nodded, lips pressed together. "Wow. Thanks, man."

Ned smiled. "You know I got your back," he said. "I'll see you later. I need to go get my work from Geometry. I hate to see the book assignments I have..." He groaned and trudged around Peter.

"See ya," Peter agreed, watching him go.

He stood there for a minute in thought. His fingers nervously played with the straps on his backpack. His eyes burned into the back of Flash's head.

You kissed him full on the mouth, pulling back with a giggle. Flash brushed a hand across your arm and then murmured a see you later. You nodded as he walked off.

Peter took a deep breath. He might as well try.

Slowly, he walked up to you. You shut your locker and looked up at him with wide eyes. With the smallest of smiles on your face, said, "Hello."

"Hi," he mumbled. He looked at the books you were struggling to hold in your hands. "Can I carry your books? We're going to the same place."

You nodded and passed the books over to him. He held them without difficulty. As Peter walked you to your Chemistry class, you felt the remaining ice break and melt away.

"So you and Flash, huh?"

"Yeah," you said, playing with a lock of your hair. "I knew he liked me after a while and I like him... so why not?"

"Personally I don't care for the guy," Peter said.

You smiled. "Well, I promise not to let him yell at you because you carried my books."

"Oh yeah. I guess I should have asked if that was okay to even offer," he said. "My bad."

"No, it's fine," you insisted. "And... I do accept your apology. I know you didn't meant to get me in trouble, Peter."

"That doesn't mean I don't still feel horrible," he said.

"Well, you shouldn't feel bad," you insisted. "It's over." You suddenly gave him a concerned look. "But you should be working harder at trying to get your homework done. It's kind of important to me that I graduate with you."

"I know," he said.

You stopped him and placed a hand on his arm. He looked at you warmly, his eyes glazed over. You smiled and dropped your hand.

"Please take care of yourself, Peter," you said softly. "I don't know how crazy you are when I'm not there to keep you at bay."

"I'm not that crazy."

You raised your eyebrows. "Debatable."

Peter laughed and you did, too. He missed all of it. The way your laughter mixed with his, the way you would look at him.

Just before you reached the class, you nudged him with your elbow. "You'll wait for me at the bus stop, right? I might be there a few minutes later than usual."

"Yeah of course," he said at once. His smile grew. "You're... you're riding the bus?"

"Yeah," you said. You smirked. "Why? You missed me?"

"A lot," he admitted.

You turned pink and looked away, biting your lip to hide your smile.

"Well, I won't be going away anytime soon," you said. "Unless you do something stupid."

"I'll try to not do anything even remotely stupid," he promised. You laughed again.

Peter was filled with hope. Hope that life wouldn't be too crazy and take away these moments from him. Hope that you would look at him like that years from now. Hope that he might one day have a chance to kiss you.

He grinned.

He definitely had hope.