The Hero Deep Inside

Sniffles (pt. 2)

 "Peter!"

I came awake all at once. I bolted upright, gasping slightly.

MJ stared down at, history books piled in her arms. Her eyebrows were raised slightly and an expression that must've been a mix between amusement and relief. Beside her, Ned stood, the look of relief unmistakable of his face, at least.

"Mr. Miller noticed," MJ said, answering the question that was forming in my fevered mind one millimeter at a time.

I grimaced. "Right. Great, just great."

"You were out cold," Ned extended a hand to help me up, "We tried to wake you up but couldn't."

I reached out a hand and grasped his. Ned barely bit off a gasp.

I looked up at him, bewildered.

"You're burning up, Peter,"

"I--"

"And you're shaking," MJ observed, mildly.

I couldn't muster the glare I felt like giving. "I'm just--It's just a cold," I amended, trying to stand and not succeeding. They definitely wouldn't believe me now if I told them I was okay.

But Ned only looked more worried than before the explanation. "But I thought you couldn't get sick,"

I didn't catch on to what he had said, what he had let slip, until MJ frowned and asked. "Why not?"

Crap.

I laughed suddenly to draw MJ's confused gaze away from Ned's embarrassed one. "I don't usually, um, get sick. Like ever." I laughed mechanically again. "But, uh, it's not impossible," I threw a hard glance at Ned, who looked furtive.

"Right. Right, of course. That's what I meant," Ned gushed out, latching on eagerly to the escape I had provided.

I ran my hands over to hide my expression from my best friend and to try and ease the terrible throbbing behind my eyes.

"Well...."

I peeked through my fingers to see MJ cock her head to the side and shift back a forth on her feet. Her expression was one of someone who wanted nothing but to get out of the situation at hand.

"Okay, I gotta go now," She managed finally. With that she clutched her books closer to her body and made her way out the door.

"Of course," Ned said, altogether too loudly for my aching head.

I held in a gasp between clenched teeth.

I was fine.

I was fine.

I was....

Why was I on the ground?

"Peter. Peter!" The voice was ringing in my ears sounded far away and echoey. I couldn't tell....was the Ned?

Ned. Why was Ned yelling at me?

"Peter, um, not now bro," Ned was pulling me upright.

No, Ned. Just leave me.

Everything ached.

He kept pulling. Then I was standing and my head was spinning and my knees were shaking and Ned was still pulling.

Let me go. Just let me go.

I'm fine. I'll be fine.
Just let me...

Something connected with my face. Was that a hand? A hand? Someone slapped me?

My cheek stung, but the pain was far away. So far away.