Pain Will Always Come Back to Haunt You

Here He Comes to Save the Day!

A mild pain spreads throughout Peter's cheek. It doesn't hurt much, if at all, but he recoils as if it does. He's not going to blow his secret identity over a weak punch from a bully. He lets himself be pushed into the lockers by the force of the punch. The locker door clangs from his impact and MJ is instantly in front of him, blocking Flash's path to him.

"Back off," she warns. Ned steadies Peter's shoulders and checks his cheek.

"Are you okay?" Ned asks worriedly. Peter nods, his expression unwavering as he regains his balance.

"He can't even fight ba-" Flash is cut off by MJ's fist. Ned and Peter stare in shock as Flash stumbles back. By then, a group of students have crowded around them to watch the scene unfold. Flash's eyes widen when he realizes what just happened. MJ, however, crosses her arms with an intense stare trained on Flash. Before Flash can react, a voice interrupts the tension.

"Peter, Michelle, Eugene, my office." Principal Morita's hard gaze lands on them expectantly. The crowd disperses with a few disappointed mumbles and Peter straightens up. Flash stomps after Principal Morita, already yelling about what just went down.

"Did you see her punch me?!" Flash demands, pointing accusingly back at MJ.

"I did. I also saw you punch Peter, first. Office. Now." Mr. Morita maintains his calm demeanor and Flash stomps his way around the corner with an exasperated huff. Then, Mr. Morita looks back to the rest of them. "Ned, can you please get ice packs for Peter and Eugene. Michelle, Peter, follow me." Peter glances to MJ, but she starts to follow Mr. Morita as if she didn't do anything wrong. In Peter's opinion, she didn't. Still, he follows behind the two while Ned goes to get the ice packs. Peter, MJ, and Eugene sit outside Principal Morita's office while he makes calls to their emergency contacts. May's going to kill me. Flash looks like he's about to talk when Peter interrupts him before he can start,

"Don't." Flash scoffs and turns to him.

"Like you can tell me what to do."

"Don't," MJ repeats. Flash immediately shuts his mouth. Peter resists the urge to laugh in his face, which is currently in the process of bruising from MJ's punch. Peter doubts his cheek is even red. Principal Morita comes out of his a few minutes later.

"Michelle, Eugene, both your parents are on your way," he informs.

"Stop calling me that," Flash mutters under his breath.

"Peter," Principal Morita continues, "your aunt said she's currently at work. She asked you to call someone named 'Happy?'" Peter's heart drops. Still, he counts his blessings that she didn't ask him to call Tony.

"Oh, um, okay." Peter nods and Mr. Morita retreats into his office again. Ned arrives with two ice packs, one he hands to Peter and one he begrudgingly throws to Flash. Peter holds his up to my cheek just for show. Slowly, he pulls out his phone and dials Happy. It rings...and rings...and rings... He starts to think of anyone else he can call when Happy picks up just in the nick of time.

"What's up? I'm kind of busy." Happy seems like he's already in a bad mood, which makes Peter's anxiety spike.

"Um, hi, Happy. Could you, uh, pick me up? From school? I know that, that you're preoccupied but May's at work and, and I don't really have anyone else to come get me." There's silence.

"It's 9:32, why do you need picked up?" Happy asks skeptically.

"Well, funny story. I, uh, got in a fight?" Peter says, but it comes out as more of a question.

"Is that a question?"

"Yes?"

"That's...uncharacteristic. You okay?" Happy doesn't seem very convinced. In his defense, Peter probably isn't being very convincing.