Spider-Man Season One: Freestyle

5-2: Catch Me If You Can Part 2

The next day was not much better. Thanks for asking.

I had a hard time not thinking about everything people were saying. Maybe it was hormones or something stupid like that, but every word seemed to carry way more meaning than was actually behind it.

"Hey, Parker. Study hard last night?"

"Yo, I'm not gonna check my answers to the homework with you today." (There was a little comfort in the fact that I had never once checked that guy's homework).

"I think you're damn hilarious."

Granted, the last one was from a likely homicidal nut-job who was referring to my superheroic persona, but it certainly wasn't helping me feel any better.

The speedster especially was dwelling with me quite a bit. He'd been so confident. I'd dealt with those kind of people before, but this guy had the power to back it up.

Whatever. I told myself. You'll find him when he pops up again, and you'll give him a good one. Who would you be if you didn't?

"Peter!" Gwen's voice practically shouted in my ear, and I almost dropped the books I was carrying.

"Ow...sorry, Gwen." I muttered, giving her a halfhearted smile. "I was just...thinking."

She sighed. Her expression softened a lot. "Is all this really bothering you that much? The Peter I know has been through a hell of a lot worse."

In that moment, I wanted to feel offended, or pathetic, or something. But Gwen was sincere. I'd known her long enough to recognize that. I just sort of sighed. "I guess...I was...settling in. I felt pretty firm in where I was. And now...I feel like no one knows what to make of me. It doesn't matter to them if I'm in the top of my class if I'm not THE top."

Gwen glanced at the clock. "I gotta go to class. I hope you do better, okay?"

I sort of nodded.

She set her books down, unsatisfied, and put her hands on my shoulders. "Listen to me, Mr. Parker. If you ever feel like you need to talk about this, I'm here."

"Right. Thanks a bunch, Gwen." I smiled a little more naturally, and she picked up her books and went down the hall in the other direction.

---

My phone could have waited maybe ten minutes to buzz.

There were 15 minutes left in last period when I got the notification. In that instant, my adrenaline started to flow just a little. My finger drummed a little on my desk.

Then another buzz. It could have been something else, but if it was about the same thing, then it might be very important.

I raised my hand. My health teacher looked back at me.

"You really have a question about the food pyramid, Mr. Parker?"

I shook my head. "No..."

He smirked a little. "Thank goodness. What is it, then?"

"May I use the restroom?"

He glanced at the clock, then at his watch when he realized he wasn't wearing his glasses. "There are less than 15 minutes until the day is over. Can you not wait that long?"

I nodded, adding a little squirm in my seat for effect. "It's an emergency."

After a second just standing there, he sighed and waved me over to the door.

I got up and began to head out of the room. I could hear people commenting on the situation, which always happened for some reason whenever a teacher clearly didn't want to let a student go but they played the "emergency" card. Because it involved me, however, there was more conversation than normal. I did my best to shut it out as I walked out the door and into the hall with my things.