WHEN THE DARKNESS COMES ━ Peter Parker

o1. Everything is Just Peachy

ONE EVERYTHING IS JUST PEACHY

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          Being fifteen years old was hard enough as is, but for Lyra, it was even worse than that. Not only was she a teenager navigating the world of high school, but she was also undoubtedly cursed. No one knew the age at which the curse would actually start affecting her as her mother had been lucky enough to be spared until she was twenty-nine. However, every year, the approaching birthday was a cause for fear that just maybe this would be the year. Of course, there was a chance she would be spared. Her grandmother, Angelina Jericho, was one of the oldest surviving members of the Jericho bloodline.

"Dude, you've been so on edge lately, what's up with you?" her best friend, Melody, asked her with a shoulder nudge as the two walked to class. It was their sophomore year at Midtown high and Lyra already couldn't wait for it to be over. They were just a few months out from June, but it couldn't come soon enough. However, that meant Lyra would have to survive the curse for at least another year before she got the sweet taste of being one of the upperclassmen. "Even now, you're totally spacing out."

"You know you can tell us if something's wrong, right?" her other close friend, Archie, cut in with a similarly concerned expression.

With a sigh, Lyra began to work on her best damage control. "Guys, I'm just tired. You guys are totally freaking out over nothing, I just ran out of coffee so I didn't have enough this morning."

"You shouldn't rely on coffee to keep your energy up, it's so bad for you," Melody lectured like she always did, "I swear, caffeine addiction is a real thing and you shouldn't fuck with addiction."

"I'd rather be addicted to caffeine than cocaine," Archie interjected with a nonchalant shrug causing both him and Lyra to stifle their giggles as Melody glared at both of them. "What! Don't tell me you'd rather do crack! Mel, are you hiding something from us?"

Melody snorted, shoving him gently, just enough to shake him but not enough to make him stumble as they walked. "You are such a dick, Lyra, why do we keep him around again? I'm starting to forget."

"Because you love me!" Archie reasoned with a scoff.

Lyra, however, just shrugged, "To keep the gender ratio at least someone balanced."

"Wow, just wow," Archie shook his head, a resigned sigh escaping his lips, "You guys are just plain mean. I mean, I'm in awe. You think you know someone."

"You are so dramatic!" Melody scoffed, tossing her braids over her shoulder as she shoved their friend to the side with a laugh. Lyra laughed gently to herself, shaking her head at the antics of her friends. At least in these dark, unknowing times, she has her friends by her side. They may have no idea what's going on, but they don't need to know — they make her feel better without even trying. Heading into their first period geometry class, they settle into their respective desks. Unfortunately, their math teacher knows the three of them are bad news when seated together, so they're all at opposite ends of the classroom.