Iron Lightning [ I ] P. PARKER

XXXII. HOMECOMING

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
"homecoming"

The three teens walked into the blue and yellow themed school gym together, the building full of loud talking and music.

Michelle and Ned were stealing glances from each other every so often, while Jade quietly laughing from behind them, she didn't like to third wheel alone (her and Peter always third-wheeled together) but she had to admit, it was kinda funny watching the two.

She was happy for them, but she felt even more awkward being at the dance, alone, following her best friend and her date around.

After a few minutes of dancing around and laughing, the teens went closer to the snack table, right in front of the entrance door.

"Hey!" One girly voice dragged out.

Jade looked to the door to see Liz walking in with some of her senior friends, but no Peter.

That made her more nervous than anything. Where's Peter? Is he okay? Did Toomes get him?! She started freaking out, Michelle noticing it.

"Jade? Are you okay?" She asked touching her shoulder.

"Peter..." Jade whispered, still staring at the entrance door, hoping he would walk through any moment now.

"What about him?" Ned asked, jumping into the conversation.

"Toomes, they rode here with him, and Peter didn't come in with Liz..." Jade said, trailing off.

"Maybe he's getting "the talk"?" Michelle suggested, her voice lacking the confidence Jade needed to hear. 

"I'm sure he's okay," Ned gave her a nod and his eyes telling her "he's okay."

"Okay, okay, you're right. He's got this, right?" She questioned herself.

"Just give him a little longer," Michelle said and smiled lightly at her.

"Okay..." Jade breathed and waited... for five minutes.

Then, Ned started waving happily towards the door, "Guys, he's here!"

Michelle smirked and lifted her middle finger up at him, it's almost like a greeting but it's also her way of saying "you suck" to Peter.

Jade smiled in relief, "See? No reason to worry," Ned said.

Jade watched as Peter slowly opened the door, his face more petrified than when she first saw him at Liz's. He looked over at his friends and walked over to where Liz was. And slowly, Liz's face fell and Peter was running off.

"Umm, is he really chickening out now?" Michelle asked.

"Uh, I'm...," Jade started then trailed off, pausing for a moment. "I'm gonna go see if he's okay."

"Go get 'em!" Michelle smirked and gave her a little push.

Jade smiled, then quickly walked to the exit Peter took and when she rounded the corner she used her speed to look for him in the school halls.

She stopped for a moment, down the hall where Peter's locker stood, "Peter? Peter?!" She walked through the halls and noticed a tie on the ground, it has to be Peter's.... oh god, please be Peter's.

She took off her heels and walked to the lockers. She once saw Peter do this, she grabbed the bottom of the lockers and lifted the wall up, revealing a secret storage system with all of Peter's Spider-Man stuff. She looked for the one thing that could be missing, the old homemade blue and red suit was gone, Peter's going to find Toomes.

She quickly opened her locker and pulled out her emergency bag, extra clothes for those days and her extra pair of A.I. Powered glasses. "Knew this would come in handy," she whispered to herself.

She grabbed the bag and her gym sneakers and ran into the bathroom to quickly changed from her dress. Once done and threw everything in her locker, locked it up and called VERONICA.

"V! Do you have visual on Spider-Man?" She asked as she ran normally through the halls waiting on an answer.

"Connecting to school campus cameras," VERONICA said hacking the system. "He's in the bus ramp!"

Jade nodded her head— even though no one else was there— and sped to get there in a second. She ran out the doors to see a bus being hit by the Shocker dude and tumbling around the parking lot. Spiderman falling out from the back entrance a few seconds later. He could barley get up and wasn't attacking.

Jade looked around quickly for an option, his web shooters were lying on the ground not too far from her. She went to grab them when she saw Ned come from behind a bus.

"Why did he send you here?" Peter asked weakly.

"Ned, what are you—?" Jade whispered violently at him but he ignored her and went to grab the shooters.

"Guess you'll never know," the Shocker said getting his shocker ready to punch Peter dead.

But Ned reacted fast, pushing the web shooter at the Shocker's arm and making him stop. Peter looks up in confusion, "Nice shot!" He shouts and grabs the web, pulling at it, swinging the Shocker into a bus and trapping him there.

"Yes! Ned, the guy with the wings is Liz's dad," Peter said running up to him and Jade.

"What?" Ned asked in disbelief pretending he didn't already know that.

"I know. I gotta tell Mr. Stark. Call Happy Hogan. He's Mr. Stark's head of security. And, uh, get a computer to track my phone for me," Peter said quickly and urgently, running off.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Ned asked Peter.

"Hurry, we gotta catch him before he leaves town," Peter yelled as he started going away.

"Peter— wait!" Jade called, catching his attention. Peter looked back at her and she ran up to him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything," she said throwing her arms around his neck. "Just forget everything I said and let me help you. You can't do this by yourself."

Peter slowly hesitated to hug her back but eventually did, pulling her closer than he realized. He didn't need her apology because she did nothing wrong, "N-No, don't worry about it. And I'm sorry, you have nothing to be sorry over. I forgive you and I'll take your help."

They let go of each other and smiled softly, they missed each other.

"Are you guys gonna save New York now or later? Because this is cute and all but...?" Ned said, interrupting them.

"Right, right," Peter mumbled, nervously laughing, taking a few awkward steps backwards. "Right, I'll find him, you guys make sure we get Happy or Mr. Stark and let them know what's happening— got it?"

"Yes, sir!" Ned saluted him and turned around quickly, going to do what he was asked to do earlier.

"I'll see where he's going and help Ned out, meet you when I can," Jade smiled and ran back in after Ned.

Peter smiled and quickly started swinging away.

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