MAGIC TRICKS [PETER PARKER]

FOURTY-FIVE

"IT'S ALIENS. IT HAS TO BE."

Nadia fought off a laugh, casting her eyes to the TV, where an Italian newscaster spoke animated Italian about the strange man they saw in the city and the water monster he fought. She still felt uncertain about the whole situation, but nonetheless, stayed silent, glancing to the back hallway where Peter talked to his Aunt May on the phone.

"Buzzfeed says there's a sailor named Morris Bench who was exposed to an experimental underwater generator and got hydro powers," said Flash in awe, holding up his phone. Crossing her arms, Nadia turned back to the television. MJ quipped, "Yeah, you should definitely believe everything you read on the internet."

Flash shrugged, ignoring her comment. "Spider-Man could take him." Nadia was in awe- not at the superhuman that saved them today, but for the love that Flash harbored for the Queens vigilante, which contrasted greatly to his hate for the kid underneath it.

"What do you think it is?" Mr. Harrington asked Mr. Dell. The man settled into a confident stance, hands on his hips. "You know, being a man of science..." He hesitated. "Witches."

Nadia rolled her eyes, stepping up beside Betty, who had a hand resting on Ned's shoulder. "Who is that guy?" An image of the man appeared on the screen, an edited question mark swimming in the fishbowl covering his face. "He's like Iron Man and Thor rolled into one," commented Brad, who came to rest next to Nadia. He shot her a wide smile. She pulled her arms closer to her body.

Flash scoffed. "He's all right. He's no Spider-Man."

MJ leaned forward, giving him a teasing look. "What is it with you and Spider-Man?" Flash looked over, offended that she even had to ask. "What? He's just awesome, okay? He protects the neighborhood, and you know, he's inspiring. He inspires me to be a better man." He nodded decidedly, just as Peter entered the room again.

"'Sup dickwad?" Flash shouted immediately, "I thought you drowned." After giving him a sarcastic thumbs-up, Peter slid his arm behind Nadia, touching the small of her back and wedging his way between her and Brad. Nadia smiled half-heartedly in his direction, leaning into his touch.

A different woman came onto the screen speaking a lot of Italian that Nadia didn't understand. "Sounds like his name's Mysterio," added Brad. MJ leaned into the conversation again to correct him. "L'uomo del misterio is Italian for 'man of mystery,'" the curly haired girl informed them all, "They don't actually know who he is."

No one acknowledged that they heard her, however, but Ned did whisper his name. "Mysterio..."

"Cool name." Ned and Betty, who had spoken in unison, looked at each other with shock. "Babe!" The group started to disband as the news report ended, the students getting ready for bed.

"Hey, wanna come to our room for a little bit? Hang out?" Peter asked. Glancing at Gwen and MJ, her roommates, as they talked animatedly to each other on the way back to their room. Nadia bristled a bit, remembering how he was not too anxious to "hang out" with her earlier that morning. She really shouldn't have been upset, because she was almost definitely reading into it too much, but she rubbed her eyes anyway and pronounced, "Actually, I-I'm kind of tired, so..."