Spider-Man: Clone Wars

(7) First Day Off

“Come on, dude, how long has it been”, Ned asked? He swiftly followed Peter down the halls of their school. Finally pausing so Peter could open his locker. “Seriously, Peter, how long has it been”?

“I don’t know”, Peter finally spoke. “Not counting the blip, maybe… 2, 3 years”. 

Ned almost choked on the air he was breathing, “What, I can barely make it through school without-”. 

“Ned, it’s not that big of a deal, it’s my choice, I just haven’t had the time”, Peter tries excusing his actions, but Ned wasn’t having it. “It doesn’t matter if I haven’t had an actual vacation or time to relax in a long time without… the other guy. It’s really okay”. 

“No, Peter you’re coming to the beach with us before they close”, Ned said, they started walking again, leading down to the cafeteria. “Look, it’s going to be me, you, Betty, & MJ. So…”? 

“Yeah, fine Ned, I’ll go”, Peter finally accepted defeat. “MJ already agreed though, right”? 

“Yeah”, Ned lied. They walked into the cafeteria line, then sat in their usual seats with Michelle. Peter sat next to her & Ned sat across from her. “Hey, MJ, I have something to ask you”?

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They had to wait a day until they could all head out to the beach. Michelle had to direct Decathlon, Peter was walking home & needed to stop a mugging then stayed out as Spider-man all day, & Ned was busy looking for the perfect pair of swimming shorts. 

“MJ, you have to hurry up, Ned said 4 o’clock”, Peter said, he checked the time on the microwave. “We’re pushing it”. 

He was talking to Michelle through her door, waiting for her to get ready. 

He was wearing a black t-shirt & light blue swimming shorts with pineapples plotted all over. 

Michelle was wearing a yellow bikini that her mother gave her, but when she stepped out of her room she had it covered with a black top & a long green beach skirt. 

“You ready now”, Peter asks, he was leaning against the wall next to her door with his head resting off of the wall. 

He was admiring what she wore, she looked beautiful. But he didn’t want to be creepy & tell her. 

“Yeah, I guess”, Michelle said, leaning down to grab the beach bag with towels, sunscreen, water, & snacks. They both started walking out to the living room. 

“Where are you going”, Miles asks in a monotone voice, he was sitting on the couch looking deep into a magazine. 

“The beach”, Michelle responded. She grabbed the doorknob & almost got to turn her wrist & exit the room. 

“Alone”, Miles asked? He quipped a fake gasp behind his question, as if he was offended by their action. He stood up & walked towards Michelle & Peter. “What did mom say about this debacle”?

“Nothing”, Michelle admitted. Peter stood behind her in awkward silence. “I can go down to the beach if I want”. 

“Well, mom wouldn’t want me to let you two leave alone without some supervision, I must come with”, Miles was hatching a scheme in the back of his head. 

“You could have just asked if you could come”, Peter finally spoke up. He must have said the wrong thing because after saying so he was lightly hit by Michelle. “What? He can come if he wants to”. 

Michelle rolled her eyes as she turned back to Miles, “Fine, just hurry up, we have to go”. 

Miles quickly ran through the apartment, getting himself ready to go hang out with a bunch of people older than him, that he barely knows, just so the plan blossoming in the far depths of his head can bloom.