Just Kids | Peter Parker

7 | Sit-Ups and Let-Downs

Y/N

_

"[y/n], this is Ned."

Somehow, for some horrible reason, I found myself wearing gym shorts and a hoodie inside a giant gymnasium. I had to wear the hoodie to cover up my metal arm, which also meant I had to wear gloves. It was hot.

"Are you wearing a hat in gym class?" I said bluntly, staring at the bright red cap the boy had on.

Ned nodded his head, sticking out his hand for me to shake. Almost instantaneously, his eyes lit up and he retracted it back. I guess Peter told him that I didn't like to be touched.

"Yeah, my grandma gave me this one," he grinned, "it's fashionable."

I nodded, "I like it."

At that exact moment, a short man yelled from all the way across the room, waving his arms around in defiance. He looked like the teacher.

"Mr. Leeds!" He called out, "take that darn hat off!"

I wanted to punch that man for saying that. If Ned wanted to wear a hat, he should be allowed to wear one. Wait. I blinked, wondering why I was getting so defensive over a hat.

As students started to wander over to the bleachers, I looked over at Peter, who was trying to console Ned. Apparently he cared a lot about the hat too.

"Are we supposed to go?" I asked, pointing at the crowd of kids.

Peter nodded, letting out a sigh,  "video time."

I didn't know what that meant, but I followed after the two boys reluctantly. I ended up sitting in between the two boys, both of them worried some other kid might accidentally brush my shoulder and get killed.

I wasn't going to kill anyone, I just didn't like to be touched. That's it.

The short gym man slowly pushed a tiny TV into the center of the room, clicking it on with a remote. I squinted my eyes, turning to look at the boy next to me.

"I thought you were supposed to do physical activity in gym," I frowned, "what is this?"

Before Peter had a chance to respond, I felt a presence lean over me, and snap their book closed. A girl with curly brown hair was holding a novel titled "Human Bondage", and had a bored expression on her face.

"We watch these videos first," she explained, "fitness challenges for the weak."

"The weak?"

"Yeah," she scoffed, turning to stare at the boy beside me, "people like Peter."

I liked this girl.

A lot. And she was really pretty too.

"I'm MJ," she said sticking out her hand, "you are?"

I stared at the hand for a moment, suddenly nervous. I couldn't accidentally let my Hydra side take over, especially not to a stranger in the middle of class. Peter saw my expression, and swooped in, smacking his hand against MJ's as if it was a high-five.

"This is [y/n]," he said, "she's new."

The girl smirked, "okay, newbie."

What did newbie mean? I didn't have time to question it, before I heard a familiar voice echo out into the room.

"Hi, I'm Captain America."

I swung around, my eyes darting everywhere. I could have sworn I heard Steve say something.

"Whether you're in the classroom, or on the run..."

Then I saw him. A tiny person on a TV screen was dressed in an old-fashioned Cap uniform. It looked like Steve, it also sounded like Steve, but I couldn't believe that it was Steve. Is this what he was up to while I was being tortured in a lab? Unbelievable.

"This is ridiculous," I mumbled under my breath.

Ned's eyes lit up, "do you know him?"

"What?"

"Peter told me you're the Winter Soldier."

MJ gasped, leaning forward, "sorry, what?"

Now it was Peter's turn to speak.

"NED!" He hissed, "that was supposed to be a secret!"

"So it's true?" MJ questioned, "you're the assassin who's credited to have killed 98 government officials?"

It was actually over 100... unfortunately. I didn't remember any of it, except the unfortunate few, but I wasn't going to tell her that. I was ashamed.

"No, I'm not," I frowned, glaring daggers at Peter. I couldn't believe he told Ned my secret, "I don't even know who the Winter Soldier is."

MJ frowned, turning back to her book, "lame."

I turned my head back to face the TV screen, my mood already worse than it was before. Ned, who didn't seem to care he exposed me, leaned over again.

"But do you know him?" he said, at a whisper now, "cap?"

He didn't seem like he was ever going to give up, so I pursed my lips, "yeah I do."

"That's so cool!"

"He's my dad."

"What?"

Before I could respond, Peter swatted his friend away, his eyes widened in fright. He could sense that I was about to blow a fuse. The longer I sat here watching this stupid video, the more I wanted to jump out the window and start running away. I hated school, and I hated this stuffy hoodie.

"Aight," the teacher said, blowing on his whistle, "sit up time."

What were sit-ups? Is this what high school students had to do? Sit up?

"Come on," Peter said, standing up, "I can be your partner."

Huh. After the whole fiasco that happened with Ned's inability to keep secrets, I was confused on why he was deciding to talk about hero business in the middle of a crowd of students.

"No thanks," I frowned, "I work alone."

"Oh, woah," he laughed, "not like a sidekick or anything, I meant for sit ups."

"Why would I need a partner for that?"

"To hold your feet."

I stood up, brushing past him and scampering down the bleacher steps. Again, Peter, again with the touching. I didn't want anyone to hold my feet, and I probably didn't need anyone to.

Plopping down on a mat, I watched as the other students started to do some sort of contraction work-out, and began to mimic them. This was too easy.

Peter and Ned picked the mat next to me, probably so they could keep close watch. Rolling my eyes, I began to do more sit-ups than I could count. Actually I did count.

I did 53 in less than a minute.

Not my best, but I wasn't going to try for this class. Turning my head, I noticed that Peter and Ned were staring at me in awe.

"She's so cool," Ned whispered, "wow."

Peter sighed, "she can hear you, you know?"

"Captain America's her dad."

"She can still hear you."

I turned away, unsure what to think. I don't remember the last time someone called me cool. Well, I've called Steve and Buck cool a bunch of times, because they were literally frozen in ice, but no one's ever called me that.

It was strange. Really strange.

But somehow it made me feel a little less angry.