The One With The Spider Tattoo

Chapter 3

A/N: It's my birthday today 🤭

PETER POV

The bell rang, signalling that class had ended and now it was time for everyone's favourite time of the day --- lunch.
I got up from my seat in the back of my English room, and made a run for it, desperate to go to my locker and then to the cafeteria where I could eat.
My locker wasn't too far from my morning classes, so I managed to get there with record breaking time. I placed my books on the top shelf and grabbed a few loose coins to pay for the icky cafeteria food. I placed the cash in my back pocket and slammed my locker door shut, jumping when I saw Ned standing next to me with a cheeky grin.

"Geez Ned. You gotta stop scaring me like that" I sighed, facing my best friend. "Sorry dude. But I have some amazing news for you!" "What is it now?" I groaned, rolling my eyes a bit. "Well there's this new girl in my history class and I invited her to sit with us at lunch" He spoke excitedly. Ned was always one for new people. Me on the other hand --- I hate socializing. It's not that I don't like people, it's just I always seem to get nervous when talking to others.
"And she's from LA" My head perked up, making me look Ned in the eyes. "Really?" I asked. Ned nodded his head. "Yup! And you know what that means... she could be your Soulmate!" We both turned away from the lockers and started down the hall to the caf. Along the way Ned kept going on and on about the new girl and how she could be my mate.
"Ok Ned chill. You don't know if she already has a Soulmate.... besides --- not like I'd ever meet my Soulmate anyway..." I trailed, looking down at the floor. It hurt to think about my Soulmate. Throughout my whole life, I was forced to watch people meet and eventually fall in love with their other half. I was always on the sidelines, supporting those around me, however I have never met mine. I knew they were out there, I just didn't know where they were. I'd hope and pray each night that eventually I'd fine the person I'm destined to be with --- but nothing has ever worked.

"Don't be such a Negative Nancy, Peter" Ned stopped at the cafeteria doors and looked at me with a serious face --- his excitement dissolved as my sadness started go effect him. Ned hated seeing me like this. He hated seeing his best friend in pain.
"Just ask to see her tattoo Peter" "No Ned. Just drop it" I growled. "I have been on this fucking earth for 16 years, and not once have I come into contact with my Soulmate! I look around and see all these people --- happy with their mate... and I have nothing Ned... nothing. I spend endless hours each week searching for them... and I'm always disappointed" I moved my head around my surroundings, seeing as everyone was watching Ned and I argue. I scoffed and shook my head before walking away, slamming the doors behind me.

Y/N POV

After my morning classes had finished, I immediately headed for the cafeteria in hope that I'd find Ned and MJ.
As I walked in lunch room, I felt a sense of overwhelming emotions. The cafeteria was big. Probably as big as the one back home. The only difference being is that back in LA, I had friends, but in Queens, I only know two people --- one of which barely acknowledges that I'm there.
After a few seconds of searching through the big area, my eyes finally gazed on the familiar book reading girl --- MJ. I sighed, happy that I'd have at least someone to sit with. I walked over and took a seat in front of the girl. She looked up from her book, a tight smile appearing on her face, murmuring 'hey' before turning back to her book once again.

"Cherry?" I said glancing down at the book she was reading. MJ looked up with a confused look on her face.
"You've read this before?" "Oh ya, a bunch of time actually. It's a really good book" MJ's confusion soon turned to an impressed look.
"So, where's Ned?" I asked as MJ went back to the novel that sat in her hands. Without looking up at me she said, "Probably with Peter. They'll get here soon" I licked my lips, nodding slightly. I felt awkwardness arise in me, making me move around in my seat to prevent this feeling. My head moved around the room, trying to capture every detail possible until it stopped at two boys who were standing by the cafeteria doors. I recognized one of them --- Ned! Although the boy to whom he was speaking to, I had never seen before. The boy had curly brown hair and a set of puppy brown eyes to match. He was wearing quite a few layers as far as I could tell. A pair of grey pants and a blue sweater with a shirt underneath and some worn down sneakers --- clothes that weren't a good fit for the warm September whether in Queens. Although, I have to say, the boy was really cute --- and that's something I never say a lot.
I watched as the two continued talking. Their conversation turning from a simple, normal one, to a pretty heated one. Eventually, the two started to argue, grabbing the attention of students near by.

"I have been on this fucking earth for 16 years, and not once have I come into contact with my Soulmate! I look around and see all these people --- happy with their mate... and I have nothing Ned... nothing. I spend endless hours each week searching for them... and I'm always disappointed" The brown haired boy yelled before making a dramatic exit, slamming the doors behind him. Panic washed over Ned's face as he faced the students who watched the whole scene unfold. However, that soon went away when Ned saw MJ and I sitting in the back of the cafeteria. He walked over at an incredibly fast pace and took a seat right next to me. Ned gave me a smile, though I could tell it was forced, and then grabbed his paper back lunch out of his bag --- munching away at what looked like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"What was that all about?" I questioned, turning myself in the chair to face Ned. He stopped eating his sandwich, placed it down on the surface and glanced at me.
"O-Oh n-nothing that y-you need to w-worry-" "Peter's upset about his Soulmate" MJ interrupted Ned. I couldn't help but feel a pang in my chest as MJ mentioned the cute boy's Soulmate --- a feeling that was very uncommon in my case... whatever it was, I didn't like it.
"Why?" I asked further, attempting to dig deeper as to why that mysterious boy at a tantrum.
"Well Peter has never met his Soulmate before... and he's absolutely obsessed with finding his other half. He's tried littelry everything people have suggested in order to find his Soulmate but nothing's ever worked. It's only just recently hit Peter that he may never find his Soulmate and possibly be alone forever" Ned spoke. I nodded my head as another wave of silence washed over us. We all sat in complete silence as we ate our lunch. The only noise being from near by students.

"So have you met your Soulmate?" Ned asked out of the blue. It shocked me at first --- making me choke on the water I was drinking. I hit my chest with my fist, trying to get the water out of my throat.
"How about giving a heads up next time Ned?" I said once I calmed down. In the corner of my eye I saw a smirk on MJ's face as she continued reading.
"Oh s-sorry I didn't m-mea-" "No no no it's fine. Just wasn't expecting that" I smiled. "But to answer your question, no no I haven't. Alone as can be sadly" I said with a  fake chuckle. I was hoping that this conversation would soon come to an end, as I really didn't like talking about my Soulmate life. I wasn't prepared nor ready to tell Ned and MJ that I never wanted to meet my Soulmate. That was a talk for another day --- perhaps when we had all gotten to know each other better... and when I felt comfortable.

"What's your tattoo then?" Ned questioned further. I moved the scrunchy from my wrist as it was covering it, and held it up to the two.
"Just a black spider on my wrist --- nothing special" I said blankly. I kind of hoped this would make bring this conversation to end, however Ned's reaction was quite the opposite. His eyes widened and his mouth fell agape. Ned grabbed my wrist and ran his fingers over the spider. A loud gasp then left his mouth making MJ look up. Suprisingly, MJ also had the same reaction as Ned. They both looked at my tattoo closely, with shocked expressionis.
"What is it?" I spoke, nervousness starting to fill up my body. Ned glanced at me, a huge smile on his face, where as MJ only winked at me before going back to her book.
"O-Oh... nothing..." Ned said as he tried to look casual. This made MJ smirk into her book.

'Weird' I thought.