Just Kids | Peter Parker

20 | Gone

PETER

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I heard my name.

I don't know how, but I heard it.

I had the familiar sting in my head whenever I sensed something, yet this time it appeared out of the blue. I just felt her yelling my name.

But she wasn't here. It's been hours since she sent her last text message, and she hasn't shown up like she said she would.

Though I haven't known her for long, I know she wouldn't run away like this. Even when she tried escaping the first time, she came back. She wasn't coming back this time, and that wasn't like her.

But I swear I heard her say my name...

"I'm sure she probably stopped at the apartment," May said, poking at her rice with her chopsticks, "she's a strong woman, she can take care of herself."

"I know," I sighed, "but she said she was on her way here three hours ago."

"Have you called her?"

"Yeah, like a million times."

I wanted to be calm like May, but that wasn't an option for me. I should have gone to pick her up. I shouldn't have let her go alone, and I should have checked to make sure Happy was driving her back.

I couldn't just sit here, and pretend she just happened to be stuck in traffic.

"I'm going back to the apartment," I said, standing up from my chair, "I need to know if she's there."

"Peter, I'm sure she's fine."

"Until I see her in front of me, I can't be sure," I said, snatching the keys up from the table, "do you have enough for the bill?"

May nodded her head, "I do."

"Good."

"Call me when you find her."

"I will."

Rushing out of the restaurant, I slipped through the crowd quickly, my eyes scanning the area for her. I thought I heard her a few hours ago, but I blamed it on my own thoughts. I was thinking about her, after all, so it was explainable if I thought I heard her voice.

But why didn't she show up?

Running up the steps to my complex, I grabbed my keys out of my pocket and twisted them through the lock. Swinging open the door, I came face to face with a dark and empty apartment.

"Hello?" I called out into the space, "[y/n]?"

No response.

I ran to her room, desperate to find a clue as to where she might have gone, but I doubted I'd find anything. Pushing open the door, I stopped myself before entering. Even though this room was originally mine, it felt like I was violating her privacy by going inside.

But I needed to find her.

Slowly creeping inside, I scanned the desk for anything she might have left. There were a couple papers stacked up on the corner, weighed down by a tiny video camera.

My video camera. I thought I had stored it away, why was it sitting out in the open? I had recorded my trip to Germany on that camera, and wiped the chip after (since Happy told me to. But I still kept the videos on a separate disk).

Picking it up, I flipped it open and pressed the media button. A blurry timestamp of her face appeared on the screen, and I hesitated before pressing play. Was it wrong if I watched it? There seemed to be over a dozen files in here, which meant she was keeping a tiny video diary.

Maybe it was best if I didn't watch it. It was her privacy after all.

Setting it back down, I was about to retreat out of the room, when my phone started to buzz.

Whipping it out, I quickly read the screen in hope.

INCOMING CALL FROM MR. STARK!

Oh. It wasn't her.

Swiping into the call, I pressed the phone up to my ear.

"Hello?" I said, biting my lip, "Mr. Stark?"

"Hey, Kid. Where are you?"

"At my house, why?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"No."

"I think it's better if you do," he said, "don't think any of this is your fault."

I clambered onto the bunk bed beside me, gripping the mattress in anxiety. Mr. Stark had never called me before, and especially during this time, I knew there was only one thing it could be about.

If I had to be sitting down to hear it, I knew it wasn't good.

"What's going on?" I spoke quietly into the speaker.

He paused, as if he was regretting telling me,  "she's gone. They found her."

"[y/n]?"

"Yeah, Kid."

"Who found her?"

This was a nightmare. A nightmare that I desperately wanted to wake up from. I wanted to wake up, knowing she was safe. But she wasn't safe anymore, and there was nothing I could do about it. I failed her.

Mr. Stark continued, but I didn't want to hear it.

"It's better if I tell you in person," he said, "I'll send Happy to pick you up."

He hung up the call, leaving me listening to the dial ring endlessly. it was a painful reminder that I was all alone in the apartment.

I really, really, really failed her.

_

very tiny plot twist (that you might have seen coming) next chapter

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