The next day, the subway car felt suffocatingly crowded. I aimed for a corner, a small pocket of space where I could avoid being pressed against strangers. I found one, and stayed there, watching the city blur past the window until my school came into view. Hurrying out of the station, I rushed to class, hoping to slip in unnoticed.
“Okay… is everyone here?” Miss Adams asked, scanning the room.
“No… Penis Parker isn’t here…” Flash sneered. I rolled my eyes. He made it a point to torment me every morning.
“Looks like we’ll have to start without him, then,” she sighed, beginning the lecture.
I rested my chin on my hand, letting my pencil drift across my notepad, sketching absentmindedly. The drone of the lesson faded as I lost myself in the lines. Then, a voice cut through the haze.
“Miss y/l/n… do you know the answer?” Miss Adams asked, her eyes fixed on me.
“Sorry, what was the question?” I stammered, startled back to attention.
“If there—” she began, but the door swung open, revealing Peter, hair disheveled, looking utterly exhausted.
“Mister Parker… better late than never. Take a seat next to y/n. We’ll discuss this after class.”
“Sorry I overslept,” he mumbled, collapsing into the seat beside me.
After explaining the group project, Miss Adams paired us up. Peter. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
“So, we put this together and then heat that up and throw it in there…” I explained, pointing to the beakers filled with colored liquids on the table.
“Okay, let’s do this,” he replied, yawning widely.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to do it? You look…tired. Either you’ve had a rough night, or you’re just not a morning person.”
“You could say that. I was up all night doing something special for someone special. And yeah, I’m definitely not an early bird, more like an afternoon pigeon.” He chuckled, and I couldn't help but smile.
“Oh? Who is she?” I asked, curiosity piqued.
“She’s just… amazing. Beautiful. I met her once, and I’m completely mesmerized by her voice.” He said it casually, almost shyly.
“Hmm, she sounds lovely, Peter.” I smiled, carefully combining the liquids.
“She really is. I think you’d really like her.” He stared at me for a beat too long, and the liquids sloshed over the edge of the beaker, spreading across the table.
“Oh, geez!” I yelped, jumping up and grabbing a napkin to mop up the spill.
“What’s going on here?” Miss Adams demanded.
We glanced at each other, then at the teacher.
“Uh, nothing… just an accident,” I tried to sound innocent.
“Looks like Peter Parker was trying to seduce y/n,” Flash crowed, and I glared at him.
“Well, at least he succeeded. Can’t say the same about you,” I snapped, and Flash looked away, embarrassed.
As class ended, Peter was cornered by Miss Adams while I walked towards my locker. I never pay attention when opening it, why should I?
The locker door flew open, and a wave of purple goo exploded across my face and shoulders. I stumbled back, wiping the sticky mess from my eyes. Laughter erupted from the hallway.
“WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?” the principal bellowed, and students scrambled into classrooms or out the door.
“Miss y/l/n… are you alright?” The principal asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. I nodded numbly.
“Oh my god, y/n!” Peter shouted, seeing me covered in purple slime.
“I’m alright, just… I’m going home,” I mumbled, tears stinging my eyes.
Walking home through the city felt like an endless parade of stares. I imagined the whispers, the pointing fingers.
I was sure my mom would call the school, demand justice. That was exactly what I didn’t want. I didn’t want her to worry. She’d been through enough these past few years. After my dad, one of the best cops around, was shot and killed two years ago, life hadn’t been easy.
I rushed into the apartment and locked myself in my room.
“Honey? Is that you?” my mom called from the living room.
“Yeah, it’s me. I just… I need a shower. I spilled something on the subway,” I lied.
“Oh, I’ll see you in a bit then.”
I hurried into the shower, spending twenty minutes scrubbing the goo from my hair, another twenty scraping it from my skin. Finally, I dried off and walked back to my room.
“Y/n! You got a package…” my mom called.
“A package? I didn’t order anything…” I frowned, staring at the small box on my desk.
I grabbed scissors and sliced open the cardboard. Inside was a flash drive, a small note, and a phone number.
*I hope you like it. I was up all night making this for a very special girl. It was totally worth it. Will you please go out with me sometime?*
*– P.*
A smile stretched across my face. I saved the number in my phone and plugged the flash drive into my laptop. A playlist popped up. I pressed play, and music filled the room. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face. I knew Peter had put a lot of work into it, and I wanted to return the favor by listening to every song.
I grabbed my phone and typed a message:
*Y/N: I’d love to go on a date with you, Peter ☺️*
*Peter: It worked! ????*