LOUD MOUTH → PETER PARKER ✓

Chapter Fifteen: Fencing Club Perks

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍: FENCING CLUB PERKS

Callie spent the rest of the night kept up by adrenaline. Peter didn't leave―not that he really could, seeing as they were joined at the wrist by web, and he hadn't had the sense to figure out how long it would take for it to dissolve―but Callie chose to believe it was by choice.

And even though they stayed up until the early hours of the morning, talking and holding onto each other like they had since they were six, something felt undeniably different. It wasn't a bad different, just something completely foreign to both of them.

Eventually she was able to shut her mind off and fall asleep, though it wasn't for very long. When Callie's alarm went off she realized there was no way the two of them could sneak by her mother without being seen, so they left for school through the window. And yeah, Callie figured she'd need a little more time to get used to that.

By the time they got to the school, Callie was nearly sprinting for the attendance office to make it in time for announcements. She was out of breath when she sat down in her spinny chair and the microphone clicked on.

"Goooooood morning Midtown Science High! Happy Tuesday, I hope you all had a lovely Monday―I know I did." she paused, cringing as the words accidentally slipped out, hoping no one thought too much about them.

"Anyway! We don't have much on the schedule today, luckily, because I don't know how many more pep rallies I could stand . . there's a basketball game tonight, so go an cheer on the team! And stick around afterward if you want to see Flash haze however many freshman gets in his way afterwards, my bet is five―maybe six if they win the game."

The principal cleared her throated in an irritated manner and Callie went on, "Um, let's see . . oh yeah! Today is national chess day! So if you're a part of the very small percentage of this school that actually knows how to play chess, challenge someone to a match! Just not me, please. I don't need that kind of humiliation in my life."

She paused, hearing some scattered laughs from the hallway. "No sexist dress code reminders for me to skip today, so that's about it! Everyone have a great day, do your homework, drink responsibly, whatever. This is Callie Adams, signing off."

Callie paused after the microphone clicked off and took a breath. She realized now, when it was way too late, that she had probably talked too fast the entire time during those announcements. Oh, well, someone probably understood her. She waved to the receptionist who, as always, gave her a bright smile as she left the office.

She turned out into the hallway and had to stop quickly to avoid knocking into someone with brilliantly blonde hair. Her shoes squeaked on the ground as she came to a fast halt. "Gwen!" she half-exclaimed and half-gasped when she came nearly nose to nose with the taller girl.

"Hey!" she said, clearly also caught off-guard. "Slow down there, Madame President. What's up?"

"Nothing's up. Why would something be up?" Callie answered quickly―a little too quickly, in Gwen's opinion. "The sky is up. Gas prices are up. Taxes too, probably." she rambled on, her voice louder than it probably should have been.

She glanced over Gwen's shoulder and saw Peter standing by the office with his eyebrows raised. "Taxes?" he mouthed.

Callie gave him a surrendering look and shrugged.

"Okay," Gwen said, looking at her strangely. "Anyway, come on. Both of you. We have Spanish."

"Yeah, I'm aware." Callie sighed, "Señora Vargas is going to kill me if we have another Preterite versus Imperfect quiz. I think I failed the last three."