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CIRCA 2003
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Less than 24 hours before Richard and Mary Parker left their son, in the warmth of Aunt May and Uncle Ben's house, Felicia Hardy also watched her father leave from the doorstep of their house in Queens, New York. However unlike Peter's parents, Walter Hardy was not abandoning his daughter for the greater good, although he may have disagreed with you. He watched as his six year old stood, red and blue lights illuminating her bright eyes, his wrists bound uncomfortably in handcuffs. He could not bear to look at her anymore, as the cop lowered his head into the car. His eyes did not meet her, as the car drove off. Walter Hardy did not suffer the same tragic fate as the Parker's, but sometimes Felicia, no matter how cruel she thought it made her, believed he might as well have.
It began with the knock on the door. It was 7pm, and the Hardy's were just finishing up dinner, Lydia Hardy already clearing up the plates, bringing them to the sink to wash. Walter Hardy, lifted himself off the chair, his hands pushing on his knees, before he walked down the hallway towards the door. When the door was finally opened, he had wished they had invested in one of those doors with the windows, so you could see who was standing on the porch. An FBI van stood in the driveway, as well as an NYPD standard car. Two police officers stood at the door, turning to face him as he opened up.
"Walter Hardy we have a warrant to search this property for suspected theft on numerous counts" And just like that the FBI agents filed into the house, Lydia standing up from the table yelling at them, telling them there was nothing to find. One of the two cops, crouched down at the table, where 6 year old Felicia Hardy sat her eyes flickering to the strange men turning the house upside down.
"Hey there sport" Felicia, even at the age of 6, believed that adults didn't know how to talk to kids. She was only 6, but she wasn't stupid. However, she was somewhat oblivious to her fathers profession. Sure, he brought a lot of free things home, and bought her mother diamonds once in awhile, but it wasn't to that night, that the little girl realised that her father wasn't who she thought he was. Walter Hardy was a fraud.
"Bingo" One of the large FBI agents called from upstairs, pushing up the attic door, revealing a lifetime worth of Hardy's thieving career. Jewels. Tv's. Anything he could steal, he would. The police officer moved forward pushing Walter Hardy up against the fridge, handcuffing him much to his and Lydia's protest, whilst Felicia stood in the corner dumbfounded.
"Walter Hardy, I am arresting you on suspicion of theft and burglary. You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence" The two officers began to drag the man from the house, when suddenly Felicia ran forward letting out a cry.
"Daddy!" Walter Hardy resisted the two men, pulling back to look at his daughter with heavy eyes.
"It'll be alright, Felicia. Daddy has to go away for awhile, but your going to be a big girl for your mom aren't you? And remember what I told you, never settle for second best. You deserve the world." The cops began to pull him back at this point, and out of the threshold out of the house, and as Felicia Hardy watched her father leave in the car with flashing lights, her respect for him left in the seat beside him.
THE NEXT DAY
Felicia Hardy hadn't said a word in 10 hours. Not in the silence of the house, when her father was long gone. Not the next morning when her mother sat a bowl of cereal in front of her. The car ride to school involved her sitting in the back with a small vacant frown. Her mother tried to put on a brave face, trying to pretend nothing had happened, but she wasn't fooling anyone.
"I'm sorry about your dad" A 6 year old Peter Parker mumbled once she walked through the gates, the boy waiting for her like he did every morning. She was about to ask if his parents, who had left a couple days ago in a hurry, had returned yet, however a noise interrupted her. The two kids turned at the sound of a brake screeching, a large black car, with darkened windows pulling up on the curb. A neatly dressed boy hopped out, pulling his over sized backpack over his shoulders, walking over to them.
"Heya Harry" Felicia's voice rose for the first time that morning, the three friends making their way up the stairs and through the doors of Midtown Elementary. They made their way to their homeroom, the teacher greeting everyone at the door. A couple of third graders stood leaning up against the wall by the drinking fountain, their eyes falling immediately on the small brunette. They whispered in a hushed manner to one another, letting out a snicker. Felicia felt her face fall, stopping in her tracks, facing the kids that were significantly taller and older than her.
"What's so funny?" She asked, her lips pursing together. The blonde boy, the taller of the three straightened up with a cruel smirk.
"What's it like to have a dad who's a criminal?"
"He is not! He's my dad, not a criminal" Her voice strained in its immaturity, her face frowning.
"He is too. His face is all over the news. He's just a thief." The blonde boy spat at her, taking great and pointless pride to rile the girl.
"Leave us alone, Henry..." Peter Parker muttered taking Felicia's hand, Harry following, trying to lead her to the homeroom up the hall, but she would not budge. This served to entice the bullys to laugh more, pathetically.
"Oooo, you've got little penis Parker and Richie rich to protect you." Henry sneered, tugging at her long dark brown hair on passing. That was the last straw, as far as the girl was concerned, She spun around, and without much thought she kicked him where it hurt most, the larger boy cowering over, groaning in pain. By this time the homeroom teacher came running, kids crowding around them, separating the two. The woman was busy trying to figure out what had occurred, when the receptionists heels pounded the hallway. Click. click. click. The sound of change. She heaved out a heavy breath, before muttering in the teachers ear. Felicia wasn't aware of much. She was a kid, but the way the woman's face fell, was a sign. A sign that something terrible had happened. The receptionist turned to the three friends, shaking her head, in a 'what a shame' sort of way.
"Peter, would you like to follow me to the office? Your Aunt and Uncle need to talk to you" Her words were warm, but they were forced. Peter, looked between the girl and boy with a shrug, clearly not knowing why he was being summoned, before he followed the receptionist back to the office. That was the last day Felicia Hardy would see Peter Parker smile for a very long time. It would also be the day that something broke in their friendship. They would begin to drift away, on different planets, and middle school would be the final nail in the coffin. The girl would often think about that day, years down the line, when he walked back out of the office, his aunt and uncle had a hand on each of his shoulders. The tears streaming down his face. The way he ran up to her and hugged her, in loud sobs, the girl standing unsure what to do or say. She'd also remember the look she noticed Harry give them reflected in the metal drinks fountain. His nose scrunched up, not in disgust or sadness. Jealousy.
