Intertwine

78 - Peter Has A Foot Fetish

I just have to commend everyone who's read this far through the book - it's already longer than the Goblet of Fire which is a chunky book! I'm so glad some of you have been able to keep reading this long without losing interest, it really makes me so happy!

ADITI

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Tony Stark pointed at the video projected into the middle of the room. "We got you into that school, it wasn't easy, made sure you were all set up there with a fake identity and then you pull this?"

"Mr Stark-" Peter began, but he was cut off.

"Zip it kid. Zip it." He sighed and turned me. "What you've just been quite and calm and everything for weeks and suddenly you become a star on America's young delinquents?"

"Mr Stark-" Peter tried again.

"No, Parker!" He pointed at him. "You keep going, you'll be out of all missions for months, you hear me?" He looked back to me. "Why the HELL did you do that?"

I burst into tears.

"Oh shit, now the waterworks have started, can someone call a plumber?" Tony Stark collapsed into a chair.

"Hold on." Alina stood up, her eyes rolling into the back of their sockets. It was a little creepy when she did this, just the whites of her eyes showing. She moved a bit like a shadow, as though she wasn't really there at all. Her eyes slid smoothly back into place. "What happened to your head Aditi?" She asked.

"It was the girl she punched in the video." Peter was finally able to get a full sentence out. "These kids started shouting abuse at her, tried to throw a stone at her, and grabbed her plaits and pulled her onto the floor. They also pushed her into the road. She was just defending herself."

"They did what?" Clint stood up slowly, the anger in his voice palpable. I didn't even need to have additional empathy skills to know he was really really mad.

"What kind of abuse?" Alina asked, sitting down now and leaning across the table. She sounded calm, understanding. But I could feel her anger. There was too much heat in this room. I wiped my eyes hurriedly and began rummaging in my bag for my headphones. I pushed them on my head and watched as Peter recounted all the comments they'd made. I couldn't hear anyone above the music but I saw Ali's mouth open and then close, and her jaw tighten. Clint came over and rubbed my back, which made me feel better. I looked back at Peter who seemed to be talking about what happened afterwards before lunch with Flash.

Clint very gently pulled the headphones off my head. I squeezed my fists tight, trying to build up my barrier to all the emotions in the room.

"You're not in trouble Ti." Clint said gently. "We just want to make sure you're alright now."

"I'm fine." I said. "Really. It's just been a bad day."

"Okay, do you want to go and rest?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'm going round to Peter's soon."

"You're still coming?" Peter asked.

"Of course." I sniffed and wiped the last of my tears off my face. "I've been looking forward to it all week."

"You get her home by 10 Peter." Clint said. "Or I will-"

"You don't need to threaten him." I smiled a little. "He's got the idea."

"Yeah okay." Clint pointed two fingers towards his eyes and then pointed them at Peter, showing he was watching him.

Peter coughed uncomfortably. "She'll be back by 9:30 sir."

Queens was, as all of New York was at the moment, hot. It wasn't quite the height of summer yet but it was still boiling.

"I don't know how you can wear jeans in this weather Peter." I said, eyeing him.