Find My Way Home

36

I swallowed hard. "I mean, he asked you out? That's amazing! I'm so happy for you, you two would be a great couple!" I said as enthusiastically as I could but I'm sure they saw through my façade. I smiled shyly before I left the locker room, my eyes fixed on the ground. I didn't want to make anyone hate me, and now Liz did.

But it was alright, I could live without feeling forced to go to her parties.

I didn't care that she hated me now. I don't care. I tried to think about something that would distract me. I was looking at the wall on the other side of the gym, waiting for class to start when Peter walked in beside Ned, talking about something.

Seeing him sent a sudden warm, fluttery feeling stretching up from my stomach to my neck. I smiled, a usual reaction to seeing him.

Everyone sat on the bleachers while our coach played a Captain America workout video. I sat behind Peter and Ned.

I laughed silently at Steve's obvious uncomfortable behaviour in the video.

I heard two people speaking. It didn't take me long to realize it was Peter and Ned.

I listened carefully while staring ahead at the screen so they didn't know I was paying attention to their conversation.

"Do you know him too?" Ned asked.

"I stole his shield" Peter said, leaning over towards Ned.

"Woah" Ned said impressed.

Ned knows? I thought I was the only one who knew. Not that it matters, I don't need to be the only one that knows. But he hasn't told his Aunt May but he told Ned?! No offence to Ned, but why did Peter tell Ned before his own Aunt? The whole situation felt off to me. 

We all partnered up to do sit-ups. Peter and Ned were together and I was with MJ.

"What've you been reading lately?" I asked, breaking the silence between us. She was looking across the gym at someone.

She looked over at me. "Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham."

"Oh, I think I've read that one. Is that the one about the young orphan boy who lives with his Aunt and Uncle?"

"Yeah"

"It's a good book. It reminds me of P- uh this one movie I watched years ago." 

♡♡♡

When gym class ended my stomach was a little sore. I was glad that we had a rope climbing competition because I started climbing ropes when I was 7 years old, my first year of combat training.

The competition was made up of two parts. Climbing the rope, and who can stay up the longest.

When I was 7, I started training my upper body strength with Steve. I may look like a little weak 16 year old girl, but that was the point. Really I could lift half as much as Steve could. I could do this in my sleep.

The coach lined up the girls in one line and the boys in another. I was excited to see that I was up against Flash. 

I couldn't wait to destroy Flash. He was always bragging about how strong he was.

Before each pair started to climb they shook hands. Each pair was given two chances, to be fair I guess. If one fell, the other had to come down and then climb up again.

Flash is lucky that he's getting a second chance, though he'll still lose.