The Halloween Party || A Peter Parker One Shot

The Halloween Party

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

The night had started to come to a close- the lights were dim; the music was slow. People were slowing down too, it wasn't exactly a lot of people, but there was enough to make the apartment feel smaller. She sat on the couch soaking it all in, people watching mostly. The loud drunkenness was gone, small chatting in groups- just enjoying each other's company. She didn't really know anyone here; she had only invited one person. Well, correction- she knew her roommates, Kenny, and Bridgette. Everyone they invited she had met that night. When the idea of a Halloween party was pitched a few weeks before, she reluctantly agreed. Not really wanting to be a bore about it— not that she had plans otherwise. Up until yesterday she fully planned to not attend, just hang in her room. She only would have known her roommates and the thought of having to mingle with strangers was uncomfortable.  However, yesterday- Peter, her lab partner mentioned how he didn't really have any plans for tonight. Before she could even process what she was doing, she invited him. He accepted, smiling brightly.

She considered Peter a friend, at least she thought they were friends. They did friend things. They shared a few classes and had become lab partners in their last semester. This was the real pushing off point for them to hang out. They would frequent the library, go to lunch, get coffee, and occasionally come to her apartment to study. That was a friend, right? No, yeah, they were friends. Over the summer they went to the MET, the first un-school related thing they had done. Kenny insisted this was a date, however she didn't remember asking him on the "date." Nor did he act any differently.

"Oh, come on, he clearly has a thing for you." Kenny had said when she had gotten back.

She remembers being a bit taken aback by this. She tried to question Kenny further, but she just shrugged and said, "I see the way he looks at you."

This was two months ago, and she didn't really notice Peter "looking" at her in any type of way. He seemed the same. Now, she'd be lying if she said she didn't have a little crush on him when they first met. But since becoming friends she didn't want to one- jeopardize anything by confessing feelings, and two he never gave her any hints that he might feel the same. They just settled into becoming friends, and she liked it. She'd remember the crush occasionally; maybe when she'd see him super focused on a lab, or one of those days he had woken up late and his hair wasn't done just so, or the quick quips he made during their time together, he always had a joke locked and loaded. Maybe her crush would just fade one day, as time went on. But she knew in her heart of hearts it was always there, even when she wasn't presently feeling it.

Her Halloween costume had luckily remained largely intact. She was the moon, or the cow jumping over the moon. Regardless, she was able to wear her knit sweater that had a cow jumping over the moon on it. She about cried when she found it in her grandmothers old things. This costume also gave her the opportunity to do some fun make up, half-assing something she saw on Pinterest. Glitter stars peppered over her nose; they matched her tights. Though she had explained her costume a million times over tonight, she still felt pretty good about it, she felt clever. She also felt very pretty.

Sinking down further into the couch, she continued to people watch. She had a few drinks that night and was feeling incredibly warm and content. Bridgette, her other roommate had insisted on only using the record player for music. She could hear Bridgette sigh loudly across the room as the record finished its last song. This has been a repeat event all night, she couldn't help but laugh a little at Bridgette's dedication to the aesthetics. Bridgette had been the one to decorate the apartment to the nines for the spooky event. Her eyes slowly drifted around the room as the record was replaced with another- Mazzy Star's So Tonight That I Might See album flickered to life. Paper bats hung from the ceiling, the lights were dimmed with glowing pumpkins and purple string lights illuminating the room. Her eyes wandered to the edge of the room where Peter sat. He was alone. They had hung out almost the whole night. Beer pong partners, shot buddies, and he even asked her to dance. It was sweet, and his hands were warm. A few other people danced around them as well. Conducting poor attempts at waltzing.