The Tangled Web | Peter Parker

Chapter 6

Peter and I walked to his favorite spot to skate, near the docks. He loved the empty, open space, claiming it was better than a skate park because of the random obstacles and lack of other people. We had been coming to this place for years. Peter would practice his tricks, resulting in a new set of bruises, and I would sit and read. The faint sound of the water's rush and Peter's wheels gliding over the pavement was a comfort that I couldn't quite explain.

Time spent watching Peter skate was usually filled with bursts of laughter at his clumsiness. Don't get me wrong, he has improved a lot since he first started skating years ago, but he still has his ungraceful moments. Sometimes he would get annoyed with his lack of ability to nail a trick and storm off cursing. He was his own worst critic. His anger clouded his vision and ability to focus, which led to more stumbles, causing me to laugh. He always ended up convincing me that it was harder than it looked. He would then proceed to encourage me to try and help me balance as I clumsily attempted to skate.

Today was different. Peter didn't fall once. It was as if he was soaring above the concrete, his board traveling with ease. He nailed trick after trick, not faulting once. Each time his board left the ground, it soared through the air, never once leaving his feet. All I could do was sit there, mouth agape, watching in awe as he pushed himself to new limits.

It was as if he gained this new ability overnight. His strength was astonishing. He would lift himself onto one hand, balancing with his board on his feet, and then suddenly flip forward, smiling as he landed perfectly and skate off to do it again. The most impressive part was that he barely seemed winded by the activity.

"When the hell did you actually get good at skating," I questioned, shaking my head as he rolled over to where I was sitting.

He pushed his back foot onto the board, causing it to lift and slow down as he rolled in front of me. "What do you mean?" he exhaled, wiping a bit of sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand.

"I mean, you're suddenly graceful," I scolded, pulling my eyebrows together. "You haven't fallen once."

"Wha- what?" he exclaimed, trying to sound surprised. "No, I definitely, uh, tripped back there," he explained, motioning with his thumb over his shoulder. He turned his head to look behind him, biting his lip as he thought. "I guess I'm just having a good day today," he shrugged as he pushed off of the ground.

"Yeah, okay, Parker," I mumbled, exhaling through my nose. My eyes narrowed, watching him skeptically as he continued skating.

He approached an old forklift cage, lowering himself and bending at the knees. He pushed off of the ground, sending his body and his board high into the air, clearing the rusted contraption by a few feet. At the last moment, his legs shifted forward, sending his board flying away from him.

He flipped midair, his arms spreading into a T shape as his body cut through the air with ease. His legs swung over his head, causing his momentum to shift forward. He landed on his feet, a satisfied grin on his face, but quickly leaned over to the side, sending his body off balance and colliding into the pavement. He totally did that on purpose. Even his fall was graceful.

"Maybe my luck ran out," he smiled, laughing quietly as he rolled on the ground pretending to be injured.

"You're ridiculous, Peter Parker," I exhaled, rolling my eyes.

"I am not," he exclaimed, lifting himself so he was resting on his elbows in a reclined position. His eyebrows pulled together as he stared at me intently, his head slightly hanging to the side.

"Yes, you are," I laughed, shaking my head. "You're so dramatic sometimes."

"Me?" he gasped, bringing his hand to his chest, acting as if he was offended. "Never," he stated, turning his head from left to right several times as he lifted himself to standing, chuckling quietly.