Marvel's Kid Arachnid: Vol 1

you're not here

Two weeks after Benjamin's death and Harper's parents still hadn't acknowledged their son was gone. 

Harper's cousin Maria had contacted her, her grandparents called, so had her other cousins and uncles and aunts. Miles and Tanya came to her house. Even Ganke, who Harper barely knew, came to offer his support.

And yet.

Harper pushed her food around her plate with her fork as she absent-mindedly stared off into nothingness. Her father was going off about something and her mother was trying to keep the conversation going. She tried to include Harper, but she didn't respond.

"Harper Alvarez. Look at me."

Harper sighed and peered up at her father. His mouth was curled into a deep, angry frown, and Harper's blank stare only aggravated him further.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Ben."

"Get over it already. He wasn't even a good man. He abandoned this family, don't you remember?"

"Only because you're an abusive asshole!" Harper shouted, rising from her seat.

The man backhanded her across the face and left a stinging red mark on her cheek. 

"Don't talk that way to me, young lady. This is my house, and under my roof, you will respect me!"

"I hate you!"

"This is why I didn't want you hanging around him! His head was twisted with all these different things! Lying to you! Look at you!"

"Look at me?" Harper felt like she could laugh. "Look at you! Look at what you're doing to me!"

"You're our child and you will do as we say! That bastard, saying we weren't taking care of you. And that stupid bitch Maria trying to bring us to court."

The anger left Harper's body. Her expression fell. "What? They were what?"

"Oh, what does it matter?

Harper slammed her hands on the table and stormed off.

-

Sitting atop a roof, Harper felt the brisk wind on her skin as she fidgeted with a rock. She heard something from behind and turned around. 

"Hey, Spidey," she said, flatly.

"Hey, kiddo. How have you been?" Spider-Man kneeled to match her height.

Harper shrugged. She noticed him staring at her cheek and turned away.

"What happened?" He asked, gently, but still with urgency.

When Harper looked back at him, there were tears in her eyes. She shook her head. 

"He hit me," she replied, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Spider-Man felt concern, anger, and sorrow well up in his chest all at once. He took a moment before responding. He had to calm down in order to help Harper. 

So, slowly, he took a breath.

"Who did?"

"My stupid fucking dad! He won't even talk about Ben! First my parents treat me like I'm nothing, then all this shit at school, and now my brother is fucking dead and I'm trapped in this never ending nightmare! I hate it here!"

Harper sobbed, gripping her hair with her gloved hands, then hid her face in her knees. Her shoulders trembled and she held herself in a tight ball.

Spider-Man didn't know what exactly to do.