The Weight of The World ｡ Peter Parker [1]

7 - Two Geniuses

I dragged my chair over to Peter's desk, watching as the students around me did the same with their own new lab partners. It was promised next time our classes would actually be in the labs but for now, this was our only option. My books slammed against the wooden desk with a loud thud, making Peter jump a little in his seat, his hand going to his ear as he winced.

"Sorry." I muttered, flopping down in my seat. There was a quiet mutter of hushed voices that filled the tiny classroom and I suddenly wished I was anywhere else but here. I knew fate or some big man upstairs was getting a good chuckle out of this twist of fate, but I wasn't amused.

Peter dropped his gaze, "It's fine."

My pen tapped against the wood as I chewed the inside of my cheek, annoyed and beyond frustrated. "Maybe we should just do half of the report each and join it together before handing it in."

A silence filled the space between us, Peter fidgeting in his seat. "I mean," I started quickly, a frown in place. "I don't think working together is such a good idea."

Peter nodded. "Right, of course. The agreement...we both agreed too." His voice was rather quiet, his eyes a little distant. I got the feeling he wasn't really paying much attention or he just didn't care. I sat back in my seat, watching him. I expected maybe a rebuttal, maybe a little speech about how it would be easier to work together but nothing came and that left me shocked.

The bell sounded in the hall, signalling the end of class. Peter was already grabbing his books, a little rushed. I reached down into my backpack, my hands curling around something lightly. "Here," I placed Peter's glasses on the desk. "I grabbed them the other day at the Science Hall."

"Why?"

I shrugged, pushing forward his glasses. "I don't know, I just thought you might need them."

I watched as he touched his glasses idly, uncharacteristically quiet. A frown worked on my forehead, a little taken back at his strange actions. "Uh, thanks, Florence." It was barely a whisper, something that I nearly missed as the students around us both started packing up with a sea of noise echoing through my head. Before I could even reply Peter was on his feet and moving towards the door without a look back.

I was frozen for a moment, awkwardly waiting for something to restart my brain. I knew Peter, knew the way he acted. It was something one noticed, something one got familiar with when you had spent your whole life growing up with someone, even if you didn't remotely like him. So, I knew fairly well that Peter was acting strangely and I had a feeling it had nothing to do with me. "It's so unfair," Gwen pouted, standing above me. "I mean, putting two geniuses together to be partners?"

Her voice yanked me away from my mind and I went back to grabbing my books. My hair fell into my eyes and I moved it back behind my ears, lifting my eyes to meet her own. Mary Jane was standing next to her, a worried look in her eyes. "It's either going to go amazingly or end in a disaster." She agreed.

I stood, slipping my backpack over a shoulder and giving them both a quick smile. "Don't worry, we've come up with a way to do it without having to be actual partners."

Mary Jane frowned, "How so?"

The three of us exited the class room, blending into the crowed hallway. "We're going to spilt the report in half, do our own work and then join both parts before handing it in."

Gwen snorted, giving me a look. "That's not going to work." Mary Jane pointed out. We stopped in front of Gwen's locker, waiting for her to grab her books for her next class. We all had American Literature next and Gwen never carried more than one class of books with her at a given time.