The Dark Archer

Chapter 12

Peter POV

I stood outside of the restaurant, looking in at Gwen's happy family. All except for one. Captain Stacy would never go out to dinner with his family again.

That was why I was here. Not to fill an empty spot, no. It was because of that empty seat that I would be creating a hole in my heart. I just couldn't take the guilt anymore.

Gwen looked up from her family and saw me outside. I could see her excuse herself as she hurried out the door towards me. I didn't know if I had the willpower to follow through with this. I clearly didn't the first time.

"Peter? Peter what's wrong?" Gwen asked me. She was standing behind me, so I slowly turned to face her. Even now the guilt was slamming into me. I had to end it. I can't keep feeling like this.

"I don't know what I'm doing," I said quietly. Gwen heard me though, and the alarm seemed to grow in her eyes.

"Peter you're scaring me," she said lowly. It was clear she had an idea of where I was going with this.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn't know what to do. I knew I had to end this to keep her safe, but I didn't want to. I cared about Gwen so much. The guilt though. The only thing that made me forget how much I loved her. Besides maybe Kylie.

That sudden thought froze me. Am I doing this because I'm guilty about my promise or because of my feelings for Kylie? And did I have feelings for Kylie? Since when?

Clearly I had some affection for her if it was influencing my relationship with Gwen. It felt like the feelings I felt towards each of them were switching. My friendly concern was how I now felt about Gwen and the heart-racing love that was Gwen's was slowly growing for Kylie.

Kylie's words from earlier flashed through my mind. Do what you think is best, Peter. So that's what I did.

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Kylie POV

I was laying down in my bed staring at the ceiling. It was the same night as graduation. My room was silent as I contemplated how I got here. Well when a man and a woman love each other very much... I thought jokingly.

I often found myself wondering about my powers. And when I wasn't thinking about where they came from, I was worrying about Peter.

I'd always known how I felt about him; I had liked him for years and he was oblivious. But now it looked like he was wising up to his own feelings. Was it possible that he liked me back? Was that one of the reasons he was breaking it off with Gwen?

I honestly had no idea what was going on anymore. A soft knock on my door pulled my gaze from the ceiling.

"Kylie?" I heard my dad ask from the other side of the door.

"You can come in, I'm decent." I said with an eye roll. My dad refused to come into my room without knowing that I was clothed. And while it was certainly appreciated, it was amusing at the same time.

My door slowly creaked open and Dad stuck his head in.

"I just wanted to apologize for not coming to your graduation," he said regretfully.

"Dad, you don't have to apologize, it wasn't your fault. You didn't come so that my identity would be safe, and I respect and appreciate that," I soothed him.

"It's just—I missed my only daughter's graduation, and I can't help but feel like a terrible father," Dad confessed.

"Are you kidding me? What other dad could take down dozens of enemy aliens and robots with nothing but a bow and arrows. You're literally the coolest dad ever, and I love you," I grinned.