Us Against The World ｡ Peter Parker [2]

10 - New Boy

I had been jotting down everything that my mind pictured involving the visions, nothing but a world of mysteries that I was trying to solve without much luck because these visions were just about as misleading as Game of Thrones theories. I actually starting taking my leather back journal everywhere I went, just in case something flashed into my mind and I needed to write it down before it faded into nothing. Keeping a journal was hard enough, let alone a journal full of notes about visions that plagued my mind every second of the day. I had never been very creative with writing, maybe because my mind was simply not wired like that but I was trying hard to stay on top of these visions while my parents found a way to stop them completely. 

"What are you always writing down in that journal?" Harry Osborn hovered over my shoulder, the school bell sounding in the hallway. The rain was gone and blinding sunshine took its place, promising a warm spring time. Students hurried by us, making their way to class but I was still huddled by my locker, rereading over my scribbles. There was at least ten lines of things I had seen in flashes but nothing made any sense yet. 

I snatched away my journal, the heavy thing snapping shut as Harry began to frown. "It's nothing." I blurted out, my voice suddenly high pitched. "You know, just notes for class and things." he was still staring across at me, trying to read the lie in my eyes. I had known him for years, the boy wronged by his father, his mother gone before he could walk. He had always been cocky, smooth as butter and ready with a wicked grin. But lately, his mood was changing and I knew exactly why. 

"Alrighty, keep your secrets." he muttered, shoving his hands deep into his pockets and rocking back on his heels.

Despite hearing the first bell of the day, he had no intention of heading to class just yet. I watched him for a moment longer, wondering what was playing through his head and I feared the worst. Harry Osborn was not the same kid from last year, maybe we all weren't the same kids though. 

Down the hallway, I spotted Mary Jane, her red hair a beacon to follow my eyes with. There was a bright smile painted on her lips and it pained me slightly to see the shine in her eyes, something that hadn't filled my own eyes in what seemed like weeks. But today, she was not alone. Another person followed behind her, a backpack swung over his shoulder effortlessly, his tanned skin looking strange against her snow white complexion. Harry irked up as they headed our way and I was shoving away my journal completely, swinging my locker door shut. 

"--we've got a wonderful theatre program too, if you're into that sort of thing." Mary Jane was saying, it becoming very clear she was showing this new boy around the school. Recently, she had been getting into the school spirit and today, she was the welcoming committee. "Or maybe the academic decathlon team, they're quite a fun bunch." 

Harry was swinging his gaze towards me, questions dancing in his eyes. Mary Jane stopped right in front of us, pretty and full of cheer. "Florence and Harry, meet Clayton Cole. He's just been enrolled to Midtown." Mary Jane grinned back at the new boy, who didn't look overly impressed by her chipper mood. "Clayton, meet a few of my friends."

"Uh, hi." his voice was deep, almost like he was much older than he appeared, which I doubted since he had been paired with Mary Jane for the grand tour. I noticed the bored expression in his eyes, almost like he was not happy to be here at all. 

I was giving a smile anyway, "Hey, welcome to Midtown. We're the very best in well, everything." 

"Who moves at the very end of the school year?" Harry snipped out, eyeing the boy up and down. Mary Jane was already sending him a glare and with a subtle nudge to his ribcage from me, he calmed down his face and his apparent jealously for a moment. 

Clayton Cole didn't take the bait, his eyes remaining dead. "I was homeschooled." he shrugged, his toned shoulders moving up and down, my eyes catching the movement with his faded shirt, which was snug on his frame. I could already hear Gwen fawning over this boy's appearance, not that I would blame her completely, he did have that careless and mysterious demeanour about him. "My parents thought it would be a nice change in pace. Apparently, I'm too cold towards others."