secrets - peter parker

s e v e n t e e n

I grimly looked down at my plate that lunch, beginning to remember why I never got food from the cafeteria.

So I sat back in my seat and scanned the room for Peter. I hadn't seen him all day and still didn't bother replying to his many messages. I shouldn't have been so harsh on him, but I wanted to show it in person rather than a few letters on a screen.

"Cookie?" Michelle held out a bag, her eyes glued to the book in her hands.

"No thanks." I smiled, pushing my tray away on the table. "I've lost my appetite."

A buzzing from my phone made my think that he was calling me, but as I turned to see the screen, I was slightly disappointed to not see his name there. Instead, read the name 'Professor X.'

I swiped the green button and held it up to my ear, "Professor?"

"Ah, Violet. How have you been my dear?" His familiar wamring voice brought a smile to my face. I excused myself from the table and walked out to the benches by the football pitch.

"I've been great! I miss the institute like crazy, though."

"You're missed too very much. Everybody sends their regards." He spoke in his trustworthy British accent. "Anyway," he continued, "What's it like in the city? Met any of those Avengers yet?"

I laughed, Xavier always had a theory that the X-Men could take on the Avengers any day, always making me think he had a slight resentment towards them.

"Actually, I've met Spider-Man, I'm not sure whether he's an Avenger or not."

"Ah well, I know you are capable of handling any of them if the opportunity arose. Whilst we're on the subject, how's your training going?"

"Tr-training?" The last time I had trained was with them, why would I need to do the same here?

"Yes, it is imperative that you keep your powers in constant use, or else they could utilise themselves in situations you are least prepared." It all made sense, that's why my powers had been so closely connected to my temper. It was because I wasn't frequesntly training, Oops.

"Uh, I'll make sure to do that, from now on." I said sheepishly, as if afraid to be scolded.

"Please make sure you do, and besides, there's no harm in improving your combat. It's a dangerous world out there, Violet."

"I will. Thank you, Professor." At the ring of the school bell, I hurried to class on the other side of the school, his words ringing in my mind. I hadn't realised I needed to train. I guess it made sense now.

Throughout the rest of my classes that day, there were two things on my mind: I needed to find somewhere to train and where the hell was Peter?

~

I slugglsihly made my way up the stairs to the apartment after long winded day and still no sign of a certain someone. That was until I saw him, unlocking his apartment door with his skateboard clutched in one hand and his Walkman in the other. At the sound of my footsteps, he turned to me with a relieved expression.

"Violet! I've been trying to reach you." I moved closer to my door, but he inched closer to me.

I replied in a low voice, "Well where were you? Since when do you skip school?" to be honest I felt a little angry. He obviously wasn't sick, and he'd been out today. So what was his excuse? The Peter Parker I knew put school work before everything.

"I-I cant answer that right now." He looked at me pleadingly. I had to resist how close he was standing to me, and how his familiar soft rustic scent made me want to wrap my arms around him and never let go.

But instead I simply scoffed at his reply. "Of course you can't." I turned my back to him, about to enter my own apartment when he grabbed a hold of my wrist and pulled me through his door. I struggled to get out of his grasp, but stopped when I saw May sitting at the table.

"Hey, kids, how was school?" She brightly smiled.

"Fine, yeah." Peter said as I shot him a glare. We both well know he wasn't at school today. "We're just gonna do some homework."

"Okay, you two love birds have fun." We both raised eyebrows in May's direction as she simply smirked. "What?" she said defensively, "I pay attention to detail."

Peter shook his head from embarrassment as he cheeks reddened, and he pulled me into his room, closing the door behind us. He chucked his skateboard and Walkman on the bed and turned to face me.

"What's going on?" I demanded, my eyebrows furrowed together as I shoved my wrist out of his grasp.

"Please, please don't be upset with me. Look, I know you want answers and –"

"You're damn right I want answers." I shoved my backpack off and threw it onto the floor. "I want to know why you keep lying to me, why you always disappear. Where do you go, Peter?" My eyes began to water, feeling a swell of disappointment in my stomach. I would have never guessed that Peter Parker would be the one to hurt me.

"Vi, hey Vi, please don't..." He took a giant step towards me, wrapping his arms around my small form and engulfing me in a hug. "I'm so, so sorry." His voice dirpped in desperation as he mumbled into my hair.

"I can't." I shoved his chest away, prying his arms off me. "I can't do this anymore."

At this, his soft brown orbs widened as if I had said the worst possible thing. "I'll tell you." He burst out. He took a seat on the edge of the bed to which I followed and sat beside him. His chest raised with a heavy sigh. Then before he said anything, he reached for my hand and interlocked his long fingers with my own, as if for reassurance.

Then his lips parted and he said, "...