Ardent [PETER PARKER]

THREE

THREE.

FOUR DEEP BREATHS later, the edges of her mind still bleeding faintly, Will pushed open the door to the classroom.

Already, Room 124 had fallen into its usual pattern of organized chaos. Will was forced to duck as a wad of paper, badly aimed towards the trashcan, sailed towards her head. She squeezed past two girls engaged in a passionate discussion consisting of a boy in spandex and a lot of flailing elbows that came dangerously close to her face.

When she reached her seat, Will slammed her bag down on the lab table and pulled out a stool, the metal skidding against the linoleum with a low scrape. She flopped into it, her spine immediately folding until she was bent over the table. She placed her chin in her hand and sighed.

"Aha! Milady returns! It hath been nearly a fortnight since I have seen milady last!" a voice said loudly in her ear, in the worst Old English accent she had ever heard.

Will turned to see Ned Leeds sitting in the stool next to hers, a pencil tucked behind his ear and a blinding smile on his face. His binder was already opened neatly before him, Pokemon cards tucked into the clear sleeves alongside worksheets on frictional force.

"Hello, Ned. I see they still haven't found a cure for your condition."

"My wha—Hey! I am perfectly capable of—"

"Making a fool of yourself? Yeah, you've proven that. Routinely."

"Man, what was in your Frosted Flakes this morning?"

"Not a sedative, unfortunately, which I'm regretting now that I'm here with you."

"Keep this up and I'll leave you without a lab partner, Will. Who's going to teach you about velocity then?"

". . . Richard?"

"Sticky Ricky? Hah! Good luck."

"Fine. Good morning, Ned. You look lovely as always."

"Thank you. I've been craving validation all morning."

"The nerd in your shirt really brings out your eyes."

"Hey! This is vintage Star Wars. Vintage!"

"So it's old and nerdy. Two in one. What a steal."

Ned stuck his tongue out at her and Will finally grinned. Physics felt slightly more bearable with Ned as her lab partner. Will liked Ned—everyone did. Ned was made up of soft laughter and goofy laser noises and eyes that crinkled at the corners from smiling so much. It took a level of bitter cynicism not even Will had achieved not to smile along with him.