Spider-Man: High School

The Compromising Lie Begins

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SPIDER-MAN: HIGHSCHOOL 2
Chapter 6- The Compromising Lie Begins

I knew then and there it was time for me to switch seats. I chose the back corner and waited for this period to end.

~Wonder if Gwen is having better luck with her classmates~

Every minute, even to the last second of class, I checked my phone for Aunt May's response to my sudden disappearance. There weren't any. As I was jerked around by those older than me, I realized how much it sucked to be looked down even more. In eighth grade, I was at least in the upperclassmen section. I'm even more of a nobody here.

~At least I haven't run into Sarah at all. That would be super awkward. She's the reason I have these powers and insecurities... well... she's the reason they've gotten worse~

Instead of worrying about Aunt May's speech I'm going to get tonight, I whipped out Steve. Kidding. I tried riding my skateboard during rush hour in the seventh grade hallways and was immediately sent off to principal Watts' office. Only a warning. I don't have any intent to piss off Principal Webb, especially on the first day. Instead of skateboarding--I actually started listening to music on Broadcast, with Gwen's account of course.

"Me and my cousins and you and your cousins. It's a line that's always running. Me and my cousins and you and your cousins. I can feel it coming."
"Cousins" by Vampire Weekend.

Gwen only has the good stuff. Occasionally, Mary Jane adds a song or two, but I skip those. Her life is more of a void than mine. It dawned on me a couple of days ago that Gwen wanted me to be a beacon of hope for not only her, but also for MJ. Speaking of devil, she was the first person I saw before entering the library. Her hair matched her red, children sized, converse shoes and mint green sweatshirt. I feel dumb for only having shorts in my backpack. It's November and freezing.

"Hey MJ. How was second period without your shadow?", I joked.
"Terrible! Worse than I thought it'd be."

I held the door open for her... and the rest of the hallway. Not one person said thank you. I don't even think they noticed I was there. To them I was just a door stopper. MJ just stood there and watched as the last person who walked through the door moved into the library.

"Why did you hold the door open for everyone?"
"I- I couldn't stop."
"I thought you were able to control your powe-"
"No, I mean I- ... what if one of them got mad or something?"
"Because you stopped holding the door for them?"
I signed into the library's school system and answered her question with a shrug.
"You're... Spider-Man.", she whispered. "You can beat everyone who goes to this school to a pulp. I wish I could do that."
"Yea, I know. I wouldn't be much a hero replacement for the Avengers if I did so."
"You're not a replacement, Peter. You're your own person. Your own story."
"I guess. It'd be really nice if the police and everyone else knew that."
"Trust me. Spider-Man being a menace will be a thing of the past. That's IF I get a higher position at the Daily Bugle. It'll take forever..."
"What about in the school newspaper? The Hulks!"
"Is The Hulk really this school's mascot?!"
"It was the Panthers, but Black Panther refused to fight in the Judgement event blah-blah-blah."
"So you changed it to the Hulks. Why not something more catchy?"
I shrugged again and placed my backpack next to Bailey's. She wasn't in the library, but her bag was here.

~Did White Tiger take her? Does she have her? What if... what if some low life saw me in the alley and has my friend?! Oh my god~

"Peter? Are you ok? You look extremely pale."
"Oh. I- I'm fine. I forgot my stuff."
"What stuff? It's so obvious when you're lying so just tell me the truth." She flipped her hair out of her eye so she could stare deeply into mine.
"I- I- the... White Tiger."
"Wha?"
"She goes to this school. I saw her!"
Mary Jane walked over to a chair next to mine and gasped. "A- Are you sure it was her?"
"Yes! She knows who I am. I didn't want to tell anyone because what if she goes after you! What if she goes after Raj or Gwen?! Bailey isn't here. Do you think-"
"No. She's probably in the bathroom or helping Gwen figure out where the library is from her class."
"I don't know. I- I don't know."
She placed her tiny hands onto my own. "Look. We have to tell the others. They can help us."
"No! No no no nonononono!"
"Yes."
"No!"
"Dude, yes!"