You tucked your hands under your arms as you anxiously waited by the curb. The crisp night air was brushing against your face. You checked your watch for probably the thousandth time. Even though there were still a good five minutes until seven, a different kind of cold began to grow in your stomach. The confidence you had when you started this mess was nowhere to be found.
What if he didn't show up? You must look like such a hopeful idiot, waiting here on the curb in the nicest shit you could dig up from your mediocre closet. Maybe you overstepped yourself. What if you were seen as desperate? So desperate that you asked out the biggest ass in school?
This was a mistake you thought. I should just go back upstairs. He's probably not even gonna show up anyway. But what if he does? Better I reject him rather than the other way around I guess? He does need a bit of rejection in his life.
You glanced down at your watch again. Two minutes. You'd wait here two minutes more. Give Flash at least one minute past seven, then that's it. If he wasn't here, you were going back up. You'd have to find some other way to distract yourself.
Just as you thought this, a flash of silver zoomed into your vision, screeching to a halt right in front of you. Flash leaned his arm over to the passengers seat, nonchalantly tilting his head toward you.
"Someone ask for a hot date?" he smirked, one eyebrow raised.
"I asked to be wowed," you scoffed, reaching for the car door. Still unsure if you were going to regret this or not, you fastened your seatbelt. You didn't hear Flash's reply as an odd feeling washed over you, like you were being watched. You glanced around uneasily, but passed it off as maybe you were just really really nervous. "Let's just get this show on the road, shall we?"
Unbeknownst to you, as the convertible peeled away, a figure leapt from a roof, swinging a safe distance behind it.
Peter watched grimly from the rooftop across the street as you turned back to smile and wave. He was relieved that there no sincerity in it at all. However, even with that comfort, he still couldn't believe you had actually gone through with it. You had actually gone on a date with Flash. Goddamn fucking Flash.
He waited a little while after he saw the light turn on in your bedroom window. He did feel a little guilty for 'tagging along' the whole night. But it was for your safety, because he still cared, that's all. Well maybe it was a little more than 'just caring', but he refused to acknowledge any more than that as he fired a web, headed home.
Those good ol' crappy Monday blues washed over you as you yawned, lazily shutting your locker. Trudging to the cafeteria, you met Ned along the way.
"So," he prodded, "how was it?"
You shrugged, "It was distracting."
"Like actually? Like you didn't think about you-know-who at all?"
"No, keep your voice down!" you hissed. "But yeah it surprisingly was really distracting, acting interested in his lavish, spoiled-brat life. The food helped too; it was all soooooo good."
"Damn. Expensive though?"
"Hoooo yeah."
"So, what? Are you gonna do it again since it worked? Is it even worth it?"
"Probably," you replied. You felt a little guilty, using someone like this (even if it was Flash). As soon as you both had sat down at your usual spot, that raspy voice plopped down next you.
"Hey there, beautiful," Flash leaned his elbow on the table, trying to appear cool.
You had to keep from laughing. "Hey, Flash," you dragged out each vowel, hoping you didn't sound too annoyed.
"So... Friday... I'd say you were pretty wowed, weren't you?" Pausing from pulling out your lunch, you dramatically cocked your head, thinking. You could feel Peter's eyes on you from two tables away.
"A little," you sighed, turning to face Flash. "Your choice in venue was the only thing that really wowed me. That and the food." He raised an eyebrow. "I dunno, I guess I just expected a little more, considering how much you boast about you being such a 'great date'-"
"Hm, not easily impressed I see," he squinted at you. "Wouldn't have pegged you for the picky type, (Y/N)."
You chuckled, smirking, "You'd be surprised, Flash." You met his eyes, silently challenging him. Knowing there was no way your confession of 'not being wowed' didn't offend him, you waited for his offer.
"Well, I got a sort of reputation to uphold, and I can't have anyone less than impressed at my... wooing skills," he began. Ned had to stifle a snort, averting his eyes from Flash's glare. It was painfully obvious how suave he trying to appear. "How's about same time this Friday?"
You raised your eyebrows, borderline flirtatiously (gasp! something you never did unless it was unconsciously to Peter), "I expect to be wowed."
Flash swung his legs from under the table, spinning up, "Oh, and uh, don't worry about what to wear; I'll send you something nice," he called back as he strolled away.
Eyebrows raised, impressed and somewhat uneasy, you turned back to Ned. He had the same expression on his face. You both exhaled, laughing in shock.
"Damn, (Y/N), I didn't know you had game!" Ned snickered. "Got Flash frickin Thompson wrapped around your finger!"
A heat crept to your cheeks as you slapped his arm, hissing, "Dude!"
As you giggled, you caught a quick sight of those warm doe eyes out of the corner of your own. Instantly your cheeks fell and your lips pursed into a grimace. That blunt stabbing gnawed your gut. In that one short millisecond, you both connected for the first time in months through the same unacknowledged agony and heartache. Peter had quickly averted his gaze but you had already seen it. That sadness, that anger, and was that... regret? Everything you saw in him, you were all too familiar with.
Peter turned to Liz with a small grin that didn't reach his eyes. He wasn't just jealous; he was hurting. Just like you were. But you realized you didn't feel the satisfaction you were craving. Peter was wearing that face that so often would cause you to immediately be ready to fight whoever/whatever made him like that. And now it was because of you. Hanging your head down, you felt the guilt settle in your stomach, wishing you hadn't brought that upon him.
If Peter had laser vision, Flash head would have two eye-sized holes in them. "I'll send you something nice." That phrase echoed in Peter's mind. Flash couldn't do that. He couldn't expect to just win you over by 'sending something nice'. He looked back at you expecting to see that classic eye roll you reserved just for that asshat. Instead you laughed. You blushed. He could only register his clenched fists; the rest of his body had gone numb. His face dropped, weighed down by what felt like betrayal and sadness.
"So I guess they're dating now?" Liz murmured, confused. "Huh. I would've never seen that coming."
Peter turned to face her, trying to focus on the amazing human sat next to him. His girlfriend. Girlfriend. Odd. That word didn't have the same ring to it as it did a few weeks ago. He was scared to realize that Liz didn't have the same glow, either. Not like she had before. Not that she wasn't any less beautiful, oh God no. Peter just couldn't see her in the same light as he had when he'd so boldly and anxiously approached her that Tuesday so seemingly long ago.
Stop thinking like that, Peter told himself. None of this should be happening. He shouldn't be experiencing what he was when he saw you. He shouldn't be wanting to throttle Flash anymore than usual. He shouldn't be thinking of Liz as any less than he had before. That word should have the same magical feeling to it. You and him should still be friends. Things should have never changed. There were all these things should be. But they weren't.
