Walking the Wire | PETER PARKER [1]

| 4 |

A book slams against the desk. Eloise, who was napping, jolts awake and sits up, frazzled.

Lucy sits down on the seat across from her friend, a sheepish look on her face. "Oops, sorry. Didn't know you were sleeping." She smiles apologetically.

Eloise runs a hand through her frizzy brown hair as a futile attempt to tame it. "It's okay, I should've gotten more sleep last night instead of staying up to finish reading this book I'm emotionally invested in." She yawns.

Lucy opens up her textbook and sighs. "Books are so boring, I can't see why you choose to read for fun."

Eloise laughs softly and stretches her arms. One of her elbows pop. "I didn't choose the bookworm life."

Lucy rolls her eyes. "Whatever, girl." She attempts to read more of the worn text book with the spine falling apart. Elena, Cliff Howard, and Alev Nguyễn all approach the table and take a seat with their lunches. Despite Cliff's reputation of being physically violent, Eloise had friended him. She knows that past his tough exterior he is actually a sweet heart who just has trouble containing his temper, especially if someone he cares about is being talked about in a negative way or at risk of being hurt. Alev, another friend, moved in to Queens last year from Vietnam. At the beginning she knew only sparse English, but now she can speak it fluently. She also taught Eloise and her friends some Vietnamese.

Eloise greets everyone with a smile as they dig into their lunches.

Lucy suddenly slams her textbook shut. "This is pointless." She makes wide gesticulations. "School is pointless."

"For us it is," Cliff says with a mouthful of whatever the school is serving for lunch today. It looks like mush with various vegetables. "What are we going to do with a high school diploma?"

"Go to university?" Alev guesses.

Cliff laughs. "Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen."

Eloise frowns. She doesn't like the negativity, but at the same time, Cliff is kind of right. Eloise is financially able to go to a college in state, but she's the only one of the small handful of students in this school who can. It isn't fair that just because some people have less money means that they don't get to have the same opportunities as others who are fortunate enough to be able to do so.

Cliff sighs, "Anyways, what's new? Any fights in any classes lately?"

"Eloise met Spider-Man," Lucy blurts.

Cliff and Alev look at Eloise with wide eyes.

"No shit?" Cliff says, turning to the girl. "Did he save you or something?"

Eloise shakes her head. "Nah, he just saw me walking alone at night and decided to walk me to the library so nothing happened." She shrugs.

Alev smiles, but to Eloise, it looks like a grimace. "He is nice."

"What a gentleman," Cliff drawls, smiling. "I wonder if I've ever met the guy on the streets or somethin' without knowing it, you know?"

And just like that, the group of friends spend the rest of their lunch hour talking about Queen's Spider-Man.

🕸

Eloise passes by Midtown again as she's walking home from school. Her bright blue eyes are drawn to a brand new set of bleachers for the football field, the metal catching the sun's rays.

She's so busy admiring the bleachers that she doesn't see the person walk out right in front of her.

She collides into a body and stumbles back, but somehow stays on her feet.