Walking the Wire | PETER PARKER [1]

| 15 |

Loneliness is defined as feeling sad and unhappy about being socially isolated. Eloise thought she was lonely, but she can't be—she's not socially isolated. She has friends and smiles at everyone on she passes on the street. She's also not feeling necessarily sad or unhappy, just kind of empty and cold some times. It's like the coldness you feel when someone lets go of your hand after holding it for a while. You're warm for the moment they're holding your hand, but once they let go, coldness seeps in and you barely feel the traces of warmth that once was.

After freshening herself up after pulling herself together and stopping the waterworks, Eloise climbs out the window, onto the fire escape, and knocks on Peter's bedroom window. She waits patiently outside as the wind whips through her brown hair until Ned approaches the glass.

He pulls the glass up and steps back to let Eloise in. She climbs through.

"Hello," The neighbor girl greets the boys she has grown fond of. Eloise turns and shuts the window she just came in through before facing Ned and Peter, who are lounging around. Ned's got Peter's Spider-Man web-shooter on his wrist and Peter's sitting in his desk chair, the same one Eloise fell asleep in the night before.

Peter looks incredibly better since the last time Eloise saw him that morning. His face is less pale, and he doesn't look like he's in too much pain. Being superhuman must affect his ability to heal faster.

"Sorry I couldn't come over earlier," She apologizes. It feels like she ditched both Ned and Peter, since she didn't walk home with Ned (thanks detention) or come over to see how Peter was doing earlier.

Peter taps his fingers on the arm of the chair to an unfamiliar rhythm.

"It's okay," He says. "Ned was here and you've already done a lot."

Ned unclasps the metal contraption on his wrist and hands it back to Peter, whispering, "Cool."

Peter smiles. "I know." He sets it on his desk.

Eloise's phone vibrates in her back pocket. Her mind immediately goes to her parents finding her room empty and calling her in a furious rage, but when she pulls out her phone and looks at the screen, she's relieved that it's only Elena.

Eloise is confused at first, but then remembers that they were supposed to have another study session tonight.

"Damn it," Eloise murmurs under her breath as she types a quick response.

Ned peers over her shoulder. "What?"

"Nothing, I just forgot I had plans to study with Lucy and Elena tonight at the library," Eloise replies, sending her message. Elena replies within seconds.