Walking the Wire | PETER PARKER [1]

EPILOGUE

Family is a funny thing. When most people think of family, they think of their siblings, parents, cousins, grandparents, etc. Growing up, Eloise always thought that family had to be directly blood-related with shared genes. However, after forming true friendships with genuine people, Eloise realizes that family can reach beyond blood. She loves and respects her parents for providing for her and teaching her, but she doesn't consider them her family. Looking around the room, she knows that she is surrounded by her real family.

Alev, Lucy, Ned, Elena, Luis, Cliff, Peter, and Eloise crowd Lucy's mom's small apartment, but it's not claustrophobic. The closeness spreads the love between them. The sarcastic remarks, the barks of laughter, the conversations—everything feels perfect. Sure, perfection isn't truly attainable, and their Friendsmas is far from perfection with the rock-hard, flat sugar cookies with too much icing and the personal baggage weighing down everyone's shoulders, but it feels good. Warm. Safe.

Everyone is spread out across the living room that is open to the kitchen. As Lucy's legs are swinging as she sits on the kitchen counter, she friendly teases Peter and Cliff standing by for talking about Star Wars. They just roll their eyes at Lucy's playful banter and continue to converse. While the three of them are chatting, Luis and Ned are standing in the living room as Luis explains soccer to Ned. He shares some gross and funny stories about the soccer team too. Back in the kitchen, Elena and Alev are attempting to make Christmas cookies—ones that aren't as hard as rocks—to bring home to Alev's mother for a Christmas gift. The batch going into the oven are shaped like deformed angels and the North Star.

While everyone else is talking and laughing amongst themselves, Eloise just sits back and listens with a content smile on her face as she drinks her watery hot chocolate. It might be cold and taste cheap—because it is—but she wouldn't trade it for anything.

The couch dips beside her. Eloise turns her head and smiles at Peter. Even in his ugly Christmas sweater that has too many bells and pom-poms sticking out of it, he looks cute.

"Hey," Peter says, his warm brown eyes taking Eloise in. "Having fun?"

She smiles down at her mug of cold hot chocolate. "Yeah."

A brief moment of silence passes them. Eloise feels Peter's unmoving gaze on her.

"It's Christmas Eve, what are you thinking so hard about?" He asks after a while, an amused smile tugging one corner of his lips.

She shrugs and watches the mini marshmallows dissolve in the watery chocolate beverage in her hands. "I'm just thinking about my family," She replies, looking up to meet Peter's eyes.

He frowns. "Do you need to go home?"

Eloise takes a sip and swallows. "I'm already with my family." She motions to the people around them with her mug. "This is the first Christmas with a family I've had in a long time. It doesn't get better than this."

But it does. Peter, Eloise, and May spend Christmas morning together, opening presents and going to a special Christmas church service. They laugh, they tell stories, and they have genuine fun together. Everything just feels good.

But, as they say, nothing good lasts long.

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Attached Song: Last Hope by Paramore

Okay, so as you all can tell, this story is over.

. . . Or is it?

(Sequel: From the Shadows)

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