Love Song | p. parker

1 | Can We Be Friends?

School at Midtown High was exhausting. Endless homework could bog anyone down, but with decathlon and AP science and math, you were struggling harder than you thought any junior in high school ever should.

Every day consisted of classes, homework, classes, homework, and more classes and homework. Sometimes you remembered to eat half way through the day.

Needless to say, you needed a break, a distraction. Something to keep your mind off of school, family trouble, and your lack of the one thing you always wanted; a soulmate.

The phrase on your lower back read I'm a pretty smart guy. But so far, you hadn't heard anyone say that ever, let alone to you in a special moment.

You felt pretty depressed. You had hoped the new school year would bring new friends and new adventures, but the closest thing to "new" you got was your parents' divorce.

That was a whole new can of worms.

You were living with your mom who didn't give a crap about whether or not you were safe or fed or cared for. Your father would have gladly taken you, but the state had required you to stay with your mom because she had won custody over you when you were born. Your parents had gotten married two years after your birth, giving them both full custody, but since your mom filed the divorce and the hearing from over ten years ago still stood somehow, you were obligated by law to live under your mom's roof during the school year. She let you stay with your dad in the summer.

You had no rules, no money, things sucked mostly. You had one friend who had other friends that mattered more than you, and it seemed like everyone around you had found their soulmate. You couldn't think of one person at school that didn't already, at least, claim to have a soulmate. You were the odd one out, and you absolutely hated it.

Everything in your life seemed to weigh you down from the inside, at least, you thought. Everyone who met you made the observation that you were one of the nicest people they'd met in a while. You did try to be the best you could, but coming from a broken home you wouldn't have expected yourself to be able to give so much.

"Life is so confusing. Sometimes I wish I could just find my soulmate and leave this world behind. Not death, but somewhere nicer than here, with just my soulmate." You talked to yourself as you stuffed your bag full of books from your locker.

You closed your designated cubby and just when you were about to head for class someone bumped into you from the side. You lost your footing and fell to the dirty floor, books and papers spilling everywhere.

"Oh my gosh- I'm so, so, so, sorry-" A boy bent down and helped you gather up your things.

"What's this? Cheating on your girlfriend Parker?" You heard someone snicker.

"Knock it off Flash." The boy mumbled. He finished gathering your stuff and then helped you to stand. "There's nothing wrong with helping someone." He glared at Flash Thompson, the worst bully you'd ever encountered.

"Well if it isn't dear miss Crap." Flash mocked you by bowing.

"Shut up. Can't you leave that lame attempt at a joke back in third grade?" You retorted. Someone made a classic sizzle sound. Yep, you had just burned Flash.

"Alright, you know what?" Flash pushed up his sleeve and started to walk towards you.

"Hey, hey, hey. Let's not, okay?" The boy intervened between the two of you. When Flash tried to go around him, he shoved Flash in the chest, knocking him back a few steps.

Flash looked stunned. "Oh, you wanna go too Parker? I will beat your-"

The bell rang and teachers began to shoo kids out of the hallway and into class.

Flash was swept away and somehow you found yourself walking with the boy's arm around your shoulder. When the coast was clear of teachers he took his arm away from you. "Sorry, it's just I've found teachers don't like to mess with kids who look like they're busy with something, if you know what I mean."

You nodded and smiled as you finally had a chance to look at the boy who had bumped into you.

When you first saw his face something inside you clicked. You somehow knew he was important.

"My name's Peter. Parker."

You only blinked, mesmerized by him.

"Uh, hello?'

You shook yourself out of it. "Um, hi. I'm ___." You smiled.

Peter nodded with a smile. "Well, uh, sorry I knocked you over. I really should have been watching where I was going."

You assured him that it was alright.

Peter said something to you about getting to class and then he was gone.

You stared at the place he had been until you snapped out of it and hurried off to class. You couldn't stop thinking about him.

~~~

The bell rang signifying the end of the school day. You were excited to get home for once because you actually had something juicy to write about in your journal.

The bus decided to come late so you were sitting on a bench with your earbuds in when you felt a tap on your shoulder.

"Hey, uh," It was Peter. "listen, I know this is weird and all, but could I have your phone number?"

You tried not to look like a beached whale as you gaped at him. "Y- you want my number?"

"Uh, yeah, if that's okay..."

"Uh, yeah, sure." He handed you his phone and you entered your number in. After making sure it was correct, you handed the phone back.

"Great thanks, see you ___," Peter waved and left as your bus pulled up.

When you got home you hastily threw your bag on the couch and grabbed the notebook in your room. Clicking a pen ready, you wrote about Peter, everything that happened, and everything you knew about him.

It took you almost half an hour to include everything you wanted to, and by the time you were finished you had filled up three full pages of nonsense about how you wished you two could somehow become friends.

You heard the door downstairs open and you quickly closed your journal, only to remember you hadn't titled your entry.

You opened it back up and hastily scrawled at the top:

Can We Be Friends?

"___!"

"Coming!"