All This Static (marvel.)

1.2

CHAPTER 2.
"You Know Who Spider-Man Is"

Cindy let out a soft breath, that turned to steam in the cold air. Fall was beginning to settle across the city, crisp leaves of red and gold decorated the streets. Along with the lack of a clear sidewalk, New York was also missing its sun, letting the morning Cindy walked from the subway to school be a very cold one. The weather— and her mother— had forced Cindy to don her grey bomber jacket, and red scarf. Tightly gripping the straps of her backpack, she walked through the school's front entrance and was assaulted by a warm gust of air. Heat crept up the back of her neck as she walked down the hallway, dodging dazed students and substitutes wheeling TV carts.

In her daily passing of locker 1184; Cindy noticed how Peter and Ned crammed themselves to block the opening. They were looking at something on Peter's wrist, but that was all she could see.

Things like that only increased Cindy's suspicions of the two boys. She mentally added it to the ever-growing list of strange behaviors shown by the two of them, though Peter in general was definitely filling up the list.

Cindy had to force herself to keep walking and avoid staring at the boy. On top of all her other problems, Cindy was nursing— Well, she didn't quite know what it was. In all likelihood, the sudden rush of heat and humming nerves that appeared whenever she saw him was a minor crush. Then again, it didn't make that much sense to her. Cindy hardly talked to Peter outside of Decathlon, and even then conversation was scarce.

So why would she even like him? And why now? Cindy didn't feel this way all through freshman year, but once Homecoming ended, she started feeling strange around him— she was a little more nervous, a little more star struck. Cindy didn't even feel that way when she had her first boyfriend, and she knew for certain that her feelings towards the now absent Hector were real.

She groaned and dragged herself down the hallway, finally reaching her locker. Cindy entered her combination, and grabbed a notebook from its stack.

Static.

Without a moments hesitation, Cindy whirled around, and stared straight into the eyes of her friend, Gwen Stacy.

The blonde smiled at her, but looked a bit surprised "Hey, guess who's back from suspension?" Gwen said casually.

Cindy blinked, had it been that long already? She pulled Gwen into a hug, "It's great to have you back."

Gwen chuckled, and patted Cindy's back. "Great to be back," she said pulling away. "And I'm never gonna leave again."

Cindy rolled her eyes, "Then next time, leave the knife at home."

"Hey," Gwen laughed, lightly hitting Cindy's arm. "That was not part of my plan."

Cindy's fingers wrapped around the metal door. "Whatever," she said, slamming her locker shut.

Gwen waved her hand in the air in a dismissing manner. "Enough about me getting in trouble. What'd I miss?"

A whole lot, Cindy mentally said. In reality, she just smiled. "Nothing much."

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Gently resting her head on the desk, Cindy glared at her Journalism teacher through her curtain of dark hair. It was sixth period now, and after an entire day of never ending static and boring lectures she was effectively done with school.

MJ glanced over at her friend from the seat beside her, a sympathetic smile adorning her features.

"She can pry the Oxford comma out of my cold, dead, hands." Cindy finally growled out after a few moments of silence.

MJ just shook her head and laughed. "But you know it's not traditionally used in news writing," she teased knowing how much Cindy despised being told that.

"I call BS." Cindy says, lifting up her head to make sure the teacher didn't hear her.

Cindy could hear the teacher in the next room. She was talking to Betty about the next news clip for Midtown. Cindy could hear the tone she was using, how the teacher was proud but Cindy could also hear Betty's voice and how uncomfortable she sounded.

At least Betty knew how much of an embarrassment the news show was; something that made Cindy very glad she chose news writing instead.

"Hey." MJ breathed out, showing Cindy her phone from underneath the desk. "Look at this."

It took a moment for the screen to come into focus, but the second it did, the headline almost caused Cindy to jump out of her seat.

'SPIDER-MAN SAVES 14 PEOPLE FROM BUILDING FIRE'

And there it was again, the heightened buzzing in her head and backflips of her stomach. The feeling was almost suffocating. An overwhelming urge for something animalistic—for something Cindy didn't understand. Just what about Spider-Man made her feel this way? She only met the guy once, and it's not like they had a chance to talk.

"He's pretty great," MJ said, regaining Cindy's attention.

"What? Oh, yeah. I guess so..." Cindy trailed off, catching the look MJ was giving her. "What?"

The girl shrugged, "Don't you ever wonder who he is?" MJ asked, peering at Cindy with a curious look.

"Sometimes," Cindy said, unsure of what else to say. "Why?"

"I have my suspicions."

"Are you saying you know who Spider-Man is?" Cindy asked, feeling relieved that a new emotion was creeping upon her. Not one caused by her weird and developing abilities, but a natural human trait, genuine curiosity. Cindy was dying to know who was behind the mask, or at least what kind of answers he could provide her.

MJ leaned closer, and took a quick look around. "Okay so you're not gonna believe me, but I think it's Peter."

No way. "Parker?" Cindy almost yelled, quickly forgetting where she was.

"Do you have a problem, Miss Moon?"

___

A/N: really quickly I just wanted to say, I'm basing Gwen off of her Ultimate Spider-Man counterpart.

In that universe, she's a bit for flashy and rebellious; and I think it'd be cool to write her that way.

Thanks for reading!