The Butterfly Effect: a Peter Parker Fan Fic

Part 10; Bloody Mary

If you don't have enemies, you don't have character ~ Paul Newman

The week passes slowly, but surely and then the weekend comes and passes in the blink of an eye. How ironic! Now it's Friday and I'm sitting in English class bored out of my mind. Mr Harrington's back faces us and I begin to doodle in my book.

"Hey Raven," Flash leans over to my desk and whispers, "when are you going to get together with Penis Parker? Raven Parker has a nice ring to it. Well, actually I like Peter Garcia bett--"

I rip out a piece of paper from my notebook and scrunch it into a ball. As he speaks, I find an opening and shove the paper ball into his mouth, cutting him off. He spits it out straight away and starts to cough.

Mr Harrington turns around and crosses his arms annoyed, "what's all the commotion now, Flash?"

The whole class faces Flash as he stops grabbing his tongue with his hands. His cheeks flush. "She shoved paper in my mouth!" he points an accusing finger at me.

"Raven," Mr Harrington raises his eyebrow, "did you, or did you not shove paper in Flash's mouth?"

I put my hands up in defeat, "I'm guilty of nothing but silencing someone who was speaking as the teacher was speaking."

He chuckles in response and I see Flash shoot bullets at me from the corner of my eye. Out of all of my teachers, Mr Harrington seems to be one of the few teachers who is actually giving me a chance and not judging me for my past. That easily makes him my favorite despite the fact that he is always discussing his failed romantic relationships.

The bell rings, cutting him off from his lecture about Shakespeare. "Where did the time go? Anywho, have a wonderful day and I'll see you all on Friday," he announces, "Raven, can I please speak to you?"

Flash plants his hands on my desk and towers over me, a menacing smile on his face, "have fun with your snarky remarks in detention, Garcia."

He storms out and I shake my head as I watch him. Flash is a lost case in my opinion. My backpack hangs from one shoulder and I approach Mr Harrington's desk. "I'm sorry for shoving paper into Flash's mouth," I begin, "he was just being the asshole he is and--"

"--I didn't call you up here to discuss that," he interrupts, not minding my language.

"Oh. So what is it then?" I ask.

He sits down in his desk chair and begins to clean up some of his belongings, "Raven, you should be aware now by the countless declarations I've made that I run the academic decathlon team." I sigh and am about to speak when he puts up a hand, silencing me. "I know that this isn't your kind of thing," he adds, "but one of our students had transferred to a different school at the end of last year and the empty spot that they have has really been pressuring some of the members to fill that gap. Liz was a really great asset to the team, but now she left. And I believe that this would be a great opportunity for you and for us. It would help a lot of people forget about your past."

This seems to be a lot to process but it's really simple. He thinks it would benefit a lot of people, including myself, if I were to join the academic decathlon team. He's right with that. But he's also right when he said that it isn't my thing because I would rather stay at home and spend my leisure time in my room than to be studying and practicing for something like this. But then again, I would be saving myself from spending time with mom.

"You don't have to give me an answer now," he smiles reassuringly, "but just... think about it."

"Okay," I return the smile, "thank you."

As I walk out the door, he calls out after me, "have a good day!"

I shove through the large crowds of students in the hallway to get to the cafeteria and through the dozens of them, one person stands out. Peter.