Spider Boy

)9(

Peter swung from rooftop to rooftop as he followed the girl through the streets of New York. At one point Zaylee walked through a dark alley as a short cut. Peter made sure to stay close. This was a sketchy part of town and anyone could be lurking in the shadows.

Zaylee made it to an apartment building that looked old and dirty. Peter wouldn't be surprised if drug dealers lived in the building.

Peter watched from atop another building as she walked inside. He stayed for a few moments to make sure she made it into her building safely. Peter was about to leave when he heard angry yelling. Peter was curious so he swung over to the other side of the building. He saw an open window then stealthily climbed through.

It looked to be a girls room. The yelling continued so he peaked out the ajar door and saw the living room. In the living room was Zaylee and an angry man. Zaylee was on the floor holding her cheek as the man yelled. Around him were empty beer bottles.

"You're no good you little slut! My food was cold!" He yelled then proceeded to kick his daughter in the stomach. Peter couldn't handle it anymore.

Zaylee curled up in a ball crying. She closed her eyes but then she heard a thud, a yell, then a even bigger thud that shook the floor. She uncurled and looked up, her eyes still teary.

On the floor was her father, unconscious. Next to his standing was Spider-Man. "No no no." Zaylee cried running over to her father trying to wake him up. Peter was confused by this. He crouched down next to the brunette.

"It's alright. He's not dead. But he's not going to hurt you anymore." Peter said putting a hand on his friends shoulder. She smacked it away and looked up at the hidden boy in the mask.

"When he wakes he'll be furious. And you won't be here to protect me." She spat and stood. She started to drag her father over to the couch, tears still falling out of her eyes as small hiccups escaped her lips.

"Woah woah woah. You go lay down. You're in pain. I'll take care of him. In the morning her won't even remember this happened." Peter spoke. Zaylee nodded not completely believing this complete stranger.

She walked to her room and sat on the bed. She brought her knees to her chest and put her face in them as she continued to cry. Zaylee feared what would happen when her dad woke.

Still staying curled up she heard the squeak of her bedroom door open. "I put him on the couch. He was so drunk he won't remember any of this ever happened." Spider-Man said to her. Zaylee didn't respond.

Peter sighed and sat down next to the girl on the bed. He wanted to comfort her but he didn't really know how. Peter reached his hand out and gently lifted her head up. With his thumb he wiped her tears away. But when he did she winced. Lightly holding her chin he turned her head so he could see her cheek.

A large bruise rested under her eye. He lightly touched it and she winced again. "How long has this been happening?" He asked. Zaylee started to cry more. "This is the first time." She lied. If she told him that it happened often he might tell the police. Her father would be taken away and she would be put into foster care.

Peter sighed as his friend continued to cry. He could tell she was scared and in pain. He crawled behind her on the bed and hugged her, careful of her hurt body. Her head fell onto his chest as she continued to cry.

"It's alright. I've got you." Spider-Man cooed in her ear. Zaylee couldn't help but continue to cry. She knew that this boy could know her from school but in the moment she couldn't think.

Peter ran his fingers through her hair until he didn't feel her body shaking anymore. He heard soft breathing. Looking down he found Zay asleep. Her lips slightly parted. Face still red and blotchy.

Gently he took the sleeping girl off of his body and layed her on the bed. He tucked her in then left her room. He grabbed some medicine from the cabinet and a bottled water. He set it on her small nightstand then wrote a note. Then he crawled out the window and left.

The next morning when Zaylee woke up she had a huge migraine. She slammed her hand down on her alarm making the beeping stop. She opened her eyes and found things on her side table that hadn't been there the night before. She sat up and all the memories of last night came back. She hurried out of her room to the living room. Her dad was nowhere to be found. He must have gone to work. That means he forgot about last night.

Zaylee let out a breath of relief and went back to her bedroom to look at the items on her side table. She first saw a note. Picking it up she read. "I knew you'd probably have a headache when you woke up so there's medicine on the table with some water." She looked at the table and sitting there was two pills and water. She looked back at the note and saw that it was signed "Spider-Man"

Spider-Man. He had seen her cry twice now. Zaylee cursed at herself as she put the pills in her mouth then swallowed them with water. She never showed people her weakness. Sighing, she got off her bed and got ready for school.