darling [peter parker]

pity!

The next week, after the Decathlon team had won their meet and nearly died, it was once again time for cheer.

Wendy was a mess. Every nerve in her body was being plucked like a guitar string, sending vibrations and anxiety through her small frame. She still hadn't been able to come up with a solid second routine for the pep rally. She had a lot of ideas, but that was it. Mrs. Wayland was counting on her for this but on top of schoolwork and the Peter Parker debacle, she couldn't focus on cheer for longer than five minutes. 

Once everyone had gotten changed and had settled down enough for Mrs. Wayland to be heard over them, she clapped her hands together. "Alright, ladies, gents, and non-binary friends, before we get started, let's talk ideas for our second routine. Wendy?"

The tiny blonde gulped but forced a smile. "I don't have anything definite, but I know I want it to be badass and sleek. I just need the right song."

"I was thinking more of an emotional approach," Mrs. Wayland commented and Wendy's face fell. Awesome. There really was no better feeling than having your ideas shot down in front of everyone. Mrs. Wayland shifted uncomfortably in her spot and added, "What about Praying by Kesha?"

It took a few moments for Wendy's mind to reboot.

She knew exactly why Mrs. Wayland suggested that song. Everyone knew. It wasn't the slightest bit subtle. Wendy's blood began to boil. Praying was a beautiful song, truly, but it was about Kesha finding it within her heart to forgive her rapist, and Mrs. Wayland wanted them to perform it because Wendy got sexually harassed by boys she never intended to forgive? It felt dirty. It felt exploitive.

"Wow, I wonder where that idea came from," Wendy said, her words clipped and evenly measured. "We're not doing Praying. We're not taking a song like that and making it about me. We're not making any of this about me!" She turned on her heel and stormed out, grabbing her duffel bag on the way. Mrs. Wayland called out after her, but her friends shushed her.

Wendy stormed down the hallway. She was done with cheer. How dare Mrs. Wayland say that? How dare she? What was wrong with her? It was so fucked up. She wasn't even thinking about Wendy, she was thinking about the headlines. 'Kind cheer coach composes routine to Kesha's 'Praying' to show support for Wendy Carter, an alleged victim of sexual harassment.' It would make Mrs. Wayland look good and woke, right?

Wendy was so full of blinding rage that she didn't see where she was going and smacked into Peter Parker.

He reached out and grabbed her shoulders to steady her. She pushed him off, scowling. She didn't want to see Peter or think about Peter.

"Wendy!" he exclaimed, a warm look in his eyes. "I was actually looking for you."

She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why?" He smiled shyly as he ducked his head. He rubbed the back of his neck and lifted himself up on his tiptoes, which only infuriated Wendy further. Who did he think he was, coming up to her and making himself even taller and looking so cute-

She almost vomited. Did she just think of Peter as cute? Fuck. It was happening again. Those weird feelings were coming back. She didn't want them back. Why was Peter so annoying?

He fought a blush. "I want to ask you to homecoming."

Wendy nearly did a double take. "Why would we go to homecoming together? We hate each other. Is this about the kiss? Because I obviously didn't mean it."

He winced. "No, it's not about the kiss. Wen-"

"Is this a joke then?" she interjected. "Because if it is, it's not funny. Are you seriously fucking with me right now?"

"No!" he exclaimed, growing frustrated. He looked like he was restraining himself. He had this sad look in his eyes. That's when it clicked. Wendy, who was not at all the religious type, looked to the sky and prayed for some entity to strike her down where she stood so she didn't have to deal with this.

"You're doing this out of pity," she said, trying to fight tears. "What? Did you figure no one was going to ask me to homecoming because I'm tainted or cursed now and you felt sorry for me? Because that might be some of the rudest bullshit you've ever pulled, Parker."

He growled, "That's not it!"

"Whatever, I'm done," she spat, pushing past him. He called out after her and asked her to please just stop so they could talk. She kept moving, stopping only to get her stuff from her locker, and eventually, she was home. Her dad greeted her with a "Hey" and a donut. She ate it greedily as if demolishing the cream-filled pastry would fix all of her problems. She excused herself to her room. The window was open from Spidey's last visit a few days ago. His visits had gotten fewer and far between, but she told herself it was only because he was working on this big case.

She dropped her stuff on the floor and was about to get changed when none other than Spider-Man himself popped up at her window. Instantly, she smiled. There was just something about seeing him and being with him that made every day good. He slipped inside and she immediately went to him. She just wanted to be in his arms. No, she needed to be in his arms. It was one of the only places she had left that felt safe, as dumb as it sounded.

He stopped her before she could throw herself at him, gripping her shoulders like a lifeline. "We need to talk."

*

OOF