The Only One for Me...

The Girl With Purple Hair

I don't own Spider-Man!!!

Annalise English was originally a blonde. With hair as yellow and fine as corn. She had dyed it a pale purple this year. She attended Midtown High School. And she was invisible to everybody there. She liked it that way.

As she was walking to science class she saw the school's resident nerd duo, Ned and Peter. They were nice enough, she'd seen them sitting with a loner girl, Michelle, at lunch and helping other kids with their homework. But they'd never talked to her. Not that she cared.

Ned was playing with a little Star Wars lego toy and Peter was smiling at his friend's goofiness. They started down the hallway before splitting to go to their separate classes. Peter had science with Annalise and Ned had English.

Annalise kept moving down the crowded hallway, dodging swinging backpacks and and people rushing to get to their next class. She narrowly missed Flash Thomson's elbow as he swung his bag over his shoulder right in front of her face. But she didn't say anything, it was an occupational hazard. Annalise was very short. Barely four foot ten. So backpacks and elbows were right on level with her eyes.

Finally, she made it to the science classroom without incident. She slumped down in her usual seat in the back corner of the room. Setting down her backpack next to her stool and pulling out her binders and notebooks.

"Good morning, class." The teacher greeted her students.

A few people muttered a "Good Morning." In response.

"Today I'll be partnering you up for your midterm project." The teacher continued then started reading names off a list.

Annalise tuned out the names until she heard her own "Annalise English and Peter Parker."

Annalise groaned internally. It wasn't that she didn't like Peter Parker, it was just that she hated group work. It meant she had to interact with others.

"Now," The teacher finished reading her list "Please partner up, get to know each other, you'll be working with each other for quite a while so get used to each other."

Annalise sighed as she heard the thump of Peter's backpack hitting the floor in front of her.

"Um...hi?" Peter smiled shyly "You're Annalise English, right?"

"That's me."

"Are you new here? I've never really seen you before." Peter asked, slightly nervously.

"No." Annalise resisted the urge to glare "I've been here since the first day."

"Oh...sorry." Peter blushed.

"Don't be. I'm invisible and I prefer it that way." Annalise shrugged slightly.

"But-"

"It's fine." Annalise snapped "Don't worry about it."

"Okay." Peter said quickly "Um...I like your hair."

Annalise brushed a violet strand out of her eyes "Thanks."

They were silent for a while.

"Should we get to work?" Peter asked "I mean, do you wanna choose a project?"

"I'm willing to do anything." Annalise shrugged again.

Peter ran a hand through his hair "Well, I've got a couple ideas."

"Let's hear 'em."'

"Well, I was thinking..." Peter started talking and Annalise stopped listening.

She occasionally nodded or said something like "That sounds good."

"So what do you think?" Peter asked, pulling Annalise out of her trance.

"They're all great ideas." Annalise sighed "But maybe we can try something more original?"

She pulled a piece of paper towards her and started sketching her idea. A miniature camera that also functions as a comm link.

She showed it to Peter who gasped "That's, like, super high-tech! How did you come up with this?"

"I was thinking about all the superheroes in New York." She said "So many of them see things we don't. If, for example, a villain pretends to be a good guy and only shows one face to the cameras but in reality he is plotting the destruction of the world and he gives his villain monologue only in front of the heroes then they can record it and show it to the public."

Peter stared at her "That's genius!"

Annalise flushed "It's not that great."

"Don't say that." Peter urged "This is amazing, just wait until Mr. Stark sees it!"

Annalise paled "Um...what?"

"Oh, yeah, I've got an internship at Stark Industries." Peter blushed a little.

"Cool." Annalise said flatly.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked "Was it something I said?"

"No." The bell rang and Annalise stood up "Look, I gotta get to class, I'll see you in math."

She walked out leaving Peter sitting there open mouthed and staring "We have math together?" He asked quietly.

***

Annalise got her math quiz back and smirked at the bright red A+ on the top of the page. She felt someone's eyes boring into her and looked around. Peter Parker. Of course it was him. Nobody else would notice her.

She knew she'd made him curious with her distaste for Stark Industries. Showing her emotions, her true emotions, was always a mistake. The bell rang and she packed up her bag. As she stood up she found Parker standing right in front of her.

"Um, hi." Peter said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Hi." Annalise replied.

"I was wondering if, you know, I can get your phone number? So we can be in touch for the project?" He hurried to explain.

"Sure." Annalise sighed "Here it is, you ready?"

Peter pulled out his phone and nodded.

"(123)456-7890"

"Thanks." Peter blushed "I'll send you a message so you can have my number."

"Sure." Annalise swung her bag over her shoulder and made to leave but Peter blocked her "Yes?"

"Can I ask...um, why don't you like Mr. Stark?" Peter blurted out.

"Who says I don't?" Annalise said defensively.

"You just..." Peter started "I guess I just...It seemed that way when I mentioned him."

"If you must know," Annalise pushed past Peter "I don't know enough about him to like him or dislike him. But I do know that he's a notorious playboy and ridiculously rich person who tends to abandon those he should care about."

She walked out the door and vanished into the throng of students, Peter tried to follow but she was already gone. What did she mean? Mr. Stark wasn't like that. He had given Peter his new Spiderman suit and was really cool.

Peter walked to his next class and sat down next to Ned.

"Hey, man," Ned said "What's wrong?" He noticed Peter's distracted expression.

"Nothing."

But it was something, or rather someone. A purple haired, green eyed girl.

Word count: 1087 words
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Love,
The Author