𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑶𝑰𝑵𝑬 // 𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒓

16

Harry was insistent that we sit together at lunch, so I convinced him that if he wants to sit with me, he has to sit with my friends and I. I expected more of a fight over this, but Harry was rather quick to agree.

"Hey Petey," Harry smiles as him and I take a seat at Peter, Ned, and I's usual lunch table. It's Ned sitting beside Peter, across from Harry and I. I am sitting directly across from Peter. He smiles bashfully at me, and my cheeks instantly heat up. I'm not sure if it's because Harry is sitting beside me, or if it's something else entirely...

Harry whips out some bento box thing that I'm sure his chefs at home prepared for him.

Ned stares at the two of us uncomfortably.

"Um, Harry, have you met Ned? He's Pete and I's best friend," I inform Harry, and a smile instantly appears on Ned's face.

"Hi, Harry, nice to meet you," Ned says peppily. Harry shoots him a small smile in return.

"Hi," Harry responds shortly, before turning his attention to me.

"So, Leesha. Come over to my place after school?" Harry asks me, although I get the feeling it's more of an insistence than a question.

My eyes are on Peter, watching as his face falls at the thought of me spending the afternoon alone with Harry in his penthouse.

"I can't today, Harry," I tell him. "I, um, I'm going to my dad's apartment to keep working on cleaning out his things to donate," I say innocently. I feel bad for using my death father as a cop out to avoid going over to Harry's house, but it wasn't entirely a lie—I am really going to the apartment later, it'll just be much later in the night, and for a much different reason...

It was time for me to go on another heist... I just have to go back to the apartment to plan, since I have no specific target in mind yet.

"Oh, uh, alright. Maybe tomorrow?" Harry suggests.

"Uh, yeah, maybe," I shrug, my eyes still on Peter.

"So, uh, Pete, do you know who you're asking to Winter Formal yet?"  I ask, abruptly changing the subject. Peter clears his throat, caught off guard by me asking him this question.

"Uh- erm- I- I don't think I'm going to go to the winter formal," he stammers, his down at his fiddling hands.

"What?! Pete, why? You have to go! Ned, tell him he has to go!" I exclaim. Ned looks at me awkwardly, unknowing what to do.

"Last time I went to a school dance... it didn't really work out for me," Peter admits, and my mind flashes back to him going with Liz... and then bailing on Liz. "So I think I'm just gonna skip this one," he tells me.

"Peter..." I reach across the table, grabbing ahold of his hand comfortingly. "Look, what happened with Liz... sucked, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't ever go to another dance! How- how about you and Ned go stag together? I mean tons of people do that, right Harry?" I turn my gaze to Harry.

"Uh- yeah- yeah, lots of people go stag. It's cool," Harry tells Peter, although unconvincing.

"Please, Pete, I... I don't want to go if you're not there," I plea, looking at Peter with big, yearning eyes. It's true - I can't imagine going to this stupid Winter Formal without my best friend.

"Okay, yeah, I- I'll be there," Peter sighs, his hang tightening around mine. Smiles creep onto both of our faces. I don't even register that we're practically holding hands over the table until I turn to see Harry glaring.

I abruptly pull my hand away, causing Peter to furrow his eyebrows, but as soon as I widen my eyes at him then gesture with my head toward Harry, Peter relaxes as he lets out a sigh.

The four of us sit there in uncomfortable silence for a moment as we go back to eating our lunches. Thankfully, Ned breaks it with a seemingly random burst of change in topic.

"Anyone else think it's weird how the Black Cat kind of disappeared? I wonder what happened," Ned says, the mention of Black Cat nearly causing me to choke on my lunch.

"M-maybe Spider-Man finally caught her," Peter shrugs. A small smirk grows on my face, knowing damn well that Spider-Man, AKA Peter, didn't catch Black Cat, AKA me.

"I doubt that..." I mutter under my breath, hoping no one hears me, but I am proven incorrect as Peter furrows his eyebrows at me.

"I for one hope she resurfaces again soon... I mean in all that leather? That Cat is hot," Harry admits before he pops a grape into his mouth.

I raise my eyebrows at Peter, waiting for his response to Harry's remark about Black Cat. I smirk as Peter's cheeks begin to flush.