Pointe Shoes and Spider Webs

36. Tests

The harsh school bell indicates it's lunch time and Peter rushes out the class room to the entrance of the school. He holds onto the straps of his bag as he almost dances around the hungry teens that are filling up the hallways. Daphne's tests start in about twenty minutes and he really wants to wish her good luck.
"Yo, Parker, what's the rush?" Peter swiftly evades Flash and turns the corner to the school's entrance. A smile spreads on his face when he spots her. She has her hair in a messy bun and she's clutching her backpack against her chest. She must be nervous. His smile turns into a grin ever so slightly when he sees she's wearing his hoodie again.

"Daph!" She looks up at him and her eyes light up. She drops her bag and rushes to him. They come together in a tight hug. He squeezes her softly and she chuckles.
"Hey, Pete," she mumbles in his chest.
"Hope you slept well?" He pushes away from her slowly to look her in the eye.
"I did!" She takes a step backwards and spins, showing off his hoodie. "Had you with me all night." She smiles wide.
"And you're still wearing it?" Peter laughs. "Gross!"
"Oh, shush, you." She weakly punches him in the chest and looks at her feet, laughing along with him. She then bites her lip and grabs the bottom hem of the hoodie, raising her elbows to take it off.
"No, no, it's fine! You can hold onto it." He takes her hands off the hoodie and holds on to them, rubbing slow circles on her palms with his thumbs. "It's good luck, right?" Daphne scoffs.
"M'gonna need that." She takes a deep breath, realizing she has about fifteen minutes left before her first test.

Daphne looks down again and Peter bends his knees, tilting his body and cocking his head to find her gaze.
"You got this, dove." He smiles reassuringly at her as he straightens his back again. Their eyes remain locked. She nods slowly.
"I got this."
"Hey, Penis, who's this pretty bird?" Peter rolls his eyes and turns around.
"Not now, Flash."
"Pretty bird?" Daphne steps aside so she can look at Flash as well. He's exactly what she thought he looked like, based on what Peter's told her about him. Ass hat. "Are you for real?"
"I'll call you anything you want, sweet pea." Daphne shudders. "Is little Penis Parker bothering you?" She cocks an eyebrow.
"Fuck off."
"Ooh, feisty!" Daphne clenches her jaw as Flash steps towards them and Peter moves to stand between them.

Who does Flash think he is? What's up with all these stereotypical douchebag lines? Does he even know what he's saying?
"What's your name?"
"I don't think you've earned that yet."
"Leave her alone, Flash, she doesn't have time for you right now." Daphne places her hand on Peter's back, trying to calm him down.
"Wait, so she's your girlfriend?" Flash scoffs. Daphne can feel Peter's entire body tense up. "As if."
"Hey, Flash!" Flash turns to MJ, who saunters towards them. "You left your burner on. You better go turn it off before you set the school on fire."
"What?!" Flash jumps. "Why didn't you turn it off for me?"
"Oh, I dunno, probably cause I'm not your butler." MJ crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "Now scram." Flash runs back to the classroom and MJ smirks.

"Thanks." Daphne moves to stand next to Peter and smiles at MJ. Peter visibly relaxes when Flash is out of sight. "What a dick."
"Yup." MJ leans back on her heels and puts her hands in her pockets. "I did turn his burner off, by the way." She raises her eyebrows and presses her lips on top of each other in a funny looking grin.
"I figured," Peter laughs.
"So," MJ says as she turns to Daphne. "Peter's been anxious all day and now you're here again. Got anything to tell me?" Daphne laughs sheepishly, trying to ignore that MJ's probably referring to her and Peter's relationship. Her brain buffers for a second and her laugh comes to halt. What kind of relationship do they have anyways? What is going on between them? She collects herself and cocks her head.

"I've got my application tests in, like, five minutes."
"Wait, already?" MJ frowns. "Don't you get three weeks to study like we all did?"
"Ha!" Daphne scoffs. "I wish. I guess we're gonna have to see if I can get in. Cause, y'know..." Daphne shrugs while pointing at herself. "...art kid." Daphne raises one eyebrow and the corner of her mouth curls up. MJ nods once and snorts.
"Well, art kid..." MJ turns around and starts walking away. She puts one hand up as if to wave, but she doesn't actually move it. "...Break a leg!"

...

Peter walks Daphne to the classroom where she's going to take her tests. Her bag is hanging casually over her shoulder, now that he's with her. They're walking shoulder to shoulder, letting the backs of their hands graze past each other. Neither of them have the courage to actually hold hands. When they reach the right classroom, Peter turns to Daphne and nods at the hoodie, tugging at the shoulders and reminding her of its supposed good luck.

"You can do this, Daph." He gives her an encouraging smile. "I know you can." She plays with her fingers and takes a deep breath. She can't get a word out of her throat anymore. Her stomach is catching up with her, doing flips in her body. This is it. All or nothing. Peter squeezes her arms softly and lets go of her so she can open the door. She straightens her back and looks at Peter one more time with a faint smile on her face, before she steps into the classroom and closes the door behind her. It's time for the tests.