SKYFALL | PETER PARKER [ 1 ]

5: NEW ANGLES.

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THE TEENAGER WAS SPENDING her first night as a new, so-called, superhero, lying down on her bed, with conflicted emotions inside her. She had spent all of her academic life, working, studying, reading her brains out for an explosion to ruin her future. She pictured herself doing surgery, accidentally shocking the patient, killing him. Or checking the vitals of another patient and electrocuting her. Her hand went to the necklace hanging on her neck. She wished her father could be there with her. She knew he could figure a way out of this. Pictures and what-if's flashed through her mind when her bedroom door was opened slightly by her mother.

"Hey El, you okay?" The older woman asked, her head tilting to the side to take a better look at her daughter.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The teen replied, not moving an inch from her current position. She had been staring at the ceiling for far too long, her mind wrapping around possible future scenarios. "I thought you had a night shift today."

"No, not today." Her mother then sat down beside her, her hand caressing Eleanor's cheek. "You do know you can count on me, right?"

Eleanor stayed quiet, before sitting down, clutching both of her legs towards her torso, and placing her chin on her knees. She tried to find a way to explain to her mother her problem without it sounding too alarming. "Have you ever had a huge dream, before realizing you can't do it anymore? Physically speaking."

Her mother raised an eyebrow at her. "Weird question, but alright. And yeah, since I was a kid I wanted to be a basket ballplayer."

That comment surprised her daughter, who had gasped. "Really?"

"Yeah, but, when I was a teen, I injured my ankle on a game. I was not able to run and to play as I did before. Yeah, I was sad for a week or so, but I moved on. And you also got to move on. Look at another angle at life. Kick life's ass."

Eleanor smiled and hugged her mother. After a few seconds, someone knocked on her door. Her mother stood up and went towards the noise. The teen grabbed her phone, distracting herself from the chatter when she was called.

"Hey El, it's-" her mother stopped. "It's Peter!"

Eleanor locked her phone, confused, and strolled to the door, lazily. He saw Peter happily talking to her mother until his eyes diverted to her.

"H-Hey, El." He said, and the girl's mother moved towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Peter, what's up?" She replied, stepping towards Peter and closing the door behind her since she knew her mother would be eavesdropping.

"Uh, my aunt and I will be having dinner at a Japanese place not far from here, and since you like Asian food, I-I was wondering if you'd like to come."

Eleanor smiled. "That is very sweet of you, but I think I'll pass. I don't feel well today."

"Why? What's wrong? Are you okay?"