SKYFALL | PETER PARKER [ 1 ]

14: THE SPIRIT

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ELEANOR DID NOT KNOW how Peter had pulled off an excuse for missing the decathlon. She watched from afar how he discussed with Mr. Harrington, who just nodded in a understanding way.

The rest of the students were just silent, waiting for the yellow bus to arrive to finally head home. After a few minutes, Peter came back towards Eleanor, who hovered behind all of her friends, also in silence. So many feelings had struck her heart: Peter, the familiar feeling of tiny bits of glass on her hair and knees, her desperation for not knowing how to use her powers for good, and so on.

"Hey." He said, stopping her train of thought. "He believed me. Told him it was some bad stomachache. Thanks to the accident, he didn't mind."

Eleanor just looked at him with soft eyes, that started to water slowly.

Peter raised a brow. "You okay, El?"

In response, the girl just placed a finger on her lip, indicating him to be quiet, and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck. For a few seconds, he didn't know how to respond, but she then felt his hands around her waist.

"I'm just.. glad you're okay." She said softly. He then felt Peter hug her even tighter, and before the tears could escape from her eyes, she broke the embrace, punching him slightly on the shoulder.

"Ow! What's that for?" He asked, his hand instantly going to the hurting area.

"That's for making me worried sick about you." Eleanor playfully replied, making him laugh.

"I'm sorry, I just have so much to tell you. Want to be seat buddies?"

It was the girl's time to laugh. She nodded, feeling warmth all around her body.

Fifteen minutes after, the bus finally arrived, and everyone climbed up, and sat on their respective seats. Eleanor chose the seat on the back of the bus, so no one could hear what Peter and her would be talking about. At the middle of the hallway, she saw Peter talking to Liz, happily. He nodded as she sat on a shared seat closest to the window. Peter smiled, and approached Eleanor, as she moved her backpack to make space for Peter.

"Hey, uh." Peter started, scratching the back of his head. "Liz invited me to sit with her, so-"

"Oh." Eleanor said, looking down at her fingers.

"A-are you okay with it?" Peter asked, and Eleanor didn't look up. "I promise I'll make it up to you when we get back."

The girl kept playing with her fingers, then she took a long breath, and smiled at Peter. "I'm okay. Go on."

"Great! Thanks, El. You're an awesome best friend." He responded, and walked down the bus's hallway, sitting next to Liz.

Eleanor watched from afar in silence, until she felt two people sit on her left, and then on her right.