Hang In There// P.P.

Chapter 19: Liz.

Peter, May and I were sitting at a small table at Prachya Thai and eating dinner. May tried to make Peter talk, but he looked distracted.

"What's the matter? Thought you loved larb. It's too larby? Not larby enough. How many times do I have to say 'larb' before you talk to me? You know I larb you."

" I'm just stressed. The internship, and I'm tired. A lot of work."

" The Stark internship. I have to tell you, not a fan of that Tony Stark. Distracted all the time... he's got you in your head.'

A news report on the television behind May caught Peter's attention.

"The beloved Queens' institution, Delmar's Sandwiches, was destroyed..."

"What does he have you two doing?" May asked.

" ...in an explosion..."

" You need to use your instincts."

She became quiet as she turned to listen to the news reporter.

"...earlier tonight after an ATM robbery was thwarted by Queens' own colourful local crime-stopper, the Spider-Man and his sidekick, Magus. As the Spider-Man attempted to foil their heist, a powerful blast was set off, slicing through the bodega across the street. Miraculously, no one was harmed."

" Sidekick?! Seriously?! "

Aunt May turned back to Peter with a serious expression.

" If you spot something like that happening, you turn and you run the other way, both of you. "

" Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course".

"Six blocks away from us." May continued.

"I... uh... I need a new bag."

May put a finger to her ear, disbelief clear on her face.

"What?"

" I need a new backpack."

" That's five."

" It was actually my fault this time, I took it off Pete and couldn't remember where I had left it. "

I piped in as a waiter brought a new dish to their table, his eyes glued on May.

" Sticky rice pudding."

"Oh, we didn't order that."

"It's on the house."

The waiter winked, then left.

"Oh! Thanks."

She turned to us.

"That's nice of him."

" I think he larbs you."

At Peter's joke, May pointed at herself with a exaggerated look of surprise.
_____________________________

The next morning, Peter was walking down the street with Ned and I, carrying a huge stack of thick books in his arms due to the loss of his bag.

" You got bit by a spider? Can it bite me? Well, it probably would've hurt, right? You know what? Whatever. Even if it did hurt, I'd let it bite me. Maybe. How much did it hurt?"

"The spider's dead, Ned."

Peter cut the conversation short, allowing no room for further discussion on the subject. Ned shrugged and looked ahead. His eyes went wide.

"Whoa."

We stopped short, examining Delmar's Sandwiches. It was almost burnt down, the store name almost illegible. Police tape and barricades surround the shop. Various police officers and crime scene investigators were working around it.