Hang In There// P.P.

Chapter 32: Trouble Is Back.

Fear. That is all I felt when I walked through the doors of Midtown High the Monday after Flash's party on Friday night. I had avoided Peter Parker the whole weekend, not wanting to deal with the embarrassment of what happened after the party. The reality sank in that I couldn't avoid him forever. I was getting my books from my locker as I listened to the music blaring from my earphones. For the first time in a long while I was alone walking down the hallway, MJ had a bug that was roaming the school. I was completely in my own world as I closed my locker. I leapt in my place as my locker door was replaced with the face of Peter Parker. I almost dropped the books I held as I placed a hand over my heart.

"Jesus, Peter. Don't do that to me!"

He chuckled at my response before his smile faded into a frown.

"Pete, what's up?"

Stupid question Sof, well done. I sighed, letting him know I knew exactly what was wrong.

"Look, Sof, if you want to forget that it ever happened I'll respect that and nothing will be said about it-"

"Why would I want to forget it?"

Now he held the confused look.

"'Cause you were drunk and it was a regrettable mistake that you want no one to know about? I mean I wouldn't blame you-"

He let out a sad chuckle.

"-Who wouldn't be ashamed of kissing Peter Parker."

Although he was laughing this off it was clear that it hurt him to think that that was the 'truth'.

"I may have been drunk but I knew what I was doing......"

It was hard to tell whether it was a look of further confusion or shock that took over the Parker boy's face.

"Wait, so-"

I placed a hand on his shoulder, cutting him off.

"Drunken mind, sober heart."

It was one of those saved by the bell moments. I left Peter in confusion as I turned around and walked to my first class, unable to keep the smile off my face.

______________________________________

I had a free period and decided to go get lunch early. I was working on a biology assignment when the bell rang and students flooded into the canteen, Ned suddenly appearing in front of me. He sat down swiftly and slammed his hands on the table, leaning forward.

"What have you done to Peter Parker?!"

I shook my head slightly as I processed the information.

"Ned, what are you on about?"

Ned scanned to canteen before turning back to me, leaning in closer.

"He's been distracted all day, daydreaming. He has the attention span of a pebble! He even got an equation wrong in physics! Since when does Peter get equations wrong in physics?!"

"Ned, why do you think it has anything to do with me? Peter has had plenty of days where he has the concentration level of a goldfish."

"But you see, that's where I dug a little deeper. It didn't make any sense. Even after Uncle Ben's death Peter's ability to answer correctly didn't decline, so, that meant that it had to be something either pretty depressing or pretty shocking. Of course I figured out that it was the later option, leading everything back down to you."

He pointed at me as I went to speak but he cut me off.

"Hear me out. This is the interesting bit. Peter isn't one to get all nervous like a terrified puppy, especially when it came to you but, today, today was very different. Stuttering, fidgeting, the whole lot whenever I mentioned you, which is how I concluded that the source behind his abnormal behaviour is, in fact, .........you-"

He paused.

"-So I think anyways, I don't know what else could have caused it."

I stared at the boy in shock, not really knowing what to say, or think.

"That's, eh, some........theory you have there, Ned."

Before he could answer a frantic Peter came up beside him. Now I could finally see what Ned was talking about, the constant fidgeting, the tight grip on his bag strap, the uneasy look in his eyes, this wasn't Peter but yet there was something familiar about his behaviour.

"Pete, you alright?"

He nodded nervously at me before turning to Ned.

"Ned, problem. Lab. Now. Please. Thanks."

After finishing his coded message he left. I looked at Ned who gave me a knowing glare.

"Now you see what I'm talking about?"

"Yeah."

A thought then crossed my mind, realising why it was so familiar. I called Ned's name as he went to leave, he turned around to face me.

"We have seen Peter like this before......"

There was visible confusion on his face as he tried to catch what I was throwing.

"Remember.....?"

"No?"

"We had just started here and about three months in, Peter acted the same way he is today."

Ned's eyes widened as he looked at me, something clicking within his mind.

"Nah, you don't think it's-"

We never broke eye contact.

"Gwen Stacy is back."

__________________________________

Our accusations were confirmed as we watched the blonde head bop down the hallways of Midtown. Guess it was true; Gwen Stacy really was back. Myself and Ned shared a look as we stood either side of Peter, who looked like he was about to pass out.

"I can't believe she's back."

I don't think he had blinked in about five minutes, not being able to take his eyes off the bubbly blonde walking down the hallway. He was genuinely worried.

"Pete, she isn't gonna bother you again, okay?"

He shook his head in defeat as he kept his gaze on the girl.

"There's no stopping Gwen Stacy."

I moved to stand in front of the boy, me standing in between him and Gwen.

"I won't let her bother you again."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sof, I appreciate it, but this is the Gwen Stacy. There's no way she's gonna just listen to a girl like you."

I folded my arms and cocked out my right hip, raising my brow.

"A girl like me, huh?"

"Sof, that's not-"

"You underestimate how powerful Sophie Osborn really is."

I walked away from the two to head to the last period. Gwen Stacy was back and that meant nothing but trouble for the three of us.