Spider Girl: Origin Story (Cimorelli)

Trial and Error

"Y/N, watch it!" Dani scolds as you shoot out a web that nearly hits her face.

"Sorry." You look down at the wrists of your suit where the red bands are. They're supposed to make it easier to control your webs, but it almost feels harder. More unpredictable.

Aunt May lays a hand on your shoulder. "Getting used to a new suit is all trial and error, but pretty soon it'll all feel natural."

"Maybe you shouldn't wear the suit at the house?" Dani says. "I would just hate for you to accidentally spider-out around one of the girls. Especially Christina."

"You're right." You say and let your hands hang in lose fists at your side. "I don't think I can do this."

"Sure you can." Dani scratches at her chin for a few seconds then snaps her fingers. "Maybe you're not moving your wrist fast enough. It's throwing your aim off."

"Here. Let me try again." You turn to the can set on a table across the room. You're supposed to be trying to hit it with a web but you can't get close. You hold out your wrist, slightly turning it and sending a web toward the can. You immediately turn your wrist, and it somehow makes the web do a complete spin.

It circles back to wrap around you, going from your elbows to your knees. "What the-" you tug at the webbing, but all that does is make you fall to the floor.

"Dude." Dani runs over and helps you sit up. "If you could do that to someone else, it would be so cool."

You try to elbow your way out of the webbing but it's no use. "Just get me out of this."

Aunt May crouches down with a small knife and starts cutting at the web. Dani is tugging at it, but has to stop when her phone rings. She wipes her hands off on her jeans and pulls the phone out of her pocket.

"It's Chris." She presses the phone to her ear. "Hello?" You can hear the older girl saying something but you can't make out what it is. "Yes... um, yeah, she's right here." Dani glances at you. "Hold on." Dani holds the phone up to your ear so you can talk to Christina.

"Hey, Chris."

"Hey. Your Chemistry teacher just called to set up a meeting with me. Do you know what that's about?"

Your heart sinks as you remember all of the homework you've just forgotten about. "Um...not really? I honestly have no idea."

"Y/N." She lets out a sigh. "Is there anything you want to tell me before I go in there on Monday?"

"No, Chris."

"Fine. You and Dani only have an hour left before you're supposed to be home." And then she hangs up.

You let out a frustrated groan, pulling at the web. Something surges through you, and a rush of electricity disentagrates the entire web. Dani and Aunt May both stumble half a step back.

"Sorry." You say.

"That was so cool." Dani says.

Aunt May finds her feet, dusting her hands off. "I designed the suit to absorb any sort of back shock. That should come in handy when you're up against someone else."

You hadn't really realized you might have to fight someone one day. Dani helps you to your feet.

She gives you a small smile. "Let's head home. You can practice in the suit some more later."

"Okay."

You changed back into your regular clothes, stashing the suit in your backpack. Dani ends up leaving with some stuff of her own. Aunt May gave her two ear pieces that you could use to talk to each other, something she called web packs. Dani could throw them at someone and when they made contact it would trap the other person in a material similar to your webs. Apparently they had been Peter Parkers idea that Aunt May could use if she ever needed to protect herself.

Your best friend might be more excited about your new identity than you are, and she's determined to keep calling herself your side kick.

*

By the time Monday comes around, you've completely forgotten about Christina having a meeting with your teacher. It's pretty late, and you're in your room with Dani, talking about going back to Aunt May's, when you hear someone coming up the stairs.

You're both quiet as Christina knocks on the door, but she doesn't open it. "Y/N. I need to talk to you. Come downstairs." You hear her retreating footsteps before you can answer.

Dani gives you a nervous look as you climb out of bed. You just shrug and step through the door. You find Christina at the kitchen table and sit across from her. She doesn't really look mad, so it's hard to tell what she's going to say.

"I had that meeting with your teacher." She says.

"Oh." You chew on your lip as you remember what she said on the phone the other day. "And how was that?"

Her eyes narrow at you. "I think you know exactly how it was, considering you've just been neglecting all your work all week. Why in the world would you do that? I make you sit here after school every day to do your homework. Have you just not been doing it?"

You look down at your hands that are resting on the table. "I have been. I just haven't been... finishing it."

"You have literally no excuse to be doing that. You had detention all week. You've could have finished all of your work there. What exactly have you been choosing to do instead?"

You shrug, still not able to look up at her. "Nothing. It's not a big deal, Chris. I can make up everything."

"That's not the point, Y/N." She crosses her arms over her chest, leaning back in the chair. "I want you to give me your sketchbook before you leave for school tomorrow."

Your eyes snap up to meet her glare. "What? Why?"

"I'm not stupid. I know you've been drawing instead of doing any actual work. You're going to start giving it to me before you go to school. I'll give it back after dinner when I know you've done your homework."

"That's not fair!" You say. "You can't just take my stuff!"

"Yes, I can. I'm the adult here, Y/N, not you. You can't just stop doing your school work and think I'm going to let that slide."

"But-"

She holds her hand up. "This isn't a discussion. I'm just telling you what's happening."

You grit your teeth, mumble out "fine," and storm up to your room. You pull your spider suit out of your back pack and disappear into your closet to change. When you step out, Dani is sitting on the foot of her bed.

"What are you doing?" She asks.

You look down at the mask in your hand. "I just... I need to get out for a few minutes."

Dani nods. "Okay. I'll try to cover for you if Chris comes in here. But take this." She grabs the spidey ear piece out of her bag and hands it to you. "That way you can call if you need to."

"Thanks, Dan." You put the ear piece in and pull on your mask.

You sit on the window sill for a few seconds, pulling your hood over your head. You take a deep breath and jump straight onto the roof across from you.

*

The longer you run, the more natural it feels to be jumping around in the suit. You glide over the buildings with ease. That combined with how in shape you've gotten makes you feel so alive. You can feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins. You still don't feel like you can try out the webs though. You really don't want to risk getting yourself stuck again.

After about ten minutes, you decide to head back to the house, but you're stopped by a voice.

"Just leave me alone."

It sounds like Lauren. And it sounds like she's in trouble.