Chapter 9

Elena stepped back from Peter Parker.

"Y-you?" she asked, gripping the mask.

Water filled her eyes. She looked down at her feet, she felted his two gloved fingers lift her chin.

"Now you understand, I'm sorry it took this long for you to know, but I felt if I told you, there would be a slip-up and you would end up in trouble, and I can't save everyone, and if I ever found out that you got hurt while I was out there," he choked up, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Elena nodded, slowly wrapping her head around the earth changing knowledge.

"I fell in love with you," she mumbled, not realizing how well his hearing was.

"I love you too, that's why I didn't say anything," he said and she looked up.

She wrapped her arms around him. Elena held him tightly and buried her face in his neck.

"I wish you didn't ignore me so much, Peter, I missed you so much and you hurt me," she started to cry a bit.

"God, now you've made me cry," she laughed and looked up at him, he had a small, sad smile on his face.

She held his cheeks and kissed him.

He kissed back and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She pulled away and looked up at him.

"I can't believe it had to take a year and an unmasking of my idol for me to confess to you," she laughed and he laughed right along with her.

———

Elena had woken up the next day. She sighed and picked up her phone. She played alt-J and got up, dancing around as she got ready and sighed.

Peter was going to apologize to Liz for ditching her at the dance. He had gotten her dad, Adrian Toomes arrested. She sighed as she grabbed her keys, bag, wallet, phone, and headphones.

She walked out waving goodbye to her mother and went out to the elevator. Down at the first floor, where the mailboxes were, stood Peter. Her Peter.

She laced their fingers together and he smiled.

———

When they finally made it to the school, Elena kissed his cheek.

"Don't stutter, and don't act mysterious, shes so confused and lost right now so don't slip, okay? I'm confident in you," she smiled and he nodded, walking up to Liz who was hugging Lucy.

She looked to him and turned around as they spoke. Liz glanced over at Elena and Elena looked into her locker.

Elena focused on getting her bags changed. She looked over and saw Liz approaching her. Elena's heart started to race and was ready to fight if something went wrong.

Liz wrapped her arms around Elena .

"I should have never said yes to his homecoming proposal, and I'm sorry that I drove a wedge that I was unaware of, you two are so cute," Liz muttered in her ear as Elena hugged back.

"Uh, I'm sorry about your Dad, if you need help about Dads you have my number, I'll always pick up for you," she said and Liz nodded, pulling away and sniffling.

"Thank you, I have to go, good luck with that mess," she joked about Peter and walked off.

Elena frowned as she tilted her head. Peter walked over to her and hugged her.

"That went better than expected," Elena giggled and Peter kisses her cheek, leaving her to blush.

She looked up at Peter and smiled.

"Come on, Parker, we have classes to get to," Elena said, holding out her hand.

He took it and they walked off.

———

Lunch was awkward for Elena .

Well, for Ned.

As Peter and Ned sat at the table, waiting for Elena to show, all Peter could talk about was Elena .

Elena had bought her lunch and walked over with her tray, sitting across the table from him.

"Hello, Nerd and Nerdier," she smiled and Ned smiled brightly, Peter smiling wider when she sat down, "Y'all talking shit about me?"

"I could never," Peter bursted and Ned rolled his eyes.

"You're so cringey bro," he said and Peter held a hand to his chest, looking to him.

"Sometimes it's the ones that you love that hurt you the most," Elena narrated and Ned laughed.

Elena smiled and grabbed the hand across the table that wasn't over his chest.

"Cutie," she said softly, making Peters cheeks and the tips of his ears tinge red.

"I officially hate you two, I'm disgusted," Ned said.

"Oh hush you big baby," Elena said to him, making them both laugh.

They all ate their lunch, and it was peaceful.

Elena finished her food, looking up at the two boys in front of her. One, was her best friend. The other was her former best friend. But her new love.

"So May wants to takes us to get Thai tonight at eight are you free?" Peter asked Elena and she looked at her phone and shrugged.

"I intern on the weekends," she smiled and looked up at Peter.

"Great!" Peter chirped.

Elena smiled and looked down at her tray. She needed to eat before her hot lunch was downgraded.

She quickly ate and looked up at Ned.

"So how did Peter ask?" Ned asked her and she widened her eyes and looked to Peter who smiled.

"He knows," Peter simply spoke and Elena nodded.

"We kissed the night before when he was in his spidey suit, then the next night we were on the roof and he told me then asked me," she smiled and Ned nodded.

"Wait, so before you knew his identity to you kissed Spider-Man? What if he was thirty years old?" Ned asked.

"First of all, it wasn't, he's a fifteen year old dork-"

"Hey!"

"Second of all, of Spider-Man is fighting every day to keep justice in place, he wouldn't be running around at thirty, kissing fifteen year old girls cause that's illegal," Elena finished explaining.

Peter smiled and looked to Ned.

"The facts now," he said to Ned, causing Ned and Elena to raise an eyebrow.

"You wonder why I call you a dork," Elena smirked.

"I'm here for love and support from you and I have received NONE," Peter complained, making Elena giggle at him.

"You'll get some when we're with May tonight, babe," she joked.

"I'm glad I'm dating my best friend"