September 22nd, 2017
Observation 9
Peter Parker is a really good kisser.

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Nellie could see a clear image forming through her thick lashes. She was regaining consciousness, remembering where she was and what had just happened. As everything came back to her, she sat up quickly, her head rushing.

"Thank God," Peter let out a sigh of relief.

He was now wearing a gray sweatshirt and black sweatpants. His hair was messy and he peered down at Nellie intently, as if awaiting her next move.

"Please, don't pass out again." He pleaded, taking a seat at the foot of his bed.

She shook her head, her thoughts overwhelming her. Was this really happening? She looked around; the red suit was no longer on the ground, nor anywhere around the small bedroom. Her eyes found Peter's once more.

"Tell me the truth, Peter Parker. No more secrets," Nellie felt foggy, as if she had just had some sort of weird out-of-body experience.

She leaned back against the headboard of his bed, feeling as if it still wasn't enough distance between the two of them for her to breathe.

Peter gulped, "I'm Spider-Man."

I gathered that, she thought to herself.

"How? When? Wha-what? Does May know? Does Ned know? Who all kno--"

Peter scooted closer to her on the bed, "Keep your voice down, please. May's in the living room."

"No, no," Nellie argued, "She was out looking for you everywhere."

"I know," he nodded, resting his elbows against his thighs. He buried his face in his hands, "I told her I had a late-tryout for the football team after school yesterday and that I got pummeled. I said the bruise didn't darken until this morning, and I didn't tell her about the try-out because I was embarrassed that I got my butt kicked. I also told her that I left school this morning because the guys were giving me a hard time about it and I just wanted to be alone."

Wow, Nellie thought, he saved his skin on that one.

"You--" Reality slapped Nellie in the face, and she swore she almost felt a sting, "It was you on the news last night. You got hurt. . ." She was finally putting together all of the random puzzle pieces she had been picking up all along without realizing.

Peter removed his face from his palms, his hair even messier now if that was even possible. He peered over at Nellie, his features soft. She leaned closer, examining the bruise on his eye. The world felt smaller in that moment, and the bruise seemed minor.

"You could have been killed, Peter." Her voice cracked; she had many feelings rushing through her body. She felt a pang in her chest. She felt a tear form in her eye.

"I'm always careful. I'm careful to be safe and to not get caught. You forget, I've been doing this a while now." Though the corners of his lips turned up, she could see guilt in his eyes.

"Nothing makes sense anymore. I don't--I don't understand. I saw Spider-Man with my own eyes, in person, one day after school. How could I not know it was you?" She questioned, remembering how Peter had seemed to disappear after he met with the Principal.

He hadn't truly disappeared, though. He'd simply put on a mask and vanished in plain sight, right in front of her. She felt foolish.

"No one knows, except for Mr. Stark and you. Oh, and Happy, of course." Peter looked exhausted, and now, Nellie understood why.

He went to school five days a week and fought crime after school and on the weekends. He had this entire double life that Nellie knew nothing about, and it somewhat hurt her.

"I feel like I don't know the real you." She confessed, feeling small and lonely, despite Peter being arm's length away.

Peter leaned in closer, "You know me."

Brown eyes met, two completely different shades. Peter examined her closely. She felt as nervous as she did a few weeks ago, before they became closer.

"You can't tell anyone about me, Nell. Promise me you will keep my secret?" His breath smelled sweet like candy--skittles, Nellie guessed.

Nellie felt as if she were under a microscope, being picked apart. Her heart pounded within her ribcage. The butterflies in her stomach were flying free. Her mouth went dry.

"I promise," she managed to whisper, though she knew this secret of his would be one of the hardest she would ever have to keep.

Peter closed the space between them, his lips brushing against her's in a small moment--their moment. Sparks flew. Nellie's lips melted into his. She was putty in his arms. Her heart had probably cracked a rib by now. Her lungs screamed for oxygen. Peter's hands found the back of her neck and he held her gently, but close to him.

Her mind went blank. The thoughts that had been tormenting her had stepped out of the room for that one little moment. She wondered if Peter would ever let her go. Did she want to be let go?

He released his hold on her and pulled back, his chestnut eyes softened as he looked at her. She finally inhaled, oxygen filling her lungs like silk.

You will be the death of me, Peter Parker.

The sound of Peter's ringtone going off sent both of them into a panic, backing away from each other as if they were playing with fire and were about to get burned.

"Hello?" Peter held the phone to his ear, his eyes no longer looking into Nellie's.

This relieved her, yet she kept her gaze intently on the boy before her.

She zoned out, his voice sounding distant and unrecognizable. Her thoughts returned, banging on the door within her head to be let back in. She caved. Soon, she found herself filling with more and more questions and confusion. She was not angry at Peter for keeping this a secret, but she couldn't help but feel deceived. She didn't know how to feel. Who was in front of her? Was it Peter Parker or was it Spider-Man? Was there any difference between the two? She struggled to make any sense of it all.

Before she knew it, Peter had hung up the phone and was speaking to her. She felt as if she was in a bubble, but Peter was bursting it.

"Nell?" He repeated; Nellie wasn't sure how many times he'd said it.

"Yeah? Yes?" She internally tried to restrain herself. She needed her heart to stop beating so fast; she needed the room to stop closing in around her.

"That was Mr. Stark. He was really interested in your story," Peter smiled, and Nellie took notice of her lip gloss smudged on his lip. "He would like to meet you tomorrow. Said you're really powerful with your words."

Her mind still felt cluttered and foggy, "Really?"

This was what she wanted, right? To meet Tony Stark? No, she thought, what she had wanted was to sit down, face to face with Spider-Man, to uncover the man behind the mask.

Well, you got what you wanted, Nellie Jenkins. And you got it without the help of Tony Stark.