I take a deep breath and adjust my coat as I near the coffee shop. It's only a quarter to eight, but there's still the lingering worry that Peter won't show up on time—or you know, at all. So, I snuck out before my parents could pin me down and interrogate me over where I was going over breakfast.

Also, I might be the slightest bit nervous, or you know super nervous.

My fingers fiddle with my buttons as I slip inside, order a hot cocoa, and slide into an empty booth while I wait. It feels like my heart is going to hammer its way straight through my sternum, which is strange for me. I haven't felt like this in as long as I can remember.

I keep fiddling with the buttons on my coat. Should I have actually done something with my hair? Why did I think jeans would be okay? Will he even recognize me without all the makeup?

Those raging thoughts are hushed as Peter slides into the seat next to me. "Hey," He whispers with a beaming smile, "you came."

"Of course," I tell him and look down at my hands to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks, "I've actually been looking forward to it since you asked. It's not often that a cute boy comes to the show and stops by after to see me."

"Often?" He questions, seeming to get even more nervous.

"I just called you cute, and that's what you focus on?" I chuckle, and Peter quickly joins in. "And no, definitely not often. I'd say it's more like never, to be honest."

"Really?!" He questions, and I wipe my hands on my jeans and nod. "Sorry, it's just I—you're really pretty, and wow, I kind of wonder if I shouldn't have said that."

"I don't mind." The barista comes with my hot cocoa, and Peter quickly takes his order. "So—I'm not even sure where to start."

"Neither do I." He tells me with a chuckle. "Um—what's the circus like?"

"It's interesting, I guess? I haven't really known anything else." I take a sip of my cocoa and try to think of something to say. "My grandparents are actually the ones that started it as the family business. They kind of did the whole 'run away and join the circus' thing when they were my—well, our—age."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They learned the trade, had my mum, taught her how to perform trapeze, and eventually my gran taught me everything she knew." Peter watches me with a strange look on his face, and I bite my lip. "Sorry, I'm getting carried away. Tell me a bit about yourself?"

"There's not a whole lot of interesting stuff." He tells me with a meek smile, "Let me see, I've lived in Queens my whole life. My best friend Ned was the one that convinced me to go to the show, and I'm pretty sure he's going crazy with how much I've thanked him for dragging me along."

"I'm glad he did, Peter Parker from Queens." I whisper with a soft smile. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I can't stop the sigh that escapes me when I see a text from my mom questioning where I went. "I'm—I'm really sorry, but I'm being summoned."

"Can I walk you back?" He asks with a hopeful look in his eye.

"Yeah, I'd like that." We both grab our cups, button up our coats, and head out. Our hands brush each other's as we walk along, and in a burst of confidence, I grab hold of his. There's a spark that traces across my skin at the contact, and I can't help but notice how right it feels.

Just being near him feels natural. I keep stealing glances at him and catching his eye. "So, maybe we can do this again sometime?" He asks after a long moment of walking along in a comfortable silence.

"I'd like that very much." I tell him as the circus tents come into sight. Shouts echo from the tent as everyone sets up, and I can hear my mother's voice calling for me in between it all. I look to Peter with a devious grin and whisper, "Meet me outside the tent tonight after the show?"

"Yeah," he whispers with the same goofy grin on his face.

"Perfect, it's a date then." I give him a quick peck on the cheek before running off to meet my mum, who is waiting for me with her hand on her hip. "Sorry, I know I'm late, but I was hanging out with a friend."

"I can see that." She looks back to where Peter just was. "Who is he?"

I quickly rush away, "No time to talk, Mom. I've gotta get everything set up." There's a skip in my step for the rest of the afternoon, and I wait anxiously for the show to finish to spend more time with Peter.

...

It became our little routine—and our little secret. Each morning, I'd rush to meet him at the coffee shop, where we would either sit and talk or leave to go on a random adventure. In the afternoon, Peter would come early to the show to wish me luck and wait for me until it was over.

On day two, we went to the park in the morning, and I got to teach him a few things about what I do, which he caught onto really quickly. Then at the show that night he was in the front row cheering the whole time and took me to his favorite Thai place for dinner afterwards.

Day three, which was today, he finally got the courage to hold my hand, and now we're walking back together with our hands intertwined and smiles on our faces. Peter keeps giving me this odd look, but whenever I catch him staring, he just pretends like it's nothing. "Will you stop looking at me like that?"

"Only when you stop doing that cute thing where you scrunch your eyebrows and get that little smile." He tells me with a confident grin, and I cover my face to hide my embarrassment. "It's not like I'm lying."

"You're not helping." I laugh and smile at him. It fades though when I remember that this will all be gone soon. Peter offers me a puzzled look, clearly waiting for me to explain. "It's nothing. I just—I just remembered that I leave next week."

He lets out a heavy sigh, "I know."

"Is it just me, or does it feel like we've known each other a lot longer than just a few days?" I question as I rest my head on his shoulder. "I mean, I feel more comfortable about you than most people I've known my whole life."

"Yeah, me too." He whispers as his breath leaves puffs in the cold air. "May says it's the same thing that happened with her and my Uncle Ben. Time slowed down, and they just knew."

"I've always wondered if stories like that were true, and if they were, would I ever get something that beautiful and rare? Now, I know too."

"Know what?" Peter questions as we approach the grounds, and I can see the light of the trailer left on by my mom since she's probably waiting up with a cup of cocoa for us. "Because I know something too, and I'm curious to see if we know the same thing."

A small giggle escapes me as I turn to Peter. His face is illuminated by the yellow light of the trailer lamp, and I swear he looks even more handsome every moment. "Sometimes you're a peculiar one, Peter Parker."

"In a good way, I hope."

"When it comes to you, it almost always is." I tell him as a happy smile tugs at my lips. "To answer your question though, it's hard to explain. It's more of a feeling than a fact. Whenever I'm around you, it's like walking the wire with no net. It's exciting, but there's this strange sense of calm and surety. I don't need the net, because I know that it's second nature for me. It's the same way with you—it feels natural and right, like something I've always known."

"I wouldn't know about walking a tightrope, but yeah, I feel the same way." He tells me and nervously steps forward to shrink the distance between us. "I also know that I'm kind of in love with you."

"Really? 'Cause I'm kind of in love with you too." I whisper and admire the different shades of brown in his irises before his hand wraps around my waist and gently tugs me forward. Our faces are centimeters apart, and I gather all my courage to use in one burst as I press a kiss to his lips that he quickly returns.

"Y/N?" My mom calls from the open trailer door, and I turn to her with crimson cheeks. She seems totally oblivious to my embarrassment as she steps out of the trailer wrapped in her fluffy robe and bunny slippers to greet me and Peter. "Oh, hi, you must be Y/N's friend she's been spending so much time with."

"Yeah, it is. Mom, this is Peter." I speak up and pray she doesn't notice how shaky my voice is. Peter's hand finds mine, and I decide to just tell her the whole truth. "He's my boyfriend."

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. L/N." Peter extends his hand and shakes it, while my mom gives me an impressed look.

"Nice to meet you too, Peter." She looks between us and smiles even wider. "I'm sorry I've been keeping Y/N so busy this week; I didn't realize she was seeing someone."

"It's fine, Mom. We only recently started dating." I tell her, and she nods with that face she gets when she's thinking something.

"You know, why don't you take the day off tomorrow? I'll make sure everything is set up for you, and you two can enjoy more than a few hours together. Or if you'd like, you could bring Peter around to meet everyone and get a look behind the scenes?"

"Whatever you wanna do is fine with me." He grins, and I can't help but return it and hope my mother doesn't have any ulterior motives. "I'll let you decide."

Mom heads back inside with one last goodbye to Peter, and I stay back for a moment to talk to him and say goodnight. "I'll text you in the morning, and we can decide?" Peter hums with that distant look in his eye as he brushes a piece of hair from my face. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?" He questions with that same knowing smile. "Just admiring my girlfriend. Wow, I really like the sound of that."

"Me too." I say and give him a hug. "Goodnight, boyfriend."

"Night, Y/N." He whispers as I let go and starts to head home. I watch him go, with a beaming grin on my face that even the lecture I might get from my mom can't stop.

Yeah, I'm definitely in love with Peter Parker.