You ever wondered what it would be like to be an incredibly strong person? A person with abilities unlike any other? Something that many kids and few adults have dreamed of? Well, that's what I thought.......Till I first got bit.....When that spider hit my neck.......Everything changed but lbefore that.....Before the name.....I was just another guy on the street.........A guy named Lee Emmerich.....At this point in my life, I was just coming out of college...Well, to be honest, I had been out of college for two years now and was now working a local job for the daily newspaper. "The Daily Lifeline" is what it was called, I know maybe not the best name but, people were into it, well mainly old people and some new folks who mainly just pick up the paper to look at it for five seconds before putting it back down to do something else.
However, that's not what I'm here to talk about, I'm here to talk about what got me here.....What got me the suit and the look.......What gave me the name..........

SPIDER-MAN: TO NEW HEIGHTS

When looking back at what was happening before I got bit....Well it sort of started.......Like usual....

"You want a large Mocha Frappuccino?"

"Ummm....No I have moved away from that...Could I just have a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino please.....?"

"What size?"

"Large please......"

"Anything else.....?"

"Uhhh....."

I took a look at the display case they had on the left which showed some of their breakfast options.....Mainly some bagels and croissants...Though I would kill to have one of those Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Croissants.

"Could I have a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant?"

"Ok....Your total is 9.30....."

"Alright..."

I reached my right hand down to my pocket to take out my wallet. I opened it up to see how much money I had in it. I had a ten, a five, four ones, plus about sixty two cents. I took out the ten I have as I hand it to the cashier. She takes the money and opens up the register. I put my wallet away as the woman hands me my change.

"Your croissant will be out shortly....Uhh...What's your name?"

"My name is Lee...."

"Oookk....Your order will be out shortly!"

      My head just nods to her as I move to the left where a few other people were standing, seeming to be waiting on their order. While I waited, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, I take it out to see I got a notification from Barry, a friend of mine and my roommate in my apartment. He said,

"Where u at?"

"Getting my croissant."

"You never change eh Lee? Always with the cheesiest of food choices."

      A smile forms on my face before I text back to Barry,

"And you are still joking I see..."

"I always am....."

I roll my eyes as I look up hearing a name of a person I don't know and see a person I have never met get their drink. While the next person was waiting for their order. I just look back down at my phone.

"How much longer you got man?"

"I got enough time ok?"

Today was a nice day, much nicer than some of the past days we have had. So, me, Barry, and his sister Madison are going to head out to a local zoo, mainly because Madison was very interested in animals and also because she's a big kid at heart. And also because the Monkey exhibit is opening again and Maddie wants to be first in line to pet the monkeys.

"You know how impatient Maddie can be right?"

"Yes, but I think she can handle this one."

"I think I have a good idea how this will go."

"Sure you do."

I put away my phone as the next person got their order. Then I heard them call for me,

"Lee?"

      My body backs away from the wall and head over to take my bag and my drink. I say to the woman behind the counter,

"Thank you."

"You have a great day now."

"You too."

I turn around and leave the local coffee shop as I take a sip of my drink. I sigh a bit upon tasting saying,

"A little too much ice again."

      I use my front row of teeth to push the straw down more towards the bottom before taking another sip and smiling,

"Much better."

When I walk down a bit further, I felt my phone ring again. I couldn't reach for it, I had drink in one hand and a bag with my food in the other. But, assuming it was Barry texting me, he was probably going to say something like "Well, that's no excuse, I have been in the same situation." A chuckle escaped my lips just thinking about Barry and Maddie. Those two goofballs that they are. With Barry and his attempts at 'witty' humor. Or Maddie and how her and I will always reference at least one movie.
I'm glad that I ha-

"HEY WATCH YOUR STEP ASSHOLE!"

Oh yeah, I zoned out again. Almost walked across the street on a red light. My bad. I do that occasionally. Well, not actually occasionally, it has happened quite frequently over the past few days. I try to do better but if I can't then that's on me. However, enough about me, more on how much time I had left, I find a local bench on the right to sit on to lay down both my bag and my drink as I take my phone out of my pocket. I got a text but instead from Maddie, it read,

"Mmm....Wasting time you are...."

      Sometimes, Maddie was either subtle as a hot knife through butter, but other times she can be as subtle as a chainsaw. Just depends on how she is at the beginning of the day. Today? It seems like I'm getting more of the latter.

"No Maddie......I haven't started eating yet..."

Then Maddie sarcastically sends me a gif of Vader saying no. And then she sends a serious message,

"In all honesty, when do you think you'll get done?"

"Trust me....I'll get done on time......."

Maddie is admittedly, an impatient person, but, I get it. She just wants to be on time, not miss anything and move on. Parts of it I can understand, but there are a few annoying elements about it. Yet, I just can't see myself hating these two. And I think they both know that already. So, I decide to tell Maddie in a text,

"Alright, I'll come by the apartment and I can eat on the way."

"You don't have to do that."

"No no.....I know....."

"Thanks Lee."

"No problem."

I close the messages app before pulling up my playlists, I scroll through the songs until I see the one I want to play.

"Perfect."

I say to myself as I take out my earbuds out of my other pocket and put them in my ears. I turn up the volume enough to hear it but not enough to bleed them. I hit play as I hear the opening to My Name Is Jonas by Weezer while I pick up my drink and bag before heading in the direction of my apartment.

———

      Every time I come into work, it seems like I keep running into trouble.

"Sir.....We might have a bit of trouble...."

"Oh my god.......What happened????"

"There's somebody asking about their new line of prescriptions."

"What specifically are they asking about?"

"They said it isn't working......That they want their old prescriptions back."

Instead of talking to the customer, I just scratch the side of my head, very upset and angry at what was happening.

"Just tell them.......To hold on I'll be down there shortly."

The associate left my office while I just shrug and turn away from the door.

"Fuck me dead.....The second one we have had this week....."

I hear the door open behind me as I just say,

"Oh great, you gonna have more bad news for me today? That would be sooooo..."

My voice slowed down once I saw who it was.

"Leila......I um......"

"Bad news?"

I held out a finger but pulled it back and merely turned into a fist, I would have regretted what I was going to say to my niece.

"Nothing! It's nothing...........I've just been here in my office...."

"Really? Cause I thought I just saw a worker leave the office, talking about something with a customer?"

"This doesn't concern you......You're not an employee....."

"Gee thanks....."

"Look.......I don't want yo-........I th-....."

Leila isn't even making eye contact with me.....She's just looking at the floor. Rubbing her right arm with her left hand. Since her parents are no longer with us, I'm the only living and or stable family member she's got left.

"I'm sorry Leila.........I just think that y-."

Leila then cut me off by holding out her hand before leaving my office.

The only thing that can comes to my mind is,

"Fuck."