CHAPTER FIVE
━━━━━━ 🌻 ━━━━━━

       So it was happening, after all. On Thursday morning, Gwen and Mae awaited Peter's arrival at Mae's locker. They didn't wait for too long as Peter was almost as punctual as Mae ( and she was not very punctual ), and the girls believed that they were close enough to Peter to understand him. Hopefully, at least. When he finally came, eyebrows contorted at how the girls looked at him, Gwen invited Peter to come over for dinner the next day and he was about to decline, but Mae gave him a look ( a look that he didn't like to see and hopefully won't see again ).  "Gwen's home, seven o'clock. She'll write you her address." The honey haired girl informed the scrawny boy in front of her who mumbled in agreement, a bit too shy to meet either of their gazes.

    So now at six forty-five P.M., Gwen and Mae lazily laid on their beds in their shared room. Gwen was quickly jotting something down in her notebook while Mae boringly scrolled through her phone, her stomach on her bed. Her feet were tangled together over her back as one hand supported her cheek— incase she fell asleep out of boredom all of a sudden. The whole point of inviting Peter was to make him feel less lonely after his uncle's demise, but Mae wished he would come already or she was sure that her boredom will end her.

    The sound of knocking came suddenly, Mae turned around to the sound confusedly. She almost lost her breath but she lost her balance, slipping from the bed and slamming onto the floor. She glared upwards, her nose flaring at Peter who knelt on the other side of the window, cringing at her abrupt fall. Angrily, Mae stood up, huffing as she dusted her jeans and stomped towards the transparent window, opening it to let him in.

     Gwen from her bed watched the scene with crumpled eyebrows, the whole thing making her surprised. She folded her arms, a small smirk appeared on her face, a realisation about her friends in front dawning slyly over her. She cleared her throat, causing them both to look over at her. Peter covered his face with flowers of pink, yellow and white. Half of those were withered ( probably from all the climbing he did ), his eyes teased over Mae who Gwen could see tried to control a smile. Mae's cheeks glinted slightly pink, embarrassed about her blunt fall.

     "You could've used the door, you know." Gwen announced, her eyebrows raised at an awkward Peter. He widened his eyes like he only just realised something. "You doorman was intimidating." He said like it was the most casual thing.

    Gwen raises her eyebrows, "It's twenty stories." Peter shrugs his shoulders like it's nothing. "No, it was fine."

    Pulling her blue sleeves so that they covered half her palms, Gwen nudged her eyebrows towards the flower hanging from Peter's hands. "Who are those for?"

    Mae didn't notice the colourful petals posing in Peter's fist. Looking at them now, she raised her eyebrows questioningly, not only for its withered state, but also in curiosity of who it was for. "Uh," He started confusedly, using his other hand to pull some flowers. "Both of you." He revealed, stretching his arms in either direction as he presented both girls with the almost-dead flowers, a cheeky grin covering his lips. Mae chuckled as she took her share from him, a blush creeping into her cheeks. It wasn't strange since Mae had always, always been fascinated by flowers ( her father called her one too, saying she bloomed too much to just be human ). Mae impulsively inhaled it, expecting fresh aromas of flora bliss. All she got however was wet mud, looked like Peter wasn't good at maintaining fragile beings.

   "You could have taken care of them," She shows the flower to him, "Look how pitiful they look. I'm disappointed." 

   A knock sounds again, but thankfully it came from their bedroom door. Both girls turn to look at it anxiously, passing looks to each other. It wasn't like any of Gwen's parents would like a teenage boy sneaking into his daughter's room ( and also her friend who stayed there )after sunset. "Gwen?" It was George Stacy at the door, he opens it to let himself in before either of them could protest.

    He stares at the intruder in dismay, eyes sharp and his inky brows were contorted. Mae couldn't figure out whether the anger from his face came from his police instincts or his father ones. But as always, Gwen came to the poor boy's rescue. "Dad, this is Peter." Her dirty blonde hair swayed as she turned to face the lost boy who passed a short wave to her father. Gwen tried sounding as casual as she could about it because clearly, George was unhappy about his intrusion.

    "Peter." He called casually, but his voice sounded stiffer than usual. "Nice to meet you." He stretched his arms, his eyebrows bent in curiosity. Peter gleefully held the police captain's extended hand, although the elder was rather hesitant before giving it a firm shake. "Nice to meet you too." Gwen and Mae pass another look to each other, both sighed in relief. 
     "I hope you like branzino." George slightly chuckles, although it sounds intimidating to Mae. Peter shrugs his shoulders once more, "Who doesn't?" Sadly for him, Mae sees right through his lies.

   They head downstairs to the kitchen where dinner would be served. Gwen's mother was ten times more confused than her husband when she saw an unfamiliar face traveling down her stairs along with some of her family. She smiled confusedly before Peter introduced himself. She already knew that Peter would be arriving, although she obviously didn't expect him to climb into her daughter's window unlike normal people who would simply use the door. She didn't pry on it though, asking Peter and the rest to have a seat as she brings the branzino (a fancy name for just fish) to the table that was now ready to be served. 

    Peter awkwardly seats himself opposite to Gwen, next to Mae as Mrs. Stacy keeps her eyes on him ( as does George ) and he tries not to fidget too much. He picks up the knife when his plate is put in front of him and Mae watches in bemusement as he struggles to cut the fish, biting his lip.
  
   "You look like you're having trouble there." Gwen's mom notices, eyeing his plate with furrowed eyebrows. "Simon, why don't you go and help Gwen's friend?" The little blond boy snickers at his brother teasingly, and walks towards a perturbed Peter to help him with his dish.

    "Dad, did you catch the spider guy yet?" Philip, another one if Gwen's younger brother asks earnestly, catching everyone on the table off guard. Mae is intrigued once she realises who he's talking about and she shares a look with Gwen who widens her green eyes. Spider-Man, that's what he is called. She notices Peter uncomfortably shift in his position, watching George a bit too interestingly. The police officer dabs a napkin over his mouth before replying, "Not yet. But we will catch him soon. He's an amateur, assaulting people in the night, clumsy, leaves clues and very dangerous—"

     "—he assaults people?"

     Mae widens her eyes as does everyone else upon Peter's intervention. As though George and Peter didn't already start on a brighter note, the scrawny teenager next to her only made it worse. "I mean, I saw videos on the internet and I think most people would say he is . . . providing social service."

   "Most people are wrong if they think amateurs like him are providing service." Captain Stacy retorts, eyebrows furrowed in dismay. Mae clears her throat awkwardly, hoping to cut off the tension. "Mmm, great branzino, Mrs. Stacy."

    Her efforts turn into dust when Peter speaks out of turn again, his voice fuming. "I think he didn't know that you already had a plan before he's help-helping them."

   George Stacy scoffs irritably, narrowing his eyes at the teenage boy. "Though you seem to know a lot about this case I can't really tell whose side you are on." His irritation is undeniable, his eyebrows furrowed accusingly. Everyone else on the table had their eyebrows raised in various stages of shock. Peter takes a large bite of the fish, eyeing the captain, hurrying to gulp it down so that he can argue with him once more. Mae, seeing right through his mind, provides him a stingy pinch from underneath the table ( she used her very sharp nails as well ). Peter flinches, although only a second later he jolts back into action, not sparing a glance to her.

   "I saw the video and I think maybe if you do too you'll realise that he's trying to help too—"

    "That he's some kind of masked hero, is that what you're trying to say." The captain fumes, dropping his knife and fork with a clink sound.

    Peter lets go of his as well, fully dying into their heated argument. "No, no that's not what I'm saying. I don't think he's a hero— I'm not saying he's a hero."

    "What are you saying then?" George bluntly asked.

     "I'm saying that he's trying to help and it looks like he's trying to do something that maybe even the police can't—"

     "—something that the police can't?" George spits, interrupting the teenager again. "What do you think we all just sit around all day eating doughnuts with our thumbs planted firmly up our ass—"

   "Dad, I don't think that's what he meant." Gwen interferes just when it seemed like George's anger was on overdrive. Mrs. Stacy reaches out her hand and holds her husband's in hopes of calming him down. George Stacy ignored them both, eyes planted on Peter alone. 

    "Look, I wear a badge, okay? That guy wears a ridiculous mask like an outlaw. He's hunting down a bunch of criminals that look like him."

  "Let's get some air, Peter." Gwen calls out, interrupting her father again. Her face is crunched with annoyance, as though she has had enough and shifts her emerald eyes to an awkward Mae who awkwardly just sits there, having no idea what part she has to play in this royal mess. "Mae." She calls firmly and the honey haired girl stands up along with Peter who pushes his chair in annoyance. Mae's plate is half empty with the face of the fish staring disgustingly whereas Peter's look almost untouched.

    "Thank you for having me here and I'm sorry if I insulted you, that wasn't my intention." Peter says lastly, brown eyes on the captain although the latter doesn't meet his gaze. "You're welcome." He bluntly says, and Mae knows he doesn't really mean that.

   They both quickly follow Gwen upstairs to the terrace and Mae plants her hands on Peter's back all the way up, just in case he decides to suddenly reignite the flame. Once they're out in the open, New York lights gazing upon them. Gwen spins around to face Peter, eyebrows raised questioningly. "What-what was that?"

   "I'm sorry, I thought he was going to arrest me at one point." Peter admits playfully, avoiding either of the girls' gaze. Gwen grins lightly at him sarcasm whereas Mae raises her eyebrows. "He really should have." Mae says, her arms folded. Peter gives her a dismissive look, rolling his brown eyes before ruffling Mae's already messy hair. The girl swats his hand away like he's a fly, frowning at him playfully whilst narrowing her eyes. This only causes Peter to chuckle more.

  Mae's phone starts to ring untimely. Furrowing her eyebrows, she fetches the little device from her pocket, her eyes widening in surprise at the caller ID. Peter and Gwen look at her and Mae asks them to excuse her politely, and takes away her phone further away from the due. She slides the green button, "Sarah?"

   "Mae!" Her sister's voice is rusty as though she had been running. Mae furrows her eye brows confusedly. "Mae, are you okay?"

   "Yeah, I am. Are you?" Mae worriedly asks back, biting her lower lip.

     "Where are you? Are you at Gwen's?" Sarah avoids the question, this causes Mae to worry even more. "I am, Sarah but why are you asking me all this?"

    Mae hears Sarah sigh from the other side. "Good, stay there. And don't go near the bridge, you hear me?" 

    The honey  haired girl confusedly nods her head in agreement, before verbally saying so. The call ends after and Mae is left with an ominous feeling in her heart, a warning about something terrible that's about to happen.

   Her breath hitching, Mae tries to stay calm, even though she doesn't know what's wrong.

a/n:
just so you know, gwen and peter don't kiss here, obviously. this is a book about mae & pete not peter & Gwen :)

also, what do you think is gonna happen 👁👁 let me know your thoughts!!!