(song above dedicated to both Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson)

PETER:

"Nice hat!" May says when I walk into the kitchen.

"Thanks. It's spirit week at my school so I need to show my colors. Last time I didn't dress up for it they stole my shoes and hung them at the top of the flag pole."

"How—"

"I don't know..." I answer truthfully before grabbing my backpack.

"Hm. Hey where were you last night—?"

"Gotta go, love you!" I shut the door.

I knew she would ask about that. But I'm not talking about it—she won't stop teasing me if she knows. And same goes for everyone else.

As soon as I get out of the subway I spot Ned there looking at me expectantly and I sigh. He holds up his phone with a knowing stare, his face painted one half gold and the other navy blue to beat me in spirit. On the screen is the picture MJ posted with me kissing her on the cheek. "Uh hello? Explain," he demands.

I snicker but try to keep a smile from touching my lips... failing however as I walk past him. "Ned it's not a big deal..."

"Uh you went on a date with the woman you've loved since Pre-K. That's kind of a big deal. You used to tell me what your kids would look like--"

"Okay it was not a date and that was an accidental dream not a fantasy, I told you." I give him a look as we walk.

"A dream that made you smile like an idiot all day you big dork. And this," he shoves the picture in my face, "is a date. I mean come on. Did you even read the caption? She's quoting a song that a couple got married to on YouTube. Coincidence? I think not."

I snicker again and look away.

"You guys are practically engaged now. It's official."

"Wow."

"Yeah now will you stop stalling and spill?"

I scoff softly. "Okay, Ned, we're not engaged and it wasn't a date. I was just helping her make her ex jealous while she was helping me take photos around town for the Bugle. That's it."

He gasps and stops me. "She broke up with jag-weed-Jake?"

I stand in front of him with a smirk. "Maybe..."

"Dude you are so in."

"Okay just keep your mouth shut at school. I don't want this to be a topic for gossip."

He frowns.

I glance at his phone. "Well... more gossip."

"Fine. Let's just get our spirit on." We start walking again. "But we're talking about it later."

"Yeah, yeah..." I say as I put on my cap.

"Oh nice hat."

"Thanks!"

He frowns when we walk up the school steps. "I see a lack of spirit," he judges people as he passes them.

"Ah don't worry. I'm sure everyone else is dressed up."

"Uh, Peter... no one is dressed up," Ned tells me as we stand in the middle of the hallway with shocked faces of realization.

People are staring and laughing to their friends when they tell them.

"Hey, Penis Parker. Nice hat," Flash laughs and his buddies do the same when they pass us.

I flatten my lips in a done way. "Ned out of curiosity, who told you it was spirit week?"

"I got a flyer from... Oh..." He realizes.

I sigh in frustration and go to my locker as I take my hat off.

"I'm sorry. That flyer looked so official," he defends as I throw my hat into my locker. My shirt is fine I guess. It's just a short sleeved baseball shirt made of two halves; one side navy blue with white stripes and the other gold with black stripes. May made it for me last year for spirit week by recycling some old jerseys.

"Well don't feel sorry for me. You're the one who has a full face of paint," I tell him. "You should probably go to the bathroom and take that off."

"I used grease paint."

"Why?"

"I wanted it to last until the game tonight which I now realize isn't going to happen..."

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"Hey beaver. Nice face," Gwen says to Ned and he rolls his eyes. "Parker," she addresses me.

"Stacy," I return but with not nearly as much attitude as she used on me.

"You boys ready for the science fair?" she crosses her arms around her books.

"You bet," Ned spats before I can answer. "We will crush you."

"I doubt that. I've got something to blow the judges away this year."

"Well we have something even better it'll make you wish you were dead—"

"Take it down a notch," I tell him.

"Oh yeah like what?" she asks.

He opens his mouth but... ... ...

...

...

...

She frowns but then just walks away.

Ned looks defeated... "Sorry."

"Alright class it's been seven days since our last nonsense, let's keep it that way. Which means no more using pentaerythritol tetranitrate and RDX to make explosives," our chemistry teacher says with a disappointed tone, irritated that he has to repeat this.

"Okay but you have to beat her in the science fair," Ned tells me as we get ready for the exercise with our goggles on and ingredients before us.

"How old are you?" I frown at him.

"Seriously. Just look at her." He turns his head towards Gwen who's laughing with two of her friends who are all in the same group for the class exercise. "Just imagine the look on her face when you get handed the first place ribbon."

I pull my lips to the side. I mean it would be really awesome for that to happen but. "No this is so middle school. Besides I don't have anything and don't have time to make anything."

He groans in frustration. "Why do you always have to be the 'adult'?" he makes air quotes before he adds salicylic acid to the mixture of ingredients in the glass beaker.

"So I don't end up with a blue and yellow face and a girl I get excited about when she looks at me," I diss him before focusing on the project.

"That's cold," he returns.

"It's not supposed to be cold. It's supposed to be hot," I say to him in regards to the chemical reaction as I measure out some more—

"No that's not what I'm talking about."

"What?" I look up at him.

"I already put in the potassium carbonate."

"Did you?"

"Wait... No I didn't."

"...Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I didn't add it yet."

I pour in what I measured out and it starts fizzing more than it should...

Ned and I jump back when it explodes into a sticky white mixture that throws out appendages in all directions.

The teacher sighs...

Everyone is looking over now and Ned and I look like we just got hit with a bomb as we carefully stand up straight again and look at what we did with wide eyes.

"Uh... I guess I did add it..." Ned says nervously.

I glare at him.

Mr. Oldman erases the sign that says "7 days since our last nonsense" to say "0"

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"Nice one, Parker," Gwen tells us as she leaves with her friends. "At this rate you'll be lucky to get second place in the science fair..." she sasses before walking out.

I clench my jaw before rolling my eyes, looking back over at the disaster I made and that's when I notice something... one of the appendages that stretch from the beaker caught a notebook and pins it to the wall like a spider's web—...

Wait a minute...

I think on Ned's request to make something for the science fair...

When I look back over I see the kids in the class messing with the substance by pulling on the "string" to try and release the notebook but it doesn't budge... only stretches a little.

I walk over to grab the paper I had used for the assignment that has the list of all the chemicals we used on it and immediately leave.

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When school lets out I go straight to the supermarket and any other stores I need to go to in order to get all of the things I need before I head home and get to work. I jot down some things it could be used for before I start on the prototype.

I figure out which element can be used as the catalyst to turn the small substance into a heavy string and I realize how much this chemical mixture expands. I can use an amount as small as pen cap and it can make as much as a couple miles of liquid rope if expanded correctly.

I then get to work on a component that can hold and activate the substance. I take apart a BB gun and then an old cassette player (and anything else I need to get some plastic and metal parts from) and experiment with it after filling a small container with the stable chemicals.

Now for the hard part.

I use a small screwdriver to dry and find a way that the two mixtures can combine at the right time to form one solid strand, and when my hands slip the stuff ignites and shoots an appendage right to my face when I make an, "Agh!" and the tangled web catches my shirt and desk with extra small arms that extend out of the cartridge.

I try again and use a microscope to get it precise. I manage to get away for it to transfer right and when I hold the thing tightly I press the button to try and shoot my dart board and... Oh it just explodes everywhere.

I groan. Back to the drawing board.

Using the inside barrel of the gun and a spring, I manage to get the string to actually twist together like it's weaving yarn and try again, the rope firing like it was supposed to and sticking to the... lamp.

It knocks it back a little and my picture frame falls into the floor with a crash. Oops.

Aunt May walks in soon when I make more noise and asks what I'm doing.

"Uh... Science Fair stuff," I answer truthfully.

"Okay..." she says hesitantly. "Um..." she puts her hair behind her ear, "if you're going through something, you know you can tell me, right? I mean like, I'll always understand and try to help. What would I do, call the cops? I mean... well if you tell me you've been killing people then I probably would but..." She shrugs.

"Uh yeah... I'm fine. Thank you, May. I'll take out the trash in a minute," I tell her. I don't want her to worry. And what would I tell her? "Hey I got bit by a spider and now I have super powers"?

"Okay. Well I'm here..." she says before shutting the door. She's probably concerned because I haven't come out of my room since I got home from school. But I have to get this done before tomorrow.

Using a plastic cuff from an old Halloween costume, I attach the mechanism to it using screws and a heavy carpenter's glue. I also make a way for it to be shot out with the touch of a button at the palm. I attach it to my wrist and practice a couple shots, smiling when I realize how awesome this thing is. With a written report about how it could be used for emergencies, rock climbing, propelling, firefighting, sports, tons of different outdoor activities, and way more, I should have the first place ribbon no doubt!

I grab my flannel shirt and slip it on over the device so you can't see it and head out to go to Ned's. I'm gonna surprise him with it and he's gonna flip!

I walk down the street minding my own business as I make my way to his apartment building, taking the back way because it's faster. There are no cars on the road whatsoever... as if everyone in this area is asleep. I don't like that feeling. It's quiet out here.

But I keep my eyes on the thin puddles of water that reflect the street lights like a mirror, my shoes making little noise on the sidewalk as I travel.

That's when I stop and hear it... an aggressive man shoving someone against a brick wall a block ahead. My senses pick up everything. And when I approach I see him in the alleyway to my left as I peer around the corner. He's demanding money from the dude, not sure what history they have but the man begs to let him go. He needs what he has in his wallet.

My heart beats fast and I put my back against the wall to avoid being seen, panicking as I try to decide what to do. Okay I can't just intervene I'll be shot. I can't do that to May.

But I can't just walk away!

I shut my eyes tightly when I hear the quarrel get louder and more threatening to break out in either a beating or gunfire...

Oh what do I do?!

God tell me what to do!

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Just when I reopen my eyes I look to my right to notice a graffitied wall. I don't notice anything special at first but then I realize it's a mural of the Avengers painted on it... all of them looking bold; a trait I don't have.

I suddenly remember a time when I was small and Uncle Ben was reading me comics in my Superman pajamas. I told him how great it would be to be Superman. And he just laughed and said, "He didn't feel that way. Even with all that power he still managed to feel empty and burdened. It's a heavy thing to be a hero... and put your life at risk to help someone else... But that doesn't mean you should shy away from the opportunity. No matter where you are always remember: with great power, comes great responsibility."

Those words echo in my head as I stare at the faces of the heroes I look up to, each one a monument of sacrifice and selflessness; putting others first as you should.

It's not about May. I'm just afraid for myself. Plain and simple.

But with what I have now... am I supposed to put aside my fear for the greater good?

I look down at my wrist...

I have this...

As I think this over I hear the man pull out his gun and I look around the corner to watch him threaten the other guy with it.

Making my decision I pull my sleeve back to aim carefully, my eyes working like a sight on a gun before I press the button on my palm and the string shoots forward, grabbing onto the barrel and making them both look over at me.

Ah... crap.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

I yank on the cord and pull his gun from his grasp before he can do anything and watch it slide across the concrete.

I widen my eyes and look at him before he dives for it, cursing at me with confusion as I leap to cut him off, and grabbing his wrist before he can grab it again, dodging before he punches me straight in the face with his other hand, missing barely. My heart is beating rapidly as I seem to move faster than my brain can keep up with, blocking his kick and sliding the gun back further with my foot at the same time. He grabs me and slams me against the wall, it not hurting nearly as bad as I thought it was going to. But he grinds his teeth before sending his fist against my face.

But I have dodged it already and leap up to the wall at my back before my leg kicks him back hard and I leap into the air, flipping and landing behind him instead. My eyes are wide with shock when my feet land perfectly.

Whoa—What—What was that?!

I am so out of it that I almost don't block his next punch but I do, using my arm to knock his aside before I punch his jaw hard, my knuckles cracking when I don't do it right and I cringe but just before he kicks me I bend down right as his foot is alone and trip him with my leg, making him fall on his back against the concrete.

He cringes when the wind is knocked out of him and struggles to catch his breath as I stand there over him.

"Damn..." the guy behind me says.

I hesitate before the thug spits out blood and glances over to his gun on the ground.

Oh...

He looks at me once before looking back at it and then leaping to go grab it. I think fast and using my device at my wrist I send a string forward to grab a metal pipe on the ground, yanking it back to my hand just in time to swing it up from the ground and against the forehead of the attacker, knocking him back completely to his back on the damp ground...

I catch my breath as I look to the unconscious man on the ground, shocked at what just happened... and... what I just did!

I drop the pipe and it clinks against the ground. "Holy crap, did you see what I just did?! I just—!" I stop when I look at the man I saved with wide eyes that copy his... and then I clear my throat and... uh try to act cool. "I mean," I say with a deeper and less... high pitched voice, "never borrow what you can't pay back..." I correct.

He hesitates before nodding a little.

"You... should—you can go now..." I say as if giving him permission.

"Right... Thanks... but uh next time wear a mask spider-man. These guys hold grudges," he says before leaving.

I look down at my shirt that has a spider on it. Oh okay... But I also just used a spiderweb to disarm a hostile...

Oh man... what just happened?

I leave the criminal webbed up to the wall and his gun after I call the cops. He's still unconscious but the police are on their way so everything is secure.

But now it's late so I skip surprising Ned and head home before Aunt May worries. Everything that occurred is on my mind as I walk home. Did I just save someone from certain death? I doubt that quarrel would have had another outcome... so besides the initial shock I think I feel... good?

I've never saved someone's life before. And it's not something that sits lightly with me. Yeah maybe they were both bad people. Who knows? But that doesn't matter. A life is a life. And he gets another chance to not borrow money from people like that... maybe he'll take that chance? I don't know. But whatever happens I'm proud I did it.

Am I basically a superhero? Is this how they feel all the time? Or do they get used to this? I don't think I could ever get used to this...

As all of this goes through my mind I head up the steps that lead to the lobby but I stop when I hear a faint sound. It's a sniffle and frown, it sounding feminine. So I peer around the corner and see MJ sitting against the side of her apartment building with her back against the chain link fence, the only dry spot on the wet concrete. She looks upset and is wiping under her eyes.

I furrow my brows and walk over with concern in my voice when I ask, "Hey... you okay?"

"Oh..." she sniffs again, a bit startled and seeming embarrassed to be crying. "Yeah... sorry I... it's nothing..." she lies.

I sigh. "Alright where is the guy I need to beat up?" I smile and put my hands on my hips, speaking like I'm seven foot and weigh four thousand pounds.

She lets out a small laugh and rubs the tip of her nose. "Uh..." she seems hesitant.

I sit down beside her all comfy as if ready to be there for days.

"It's... just my dad... again..." she admits, not looking at me...

"Oh..." is all I say in a sad way. I have heard them yelling at each other before, mostly he yells at her and she usually ends up crying in her room. I don't eavesdrop but I overhear when MJ keeps her window open which she usually does...

"Yeah my parents are divorced so now my dad has no one else to take his anger out on. I don't take it personally..." she looks down.

"Gee MJ... I'm really sorry," I tell her. "Not like that really does anything to help." I sigh.

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"No it does. I mean... It's just nice to have someone on my side. I know I seem like I am popular but..." she shakes her head. "Not really. The friends I have are never there for me when I need to do something as simple as rant."

"That's ridiculous. Who doesn't have time to listen to someone blow off steam?"

"I know! It's stupid."

"Very stupid."

She nods, letting out a small laugh before she looks ahead again.

"...So let's hear it."

"What?" Her brows pull together but she still smiles.

"Everything you need to rant about." I get comfortable, ready to listen. "Shoot."

She looks at me with surprise as if no one else has given her that attention. I at least have Ned when I need to rant but I guess she doesn't have a friend that close to her. But maybe I can be the person she relies on. I want to be. "You're gonna regret you said that."

"Try me," I challenge.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

We end up talking for a good hour and a half—well she talks and I listen and comment every now and then. And I'm happy to do it. I know what it feels like to hold back and then just let it all out. It's nice when someone listens and even better, agrees and is frustrated with you.

But when it gets to the point where we are each talking as much as the other the conversation turns into completely random stuff.

"I don't even like eating bagel chips but she forced me to just so that she wouldn't look bad!" she says angrily.

"Why do people care so much about what others think?"

"Honestly ever since I turned fifteen I was like 'screw this' and told myself that I didn't care anymore 'cause it's just stupid. When people get a new haircut they worry if they're going to be outcasts. I mean the first thing they do is post it online and ask what everyone thinks just to get affirmation that it looks good."

"Do girls do that?"

"Oh you have no idea. Girls do the craziest things for attention. It's ridiculous. Sometimes I look at some of other girls' Instagrams and it's just full of selfies. Like normal ones. Not ones they take in cool places, just ones in front of their mirror pulling their shirts down!"

"Guys do it too. You know those exercise videos and photos at the gym so full of pride... Not like me. I'm pretty awesome at being humble."

"I see what you did there," she says with an amused look.

I laugh and she copies me. "To be honest I don't get on Instagram that often. I think I'm only following meme pages."

"A.K.A., the only good part of social media," she agrees.

"Exactly. Memes and vines."

"Yes!" she laughs. "Things that people don't appreciate enough."

"Yeah like being able to like your own status. I always do that," I joke.

She starts giggling harder than I expected her to and I laugh because of it.

"What?" I ask.

"You're such a loser," she says through hard laughter.

I laugh for a minute but when that's over I say, "Rude. I expect you to apologize for that."

"Aww... I'm sorry," she says in an overly sincere way.

"That was so sarcastic it wasn't even funny."

She has already started laughing again and I copy her.

After that dies down she realizes something then looks at me. "Where were you coming back from?"

"Nowhere..." I say way too fast.

She frowns and gives me a look.

"Uh—I mean I was just getting some... ... ...eggs."

"Where are they?"

"What?"

"Where are the eggs?"

"What eggs?"

She laughs and face-palms. "Nevermind."

I'm not sure why I don't want to tell her... Maybe because she wouldn't believe me if I did. I mean... I wouldn't believe me.

"Well I'm sorry to keep you out here for so long—I was just being stupid."

"No you're dealing with something and helping you is more important than anything in my life. I don't care if I get less sleep because of it. I'd stay up all night if it meant you felt better," I explain with a shrug.

"Really? Why?" she asks curiously with her brows pulled together as if that's just ridiculous.

"Because I," I begin as if I have a really valid reason but then... I kind of clam up. "I-I think helping people is important..." I mutter as I play with a string at the end of my jeans idly, not looking at her.

"Is that really the reason?" she lifts a brow, smiling because she knows me better.

"Well I-I-I mean... yeah I mean... helping other people it... replenishes the... soul... and stuff... and you're my friend so I want to—well not to use that word as a label 'cause labels can change—that is..." I look away, my cheeks bright red as I stop stammering and just accept the awkward situation I created.

She giggles a little and bites her lip as she watches me, as if she couldn't keep the smile off her face if she tried. "Don't worry, I get it," she plays it cool, instead of saying something to point out what I wasn't saying... She lays her head on my shoulder and my heart skips a beat when she does. "Still, I gotta pay you back now..."

"Y-You can come to my school's science fair. They always do it up real big. I'm gonna make something totally awesome. It's gonna knock your socks off." I smirk.

"Why do you want my socks off?"

I stop as if my brain has to catch up to what she just asked but then I crack up and so does she, only making her lean on me more to try and stop.

"I'm sorry," she is saying through laugher. "I'm sorry—Okay, when is it?"

My laugher dies down a bit too. "Tomorrow after school. Midtown in Forest Hills."

She looks up at me, her lips still forming a smile. "Alright. Count me in."

I look back into her eyes and smile, excited now... for a lot of reasons.

She notices the time then frowns suddenly, "Shoot. I should get to bed for my own school." She stands up and I do the same. "Um... I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again," she smiles genuinely, something I haven't really seen her do until these last couple days.

"Yeah of course. And message me anytime you're feeling down I can text you or meet you somewhere—anything you want," I offer sincerely.

She smiles again wider and licks her lips before she nears me and places them against my cheek for a lingering and sweet kiss, her hand taking mine briefly before she backs away to look at me again, her cheeks rosy in the dim light. "Thanks Peter," she starts backing up to walk to her apartment. "But you're gonna regret you said that."

"Try me," I reply, quoting myself from earlier with a smirk before giving her a wink.

She giggles a little and shyly walks back to her place.

Holy cheese when did I get so smooth?

And she's coming to the fair tomorrow this is gonna be...

...horrible!

I shut my door to my room.

What was I thinking? She can't come to the fair. Not after this. I-I can't bring this thing there if I just used it to basically get myself on an ogre sized thug's hitlist. I mean what was I thinking?

Okay calm down, Peter. Maybe there's something else you can do for the fair that just as good. Yeah I'm sure there's something else I can bring that will knock her socks off...