(Author's Note: I've decided not to delve into the events of Infinity War in this series just yet. Those who've seen will understand why, but I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't, and please don't post any spoilers in the comments. Also, this installment is going to be a two-parter. Decided to do a more serious topic with this one, so hope y'all enjoy!) 

******

I've realized that normalcy is perhaps the one thing people take for granted more than anything else. Every day, we walk into gas stations, restaurants, schools, holding to our blind faith in the 'norm'. I suppose I had come to expect the constant craziness outside of the classroom, but never would I have anticipated the events of that fateful morning.

I wasn't the type of kid who fell asleep in school, but as I sat in the back row of my U.S. History class that sun-filled morning, my eyelids drooped, and my mind was anywhere but the stuffy room where Mrs. Willows was droning on and on about the Battle of Dunkirk.

"Peter," a voice murmured from beside of me, and a sharp elbow nudged me in the stomach. I flinched, straightening my posture as I shot a glare at Ned, seated beside of me.

"Are you with us, Mr. Parker?" asked Mrs. Willows from the front of the room, peering over the top of her wire-rimmed spectacles with harsh gray eyes.

"Y-yes ma'am," I responded to the older woman.

"Good," the teacher answered, and continued with her rambling. Within seconds, my thoughts had wandered off again, and the cloud of drowsiness settled over my mind.

It was a few moments later when the first gunshots echoed through the air.

In an instant, my eyes flew open, every muscle in my body wide awake and tingling in anticipation of action. Time seemed to freeze.

Then the screams began. Some from the students around me, as they leaped to their feet. Others from the hallways outside.

More gunshots pilfered the air, the sounds coming from above us; the second floor.

As the classroom erupted into chaos, Mrs. Willows raced to the door, sliding the latch shut and locking it securely.

"Everyone needs to be quiet!" Mrs. Willows hissed, although her own voice was trembling, and laced with a fear mimicking my own. "Get to the areas we talked about in the drill, and stay down. Peter, Ned, Simon, help me barricade the door." A deathly hush fell over the room as the students made their way to the designated areas of the room. The shots continued overhead, accompanied by a chorus shouts and cries of pain.

In unison, I worked with my two classmates to slide a bookshelf in front of the door, and place black construction paper over the window. Then, Mrs. Willows, motioned quietly for us to join the others. Ned and Simon were hasty to comply, but I paused. With a jolt, I realized...

MJ. She was in English, on the second floor, where the shots had come from. Terror surged through my veins. The reality of the situation hit my like a punch to the gut. I glanced to my backpack that lay on the floor by my desk. My suit was there, just within reach. I lunged for it, and Mrs. Willows grabbed my by the scruff of my hoodie.

"Get down, Peter," she whispered vehemently.

"I-I can help," I argued, struggling to keep my voice steady as I tore myself away from her grip. "You don't understand, I have to go -"

"You're not going anywhere until the authorities arrive and give the all-clear," the teacher responded as she reached for me again, clasping my shoulders. "Now is not the time for heroics."

"Get over here, Peter," Ned beckoned in a fearful tone as he waved wildly for me to join him behind the teacher's desk at the far end of the room.

"They're not safe," I babbled, my hands shaking as I stretched towards my pack once more. "I need to help them, you... you don't understand, you have to let me go -"

"Peter, you are putting everyone in this classroom at risk," was the haughty, but quiet response of Mrs. Willows. "You need to calm down. Take a seat with your friend." I gulped, realizing she was right.

Reluctantly, I complied, staggering to the back of the room, where Ned was waiting for me. I slumped to the floor, leaning against the wall behind me. Then came the waiting.

The gunshots continued for another five minutes. I winced every time, irresistible tears stinging my eyes as I wondered who lay on the other end of those bullets. People I knew, and shared classes with, and passed in the halls every day. Students I had laughed with, studied with. My heartbeat was erratic, thumping wildly inside of my chest. I shut my eyes, trying not to think of how I could be out there right now, helping to put an end to this horror.

All around me, my classmates were silent. Some cried. Others held onto one another. A few were texting their loved ones.

At last, the horrific noises ended. Then, silence. In some ways, it was almost worse than the noise. Footsteps pounded down the hallways outside, but Mrs. Willows refused to open the door. Protocol stated we were to remain in our classroom until the police opened the door and escorted us outside.

The wait was torturous. I thought of Michelle, huddled in a similar classroom just above my head. Was she alright? Were any of my friends ok outside of this classroom? What was I going to see when I walked out of the door? Shuddering, I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I'm sure she's fine," Ned whispered, clearly noticing my concern, although I noticed how he was shaking, his wide brown eyes darting nervously around the room.

"I hope so," I replied, only to be silenced by a flurry of glares from nearby students.

By the time the police unlocked our door, nearly an hour had passed since the initial gunshots. Quietly, the officers motioned for us to exit the room with our hands raised, and walk to the outside of the building in a calm and orderly fashion. I obeyed, in a daze as I followed behind Ned. The area we walked through seemed relatively unscathed, although that wasn't surprising. It sounded as if all the shooting had come from upstairs.

When we reached the outside at the back of the building, there was a gathering of other students who were being evacuated into the parking lot. I scanned the crowd anxiously, standing on my tiptoes to peer into the sea of familiar faces. None of them, however, belonged to MJ.

Close by, I overhead a group of officers speaking.

"We got one shooter from the second floor, but reports were unclear of whether there was another," one of them said. "We've still got five classrooms locked down up there."

"Hey!" I exclaimed upon hearing their troublesome words. "M-my friend, she's up there, I gotta go help her -"

An officer stopped me, grabbing me roughly by the sleeve of my hoodie and shoving me back towards my fellow students.

"Stay where you are, kid," he ordered in a sharp tone. "We've got this handled. Go stay with your friends."

Growling in anger, I stormed back into the crowd. My vision began to spin as the clutches of hysteria began to wind their fingers around me. My hands tightened around the straps of my backpack as I realized there was an opening just to my left, where I could duck behind a dumpster without being spotted. I peaked over my shoulder to be sure that no one was watching. Ned had disappeared, probably to find other friends. With my resolve growing exponentially, I sneaked behind the dumpster and quickly changed into my suit.

"Mr. Parker," Karen greeted me as soon as the mask closed over my face. "What appears to be the situation?"

"I'm going in," I answered, stepping carefully out from behind the dumpster.

I measured the distance, then shot a precise web that connected just above a window on the second floor. Then, giving the web a sharp pull, I propelled myself into the air, flying towards the building. There were shouts, and even cheers from below, from students and officers alike.

"It's Spider-Man!" someone whooped. I ignored their cries, as a singular thought rose above all the others tumbling through my head.

I'm coming, MJ.