CHAPTER FOURTEEN; HOMECOMING

❝truth is rarely what people want, it's why we believe so many lies ❞

[ songs to listen to during this chapter ]

❝  jigsaw, conan grey / the great war, taylor swift/ only love can hurt like this, meg birch / a pearl, mitski/ she knows, j. cole ❞

･ ｡ﾟ☆

❝ midtown high ❞

ALINA COULD HEAR ALL THE WHISPERS following her wherever she went as she entered school. But all their whispers amounted to the same thing the school announcements were saying, "This past weekend, Midtown's Academic Decathlon team defeated the country's best to win the national championship. Later that day, they also defeated death."

As she passed the tv's hanging in the hall she saw Abe, very loudly explaining, "Explosion. Sally scream. Flash scream. Everybody screamin'."

Coming up on screen right after was Malik excitedly adding more details, "There were purple lasers and smoke everywhere, It was," he must've cursed because a cat emoji appears over Charles' mouth and a beep was inserted over his words, "Just like a Bon Jovi concert."

Mr. Harrington, who came up next on screen he said, "As you know, we made it out alive, and that's the important thing. I couldn't bear to lose a student on a school trip." There was a pause before he added, "Not again." This part made her look up to see the camera amateurishly zooms in on Mr. Harrington's face.

She shook her head ignoring the stares as Jason continued, "Thankfully, no one was seriously injured, thanks to the Spider-Man who saved one student who risked falling down the elevator shaft. Unfortunately, Alina wasn't available for comment on the event."

In unison, Jason and Betty declared, "Thank you, Spider-Man." Adding on Jason told the crowd, "Up next: The Spider-Man mania is sweeping the school. How can you show your spider spirit?"

Finally finding Peter and Ned again, she saw Peter grinning knowing everyone in school loved Spider-Man. "Dude, dude, dude, dude. What is it like being famous when nobody knows it's you," Ned asked.

"Crazy, dude," answered Peter.

Ned, a little too excited asked, "It's crazy. Should we tell everyone?"

Announcing her presence at the same time Peter answered, "No." Peter jumped hearing hr voice suddenly behind her, "Jesus, you're so quiet. I didn't even hear you coming."

"Part of my charm," Alina laughed opening her locker putting herr bag inside it.

Ned, couldn't help but repeat in nearly the same exact fashion as his original question, "Should I tell everyone?"

Alina chuckled as his friend said again, "No, dude, no, that's not a good idea."

Ned frowned accepting his answer as he told them, "Okay, come on, we'll be late to class."

"We're not going to class," Alina admitted. Today they were going to try and deal with as much with the arms dealers as they could.

Their friend stared at them worrisome, "You're already in so much trouble for ditching the Decathlon. And you just got here––"

Cutting him off Alina assured putting her hand on his shoulder, "And one possible detention is fine. The wing suit guy is stealing from Damage Control. And what he takes from Damage Control, that's how he builds the weapons. So all we gotta do is catch him. Those weapons are hidden for a reason, they could cause the collapse of a government within a day."

The pair started to walk away when their friend protested, "But we have a Spanish quiz."

Peter laughed telling him, "Ned, I'm probably never gonna come back here. Mr. Stark is moving the Avengers upstate, so when I bring this guy in-"

His statement made both Alina and Ned pause, he was planning on leaving? Something about him leaving her behind felt hurtful, especially when she understood what he'd be leaving for. Alina realized, Peter didn't really have a fully understanding of what life he was joining. He still saw the high and acknowledged the lows, but he hadn't experience it. There was nothing she could do to teach him, life would be his teacher, she would simply be his support. "Dude, you want to be a high school dropout," commented Ned cutting off his friend.

"I am so far beyond high school right now."

As the two turned around to exit the school they froze seeing Principal Morita with his hands firmly on his hops waiting. Her eyes went wide knowing he'd heard there plan to leave as he ordered, "Dranganov, Parker, my office."

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❝ midtown high hallways ❞

"So how much does she know," Gwen asked her brother as they sat alone one of the hallways while everyone was at lunch.

Connor shrugged as he paced before her, "Some of it, all of it, none of it I don't have a clue."

"Can you slow down and sit for a second. You're making me sick doing that," the blonde told him as she popped another chip into her mouth.

"No, I can't Gwen. You know what happens if I get caught," Connor said panicked, "Between her and them I don't know who is gonna be worse."

Gwen stayed silent before asking, "Does she know about me?"

Connor stopped, he knew he never should've asked Gwen to help but he was desperate. And Gwen? Gwen would do anything for her brother, she just didn't expect it to feel so wrong. Alina was fun, nice, and was just trying to be normal like everyone else. "I think she does," he admitted.

"Then you don't have a choice. After school you have to tell him what has happened and that you can't help anymore. That you won't," Gwen offered trying to help him out of his situation.

"I don't know if that'll be enough," admitted Connor. Unbeknownst to them, Alina was around the corner listening to their every word. She was right, Gwen knew, how much was still to be determined. However at this point, she wouldn't be shocked if she knew just as much as Connor.

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❝ coach wilsons classroom ❞

"So... You got detention. You screwed up," Steves voice spoke on the tv monitor sitting in front of her.

Peter sighed biting his lip in frustration, leaning toward him Alina said, "The irony of Steve giving me lecture on not following the rules isn't lost on me here."

Moving in towards her he asked, "Why are we even here? It's not like anyone cares about us leaving." He gestured around the classroom which was sparsely filled with students. Michelle was also sitting in a seat behind them.

Alina shrugged admitting, "I was waiting for twenty minutes for you to realize this. Let's go." Immediately both of them moved to grab their bags getting up from their seats.

Coach Wilson, who was slouching asleep at a desk pushed himself up indifferently asking, "Hey, where you going? Get back here." Neither of them stopped and just as he was about to put his head back down, he saw Michelle. With narrowed eyes he asked her, "Why are you here? You don't even have detention."

"Oh, I know. I just like coming here to sketch people in crisis," she answered holding up her sketch. With a laugh she told him, "Heh. It's you."

In the empty hallway, the enhanced teens went to the lockers where Peter hid his Spider-Man supplies. Peter lifted the row of lockers off the ground, revealing a hidden space beneath, "Woah, sometimes I forget you're that strong," said Alina noticing how much ease he moved it.

Bashfully as he grabbed a bottle of web fluid and lowered the lockers he said, "I guess it pays to be a little unsuspecting. Let's go." Peter turned trying to leave but Alina grabbing his arm made him stop, "What's wrong?"

"Can you start without me? I need to do something first. Something Connor related," Alina told him.

"Let me help," he offered.

Alina shook her head refusing, "No, I need to do this alone."

Peter looked around them moving them off to the side as he whispered, "What are you trying to do? I know you're powerful but Connor isn't just going to fall over and play dead for you."

She was about to assure him when she stopped seeing the worry in his eyes. No one was ever really worried about her, they always said she could take care of herself, so they never had to worry. Alina grabbed his hand telling him, "I'm not scared, or looking for a fight. But he has been telling someone about me, and I need to know who. And I need to know, just how much Gwen knew."

"You'll call if you need me," Peter asked.

She nodded answering with a gentle smile, "I will. Stay safe."

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❝ upper west side, unknown address ❞

As skilled as Peter claimed Connor was, espionage clearly wasn't his forte. She could tell by the amateurish way he tried to make sure he didn't have a tail. A few fast turns, cutting across streets, nothing she didn't manage to keep up with. Before getting on the subway she made sure to sit in the car next to his. He took the subway all the Upper East Side, she gave him more room to move then.

Until she approached a brownstone and started to go up its stairs, "Invisique," she muttered making it impossible for anyone see her. She followed him squeezing behind hims the door buzzed open.

In her attempt to squeeze in, she accidentally grew too close. He couldn't see her, but if she touched him it would feel like a ghost. Connor paused feeling something hovering but when he turned around, but there was no one there. Nothing but a somehow familiar feeling of comfort mixed with this almost electric kind of feel. As if he were holding lightning in a bottle yet, it wasn't hurting him or the bottle. Shaking off the feeling, he used the code unlocking the door leading into a huge apartment.

The wall were tall and white and a spiral stair case that lead upstairs. "Connor, good you're here. I've been looking for Romanoff for the last two weeks with no luck, please give me something that will allow me to lock up Dranganov and put her where she belong. A lab."

Chills went straight through her as she waited for Connors answer. "She's been using her powers for herself. Little things, opening doors, cleaning, things like that," he answered his hands in his pockets as he stood there, almost numb. Alina could feel it, he was forcing himself to burying everything leaving him paralyzed emotionally. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, reaching for it she read it was a text from Peter.

TEXT FROM: Peter 🕸🕷

[ deal is happening today, meet me at the ferry. ]

She wanted to stay and listen but she knew she couldn't, so she rubbed her fingers together allowing herself to pass through the door without opening it. As she moved further away, Connor felt the feeling of comfort fading away and he knew. He knew exactly what, or rather who, was leaving his side.