As Peter entered the classroom he could feel all eyes turn to him. All but one pair of eyes. He kept his head low as he made his way to his desk because he didn't want to look at her face. He didn't want to see the hurt in her eyes knowing it was his fault she felt that way.
I can't see you anymore.
The words, his words, echoed in his head. He remembered how she looked at him when those deadly words left his mouth. He remembered fighting tears as she slowly turned around to leave. He wanted to reach out and grab her arm, he wanted to pull her close and never let go. Instead, he just stood there on the porch and watched her walk away in the pouring rain. He stayed there as long as he could hear the sound of raindrops hitting her umbrella but the noise soon faded away and Peter went back into the house.
"Mr. Parker. Tardy again." He heard his teacher as he made his way to his desk strictly observing his feet on the way. "Well, at least we can always count on you."
Peter reached his desk and lifted his backpack off of his shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Ritter, it won't happen again, I promise." He answered without looking at his teacher. No emotion could be discovered in his voice as he took his seat behind the blonde girl.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Mr. Parker."
Peter leaned forward so she could almost feel his breath on the back of her neck as he whispered. His voice was only loud enough for the closest person to hear.
"Yeah, but those are the best kind."
He had made up his mind. He had thought about it the night before after Gwen had left their place. He knew it was reckless and irresponsible of him but being Spider-Man was too big of a burden for him to carry it alone. He had to feel someone next to him; he had to know that there was someone who could help him through the hardest times. And he wanted to do the same for her. Now that her father passed away she needed him more than ever and he knew it. He loved Gwen and couldn't think about living his life without her.
Gwen was hurt, angry and felt let down. She mourned her father's death and she was angry at Peter for breaking up with her. It was hard for her to cope with her sudden loss of her dad and the one person who could help her get through it wouldn't talk to her. She knew it was her father's wish for Peter to stay away from her but it was not his decision to make. It was but hers and Peter took it away from her. She loved Peter and wanted to be with him but he wouldn't let her and there was nothing she could do about it. Still, when Peter's words reached her ears, all the pain, all the anger she felt suddenly disappeared and the same warmth filled her heart that she felt every time she was with Peter. She smiled for the first time since her father's death and she knew everything was going to be alright.
Gwen was relieved when the bell indicating the end of class rang. She didn't pay as much attention to the teacher as she usually would and it made time pass a lot slower. In the end of class she quickly closed her books and put them back into her backpack. Before she had left the classroom she turned back toward Peter.
"So how about those pro-" she started but Peter's desk was already empty. Her smile dissolved and a disappointed sigh left her mouth.
"Why am I not surprised?" She asked herself as she turned around and headed for the door.
Gwen couldn't see Peter as she passed by his locker but it didn't surprise her. There must have been something that asked for Spider-Man's assistance, she thought. She often wondered how Peter could still get such good marks in school when he spent a lot of time swinging through the city as Spider-Man, missing his classes. Although she couldn't find an answer to her question, it was just another reason why she had fallen in love with Peter Parker.
She opened her locker and took out her biology book for next class when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket which meant she'd gotten a text message. She took her cell into her hand to see Peter's name appear on the screen.
Your room at 7:00 pm.
It was a short message but just long enough for her to let hope back into her heart. At least you're willing to talk to me, she thought. Gwen stuffed her cell back into her pocket and headed to biology class.
"Peter Parker, you're full of surprises today."
Peter was swinging between the skyscrapers of Manhattan toward Gwen's apartment. He didn't bother putting on his Spider-Man suit and even though it still wasn't dark yet he was high enough so that nobody could see his face. He loved swinging in the city. The fresh air brushing his face gave him a sensation he couldn't compare to anything. He felt absolute freedom in the air; he was totally in control of everything up there. He was glad he had already been able to share some of that experience with Gwen. He wanted her to be everything he was and even though he knew it was impossible, he still did everything in his power to share every bit of his life with her.
Leave Gwen out of it.
He couldn't erase these words from his mind, though. No matter how hard he tried, whatever decisions he made, someone he loved always got hurt. If he continued to see Gwen he would break his promise to Captain Stacy and if he abided by his promise he would hurt Gwen. There was no right choice in this matter. The question was which one of the two meant more to Peter. He had made his choice, he had chosen to love.
Peter landed on the metal platform of the fire escape with a thud. He peeked through the window of Gwen's room and saw her lying in her bed with a book in her hands. She looked so peaceful that Peter could just stay there outside her window and watch her the entire night. But they needed to talk so he knocked on the glass of the window. She turned toward his direction and laid down the book beside her. Peter could see a smile on her face that he hadn't seen in a very long time. Gwen waved her hand for Peter to get inside so he slid the window open and hopped inside the room.
"Hi," he said smiling.
"It's only six forty. You texted me to meet at seven." Gwen pointed out, teasing him.
"I'm sorry. I can come back later if you want." Peter decided to play along, pointing at the open window behind him.
"It's not necessary. We can just finish twenty minutes early." She offered and stood up from her bed, facing him.
Peter put his backpack down beside Gwen's red armchair and took a few steps toward her until they were only a couple of inches away. They were still smiling at each other but they both knew the game was over.
"How you holding up?" Peter asked, unsure of what he should say. The choice of subject made both of their smiles fade from their faces.
"I'm fine. Been better but fine." She answered and for a moment Peter could see the hurt in her eyes again.
There was a short pause in the conversation. They just stood there, staring at each other, speaking without words. The few inches between them were like an ocean.
"Back in the classroom," Gwen finally broke the silence. "What did you mean by it?"
Peter sighed. It was the moment he was so afraid of. Whatever he said now would define their relationship forever. There would be no turning back from then. He took one last deep breath before he spoke.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you during the past days." Peter said instead of answering her question.
"No, it's ok. You made a promise; it's understandable you want to keep it." Gwen said not really trying to hide sarcasm from her voice.
"Gwen, you know it's not like that." He couldn't finish because the girl cut him off.
"Why are you here anyway?" She crossed her arms in front of her.
"I'm here to apologize. What I did to you wasn't fair. I pushed you away without asking what you wanted."
She took a couple of seconds to choose the right words to say.
"I want to be with you." Her voice cracked as she saw the guilt in his eyes. "It's all I want right now, Peter."
"I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you." Peter said as if he didn't hear her words. "I couldn't survive losing you."
Her hands fell down beside her body as she took a step toward him. "So don't push me away then."
She reached out and took his hands in hers. Peter drove his gaze down to their entwined fingers then back to her beautiful eyes that were now shining with tears. His heart ached to see her like that and all he wanted was to make her feel better.
"I've tried. I've really tried to…to cut you out of my life but every time I see you in school and I know I can't be with you, it just…it breaks my heart. And I know it's selfish but I...I need you, Gwen."
It was all she needed to hear from him. She took a step toward him, letting herself get lost in the entrancing shade of his beautiful brown eyes. She didn't say a word, she knew that they were past talking. Peter slowly leaned forward to close the gap between them and she closed her eyes waiting for their lips to meet and erase the rest of the world around them.
The sudden sound of police sirens broke the perfect moment. Peter didn't want to pay attention to them but he knew he had to. It was not choice, it was responsibility. He slowly pulled away from her but when he was about to turn around and leave he felt her hand grab his arm, keeping him from leaving.
"Gwen, I must go." He said regretfully, turning around to face her.
She lifted her head and their eyes met once again.
"Be safe, please." Her voice was almost inaudible.
"I will." He said and sent her a reassuring smile. She returned it in a weaker form and then in just a few moments Peter was out on the fire escape again. Gwen watched as he shot a biocable and leaped off of the building into the air. After he had disappeared, she stood there motionlessly for a few seconds then closed the window and laid back into her bed with her book in her hands.
Peter followed the police cruisers from above. From the number of cars that were mobilized, Peter knew it wasn't just a grocery store robbery. This'd better be a case worth leaving my girl for, he thought while landing on a rooftop. He changed into his suit and placed his backpack carefully to a less visible part of the roof. He checked which direction the police were going then he pushed himself into the air and reached for the triangular jib of the tower crane next to the building. He shot two biocables toward the end of the working arm and then propelled himself out of the jib, into the air. Peter swung into a narrow alley and made his way through it moving acrobatically between the balconies of the fire escapes and the clotheslines that were attached across the air. Once he had gotten out of the alley he descended to a lower height so that the police knew that they could count on the help of Spider-Man.
So um...this is my first story here. I'll be trying to update every second day but I can't promise anything. It also depends on how many of you like the story. So, yeah. :)