'Hey we have that lab today right'

I glanced around the kitchen, double checking that my teacher was too busy making sure one of the groups wouldn't burn down the school before quickly replying to Peter's text.

'Aren't you supposed to be learning spanish'

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and went back to gathering ingredients for our Italian flatbread. My phone buzzed when I returned to my group's kitchen with everything, dumping it out onto the counter. The girls busied themselves with grabbing things and I took the opportunity to glance at my phone.

'Yeah but I'm trying to figure something out'

I rolled my eyes. Not that he even needed to focus during class, he was a freaking genius. 'Yeah we have a lab about Bohr I think'

'K thanks see you in gym'

I smiled and quickly returned my phone to my pocket.

"Kasey, can you start on dishes?"

I spun around, finding the sink already filling with used measuring cups and some unwashed dishes from the first block Home Ec class.

I shot Betty Brant a fake smile. "Yup." I adjusted my glasses and watched with a smirk as Julia measured one tablespoon of dried rosemary instead of one teaspoon—a mistake she also made with the thyme a few seconds later. At the same time, I could hear Betty and Rachel arguing over how to properly mince a clove of garlic. Neither of them was right, but I figured it would be better to see their faces when they tasted this focaccia later, so I kept my mouth shut and washed the dishes, unable to keep the smile off my face.

I'm literally the only person in this group who has a clue.

•••

Ned was upset when I showed up late for lunch without anything from Home Ec, but Peter was too busy staring at Liz Allan to care or even notice.

"You didn't make anything today?" He asked, trying his best to conceal his disappointment.

I shrugged, taking a seat at the table across from him. "My group put me on dishes so I let them fuck it up."

Ned's jaw dropped and he started laughing. "Seriously?"

"Did Liz get a new top?" Peter asked, sounding far away.

I rolled my eyes as Ned rejoined Peter in staring at the senior, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"No," he said. "We've seen that before. But never with that skirt."

I turned in my seat. Liz was busy stringing up a blue and pink homecoming banner, wearing a grey sweater and a short jean skirt. Betty Brant stood below her, helping to make sure it was hung up perfectly. I remembered the face she made when she tried the flatbread in Home Ec today and grinned, spinning back around.

"We should probably stop staring before it gets creepy, though," Peter mumbled.

You think so?

"Too late."

In unison, the three of us jerked our heads toward Michelle, sitting two tables away reading.

"You guys are losers," she added, returning her attention to the open book in her hands.

Ned glanced between her and us in confusion. "Well then why do you sit with us?"

"Because I don't have any friends," she answered matter of factly. Ned opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out.

Peter glanced at Liz again, then finally seemed to notice me with a blush. He looked like he wanted to say something but was too embarrassed to manage it.

I raised my eyebrows teasingly. It was the first time I'd witnessed his crush on Liz with my own eyes and not through Ned. It almost made me want to laugh.

"I– why...? You didn't get anything from the cafeteria." Now, he looked worried.

"I'm not hungry."

"But you're always hungry," he protested.

I felt my cheeks heating up as Ned chuckled. Well, he's not wrong.

Peter pressed his lips together. "I'll be right back." He pushed his chair back and stood up.

What?

"Peter, lunch is almost over." But my argument did nothing to stop him from heading off to the cafeteria. Containing a heavy sigh, I turned back to Ned, propping my arm up on the lunch table and resting my chin in my palm.

"I am so confused," he mumbled, watching Peter walk away. "Peter's had a crush on Liz for, like, ever."

"Are you blind?" I asked. "He was literally just burning a hole through her like Superman. He totally still likes her."

Ned looked even more confused. "Are you blind?" He retorted, shaking his head when I had no reply. "I thought girls were supposed to be the observant ones."

"Me too," I muttered, still not comprehending a single thing the kid was trying to say.

I shoved my hand into my purse, blindly searching for my phone until I felt the cool metal and grabbed it. I need a case for this thing, I thought ruefully, turning it on and checking absently for emails. Aside from a few basic apps Peter had added, there was really nothing on my phone. And nobody except him ever texted me, so all I could do was check my school email. Usually, they sent out reminders for stuff like upcoming school football games. At this point in the year, my inbox was filled with stuff about Homecoming. I deleted them without opening any. I'd never gone to those stupid dances before and this year would be no different.

I turned my phone off and glanced up at Ned who looked equally as bored, flicking his empty milk carton.

"Oh," he perked up, remembering something, "did Peter tell you I'm coming over tonight?"

I frowned thoughtfully. "No."

"Oh, well yeah. I got this sweet new LEGO set yesterday, it's three thousand eight hundred and three pieces," he explained excitedly. "We're gonna build the Death Star."

I nodded, trying to mirror his excitement as best I could. "Nice. We watched the first one on Friday so I actually know what you're talking about."

Peter appeared, reclaiming his spot beside Ned. "We gotta watch Episode Five this weekend," he said, sliding a muffin across the table for me.

"That doesn't make any sense," I pointed out, taking the muffin with a grateful smile.

"Have you never seen Star Wars either?" Ned asked.

I shook my head, peeling back the muffin wrapper.

"Jeez, I thought Peter lived under a rock." He shook his head. "Star Wars is divided into three trilogies. The original trilogy came out first, it has Episodes four to six. Then there's the prequels, and you're not allowed to watch them until after because it's basically like cheating. And then there's the sequel trilogy, but so far only Episode Seven is out and it wasn't even very good."

"I still think it wasn't that bad," Peter argued. It sounded like they'd had this discussion before.

"Dude, the characters are so plain. It's like they're just throwing those people together without actually thinking about it. Plus, the whole idea of the BB astromech model is completely impractical."

"No way man, BB models are way more versatile than R-series."

I ate my muffin and listened to their arguing for the remainder of lunch, only understanding about half of whatever they were talking about but finding it amusing nonetheless. I wasn't sure how I managed to befriend those nerds, but it was definitely one of the most fortunate things to happen to me all damn year.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the break and of the boys' conversation regarding the new trilogy's villain. Peter and I didn't waste any time, making sure we made it into chemistry before the second bell. Ms. Sunden had made it clear at the beginning of the year that she wanted everyone early on lab days.

We grabbed the ugly plastic goggles and aprons from the front of the classroom before heading to our station where all the materials were waiting. Peter immediately pulled out his notes when we sat down, flipping through the pages.

"I'm gonna be blind this whole period," I said, tugging the glasses off my face and fishing through my bag for the case to put them in.

Peter laughed as he quickly scribbled something down. "I don't miss wearing glasses."

I rolled my eyes. "What are you working on?"

"New formula," he mumbled, turning the book toward me so I could see the spare lab sheet covered in structural formulas of molecules I couldn't recognize and an entire lab procedure. It was labelled as Web Fluid Version 3.01.

"You remember that formula I told you about the night you taped my back?"

I smiled at the recollection. "Yeah."

"I fixed it," he whispered, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "I think. I'm pretty sure."

"You're gonna make it now?" I hissed, glancing around the class as kids continued to pour in. "In class?"

He shrugged. "I do it all the time."

I scanned the sheet again, noticing how he'd completely misspelt toluene first as tuoline, then as tuolene, using an 'e' to cover the 'i' but not realizing it was still incorrect.

"Peter, you spelled toluene wrong."

"What?" He turned the page toward him to look at it. "Oh...shit."

•••

"Hey, Kasey."

I glanced up at Flash, watching in annoyance as he pulled up a chair, spinning it around so he sat on it backwards and rested his forearms on the backrest.

I returned my attention to my math homework. "How's your face?"

He laughed humourlessly. "You have a good arm, for a girl."

You should see my right hook. I clenched my jaw and tried to focus on the math problem in front of me, dimly aware of Liz quizzing Ned and some other kids at the stage.

"You know, Florez, the football team could use some cheerleaders this year," he continued, undeterred by my silence. He made a point to check me out. "You wouldn't look half bad in a mini skirt."

"Maybe you should try throwing another football at me," I offered sarcastically.

"Aw, come on, Florez. I was just trying to get your attention."

I ignored him and kept working on my homework, wondering how much longer this decathlon meeting would go on for before I could escape him.

"What are you doing Friday night?"

When I didn't reply, he kept talking as if I had.

"Liz is having a party if you wanna come. I'm being the DJ so I'm allowed to invite whoever I want," he said smugly.

"I don't go to parties," I replied briskly.

"Party pooper," he mused. "Why not?"

Because I never get invited. "Because I have better things to do."

He laughed. "What? Like watching Star Trek with Penis Parker?"

I could've roundhouse kicked him into the next century right then. And I just about did, but that was exactly what he wanted from me. Like every little kid, he wanted to see me get mad at him. So I nodded and said "yup," refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me absolutely lose my shit on him.

"Alright," he said, placing his hands on the table and standing up. "Suit yourself, you're missing out."

I shook my head to myself. I bet.

Mr. Harrington called the meeting soon after. I gathered my homework and followed Ned and Peter outside the school. Like the past two nights, I was working again and Peter had his 'internship,' so Ned bid us goodbye once we made it off school grounds and turned to head home.

Peter and I hurried across the road toward the deli.

"I work a little later tonight so don't wait up for me," I said, thinking of how he's waited every night for me to get off work the past two days so we could walk together.

He shrugged. "May's making meatloaf tonight so I won't be in a rush. Unless...you don't want–?"

"Pete, you can't listen to what he says about you," I said, realizing he probably heard everything Flash said to me at the decathlon meeting. He was sitting a few tables away, reading over the USAD study guide and occasionally stealing glances at Liz, but his senses would've let him listen in on our conversation. I shook my head, sighing. "I don't know what Star Trek is, but I would watch it with you every night over going to a party."

A huge grin took over Peter Parker's face. "Really?"

"Really."


AN: Hellooo I finally finished this chapter! It took way longer than I'd hoped but whatever! I tried making it long because you guys have been so deprived lately lol but I feel like it's kinda broken up from all the breaks. And I'm worried I've lost my connection with the characters, especially Kasey. If you guys find that her or anyone else seems out of character in this chapter please don't be afraid to leave a review letting me know! I appreciate all the feedback I can get!

Anyways, ENDGAME FUCKING DESTROYED ME (no spoilers but y'all gotta see it if you haven't yet) and the new Far From Home trailer is getting me so pumped I can't stop watching it! I really gotta start working on this fic more lmao we're officially into the movie plot tho so it should start getting a bit easier for me to write chapters!

So it finally stopped snowing like three days ago where I live (climate change is 100% real, fight me) and honestly hallelujah because I only have two weeks to get tan before I have my graduation ceremony and it's still not getting above 12º. Also, I feel like an eighty-year-old woman I have so many physical issues rn for real I'm bout to fall apart lmao

Thank you guys so so much for all the super sweet reviews! You are seriously all so incredible! I love reading them, they make me smile! :)