Parker V: Midtown

Parker had always been good at school. Things like science and math came naturally to him, and other subjects he could master with a bit of work and determination—which he had in spades. His entire life, he'd looked forward to high school and college when he could take more classes based on his interests and the overall difficulty level was more his speed. Gravesen school was great and all, but he'd nearly fallen asleep with boredom every single time. He could've easily kept up with the older kids, but because he was only thirteen they'd kept him with the younger.

Now, less than a month after going home with the Weavers, he got to go back to real school. But not just any public high school. Midtown School of Science and Technology. He wasn't sure how he qualified, having completed a mere fraction of a real eighth grade, but apparently his grades and extracurriculars from sixth and seventh—plus the placement exam he took at the beginning of August—were enough to get him in. Excited didn't even begin to describe how he felt about starting school.

Well, almost.

Wedged in next to the excitement sat a steaming pile of anxiety. Parker hadn't wandered around in a massive public place like a school in nearly ten months. What if he got triggered and had a panic attack in front of all his classmates? He'd managed to make friends at Gravesen after spending most of his childhood as the lonely orphan kid, but what if that socialization didn't translate to high school? Parker didn't want to spend four years in a school with no friends.

He talked about all of this with Dr. Wilson at his last outpatient therapy session before the first day. The most important advice he'd been given: remember it's everybody's first day and they're all probably just as nervous as he is. Parker repeated this mantra of sorts in his head every time the bad thoughts started to churn. He also called Tony the night before.

"Happy last day of summer," Tony greeted.

"You too," Parker replied. He knew Tony also had his first day tomorrow, though the older boy was starting his senior year at the same school he'd gone to for three years. But he faced his own set of challenges adjusting to school life with his VAD.

"Are you excited? Nervous?"

"A whole lot of both."

"Me too, Parker," Tony sighed. "But you're going to do great. I still can't believe you got into Midtown."

Parker grinned. "I can't believe it either. Why don't you go to some fancy private school for geniuses too?" Tony was way smarter than Parker—and he had money.

"My old man refused to sacrifice any normalcy of my childhood. I used to think he was just trying to hold me back, but I definitely have a new perspective of it now. Besides, with his influence I don't really need a fancy private school on my application to get into a good college."

"Fair enough. I'm just scared I'm not going to be smart enough."

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. You're like the smartest kid I know."

"That's not true. You know Bruce. And the princess of Wakanda."

"Yes, those are very smart people, but I consider you right up there with them."

"Thanks. That means a lot, coming from you."

"Hey, I call it like it is," Tony said. Parker never failed to marvel at how easily the older boy complimented him. "You're going to excel, Parker."

"I certainly hope so."

"Get a good night's sleep."

"You too. I'll talk to you after school tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure. What time are you done?"

"Two forty five."

"Gotcha. Good night, and good luck tomorrow. Not that you'll need it."

Parker chuckled. "You too. Bye."

~0~

He woke up with his alarm at six fifteen in the morning. Parker didn't need that much time to get ready and get to school, but especially since it was the first day, he didn't want to cut it close. Dad was already up making breakfast and getting ready for work. He set a plate of toast out for Parker, watching him carefully to make sure he finished it. They both knew he found it harder to eat during times like these, when routines were changing and baseline anxiety was higher, but they also knew how to gently encourage him. Parker finished his toast just as Daddell wandered into the kitchen.

They'd agreed on a temporary transit plan, wherein Daddell would join him on the subway to make sure he got there safely, but let him walk from the station to school alone so as not to jeopardize his 'street cred' on the first day. At first, Parker had rolled his eyes, since he'd been using the subway since he could walk, but a part of him wanted that support system in place in case something went wrong. It couldn't hurt to at least start like that. In a few weeks, they'd probably start letting him go alone.

"Bye Dad," he called as he and Daddell headed out the door.

"Have a great first day. I'll see you after school. Love you," Dad called back. The nearest subway station was only a few minutes' walk from their apartment. On the way there, Daddell asked him pretty much the exact same questions that Tony had last night, with one crucial addition.

"If it gets to be too much and you need to come home, you know you can call us, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Parker hated that he needed that security blanket in place, but he was glad to have it just in case. In addition to his phone, he also had his lunch, a map of the school in case he got lost, all his school supplies which he'd double and triple checked, and, tucked into a small pocket out of sight, the LEGO minifigures of his friends, now including Tony. Having them near made him feel safer.

When their stop approached, Daddell pulled him into a tight hug and kissed him on top of the head. He'd been living with the Weavers full-time for over three weeks now and he still savored this kind of parental affection after going without it for two years. The Jones had never been touchy-feely, but that was a key difference between foster parents and adopted parents. Some days Parker still couldn't believe he'd actually made it this far.

"Bye, love you," he said as he stepped off the train. They'd practiced the route from the station to school the day of orientation and on Saturday just in case. Parker made it to the front doors, to his locker, and to his first period classroom without incident. It was a promising start. He'd arrived nearly twenty minutes early, the first kid to set foot in the classroom.

"Good morning," the teacher greeted.

"Good morning," he replied politely.

"I'm Mr. Dell, welcome to Midtown. And you are?"

"Peter Parker," he said, the name tasting unfamiliar on his tongue. The adoption process hadn't been completed yet, so his legal name and the one they'd registered him for school with, remained unchanged. "But you can call me Parker," he added. "Please."

"Parker it is. Go ahead and pick any seat. First come first serve," he said with a smile. Parker glanced around the classroom with the desks laid out in neat rows. He didn't want to come on too strong, so he chose one in the second row. Besides, this was only history and he didn't foresee himself participating all that much. A few minutes elapsed before another student arrived, and they were some of the most awkward minutes of his life. Mr. Dell didn't try to engage him in conversation, just sat at his desk reading over something, but Parker couldn't stop thinking that maybe he was being rude by sitting here silently.

Fortunately, once the next kid arrived, the rest filtered in regularly. Mr. Dell repeated periodically that they could choose their own seats, and gradually the desks around Parker filled up. He glanced around every so often, gauging the degree of friendliness the other kids already had with each other. This being a private high school, there were fewer existing cliques because they hadn't all gone to elementary and middle school together. Parker considered that a lucky break. He was on the same footing as everyone here—barring the psychological trauma, of course.

The morning announcements welcomed everybody to their first day, and then Mr. Dell gave a more thorough introduction to both the school and his class in particular. Parker paid rapt attention, not wanting to miss any crucial details about rules or etiquette. Second period—which he almost got lost trying to find because it was located in a weird side hallway—proceeded much the same. In fact, nothing interesting happened until fourth period, the last class before lunch.

Parker made his way to precalc and sat down in his assigned seat. Some of the teachers here had premade charts while others let them choose seating. He waited patiently for class to begin, glancing to the door every time another kid walked in to see if he recognized them from any of his other classes. This one dark-haired kid seemed to be in all of his classes so far except maybe one, Parker couldn't be sure. He walked with a certain degree of self-assuredness, though Parker couldn't tell if it was confidence or arrogance.

Parker's jaw fell open so wide it nearly hit the desk when he saw who walked in after him.

Months ago he'd finally come to terms with the fact that he'd probably never see her again, yet here she was waltzing into his classroom. Parker rubbed his eyes just to make sure it wasn't a hallucination. No, that was definitely Michelle. His former foster sister. She hadn't noticed him yet. Was it possible she didn't remember him? Or didn't recognize him now? She walked up to the first desk in the classroom and looked down at the seating chart sitting on it at their teacher's instruction. When she glanced back up and starting heading towards her seat, she froze, her eyes locked on Parker.

He didn't know what to do. Should he wave? Smile? Greet her verbally? Parker had no idea what was the norm for reunions with long-lost foster siblings, especially given that things had ended the way they did. He broke off eye contact, gaze falling to his desk. She sat down at her own desk, a few rows over and behind Parker, and continued to stare at him the same way he'd stared at her when he first laid eyes on her. She looked mortified. Then, the bell rang and their teacher called their attention back to the front of the room. Parker failed to pay attention to her description of what the expectations and plans were for the class. He didn't care how exams were weighted, not with Michelle sitting mere feet away from him. The class period dragged by, but at last the bell rang dismissing them for lunch. Parker slung his backpack over his shoulder and stood up, almost falling back to his seat again when Michelle appeared right in front of him. She must have supersped to his desk from hers or something.

"Hi," he said shyly. She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him into the hallway after her. They came to a stop in front of some lockers, students bustling in both directions on their other side. "Hi," he said again, while she just stood there and continued to stare at him. Then, so suddenly he nearly squeaked in surprise, she wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh my God, Peter," she said reverently.

"Yeah. That's me."

She released him and stepped back to give him another once-over. "I can't believe it's really you. I mean, holy shit, you—you're…"

"Heavier?" he filled in the blank.

"I guess so, but…you're here."

"Yes, I am here. So are you, I guess." He nervously ruffled his own hair.

"This is insane. I thought I'd never see you again."

"Me too."

"What happened?"

"Can we talk about it over lunch?" he asked. His dads would kill him if they found out he didn't eat.

"Yeah, of course," she said, and they set off for the cafeteria together. They sat opposite each other at the end of an empty table. Michelle watched him open his lunchbox and start eating with her mouth slightly agape and her eyes wide. Only now did Parker realize she'd probably never seen him eat for real. It made him nervous, being watched like that, but fortunately she came to her senses and stopped.

"This is still so surreal," she said.

"I know how you feel."

"So? What's the story?"

Parker sighed. He didn't even know where to begin. So far, the only people in his life that he'd been able to tell everything to were Dr. Wilson, Carol, and his parents. Michelle definitely meant well, but after just reuniting with her mere minutes ago he wasn't comfortable revealing everything. So he just told her the abridged version of his time at Gravesen.

"And then I got adopted," he concluded. "It's not quite official yet, but I'm living with them right now. And…yeah. Things are good."

Michelle stared at him, dumbfounded. "Wow. Peter…I don't even know what to say."

"One more thing," he added. "I…I kinda go by Parker now."

"Oh, okay. While we're on that subject, I guess I should tell you that I go by MJ. It's something I'm trying out."

"Okay." Parker thought that would be rather easy to internalize. Michelle had been his foster sister, but this girl wasn't that anymore. She was a classmate, and—he dared hope—a potential friend. "It's nice to meet you MJ," he said with a cheeky smile.

She startled slightly at the reset, but took it in stride. "Nice to meet you Parker."

Throughout the rest of his first day, Parker thought only of her.

~0~

"You will never guess what happened to me at school today," he told Ned. The other boy was already on his second week of school, but Parker FaceTimed him to tell him all about his fateful first day.

"Did you make a new friend?"

"Well, not exactly new."

"One of your Gravesen friends goes to your school?"

"No. And none of them would be in my grade anyway."

"Is one of your teachers like a super famous scientist?"

"I don't think so."

"Then what?"

"I ran into Michelle in my math class!" he exclaimed.

"Our foster sister Michelle?"

"Yes!"

"No way!"

"I know! I didn't believe it either!"

"That's insane."

"Isn't it? We sat together at lunch. And she goes by MJ now."

"MJ. Her initials. Cool. I could never go by my initials. That would sound stupid."

"Yeah, NL isn't exactly an awesome nickname. But neither is PP."

Ned cracked up. "Well, soon to be PW isn't it?"

"Yep."

"That's awesome. So, how is Mich—MJ?" he asked.

"She's doing good. I mean, she got into Midtown, so it can't all be bad."

"Does she have new foster siblings?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask."

"Hmm."

"I would guess probably not after what happened last time."

"Maybe. I guess it doesn't matter."

"I just…I kinda want to be friends with her now. But I don't know if us being foster siblings in the past is going to make that awkward."

"I don't think it will be awkward. You used to live together and you got along. There's no reason you can't get along when you only see each other at school."

"I guess you're right."

Ned quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't mean…more than friends?"

"What?"

"You know."

Parker grumbled. He'd never thought about it that way, but it sort of made sense why he got so nervous talking to her. "Isn't that weird since we were siblings?"

"I mean you weren't related by blood. And you're not siblings anymore, so probably not."

"I guess not."

"Do you like her?"

"I don't know. I've only spent one lunch period with her."

"Well, just see how it goes," Ned suggested. "Maybe you just want to be friends, maybe more. Either one is fine."

"Yeah. I just hope that…if I do want to pursue that, she likes me back, you know?"

Ned smiled. "Peter, we lived together for almost a year. I watched you two interact practically every day. I think she just might like you back."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

Parker considered this. He certainly didn't want to rush into anything and mess it up. But he could be smart about it, play it by ear and gauge the territory for the first few weeks and then devise a plan to make it work.