Chapter Seven: Meeting

"So meet up tonight at your place 7 o'clock ?"

"Yep!"

"Alright, I'll be there."

I smiled. Standing beside the curb I watching Joe bound down the back ally to his place.

Signing I turned and began to walk down the street to my house.

Subconsciously I started to whistle. For some reason I felt happy. Well it was mostly that I had successfully defeated two villains. More wins for spidey! Yeah! And I didn't get beat up to bad.

I felt my forehead. Yep the welt was still there.

Spidey sense!

I looked down. A glass bottle of alcohol was laying smashed on the sidewalk.

Ugh! I hated this part of the neighbourhood. The gangsters and alcoholic people hung out here.

I had spotted some drug factories among the old homes.

Spidey sense!

Hun? But I already saw the bottle.

Someone grabbed me from behind slammed a hand over my mouth.

"Shhhh girly, this won't hurt much." A sly voice whispered in my ear. I felt a small cold point against my back, it had to be a gun.

Shoot! I have to learn to listen to my spidey sense.

Now to get out of this.

I kicked his shin as I slide my body to the side elbowing him in the crotch. The man yelped letting go of me, dropping the gun. It fell with a metallic clatter.

I spin around kicked him in the stomach, flipped forward landing my feet solidly in his chest driving him to the ground. There was a thud as his head hit the concrete. I stepped off him.

Looking around to make sure no one was nearby before webbing him in place.

Thank God I had organic webbing. The web shooters just changed the form or tased.

Reaching into my pocket I pulled out a note book and pen.

I quickly wrote a note for the police leaving it on his chest.

I stepped around the glass and continued home.

"Mom! Dad! Any one home?!" I called walking inside my home.

"Over here!" My moms voice answered.

Kicking of my shoes, I followed her voice into the the kitchen.

Walking around the corner I asked.

"Hey mom is it okay if I go over to Joe's place after supper?"

I entered the kitchen.

My mom and dad were sitting at the peninsula, sad expressions on their faces. All my somethings wrong warnings went off.

"Oh no! What happened?!"

"Sit down Samantha." Mom told me.

I sat down on a stool between them.

Mom looked at dad, he nodded.

"We just found out your dads cousin Dave died to cancer, the funeral is this weekend." Mom continued quietly. "The family would like us to come. Now we wanted you to know you can come with us. But we will not force you too come."

"Oh. That's sad." I looked at the table, thinking. "I think I'll stay, you guys go."

Dad pushed his chair back, getting up. "Alright then it's agreed."

Mom gently placed her hand on mine. "Are you sure you will be fine? We will be gone a few days."

I brushed her hand off. "Mom I'll be fine I'm not a kid anymore."

She looked me in the eyes, a puzzled expression crossed her face.

"What happened to your forehead it's all welted!?"

"It's nothing I ran into a door, I'll be fine!"

Reaching out she gently touched my forehead.

"Ouch!" I pulled alway wincing.

Mom looked at me concerned.

"Are you sure sweetie?"

"Yes mom!" I inwardly groaned.

She such a mom, always worried about me. I could not bear to have her be worried about my other self as well. That's why I did not tell her.

"Hey! Are we going to eat?" Dad asked sounding desperate.

Mom threw up her hands up in the air.

"Alright! Alright! We'll eat."

Both mom and I got up and moved to the table.

We bowed out heads and gave thanks to god for the food.

"How was school today dear?"

I passed Mom the beans.

"Fine I guess. The school field trip is tomorrow!"

Dad took a bite of food.

"Where are you going?"

"To the Canadian museum of nature."

Dad brightened.

"I remember going there as a kid. At the time most of it was under construction beacuse of sinking foundations."

"Cool!" I muttered not lying much attention. Then I remembered the meet up with Joseph.

"Mom!" I asked as I reached for the salt " is it okay if I go over to Joseph's this evening?"

"Well." She sighed looking at dad. "I spouse, just be back before nine!"

I smiled. "Thanks mom!"

"There! That's it! Hold it, hold it steady!"

I was on the floor bent around backward balancing on my hands with my lower half siting on my head.

Joe was on the other side of room behind a camera.

Click!

Joseph took a picture, "Well what do you think!"

I unfolded myself and stood up. We had just been hanging out talking about the trip tomorrow and school projects.

When I thought about asking Joe for help taking pictures for my How I dare To Be Different project. He had willingly agreed I knew he loved ever chance he had to get behind the camera.

Looking over Joseph's shoulder at the camera screen that which was displaying the previously taken photos.

The image was clear the lighting perfect and so was the angle. I slapped him on the back to what he protested with a yelp.

"Sorry! But it's great man! Just great! Thanks anyway, I couldn't do this myself."

He blushed rubbing his shoulder nervously as he looked at his feet.

I looked around his room. The last rays of evening sunshine were streaming through window casting long shadows around the place. A messy bed sat in the corner beside a desk covered in computers and an array of other equipment. I stood on the older side of the room were he had set up a studio. The walls were dark green covered in posters and shelf's displaying lego art and robots.

"Oh you got a new Web-Girl picture!"

Joseph looked at the poster I pointed out. He brightened.

"Yah! Isn't she the coolest!"

I brushed back a lose strand of hair that had fallen in my face.

"Sure I guess!" I felt so uncomfortable talking about my alter ego with him.

He sighed staring at the poster dreamily.

"I wish I could meet her."

I laughed teasing him, "you have a crush on her don't you!"

He turned bright red.

"No I don't! I just like how she helps people and gives us some hope!"

"Yeah she does, at lest she tries too."

He looked at me puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

I bit my tongue.

"Oh nothing. Just forget I said that."

I looked at my watch, oh no it was 8: 57pm!

"Yikes! Time goes by fast I got to go or my parents will kill me!"

I dashed out of his room leaving him standing alone and clearly confused.