Chapter Fourteen
His Chemistry report was completed. His pre-calculus worksheet had been finished correctly. His English essay was written and placed in his backpack and he had signed up for the SAT. He tried to ignore the guilty feeling in his conscience over the fact that he had taken 2 pills from Pablo.
Peter had never really stolen anything and when he did anything out of line, he always feel anxious and guilty for a time. MJ would joke around that it was his "catholic guilt" even though Peter was not really religious.
He has stashed the extra pill in his old retainer box and he had only taken one of the ADHD pills shortly after midnight when he had felt his energy drop. One had been enough and he suddenly felt like he had an extraordinary amount of energy. Or at least more energy that he had, had in the past few weeks. It was weird. It was glorious. If it wasn't 4 am he would go on patrol right now.
Peter squinted at the Bugs Bunny clock that was stationed across from him. Was it really 4am? He couldn't believe that he had been up for hours, he really needed to get some sleep. He closed down his laptop and forced himself to sleep, but for the next 2 hours the only thing that he did was stare at the ceiling and thought about how many legos he could buy with the little money that he had made from his after school job.
At six am, Peter gave up any thought of sleep and instead he decided to try his luck and go to school with literally zero sleep. He did not have work today, so he could always squeeze in a nap before dinner.
"Good morning," Peter said feeling weirdly bubbly as he went into the kitchen where May was putting butter on toast to hide the fact that she had burnt the toast.
"Good morning, sweetie." May kissed him on his cheek. "Toast?"
"Thanks," Peter said he stuffed the toast in his mouth and started finding his headphones. He had stuffed the pill that Flash had given him in his jacket pocket, and he wanted to make sure that he did not lose it. The wounds across his back were just now a tingling sensation thank god, one more pill and then he should be good to go.
"Why are you so perky?" Scott said with a snort. He was drinking coffee and looking at Peter as if he were an annoying pest. "It's 7 o'clock in the morning."
Peter shrugged, he was in such a good mood that he wasn't going to let Scott destroy his good mood. "I just had a good night's sleep." Peter said with a shrug as he gave a kiss to May goodbye before he grabbed a bottle of orange juice.
He stood outside the doorway and found his pill that he had hid inside his jacket and swallowed. Peter took a sip of his orang juice and smiled. This was going to be a good day. He could just tell.
". . .Mr. Parker. Peter. Mr. Parker please wake up." Someone with a masculine voice was shaking him awake and ruining Peter's dream of being in the Bahamas. After the third time the voice said his name, he finally woke up. Peter wiped the drool off the side of his mouth.
He saw the principal of the school and his Spanish teacher look at him with concern. In fact his Spanish teacher looked near tears as if Peter had fallen over dead. "Are you ok, Peter?" she asked. "You were out for a long time and you hardly responded-"
Peter woke up daze as he looked at his classmates who were looking at him with concern. Even Flash looked slightly freaked out. Maybe taking the two pills while one of them was still digesting and having little breakfast might not have been the best idea. "I'm fine. I'm just a little tired."
The principal nodded and him and the teacher exchanged looks. "Perhaps, it will be better if Peter gets some rest in the nurse's office. Get your stuff, Peter."
They didn't let Peter go back to his classes for the rest of the day, instead he slept in the nurse's office for 4 more hours before the final bell rang. He was about to leave when the nurse told him that the principal wanted to see him. Peter sighed, the day had started off so good for him and now it was probably going to end up with a lecture.
Peter entered the principal's office and saw May and Scott sitting there. Scott looked pissed and May looked concerned, while Peter desperately hoped that a truck would run him over.
"Sit down, Peter." Principal Morita said gently as he pointed towards the seat in the middle. "Now I don't want you to be frightened or scared. We are just concern that there are a couple of things that are going on in your personal life that is causing. . .well everything. I was telling Mrs. Parker that this was not the first time that you've fallen asleep in class, your grades are low and you're close to failing which is not something that we want in your junior year. Not to mention that you quit Academic Decathlon which as MJ and Mr. Harrington mentioned you were very good at. Your aunt, Mr. McDaniel and I talked and we are concerned that you have a lot on your plate at the moment. Especially since you are a Junior."
"I turned in a few assignments today." Peter said weakly. His skin was flushed pink as he looked at his feet. He didn't dare look at Scott or at Aunt May. "I'm sorry, I know that I'm running a little behind, but I did complete some work and I went to bed early today and-"
"Peter." Principal Morita interrupted him. "You're sixteen years old, no one would blame you if you were filling overwhelmed."
"Yes, sweetie." Aunt May said gently as she pressed a hand on his shoulder. "You have been doing a lot lately and you have a full schedule. I know that you have always been very hardworking, but now it's time for you to step back and just be a teenager again. So Scott and I decided that it would be best if you would quit your job at the grocery store."
Principal Morita gave him a sweet, understanding smile which Peter tried to return back, but it was hard to when the man had just signed his death sentence. Principal Morita stood up. "Well, that's all I have for you folks, you guys are free to go. Get some rest, Peter ok? Have a good day, it's a beautiful day today."
Peter doubted that it was going to remain a beautiful day.
-End of Chapter Fourteen-
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