Shout Outs: Thanks to MythologyStar for reviewing the story. Thanks to NuttyShaggy for following and favoring the story. Thanks to Phoenix X 2 for reviewing the story.

Chapter 8: Ignorance

Since the stunt that had been pulled, the day for Peter had been going normal. Flash was somewhat of Peter's back; he's merely giving death glare looks and threatening messages but Peter ignored them, seeing that they're nothing but a waste of time. This also includes for Michelle who also dropped the subject of Peter being Spider Man as well.

Needless to say, Peter was pretty happy overall. Of course, Peter was still curious as to how Tony had done it but all Tony wrote (when Peter texted him) was it's a secret and Peter could imagine Tony giving a secretive smile.

"You're really lucky to make Tony do such a stunt," Ned replied at a chemistry class.

Peter narrowed his eyes as he carefully eyed the beaker and the liquid, doing a precise measurement. The class was supposed to do a lab which was having the liquid change to the right color of pink.

"Yeah but he still won't tell me how he did it," Peter replied. He then got up, screwing the lid back on the small vial of bottle.

Ned raised an eyebrow as he stared at his partner. "You do realize you look like you're giving the evil stare at the beaker, right?"

"This experiment needs to be precise. Things can go badly wrong if it's not the right amount. Otherwise—"

BLAM!

All of a sudden, this earned the whole class to turn their heads around, giving out a snicker. The poor boy was smoked all over the face and he coughed, getting the smoke out of his lungs.

"He probably gave too much of potassium—which is what you're not supposed to do. Potassium are more reactive than sodium when they are in water," Peter replied as he still stared at the boy who was shortly joined by a teacher with a disapproving look.

"You're such a nerd."

By the end of the class, Peter and Ned and a few other students were able to make the correct shade of pink. Then came Gym class which was the least of Peter's favorite class simply because it made him small whenever he's facing all the muscled boys.

Ned stared at the people as though he was studying them.

"What's so great about having so many muscles?" Ned asked, giving an odd look. "It just makes you look like a bonehead."

Peter shrugged. "I don't know. But it helps with the girls."

Ned looked over to the left to see a group of girls, giggling over a muscled boy.

"That's just so sad," Ned replied as he shook his head.

"What's so sad?"

Ned sighed. "Do you always have to come and join us?" he asked as he didn't took off his eyes from the group of girls. Just by the sound of the voice, he already knew who it was.

Michelle stared at the direction of which the two boys were staring at. "Yeap because I make your sad nerdy life more entertaining."

Ned snorted. "Yeah sure. Out of all of us, I think Peter has the saddest life."

"I heard that."

Michelle gave a thought. "You know, if you want to be 'in' with the crowd of girls, then you should go for what they want. I mean, it's alright to take risks."

"But what do girls like in guys?" Peter asked as he eyed Liz though there was a small sad look upon his face.

"It depends. The answer changes almost instantly. Girls are more complicated than you think. Some goes for more muscled men. Some goes for blue eyes and their looks. Others go for personality. And some goes for between," Michelle explained. "Just…don't be a stalker or a creep."

However, as the trio stared at the small crowd, all of a sudden something whizzed through the air that seemed to be aiming at Peter who appeared to be not paying attention or so they thought. At the last minute, without even looking from the corner of his eyes, Peter acted on instinct and used his quick reflexives to catch the football before it could strike him in the face.

Michelle and Ned stared at him.

"Woah, how'd you do that?" Ned asked, surprised.

"Do what?" Peter asked before he looked at the ball in his hands. "Oh that. It's simple. I've just caught it with my hand."

"Well no duh, wise guy," Ned replied, sneering.

Peter narrowed his eyes as he stared at the group which contained Flash and a few girls below.

"Hey Thompson! I think this is yours!" Peter shouted as he threw back the football. In a blur, Peter gave a small cringe when the ball hit him right in the stomach, causing Thompson fall to the ground from the heavy impact.

Michelle slightly winced while Peter lowered his arm.

"Uh…too much momentum?"

Michelle grinned. "You're learning."

"Parker!" the gym teacher's voice called and that made Peter grimace.

"Uh oh," Ned replied.

Sighing, Peter glumly walked down the bleachers, heading towards the teacher. Once there, Peter braced himself for a sit out even though he wouldn't mind to sit out of gym class but in fact…that didn't happen. What the instructor said next totally surprised him.

"Even though I disapproved of what you did, but I must ask. When did you had such a good arm?" he asked.

Peter blinked with surprise. "Uh…"

"Ever thought of joining the school's football team?"

"Heh…sorry, Mr. Winston but uhm, I like my small puny self. Don't really like to be trampled over."

Mr. Winston smiled. "I understand but just a thought though. We could use someone like you."

Peter made a small smile then went back to his group.

"What happened? Another detention?" Ned assumed.

"Nope. He asked me if I want to join the football team."

"You?" Michelle asked, giving an incredulous stare. "No offense but you could easily be picked up and be thrown across the hallway without the buffed guys breaking a sweat."

"Gee…you really know how to shut down a guy's confidence, don't you?" Peter asked.

Michelle shrugged. "Eh."

When gym was over, Peter was glad that it was. He didn't think he could stand another track and field. Sore and aching, Peter literally dragged himself towards the door entrance, being eager to get out of the class and perhaps this was one of the days where Peter, for the first time, didn't have a detention.

Spider Man perched atop on a ledge of a tall building in a crouching position as he stared across the city. It was quiet without the villain disturbing the city and that made Peter be uneasy. It was quite possible that it was the Calm before Storm and Peter needed to act fast if he doesn't want an unexpected attack from the enemy.

He fiddled around with the new device what Happy made. He narrowed its eyes, staring at the gadget as thoughts went through his mind. Would it be possible for this gadget to perform a whole scan of the city?

He didn't know and plus, Happy didn't really mention about it. Shrugging, Peter lifted his hand up, getting himself a good positon before he threw the device. The item fluttered around the city, circling in a half U-turn. He grinned. So it did work. The item continued its scan until Spider Man felt a strange tingle throughout his body before the small object went back to him, flashing red.

"Coordinates…found…" a computerized voice spoke. "Gathering location."

On the top of the tracer, a screen appeared which revealed the coordinates. Grinning, Spider Man remembered the location and placed the item away before he made a free fall then released his webs, swinging from one building to the next.

He eventually came to a secluded area but when he got there, he didn't expect for the location to be what it looked like an abandoned old house. A few walls were destroyed and there was a strange sense of sadness hanging around in the atmosphere. He didn't know.

But he did know one thing.

There was something rather peaceful about this place. He felt strangely drawn to it and he felt his muscles loosening. The more he stared at it, the more he felt that behind the house, something else was lurking behind it.

"Eerie, isn't it?"

The sudden voice made Peter sharply turned around, suddenly being on guard. The figure emerged out of the shadows which made Peter narrow his eyes as he who it was.

"Sandman," Peter responded.

He raised his hand up. "I have not come to fight, young one. I've merely come to talk."

Taking a breath, Peter eased up a little but he was still being a little defensive.

"About what?"

There was a thick silence that surrounded them and it wasn't until that the Sandman spoke.

"I've come to ask for help," the Sandman rumbled.

Peter narrowed his eyes. "Why should I help you after all the damage you had done?"

"I do not blame you for not helping me but at least hear my story?" with a nod from Spider Man, the Sand Man continued. "Before I went bad, I was unemployed and life was tough for me. I couldn't find a job and it was difficult for me. Things were tough but I didn't want to give up especially when I have someone to take care of—"

"Your daughter," Peter spoke.

The Sandman nodded. "Yes. During the time of my unemployment, I couldn't pay the treatment what my daughter needs in order to cure the cancer. I was desperate—you have to understand what I'm doing was to save my little girl."

"But by damaging and creating chaos?" Spider Man asked. "There's always another way."

The Sandman hardened his stare as he spoke in a harsh tone. "What would you have done if you have to save someone's life? When things were tough? When there are no options left?"

"There's always hope, no matter how tough the situations are."

The Sandman scoffed. "Listen to yourself. Always believing in things," his attitude then changed. "All I'm asking if you could take care of my daughter. Look after her since I could not. Please."

Peter stood silence for a bit as he resumed standing on his spot. The more he talked, Peter couldn't help but to feel that there was something different about him. It was as though this wasn't the real Sandman—just a mere duplicate of the original one. Shrugging it off, Spider Man turned around and glanced slightly to the side.

"I'll see what I can do," Peter responded before he released his web and swung into the night, leaving the Sandman to his thoughts.

The weakened Sandman sensed as he felt that Spider Man had met with his duplicate. At least for now, he would have Spider Man off his trail but he was sincere. If anyone could look after his daughter, it would be him. Marko didn't want to admit it but he needed his help.

Sandman sighed as he took a step. However as he did, he sensed that he wasn't alone. He glanced from the corner of his eyes when he saw something emerging in a blinding light, making him narrowing his eyes.

In front of him stood a man who wore a heavy armor which colors blended in with the darkness. There wasn't much to describe this man as he was almost completely covered by armor.

The mysterious visitor let out a breath before he bore his eyes into Sandman.

"Now then…what are you doing in my lair?"

Author's Note: And I'll give you three guesses as to who this new person is; I've done research and it's been stated that this newcomer actually worked with Sandman so I didn't randomly added him in so I thought it would be neat for Sandman to have an ally. And I've also done research about sodium and potassium to make sure my science was right XD I remember doing the litmus project back in high school. Getting the right shade of pink was a pain in the butt. Fun but a pain XD What happens next? Toodles!