The next morning, May made sure the Parkers went to school that day, by personally dropping them off. The moment she drove away, Nova started to get those butterflies in her stomach, as if it was the first day of school all over again.
"What's wrong?" asked Peter, looking at her without his glasses for the very first time. Since they discovered their eyesight was healed, he looked like a different person without them. Nova, on the other hand, kept hers but just without the lenses. She did not want to get any attention from the sudden change after the spider incident. Especially after she had dropped some weight overnight, making her clothes droop over her so that she started to wear a belt to keep her jeans up.
As for Peter, he was not shy about the new change. He gained more muscle mass and was not afraid to show it by wearing a short-sleeved shirt that morning. Grabbing the attention of the girls around the school that never once batted an eye, until now.
"Should we lay low a bit?" Nova asked nervously, concerned with Peter's new look.
He puffed, "Na, we are fine, come on," he continued, "We are going to be late for class."
Nova nodded, worried about Peter's new behavior.
As they walked down the halls, a familiar face ran towards them, "Oh thank god you two are still alive," said Mary Jane, then her gaze went to Peter, "Whoa, who are you?"
Peter smiled, seeming a bit more confident, "Well, If I still have my glasses, you still recognize me."
MJ's jaw dropped, "No way, you can't be Peter Parker!"
"He is telling the truth," said Nova, trying to hide behind the thick hoodie.
"Wow," MJ gawked at Peter, "I like it, but I sort of miss the old look of you, but this might be okay," she sheepishly laughed. Then she turns her gaze to Nova, "You know, you look kind of different as well too,"
Nova scoffed, "Na, I'm still the same," she nervously laughed, "Well I'm heading to class now before I am announced tardy again," she turned away to head into the building when something stopped her.
"Hey, Long Legs," a soft smile flashes at her causing her to flush.
"H-Harry!" She gasped, "What are you doing here?"
Harry smirked, "I go to school here too, remember," he teased, making her feel embarrassed.
"Oh Harry," MJ called out, "Cheek out Peter's new look!" She pulled the blushing Peter by the arm, enjoying the attention he was gaining from the redhead.
Harry looked over at Peter and his experience changed, "Whoa, starting to work out now?" He looked over at Nova, "You seem a bit different as well."
Nova lowered her head, covering her face with her long bangs, "No I haven't… Now excuse me, I'm going to be late for class again," she dashed off, leaving the others behind.
Both Harry and MJ looked confused at her strange behavior, "What's wrong with her?" Asked MJ as she looked at Peter, who shrugged.
"Possibly puberty," he said as he followed behind his cousin. Along with the others.
Previously down the hall, Nova slipped her headphones into her ear to block out the loud crowd of students. It only helped a little bit as she went to get into her locker, Nova did not notice the huge figure standing behind her. Trying to get her attention. But as she turned around, she was startled by who it was.
"Oh god! Kong?!!" She gasped, seeing the fat boy before her, "What do you want?!" she snapped, not wanting to deal with him. But he kept his ground looming over her. He was tall. Taller than her for she was half above five feet.
"Uh… I'm sorry," he muttered, throwing Nova off, "I want to apologize for what I did to Peter. I was a pretty jerk to you guys."
The confused and shocked look on Nova's face as she listens to the largest bully in the school yard, "Eh… You must have hit your head pretty hard for you to be doing this," she nervously laughed.
Kong smiled slightly, "Na, getting my ass handed from a nerd was enough to knock some sense in me," he sheepishly smiled. Creating an awkward laugh between them.
"Hey, back away from her!" called out Peter as he rushed over to them, but Herry stopped him.
"Whoa man," Harry said, "Hear the man out."
Peter turns to his friend, "You're part of this!?"
"Not in the way you think," Harry chuckled before looking at Kong, "We talked while you guys were away."
Kong nodded, "Yeah, I was looking for you guys and wanted to apologize."
"Kong? Apologies?!" MJ questioned, her green eyes glaring at the fat kid.
"Damn, how hard did you hit your head?" Peter asked, looking like he was not buying his bullshit either.
Kong narrowed his eyes, "Oh come on, I'm not that bad," he said as he looked over at Peter, who looked like he was ready to fight. "I'm sorry for all the things I have done to you over the past years. So I want to invite all of you to a wrestling match next tuesday," he tried to hold a smile as he looked at everyone, mostly Nova. "Like to come?"
Nova looked at Peter and her friends before answering, "Sure, why not?" She gave him a kind smile.
MJ and Peter were taken aback by this.
"Great!" Kong smiled big, "I can't wait to tell Flash this!"
"Wait what..."
But it was already too late for the huge-doofus had already run off to tell the news.
"Well that just happened," spoke up MJ, as she did not seem so thrilled at what just happened.
"Come on, guys," Harry pleaded, "He is not that bad once you get to know him."
"Not so bad?" Peter huffed, "The guy bullied me since first grade!"
Nova looked over at Harry, "Peter is right. Yet, Flash is involved so that's not good news."
Harry grunted, "I'm telling you guys, they changed. especially how you both handed their asses to them," he chuckled. "Boy, I wish I was there to see it. Kong believed that Peter flipped him in the air and Nova snapped Flash's hand."
Nova stared at the ground for a moment in shame as Harry spoke.
"Anyway, Parkers, can I talk to you both outside after class?" he asked as the two both gave concerned looks at each other.