Small little slice of life chapter, as well as some hints as to where this story might lead to in the future.

Sally groaned, listening to her friend's rambling. "What do you mean you're busy tonight?" She asked Liz. At the beginning of the year, this wasn't a problem at all. School night or Weekends, Liz was always available for a mall hang.

"I'm studying. I'm not gonna get kicked off the cheerleading squad because of a bad grade." Liz responded with a light eye roll.

"Is that what the fuss is about? You know there's an easier way to get a passing grade." Sally said. "Just find the biggest nerd around and offer to be seen in public with them for five minutes in exchange for them doing all the work. That's how I'm passing trig and english."

"Remind me why I'm friends with you again?" Liz asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because cheerleaders stick together no matter what, whether it be boys or earthquakes." Sally repeated the golden rule of cheerleading.

"Riiight." She nodded. "Well I prefer to be more independent…." The girl looked away. "Also science can be … kinda interesting." Wait, was that a blush?

"Oh my god." The cheerleader spoke quietly. "You've got a crush on a brainiac." Sally began to internally throw up. "Where have I gone wrong teaching you about social hierarchy?"

"Maybe if you didn't act like my life depended on my social status at school.."

"But your life does depend on it, your social life!" The people in the cafeteria looked at them, before Sally went to a whisper. "And you're not even denying you have a crush."

"Come on, don't be silly, me and Flash are still together, I can't have a crush.." Liz chuckled hesitantly.

Sally raised an eyebrow. "Girl, have you never heard about the celebrity list?"

"The what now?" Oh this poor naive fool.

She groaned. "It's when a man and a woman both list five people that they'd hook up with even if they're married. Just because you're in a relationship doesn't mean that your feelings don't exist you know."

"Okay, one, that last bit was weirdly insightful for you…"

"Mastering social class is my whole thing."

"Two, that sounds like a really messy set up."

"Don't knock it till you try it. That's how me and Rand have stayed together despite breaking up four times." No matter how many times her man said he was tired of her voice.

Liz raised an eyebrow. "Alright, I'll bite, who's on your list?"

"Johnny Storm, Tony Stark, Robber Pastine, Michele Jordan, and Megan Fox." Sally answered immediately on the top of he. "The point is that you can like people outside of a relationship … which means we just have to stop the crush before you become infected with geek."

"You're just being silly, Sally. So what if I have a crush? It doesn't mean I'm going to do anything. I can just…" Liz looked over to another table, looking at the one where the geek squad of their year was hanging out. "Watch from a distance."

"No…" It suddenly felt like a sword was being driven into her stomach. "No, you can't…please don't tell me.." This was code red. "Literally anyone else there would be better, Osborn at least has money…"

"He doesn't have a cute little mole on his face…" Liz spoke with a dreamy cloud nine look.

"…" She resisted banging her head on the table. "You have a crush on Flash's favorite victim." She grumbled. "You have a crush on Puny Parker."

"Petey's not that puny." Oh gawd, she already had a pet name for him. "You should've seen him when we were studying at esu when that electric guy came. He pushed me out of the way of danger, and his chest felt pretty firm." Sally would ignore that.

"No wonder you think he's cute, it's a rescuie's delusion. You don't have a crush on him, you have a crush on the image that saved your life. Same thing happened once when Kenny pulled me out of the way when a crook Spider-Man was chasing nearly ran me over." Yeah, Kong was a jock, so that was a plus in his favor, but he was such a slob.

"I know, Glory broke up with Kenny over the summer because of your flirting." Liz recalled.

"Point is, what you have is only a temporary feeling." Sally reiterated. "Believe me when I say Puny Parker ain't no hero in real life." If he was, he wouldn't let Flash constantly trip him up every other day.

"Mmm … if you say so …" Yes! "Still gonna think about him though." FUCK! "Besides, Petey has more going for him. He's smart, he's funny…"

"Yeah Liz, I'm going to pretend to answer a phone call right now so I don't have to listen to your delusions." She took out her phone.

"You do you Sally." Liz rolled her eyes. Such a deluded little girl.

Randy took a bite out of steak. "So, how's work dad?" He asked. Family dinners at the table with everyone around wasn't completely forigen, but with his dad being the cheir editor at the bugle, it made the days where he didn't show up seem pretty normal.

"Eh, Jonah is still a man of many words, but his commentary is the only reason people still buy our print." The man responded. "Nowadays the new generation listens to social media and live news."

"Don't worry dad, I'm not completely lost in the world wide web, not compared to Sally anyways." Rand grumbled.

"Why are you two still together again?" Mom asked. "Aren't you the one that keeps saying you can't stand her, and I quote, 'shril goat shrieking cat claw on chalkboard valley girl stereotype' voice?"

"She has her nice side…every two weeks." Rand sighed. "I've been trying to break up with her over the summer, but she hasn't taken the hint. At this point I'm considering just riding it out until graduation."

"Rand, you need to be firm." Dad spoke up. "Some people just can't see the subtlety of life, and need direct and clear messages."

"Like how it took you a year to realize I was flirting with you?" Mom asked with a smirk.

"I didn't ask for real life examples." His dad coughed, and that got a light chuckle out of him. "So aside from your love life being in shambles…"

"Gee, thanks." Rand moaned.

"...I take it the school year's going pretty well for you?"

"As well as it can go I guess. The season's going pretty well for us, though we already have to replace our quarterback for breaking his leg.

"You could always ask that Parker kid." Dad suggested.

"Peter?" Rand asked, confused. "No offense to him, dad, but he's not exactly the athlete type." Rand didn't have anything against him like Flash, Kenny, or Sally did, but Rand distinctly remembered Eddie Brock and him having to peel Peter out of his locker for two years when he got stuffed in there. Dude could stand to build some muscle was all he was saying.

"He managed to be the only one to get Spider-Man pictures for the past week, image the legs it takes to keep up with a guy like that." Maybe that's where he always ran off to. "Just a suggestion, anyone else you have in mind?"

He thought about it. "There was the Casey kid, but he usually sticks to hockey instead of football." Not to mention the temper he had that made him go super loco on everyone that looked at him funny. "We're hoping to make Hobbie a shoe-in for the spot, but word around the school is that Harry Osborn's going to try out as well."

"As long as he doesn't buy out the spot, I think your team's gonna be fine this year." Dad smiled.

"I know Sally will try to milk that angle for all it's worth." Rand grumbled. "So anything groundbreaking developing news wise?"

"Aside from the Spider-man case, quite a few of the reporters seemed to be dedicated to convincing everyone that Ninja's are running around New York. I'm not completely buying it, but much weirder has come up lately, so I'll give it a few months before I declare it a dead end."

"Why are Ninjas somehow less believable than giant robots and men made of electricity?" Mom asked with confusion. "I remember the world being normal about four months ago."

"I firmly believe that the world's never been normal, it just got harder to cover the more uncanny aspects of life." Dad answered. If what Rand's heard in a locker room was true, Flash would agreed.

Hobbie sat in the shade, listening to his friend's ramblings. "You seriously want to be the 'mutant' in the multiple super crimes?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, could you imagine it man? Super powers! Fight off the bad guys, take out the evil robots, saving the ladies." Casey gave him that gap toothed grin.

"Having a face only a mother could love to boot." Hobbie deadpanned. "Come on, the masked vigilante with cool gadgets absolutely has the better appeal to it."

"Dude, I'm telling you, his webs are definitely organic." Casey tried to argue.

"If they were organic he'd spot them out of his mouth … or butt." He shivered at the mental image. "Just think about it, you're in the streets, and thugs are completely surrounding you. They think you're helpless, and BAM, you hit them with a hidden taser."

"Hm, a hidden taser does sound pretty awesome." Casey mulled it over.

"Exactly, and there's something more badass about a regular guy hitting up at all the super-freaks that keep popping up. Real underdog status, you know?"

"You do make a valid point. Counterpoint, the ability to walk straight even after running straight into an incoming truck." The hockey obsessed boy countered. "Imagine the look on people's faces after you manage to shrug it off."

"Yeah everyone gets scared or shocked beyond belief." They've been at this same conversation for almost the past five months. "Besides, you can't just wish for powers man. Otherwise the entire planet would be overrun with heroes and villains without any rules whatsoever."

"Come on, the world's crappy as it is, I can afford to be just a little optimistic." Hobbie sadly agreed with that first part. Both of them lived in the 'not so friendly' neighborhood part of town. If it wasn't for the likes of Spider-Man actually paying attention to small crime, scum like the purple dragons would've overtaken it by now.

"Said the boy who got suspended six times in middle school after hospitalizing the school bullies." He deadpanned. "There is such a thing as overkill you know."

"Hey, if someone's asking for it, then they get it." Casey smirked, before frowning. "Like that guy right over there."

Hobbie turned his attention to where Casey was pointing, where the all too familiar sight of Flash Thompson getting his kicks by pushing around Peter Parker was occurring. "Hey Puny Parker. I see you had a nice fall." The jock said as he tripped the scrawny guy.

"Very original flash." The victim rolled his eyes as he began getting up. "Almost makes up for the one dimension you have for a personality."

"What's that, can't hear you all the way from nerdville." Flash mocked as he dropped his bag right on top of Parker's

"Alright." Hobbie started. "Why don't we try actually trying to get a teacher this time instead of-"

"GOONGALA!"

"Annnd he's gone." The boy watched as Casey ran up and decked Flash straight in the nose.

"What the hell!?" The football star shouted, not given a second to think as Casey began going for a combo of hits without any technique whatsoever.

"How about you pick on someone your own size, punk!?" Casey wailed on him with a rapid fire attack of punches to the face.

"Get the hell off of me, Jones!" Flash shouted out as he tried to fight back with punches that were way too slow and easy to read, even if they were stronger. Made for a rather evenly matched fight between the two.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The students began chanting, much to the horror of the 'nerd squad' of Parker and his friends.

"Break it up!" For once, a teacher came in to intervene, pushing students past. "Jones, principal's office. Thompson, nurse's office."

Both lugheads glared at each other, before turning away. "You heard the man, get going, you little psycho." Flash spat out, covering his bruised face from the crowd.

"Sure thing, mr can't land a hit." Casey smirked all the way to his probable detention. Sometimes Hobbie Brown wondered if that guy had a sense of fear, or was born without the concept. "RAT!" Ah right, it was just severely skewered.

Glory smiled as she gazed at the image before her. The blue and black melding into the red and green, creating a sickly tortured soul of an artist in despair. "Doesn't it just speak to you, Kenny?" She asked her boyfriend.

"No, is there a music section or …" Right, she almost forgot that he was uncultured…or the fact she was the only one among her friend group that was.

"The gift shop's two turns to the left." She answered with a sigh, knowing fully well already the most cultured thing about Kenny was the Chinese food he had once a week for dinner.

"Thanks babe." He kissed her cheek. "I'll be sure to get something pretty enough to match you." Well, that and he also had a way with words when it was just them.

"Isn't it a bit of a hassle?" To her right was Sha Shan, her friend in the theater club, aka, the only time she got a chance to express her interest during school hours. "Not to pry, but you and him don't really seem to mix."

"Meh, all the good boys at our school are taken." She responded, looking at the paintings. "He was the only one left with a sweet center."

"I would say that you might be judging people outside of your social circle, but the Casey Jones stunt kinda makes me think everyone is one step away from exploding." Sha Shan sighed. "Then again, that's only covering the jocks."

"I have a type. Tall, strong, and caring. If it's not all three then I'm out of luck."

"I could go without tall and strong." Sha Sha gave a soft smile. "As long as it's someone caring enough to pay attention to the lonely girl playing the piano."

"Was that a quote from a romance novel?" She thought the girl had more taste.

"If I'm going to take being an actor seriously, then it helps to read all forms of literature to draw upon, even the cheesy and cliche."

Glory snorted. "Alright, fair fair." She relented. "So, how are tryouts for your club?"

"Not many takers, it's slow when we don't have a production in progress." Sha Sha sighed. "There's been talks that we might have a broadway director for a Shakespeare play in the winter, but that's a bit off from now, and even then I don't have that many high hopes."

"Hey, if it's interest you're wanting to drum up, I can help with that." Glory nodded. "I can actually use my popularity for something worthwhile for once."

"Thanks, it'll be a big help." Sha Shan gave a breath of relief. "Why do you hang with the popular crowd anyways? You are much less of a jerk than most of them, no offense."

"None taken. And to answer your question, at first it was mainly to not suffer social scrutiny like most of the brainiacs around school go through." One look at Peter Parker's rep was all the convincing one needed to avoid that mess. "After that it was cheerleading itself, which is … nice, jumping around out on the field and dancing. It's like a stage, but one you can move around more, you know?"

"I understand perfectly. Everyone has their own canvas they excel in." Sha Sha nodded. "Different stages allow us to be creative in our own ways."

"Like this piece of work here." Glory pointed to the statue of a man gazing intently at a wall, a statue behind raising a sword. "So focused on the things in front of him that everything behind means nothing."

"It raises so many questions. What is he focusing on? Is it worth the risk? When does one have to stop to say enough is enough? Do they even know of the risk that creeps behind?"

"Glad to see someone can appreciate the beauty of this place." Glory grinned. "You wanna take a look at the chinese exhibit? I hear they have a cursed dagger."

"You believe in magic?" Sha Sha asked skeptically.

"More like I have a mild interest in the folklore around superstitions. The tales they come up with around a few of the trinkets be really out there. Like the supposed other worldly travel of the Siege Perilous, or the Evil Eye of Avalon." It was a crazy world they lived in, but it wasn't like any of those old stories were true, right?

Doreen Green was what many would call a normal everyday teenager…as normal as a girl who snuck her pet squirrel into her backpack everyday could be. She d

id okay in school and was decently liked among her peers, but that did little to alleviate the boredom that was high school life.

She craved just a little excitement in her life … other than the normal stuff of course. And the recent sightings and superhero stuff? This was her ticket in! She just needed to convince her friend to join the cause. "We could totally do it." Doreen argued. "The teachers would allow it."

"An 'investigate the city for paranormal activity' club sounds like a mouthful, don't you think?" Jesica Cambell, the closest friend she's made in the past three years, asked. "Like, just 'paranormal club' would be totally fine. And even then, it's a stretch when the city is constantly blowing up."

"That just means there's more to figure out. Why does everything blow up so easily? Are those rumors about ninja's in New York actually true? Is that Electro guy in any way like that giant monkey that's been hopping around town? And do giant alligators ACTUALLY live in the sewers? There's enough mystery to keep members busy for the next ten years, I swear.

"And none of the people that would join … well, would." Her friend once more tried to bring her down. "Anyone without a club is either interning, has a part time job, or just really hates social interaction."

"And that would be like looking in a mirror, wouldn't it?" Doreen looked at the girl with a sly smirk.

"At least I'm not the one who brings a rodent to school to talk to whenever we have separate classes."

"Hey, Monkey Joe is more than a rodent, he's family, isn't that right little guy?" She gently reached down into her bag, rubbing his head as she removed a nut from one of the pockets, giving the cute little guy his meal of the day. "See, and he's better well trained than the entire football team combined, not to mention smarter and more hygienic."

"Won't catch me arguing with that." The girl snorted.

"Now come on, you could be the camera girl taking the shots, I could be the woman running in for the interview. We could speak face to face with the paranormal!" It would be amazing!

"You mean the supervillains that want to melt your face off."

"Potato, Patahto, I have like, half a year of gymnastics on my side…"

"AKA, the elective you were kicked out of for sneaking out to feed the squirrels."

"Whatever, I still have enough experience to keep a distance, and we can finally catch up with that Spider-guy and one up the Bugle in their libelest biased face with a full interview."

"I think they have a point." Jesica replied honestly. "I was never really into masked heroes to begin with. Just hiding a section of yourself from everybody around you … it would be cruel and dishonest, you know?"

"Which is why we should keep at this and find him so we can get the truth!" Doreen exclaimed, ignoring the stares everyone was giving them. "You'd be a fool to pass this up."

"You know, with adrenaline like yours, it's a wonder you haven't boned Casey Jones yet." Jesica snarked.

"Says the girl still waiting for the 'right moment' to talk to Peter Parker." She called back, and the blush instantly proved her point. "Who, by the way, happens to be the guy that takes photo's of Spider-man."

"He does…?" Jessica eye's eyes widened.

"How can you criticize the Bugle but not read the headline that says 'Pictures by Peter Parker'?" Doreen asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The articles are really engaging…" Her friend said sheepishly. "But…if trying to talk to Spider-man is one of the goals, then…"

"Then you'd get the perfect opportunity to talk and/or work with mr science nerd himself." Doreen used the bait that had perfectly landed in her lap. "Come on, what'da say …"

"Alright, alright, you talked me into it." Jessica groaned in acceptance, a faint blush present. "But I'm not bailing you on your next 'rodent detention trip', alright?"

"Fair deal, I can happily accept my punishment if justice for all things nutty is served." She proudly proclaimed.

"The rabies shot Mr. Warren had to get begged to differ." Jessica snorted.

"Oh come on, he said he was thankful." The girl waved off. "He's been looking for animal DNA."

"... And that doesn't sound weird to you in the slightest?"

"I used to collect as much squirrel fur as I could find when I was a kid before Monkey Joe plopped in my life. I'd like to think Mr. Warren's childlike wonder hasn't gone away."

"You are somehow too smart and too naive for this school." Jessica rolled her eyes. "You're unbelievable.

"I know, I'm the Unbelievable Doreen Greene, and don't you forget it."

Gwen sipped up some more of the delicious noodles. "How have we been friends this long and you've never taken us here?" She asked April. Recently Peter offered to buy everyone dinner, on the account of an apology for skipping on Harry's tutoring. April said she knew somewhere cheap, and now they were eating delicious chinese cuisine.

"Probably the same reason you guys didn't warn me we had a guy willing to deck Flash in the face in our grade." April raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, that guy was a maniac, even if Flash deserved it."

"Eh, Casey's always had a screw loose, but he usually means well." Peter brought up while failing to use his chopsticks to pick up some potstickers. "He's the only guy in the school willing to do anything about bullying bs when the teacher's do nothing."

"I heard a story from my dad." Gwen explained in between bites. "His dad got detained for trying to do something right that went against the books, and the family's been bad off ever since."

"Ah, so his entire family is just nuts, good to know." Irma noted, surprisingly eating nothing. A little rude, but that was Irma in a nutshell. "I shall refrain from engaging in conversation with Casey Jones from this moment forward."

"I kinda admire it." Peter smiled. "Doing the right thing even if nobody respects him for it … it's nice to see people like that still exist." He looked into his soup bowl, probably digging up old memories.

"Your new friends are quite interesting April." The blind owner, Mr. Murkami, said with a smile. "I'm happy to serve such a lovely group of people."

"I'm happy to be served. This food's almost too good to be true." Harry spoke with a mouth full of wontons. "You really know your way around the kitchen."

"Just years of practice, and a little guidance from a major pain with a heart of gold." Mr. Murkami laughed a little. "Stick-san expected nothing less but perfection. Made me glad I couldn't see the bruises he left on my backside."

"So it wasn't an accident?" Irma asked.

"No, but I do not regret being born without sight. It gives me a great many other ways to view the world. Taste, sound, smell …" He looked at the two guys at the table. "Are you two alright, by the way? I smell many chemicals on the both of you."

"Oh, that's probably just my lab equipment, I've been trying to get a head start on this year's science fair. Spring is just around the corner, can't get started too soon." Peter responded, which was fair enough. He was the face of school nerdism for a reason.

"I was looking for my dad in the lower labs. There was a bit of a spill, I hoped the hot shower washed it all off." Harry laughed nervously. "I should probably double down when I get home." He was sweating too much and his voice was cracking.

"Speaking of, that's what Flash and his goonsquad are going to do to you when you actually try out for football." Irma stated. "You're basically a walking tackling dummy that'll get torn to shreds the moment you step on the field."

"Well I planned on bulking up, but I should get some moral support either way." Harry glanced at Peter. "Should I ask you, or do you plan on flaking again?"

"Look, I know time hasn't exactly been on my side lately, but I swear I'll be there, even if I have to take one for the team and suffer three bruised ribs from a Kenny Kong ground pound." Peter said seriously. "And no force is gonna tell me otherwise."

Ding

They all turned to the front door, as … three … Purple Dragons … walked in. "Wow, so many customers. Business must be booming." The tall one grinned. "That means you can pay us this time, right Murakami?"

"I told you, I will not not budge." The blind man stood tall with a small frown. "This restaurant is no place for scoundrels such as yourselves."

"Then it seems we need to show you a bit of fire." Another pulled out a baseball bat, idly pounding it into his hand.

Peter slowly began to get up, until a buff one stood up in front of them. "Come on kids, don't be heroes. Just walk out now, and nothing will happen to you."

"Hey, we can't just let 'em go. We gotta make em pay tribute." The tall one looked her over. "Maybe a little of the body varie-"

"Tsoi, what the fuck!?" The buff one shouted, thankfully calling out the disgusting behavior Gwen's dad would've shot them on sight for, no questions asked. "Taking money from children is one thing, but we draw the line at what you're talking about man."

"Come on, the chicks are like, a year or two away from eighteen? It's not that sketchy, right"

"No man, just …" The one with a bat signed. "Just get out of here, I'm not in the mood for patting you down."

"Got it, out of here, thank you." April grabbed her hand, pulling her out as the gang made their way out of the front door. "Peter, go call the police."

"Wait, my dad is the police captain." Gwen blinked in confusion.

"Good point. Counterpoint, do you want him to have a police detail on you twenty-four seven when he finds out you were in the middle of a mugging with pervy mcbastard oh so charming personality?" Peter looked at her. "Plus I'm a photographer, something big might happen."

"...Fair enough." Gwen relented. "Just…stay safe, please. Don't start risking your life over a couple of pictures."

"I know how to stay out of trouble!" The boy waved as he ran off.

"Peter going after another scoop … great." Harry muttered. "Come on, we better not be around when the cops show up. I'd rather not have my dad ask why an officer drove me home."

"My house is in the other direction, so I guess this is where we split for tonight." April rushed off. "See yah at school tomorrow!"

"Wait, but you don't…" Irma called out, but it was too light. "..Live at your dad's anymore."

"Hysteria induced amnesia?" Gwen tried to excuse for her.

"If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it's a flaker." Harry groaned. "No time to psychoanalyze, let's just get out of here." He seemed more moody lately, she should probably keep an eye on him, just in case.