(Fifteen days later, at Midtown High School...)
"Peter... Hey, Peter!" the buzz cut brunette Kaine whisper-shouted as he tapped his sleeping cousin's shoulder a few times from behind. Peter's face was buried between the pages of his textbook on his desk. All that while holding a pen.
"Pete! Wake up!" the bob cut red-haired Annabelle whisper-shouted too. She shook his shoulder until he made a confused noise and lifted his head up, letting out a yawn. "Class is almost over!"
He blinked his eyes twice and rubbed them gently. Then, his mind clicked, realization slowly settling in. "Oh no, no... Not again," Peter sighed in disappointment as he could feel everyone's eyes, including the physics teacher, staring at him, drowning him in embarrassment. He turned to his identical older cousin and his friend, sitting behind him, with a guilty look. They could see the dark circles under Peter's lifeless hazel eyes. "Sorry..." was all he could utter.
Nonetheless, the class continued with the teacher explaining a lesson to the students through the drawing and writing on the whiteboard. Some looked like they understood it well, others had this look of utter disbelief as they couldn't comprehend what he was saying. But no matter what, they wrote down the notes on their notebook pages. Though a few of the students made cute, colorful illustrations to accompany their notes simply for fun, giggling at their own drawings.
The young Parker might have his eyes on the whiteboard to digest information. Yet as much as he wanted to focus on the class, his mind kept wandering to something else: a painful moment from two weeks ago that still left his heart in pieces. And he got nothing when the teacher finished his explanation.
*RING!*
"Ah, that's the bell," Mr. Kirby chuckled, "Alright, class! That'll be it for the lesson today. Don't forget to study for the next part of the lesson. For now, enjoy your recess. I'll see you in the next class!"
The students rose from their seats and thanked their teacher before going out the room. However, Mr. Kirby called Peter, prompting him to stop walking.
"Mr. Parker, may I talk with you for a bit?"
"Y-Yes, Sir..." Peter turned around and approached the teacher's table.
Mr. Kirby pulled an empty chair to his table for the student and said, "Please, have a seat." The teenager complied and sat down. Before talking to Peter, Mr. Kirby noticed that Kaine and Anna remained in the class and sitting on their chairs. "You two are not having your recess?"
"We'll wait for our friend, Sir," Anna smiled at him politely.
"You can take your time, Sir," Kaine said.
Nodding at their responses, the teacher then sat down and looked at Peter with concern. "Mr. Parker... This is the seventh time that you fall asleep during a class. This is a matter I previously heard from my fellow teachers since last week," he sighed. "What happened...? You were never like this before."
Peter averted his eyes from Mr. Kirby for a moment after hearing that question. He remembered the moment of betrayal from his former ally and friend Black Cat. Someone he put his trust in and it was thrown away. All because she didn't trust him and his cousin, despite them not having any ill intent. His hands started shaking in anger as he recalled that event. Time might have passed but the wound was still fresh. And Peter dared not to revisit that distasteful memory.
"Sir, I'm...sorry. I'm not sure I can talk about it. I just...can't," Peter replied, hesitant. He turned to face the teacher again. This time, his body was slightly trembling.
Mr. Kirby noticed the anger and the pain reflected on Peter's eyes. He didn't pry further and simply nodded in understanding at the young man. "That's alright. Whatever you are going through right now... I can only hope it'll be resolved, Mr. Parker," the teacher said in a sympathetic tone. "If you need help or just anything, don't be afraid to reach out, okay? The door will always be open. I just want the best for you."
"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate it..."
As the two conversed for a little bit more, Kaine and Anna watched them before looking at each other. Her forest green eyes meeting her friend's hazel ones.
"It really hurts me to see Pete like this, K..." she sighed deeply.
"Me too... He doesn't deserve to go through this pain," said Kaine with a saddened look. "But hey, maybe things will slowly go back to normal when he meets your friend tomorrow, right?"
"Yup. Bringing him with us to tomorrow's music competition so he'll meet Gwen, just like we planned."
"It won't be an easy process for them to be friends though, considering Peter's circumstances..." Kaine noted. "But it's worth trying. Since you trust Gwen, I trust her too."
"Better than nothing, K. It's for our friend," Anna smiled with such warmness.
Kaine returned her smile with a loving one. Every side of his close friend, no matter if it was lighthearted and kind or dark and crazy, he still loved her. Having someone who understood and accepted him along with his darkness, this was something Kaine could take comfort in.
Yet at that moment too, a part of Kaine remembered his own dark side. He'd been dreading for the day his darker self would come back. It all started with the day he helped Anna prepare for the competition she and Gwen joined. He thought he had gotten rid of the Other permanently. But his rather inhuman laugh in Kaine's mind might've proven otherwise. And said laugh would pop up again and again, haunting Kaine. All he could do was wait for the inevitable second return.
"Um anyways, you ready for tomorrow's competition?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the thought.
A chuckle escaped Anna's lips. "Mhm. Been preparing with Gwen. I'll be the guitarist and she'll be the drummer. Both of us are gonna sing 'It's on Again.'"
Kaine couldn't help but smile as he imagined Anna and her friend performing in front of the public. "I think you two will nail it," he said.
"Let's find out tomorrow then," she winked playfully, before leaning in to whisper to Kaine's ear. "I'll wait for you and Peter at my apartment till your superhero patrol is done."
The two shared a giggle for a moment and rose from their seats when they noticed Peter and Mr. Kirby finished their conversation, getting up from their chairs. Kaine and Anna exchanged a warm smile with the teacher, who returned it with a polite nod.
"Have a good recess, Three Muskeeteers!" Mr. Kirby smiled at the three students, whom chuckled at their nicknames, before collecting his stuff, putting them in his leather bag, and exiting the classroom.
The trio soon collected their books too and left the room, heading to their school lockers with the school hallway filled with conversations and murmurs from other students. After taking a bit to unlock their respective lockers, the teenagers stored their belongings inside.
"Pete, what did Mr. Kirby ask you if you don't mind telling me?" Anna asked.
"Uh, just him being concerned with me. Cuz of falling asleep in classes a lot," Peter smiled sheepishly and weakly. "I really gotta stop being the sleeping beauty. It's not like someone will swoop in and break my curse..." he laughed at himself with self-mockery.
As the three teens closed and locked their lockers, Kaine and Anna gave Peter a comforting hug and a pat on his back. The younger Parker closed his eyes, welcoming the warmth and love from his friends.
"Thank you..." Peter said when all of them pulled away from the hug.
"That's what friends are for, Peter," Kaine replied warmly, "C'mon, let's try to enjoy our recess and just talk about random stuff." It earned a snort from his younger cousin.
Not wasting time, the trio started walking to the school canteen on the floor below. On their way there, Peter smiled slightly, feeling safe, comfortable, and loved around his friends. They, along with his family, were the only ones he trusted with his heart. But that smile disappeared soon. No matter if he had love from the ones close to him, the wound of betrayal still ached deep inside, a painful reminder of the consequences of not listening to his parents' warning about befriending a stranger. And so, wherever Peter went to, bitterness and regret came along.
--
(Later that evening, in a therapist office...)
"So, Ms. Hardy..." Mr. Wolfman grabbed a notebook and a pen as he sat at his desk and looked at Felicia. "Since our first therapy session last week, did the medication I prescribed work?"
In front of the desk, the long-haired platinum blonde girl sat on her chair. She looked at her therapist with a neutral, albeit burdened expression. But no hesitance was reflected on her grey eyes. "It did. It made me feel a little calmer, though sometimes I still get a little...anxious around people," she bit her bottom lip nervously and fidgeted her fingers. "Because of...my fear and suspicions. Afraid of being touched inappropriately. Other than that, the medication did work. No side effects. And I'm grateful for that."
The man nodded at her understandingly and sympathethically and proceeded to write down what Felicia said. "I'm glad to hear the medication worked. How have you been from day to day since the last session?"
Silence followed the question. She was fearful to answer it because not much had changed. Perhaps things got much worse. She didn't want to burden her therapist.
When Mr. Wolfman noticed the kind of expression on his client's face, he knew what Felicia's thoughts were. He smiled gently and nodded at her with an understanding. "It's alright, Ms. Hardy. Don't be afraid. Take your time, no need to rush. I'm here to help you get through this. You are not a burden," he assured her.
"Thank you..." Felicia smiled slightly. Taking a moment to gain courage, she proceeded to answer the man's question. "Well, it's more or less the same- ...No, it's...worse now. My guilt for almost betraying my friends is eating me up inside so much. Something I shouldn't have done. And I regret it deeply. I get...angrier at myself as time goes." Her fists shook a lot as she told him.
"Does it...affect your education?" Mr. Wolfman asked with concern. He stopped writing down notes, wanting to converse with the client.
"Yes. It bothers my time at my university too," Felicia sighed, "I'm a mess nowadays. I...should have confronted my problems earlier. And all of my faults could've been avoided. I wouldn't have ruined my friendships." She paused, unable to help herself but recall the moment she had to reveal why she had to ghost her allies and friends in what was supposed to be their mission together in defeating Shocker, Tombstone, and their henchmen to cripple Kingpin's organization. And the Spider-Men's reactions began to echo in her mind.
"Cat... What did we ever do to you..? What did I ever do to you?" Spider-Man's words were something she clearly remembered. "Y-You know you could've just told me and Scarlet straight away and we'd listen to you at least. Even if we might not understand, both of us would still try to listen... We trusted you. I trusted you. And you did this..? HOW DARE YOU!?"
She also remembered Scarlet Spider's anger. "You've gone too far, Cat..."
Recalling that painful event, Felicia shook her head, disappointed with herself. "Genuine, good friends that I lost...just because of me almost hurting them out of irrational fear and suspicion. Friends that never had ill intent, unlike my ex-'friends,'" she said shakily, "Lots of what-ifs went around in my mind... Not a day went by that I didn't wish I did things differently."
"Are they the ones you told me about from the last session? Who told you not to contact or meet them again?" asked Mr. Wolfman, which earned a nod from Felicia.
"I respect their wishes but at the same time...my desire to seek forgiveness and closure, to mend past wounds. It keeps growing every day."
"Hm..." the man nodded and processed what she said for a moment. "Ms. Hardy. It's not exactly healthy to linger on the past and think about what-ifs that might not come. I know that feeling well myself... It's a rather toxic one."
Then, Felicia asked, "What should I do with these...feelings?"
"Focus on yourself first. Remember that we all make mistakes. And some things are just out of our control," he answered, "Forgive yourself and channel these feelings into something positive."
"Like...writing a poem?"
Mr. Wolfman smiled and nodded. "That could work. You like or love reading poems?"
Felicia chuckled, "I love reading them, especially the ones written by Walt Whitman. Maybe I'll write a poem when I can."
"That's good," the man replied, "Oh and...one more thing?"
"Yes, sir?"
"This is going to be contradictory to what I said earlier," Mr. Wolfman admitted, "But life can be full of surprises and miracles. You never know what to expect from it. Maybe there can be a...small chance for your friends to be open to you again. Never say never. But for now, focus on yourself first and foremost."
Hearing that, Felicia could only smile with gratefulness. "Thank you, sir. I truly appreciate it..."
...
About an hour later after finishing the therapy session, she rode a taxi on her way home. Inside the taxi, she looked out the car's window, staring at the dark sky at dusk, melancholy reflected on her eyes. Despite what the therapist had told her, Felicia still felt the desire to contact the Spider-Men again and seek closure.
In the midst of her thoughts, her smartphone vibrated, which interrupted her thought process. Felicia pulled it out from her jeans' pocket and noticed a notification, displaying a message from her mother Lydia.
Mom
Hey, Kitty! Just checking up on you before I continue working. How have you been this week? And how did the therapy session go?
A warm smile formed on Felicia's face when she saw her usual nickname from her mother. The one she got because of her love for cats. Felicia began to type a reply.
Felicia
Hi, Ma! I've been...the usual, I guess. I felt a little less anxious though bc of the med. And the session went well. Mr. Wolfman helped me. How have you been doing?
Mom
I'm glad the therapy is helping you even though it's a slow progress. But it's alright. Baby steps still matter. And to answer your question, I'm okay but busy as usual
Felicia chuckled at the last sentence.
Felicia
As usual, Mom. Btw, when are you gonna visit home again? I missed you, Ma
Mom
For now, it's indefinite... But I might be able to go back at the end of this month? I'll let you know, Felicia. And I got to go soon
Felicia
Ah okay, Mom. Well, love you! Ttyl when we both can
Mom
Love you too, Kitty. Ttyl!
Felicia put her phone back in her pocket and looked out the taxi's window again and sighed as she continued her thought process.
"It's been weeks... Maybe Spidey and Scarlet have changed their mind on this? It's probably my wishful thinking. But I guess it won't hurt to don my outfit again after some time and try to talk with them tomorrow or something... Maybe, just maybe... They've softened up. Maybe I can start over. Or at least that's what I hope..."
No matter if it was an impossible scenario, her mind still lingered on it, even after she arrived at her family's mansion.
A/N: Finally, Gwen will get to be more of a supporting character rather than just cameos in the previous two entries lol. And looks like the conflicts for the characters will get spicier... Btw, huge thanks to my friend for helping me write the therapy scene! I wanted it to be accurate. Anyways, lemme know your thoughts thru the comments. Feel free to follow and favorite me and this fic too to stay updated!