11 Wow. Just, Wow.

(Midtown High Cafeteria)

(Elijah's POV)

I follow Gwen into the cafeteria. I swear, that girl is going to be the death of me someday. And that's saying a lot considering what I've been doing on a daily basis. We spot the table MJ, Harry, Peter and Miles are on, and start walking towards it. As we approach I see a new face I hadn't seen before. It was a girl, seemingly the same age as us. She had caramel brown skin with large brown eyes and short, curly brown hair. She had a necklace around her neck that read 'Love' and had what seemed to be hearing aids on both her ears.

As we approached the table, MJ looked over at us and broke out in a wide grin.

MJ: "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. What happened to both of you"

"Nothing happened. What made you think something did?"

MJ: "Nothing, just the red color on both of your cheeks~" She replied in a teasing tone. As she finished her sentence, Gwen broke out in a coughing fit out of nowhere, which prompted the entire table to laugh.

Gwen: "Nothing happened, so shut up."

MJ: "Whatever you say, Tiger."

"Anyway, who's this?"

Upon hearing my question, Miles began to grin as he answered.

Miles: "This is Hailey Cooper. She's a student here in the art department, and she's my girlfriend."

Hearing this, the entire table went wide-eyed except for Miles and Hailey.

"Well, I'll be damned"

Harry: "I thought you were gay"

Peter: "Me too"

"Without a doubt"

Miles: "What, no!"

The table erupted in another fit of laughter, from everyone, including Hailey, leaving an exasperated Miles.

Gwen: "Wait, he didn't already tell you guys? Haven't you been sitting together this whole break?"

MJ: "Nope. We thought she was just his friend. Makes sense for a girl to have a gay best friend, right?" She replied, resulting in a round of chuckles from the table yet again.

Miles, clearly having had enough jokes at his expense, cleared his throat and continued.

Miles: "Like I was saying, we met after school a month back. The art club was doing some posters for the Basketball team, and we happened to bump into each other. We started talking, exchanged numbers, and the rest is history. We started dating a few days ago."

Harry: "Well, we're happy for you buddy. Guess you really can't downplay the unexaggerated swagger of a black teen" He replied, causing Miles and Hailey to chuckle. The rest of the table stayed silent, looking at Miles. He noticed and looked at us with a deadpan expression.

Miles: "Yes, you can laugh at that"

"Oh, okay, sweet. Was worried for a second there. Good one, Harry" I replied, chuckling and fist bumping Harry.

Miles rolled his eyes and Hailey giggled.

"So, I'm assuming from the hearing aids you have a hearing disability?"

She nodded her head to answer my question. I signed in ASL (American Sign Language) to say "Do you use ASL?"

Hailey responded in ASL, saying "Yes I do. Where did you learn it?"

Before answering her question, I signed to say "Do you mind if I speak so the others know what we're saying? You can lip-read, right?"

She nodded her head and smiled at me.

I looked back at the rest of the group to see them staring at me, surprised.

"What?"

Gwen: "Where did you learn sign language?"

"On the internet. It's a useful skill to have." In reality, I had learned it at SHIELD, as one of my colleagues that worked in the Intel department was partially deaf.

The rest of the break went in a similar manner. Laughs, the occasional argument, and just good old fashioned fun.

The classes that came after the break went slow as ever, but I managed to get through them once again. After school, I met up with Gwen and we walked home together. Thankfully, no 7 foot tall dude in a Rhino costume crashed into a nearby building this time. As we walked together, I couldn't get my mind off this weird feeling I was having. It was warm and fuzzy, but at the same time it was uncertain, almost scared. I had never felt this before, and I couldn't figure out what it was. As I was immersed in my thoughts, I was pulled back into reality when I realized we were at the point where Gwen and I would split off into different paths. She had to go right while I had to go left. I found myself once again feeling something I didn't expect to feel. Sadness. Was I sad we had to separate? Why would I be? We would see each other tomorrow, for the trip.

As we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways, the feeling of sadness in my chest increased once again. I walked back to my apartment and entered. I decided I needed to take my mind off these new feelings. I quickly made some pasta and put it in the oven to keep it warm. I put on my suit, opened a window and jumped out. Nothing like beating down some thugs to keep my mind off of my feelings.

I swung through the city, letting the cool air of the city stream across my body and wash away my worries. I dipped towards the ground before sending a Mag-line (That's what I decided to call it) up towards a building, slingshotting myself down the street at break-neck speeds. As I turned a corner, I heard a gunshot from an alleyway.

"Okay, I'm probably going to get shot at again. Let's try not to break them for it this time."

I swung down into the alley-way, landing in the middle of a group of twelve thugs.

"What's up, guys? Am I late to bingo night?"

???: "What's this? You guys got a new costumed friend?"

I heard a voice above me, and looked up to see Spiderwoman sticking on a wall above us in alley-way.

"Costume? Excuse you, this is a battle-suit."

She rolled her eyes at me (at least, I think that's what she did. Kinda hard to tell with the mask) before lunging straight at a thug and hitting him square on the nose.

"That's gonna leave a mark" I chuckled, before turning around and clocking the nearest thug in the jaw. 

Spider-woman landed next to me and we got back to back

"So, you're a good guy?" she asked, weaving under a punch.

"What, you don't remember me? I'm hurt" I replied as I turned around and roundhouse kicked the guy she just dodged.

Spider-woman: "Am I supposed to? I think I'd remember someone dressed like an emo version of daft punk"

"You might have meant that as an insult, but daft punk is amazing, so thank you for the compliment" I said, using my boosters to jump high in the air before doing a front flip and bringing my leg down as a falcon drop onto the top of a thug's head.

"That won't kill ya, but the hospital bill might" I chuckled, looking at the thug's slumped over body.

Spider-woman: "Watch out!"

I turned around as a gunshot rang out in the alley-way. It hit one of the armor plates on my back with an audible *ting*.

"Calm down. I need to stay calm. I need to stay calm. Think of something that makes you happy. Relax. Think of...Gwen?"

As I was busy having an existential crisis, Spider-woman finished off the last of the thugs. Once she was done, she walked over to me.

Spider-woman: "You alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Bullet-proof metal plating. Only thing it can't block is an anti-material rifle. Or a tank shell. Anything above 20 millimeters, really."

Spider-woman: "Uh-huh. Anyway, who are you?"

"...I don't know. Just a guy trying to make up for his mistakes by saving anybody I can, I guess"

Although she was wearing a mask, I could swear I saw her smile, just for a second.

Spider-woman: "So, you're a new hero around town, huh. Got a name?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I do. You can call me the Huntsman"

Spider-woman: "...Pfft. Ahahahah!" She burst out laughing after hearing my name. I swear I could feel my blood pressure rising.

"Really? You're laughing at my name?"

Spider-woman: "Sorry, sorry. Your name is just so serious for an emo daft punk cosplayer"

"Okay. A) Still not an insult. B) Your name isn't much better. Spider-woman? How does that even make sense. Your webs come from those bracelets on your wrist. Real Spiders shoot webs out of their ass."

Spider-woman: "Well, thankfully that's not something I can do. And my name is Spider-woman because I'm a woman who was bit by a radioactive spider. You see how that works?"

"Where the fuck did you find a radioactive spider? Chernobyl?"

Spider-woman: "Not important. Anyway, you're a hero, right?"

"Right. Although, sometimes I don't hold my strength back enough, so some bones get broken. Only sometimes though"

Spider-woman: "...Alrighty then. Well, at least I don't have another villain in my rogue gallery. What are your powers?"

"Getting a bit personal, aren't we? You that interested in me off the bat?"

Spider-woman: "...You remind me of someone I know. That's annoying me."

"Same here. Anyway, I don't have any powers, per se. I do however have enhanced strength, speed and stamina, among other things. I also have a sick ass suit, in case you couldn't tell."

Spider-woman: "I couldn't. Look, as long as you're not here to wreck shit, we've got no problems. I'll see you around...Pfft... Huntsman" She laughed while swinging away, while I mentally debated shooting her web line so she would fall flat on her face. I decided against it, and turned around to swing away. 

I sent out my mag line and boosted up to swing away. I swung around a few blocks to complete my patrol, before heading home. The rest of my patrol was uneventful. A few muggings here, a couple of thugs breaking in there. It left me a lot of time to think about what was happening to me. Why was Gwen taking up so much of my mind. I couldn't figure it out at all. I decided to just push it to the back of my mind, and think about it later when I could make more sense of it.

I swung onto the fire escape outside my apartment and entered through the window. I heated up the pasta I had left in the oven and began to eat it. I turned on the TV to watch the news, and saw something I didn't expect. A reporter on some channel called The Daily Bugle was bashing Spider-woman. He had the worst moustache I had ever seen. It was a site to behold. He was launching spittle with every word he said, which almost repulsed me enough to make me stop eating.

Once I was done eating, I brushed my teeth and took off my shirt, leaving me in my boxers. I laid in bed, still trying to distract myself from thoughts of Gwen so I could fall asleep.

"...I should get a cat"

(The next morning)

We all reached Midtown High at 8am. Once we were all accounted for, we boarded buses to head to Oscorp. Gwen, Harry, MJ, Peter and I all boarded the same bus so we could sit together. Hailey was on a different bus with Miles. Gwen and I sat together, as did Peter and MJ. Harry went off to sit with that girl I caught him looking at on my first day.

He left us after saying, and I quote, "If Miles can do it, so can I"

Gwen and I sat down, with her by the window seat and me in the aisle seat. She brought out a pair of earphones and looked at me.

Gwen: "Wanna listen to some music?"

"What do you got?"

Gwen: "Some Fleetwood Mac, some Pink Floyd, a bit of Ed Sheeran and some Joji"

"Joji sounds amazing"

Gwen: "Alright then. Here you go" She gave me the earbud and we began to listen to "Feeling like the End"

The music was soft and soothing, and we slowly got drowsy. The bus was a bit of a ride, taking about an hour and a half with all the New York traffic. I fell asleep about 10 minutes into the drive.

*Click*

I woke up to the sound of a camera shutter clicking. I rubbed my eyes to get the drowsiness out of them, only to see Peter and MJ looking at me from the seats in front.

"What?"

"You feeling comfortable there, Tiger?" MJ asked me with a teasing grin on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"What are you on about?" I asked, before following Peter's line of sight to look down only to realize Gwen was sleeping with her head on my chest, and my head was resting on top of hers.

"Oh..."

I slowly tried to get out of that position, but Gwen was stirred by my movements. Hey eyes fluttered open and she looked up at me. She then looked back down and realized she was resting on my chest, and jumped back with a surprised yelp, which was absolutely adorable.

She looked at me, and then at Peter and MJ, who were staring at her with the most amused looks I had ever seen. She immediately put her hoodie up and looked out the window, but we could all see the blush on her face through her reflection on the window.

"Shut up, both of you." She said, cutting them off before they could even begin to tease her. I chuckled at their saddened expressions as they turned back to look at the front of the Bus. 

"Well, I don't know about you, but that was the best nap I've ever had in my life" I said, my tone clearly amused.

She muttered "Shut up", but I could tell that wasn't what she really wanted to say.

"Well, at least that yelp you let out was cute" I replied while laughing.

She turned around and punched me on the arm lightly, accidentally revealing her blush for split second, before turning back around, but that second was all it took.

I was mesmerized. Her rosy blush along with the freckles that adorned her face, and those deep ocean eyes that I could get lost in for hours left me in a trance. That small gap in her front teeth that you couldn't notice unless you looked at her long enough, and the way her eyes furrowed when she was irritated. I had only ever heard of Aphrodite's beauty, but if I had to guess what she looked like? This. This is what I would imagine. Before I could say anything, the bus pulled into the parking lot and stopped. We all got out and looked up at a massive skyscraper.

"I really hope this place has elevators."

End of Chapter 11~

Well, there you have it. I asked for 30 stones, and I got it. So here is your double length chapter, as promised. Thank you to all you beautiful people for your support, and I will not be putting another goal because writing this took way too long, so it's gonna be a few chapters till I do another one of these. If you liked the chapter, please do leave a comment as it motivates me to write more, and if you have any ideas, suggestions or requests, write them in the comments and I will contemplate using them. No promises. See ya!