Bestie to the Rescue! Ish.

Gwen, with a face flushed from anxiety and a demeanor that mirrored someone on the verge of a meltdown, practically catapulted herself out of the subway car the moment the doors slid open. She moved with such frantic energy, darting around like a spooked deer, that she drew the ire of a handful of disgruntled commuters. They shot her looks of annoyance as they picked themselves up from the surprise jostle, their murmurs of discontent fading into the distance as she hustled away. Gwen paid them no mind, her focus narrowed to the singular goal of putting as much distance as possible between herself and the train — and by extension, the root of her current predicament, Luke.

Typically, Gwen was a picture of resilience, an unflappable force of nature who shrugged off complications and setbacks with an unwavering spirit. But today's sequence of events had unsettled her to an extent she had never experienced before. It seemed as if her entire world had been knocked off its axis. The issue with Nightling, which had occupied her mind for the majority of the day, now seemed insignificant, relegated to a minor footnote in the tale of her present chaos.

As she maneuvered through the bustling streets, she chanced a glance over her shoulder. The subway train was pulling away, but through the smear of graffiti on the window, she caught sight of Luke. He was frozen in place, his arm extending out towards the now closed door. She imagined him coming up with a last-minute quip or witty remark, perhaps even a charming apology. But the truth was, she was in no mood to entertain such thoughts.

With her heart racing and a grimace painted on her face, Gwen allowed her mind to wander back to the day's events. The incident at the park, which initially seemed like the pinnacle of her embarrassment, was now nothing more than a minor blip on her day's catastrophic timeline. How did an innocent day out turn into a chaotic carousel of misunderstandings and cringeworthy moments? She had misunderstood Luke's humor for a proposal, setting the tone for the subsequent misadventures.

Her mind was abuzz with worries as she walked down the sidewalk, her anxiety beginning to seep into her thoughts like a noxious gas. She had successfully evaded Luke for now, but there was still school, their joint project, and the inevitable awkward encounters that would ensue. Her palms began to perspire, and before she knew it, her phone was in her hand, Olivia's contact pulled up.

Gwen: Olivia, disaster alert. Code red. I've set off a series of cringe bombs and I need backup...ASAP! 4:37 PM

She hit send and slowed her pace to a lethargic trudge, her eyes glued to her screen in anticipation of Olivia's reply. In times of social crisis, Olivia was her lifeline.

A few minutes later, her phone buzzed in her hand.

Olivia: Oh God, Gwen! Are you okay? Do I need to alert your dad?! 4:41 PM

Gwen couldn't help but snort at Olivia's message. The idea of her dad getting involved in this fiasco was both laughable and terrifying.

Gwen: NOOOO!!! Don't you dare involve my dad! 4:42 PM

Olivia: Okay, okay, chill. What's up, Gwen? You need something? 4:42 PM

Did she need something? Yes, desperately. She needed a blueprint for damage control, an escape route from this quagmire, or even better, a time machine.

Gwen: So, you know Luke and I have this project together, right? 4:43 PM

Olivia: Yeah, I'm aware. What happened? 4:43 PM

Gwen: Brace yourself, Olivia... and promise you won't interrupt till I'm done. Deal? 4:44 PM

Olivia: Deal, spill the tea, Gwen!

And with that, Gwen unleashed the storm within.

Gwen: OkSoYouKnowLukeMadeThisDumbJokeAboutMeWantingToKissHimAndIThoughtHeWasAskingMeOutButItWasJustAJokeAndThingsGotSuperAwkwardAndWeAccidentallyBumpedIntoEachOtherOnTheSubwayAndHeApologizedButIDon'tKnowWhatToDoNowHelp!!! 4:45 PM

Olivia: Yikes. But seriously, Gwen, punctuation. It's a thing. Use it. 4:45 PM

Gwen: Alright, I've barely scratched the surface. Buckle up, because it gets so so much worse... 4:49 PM

Gwen: There was no taxi around the park. The universe (Hi, still me, I'm the universe - Penpool) seemed to have a vendetta against me, so Luke and I ended up on the subway. Packed like sardines in a can, we barely managed to breathe. 4:50 PM

Gwen: Luke turned out to be my knight in shining armor, shielding me from this drunk dude with his back. We even laughed about the park. Things were starting to feel less like a dumpster fire. 4:52 PM

Gwen: And then... BOOM! Something hit him from behind. He stumbled, bumped into me. No room to back up. Now imagine two magnets stuck together. That was us. 4:53 PM

Gwen: Close doesn't even begin to describe it. I mean, our body heat probably contributed to global warming at this point. 4:55 PM

Gwen: But then, he started squirming, rubbing against me. I panicked. I bit him. On the shoulder. I've gone full vampire, Liv. 4:56 PM

Gwen: And if that's not bad enough, I caught him sneaking a peek. You know, down there. Not sure if it was before or after the biting. It's all a blur of mortification. 4:57 PM

Gwen: So, in a last-ditch attempt at preserving my dignity, I covered his eyes. Yup, with my hand. Desperate times, desperate measures. 4:58 PM

Gwen: Olivia, I literally bolted as soon as the train doors opened. I was like Usain Bolt in high heels! But, disaster is looming - I see him in school tomorrow. Oh, did I mention we are still project partners? Please, for the love of all things sane, help me navigate this chaos. What do I do? 4:59 PM

Olivia: Hold up. Let's take a moment to remember you bit him. LOL. I mean, come on Gwen, was he at least tasty? Did he have a good flavor profile?

Gwen: Olivia! I swear, you have the worst timing for your bizarre humor. WHY ON EARTH are you focusing on the biting?! I'm having a meltdown here and you're considering the potential culinary qualities of Luke?!

In the midst of her fretting, Gwen's phone vibrated with a flurry of incoming messages. Each one from Olivia, each one adding another layer to Gwen's mounting anxiety. Olivia's approach, while usually comforting, was unfortunately doing little to quell Gwen's dread this time. Her friend's attempts at humor and light-hearted teasing were well-meant, but Gwen was too overwhelmed to appreciate it. The entire situation was already spiraling out of control, and Olivia's casual take wasn't helping.

Olivia: Fine, fine, you're right, my bad. But if you step back and look at it, doesn't sound all that bad, you know? 4:58

Olivia: Luke's popular, handsome, and overall pretty chill. Yeah, you bit him, and sure, he ended up squished against you, but love does work in mysterious ways, no? And let's not forget, he is quite easy on the eyes. 4:58

Olivia: So him getting a mental picture of you squished against him... might not be the worst thing? 4:58 PM

Gwen's eyebrows shot up as she read the message. Was Olivia seriously suggesting...? She didn't even have time to complete her thought before her fingers began typing furiously on her phone.

Gwen: Olivia, I am going to choke you with my bare hands if you don't stop joking! PLEASE, can't you just be serious and HELP ME!? 4:59 PM

Olivia: Alright, alright, no need to resort to violence. How about this? I come over, we get some ice cream, and work out a battle plan. Though I will require payment for my counseling services... 5:00 PM

Gwen felt her brows furrow in confusion. Payment?

Gwen: Payment? What now!? 5:00 PM

Olivia: I want a detailed recounting of the whole fiasco, every juicy detail. I mean how he tasted, his reactions, and if you are planning any more 'vampiric' moves in the future. ;) 5:01 PM

Gwen let out a frustrated groan. Olivia's insistence on making light of the situation was becoming more exasperating by the second.

Gwen: Ughhhhh, I hate you so much right now! Nevermind, I don't need help. 5:02 PM

Olivia: Oh, it's too late bestie! Already on my way! Pack up those emotions, we've got a long night of strategizing ahead. Don't you worry, we'll get through this! ;) 5:02 PM

Reading Olivia's last message, a potpourri of frustration, embarrassment, and the smallest glimmer of hope swirled within Gwen. She sighed, a half-groan escaping her lips. She couldn't decide if she was thankful for Olivia's meddling or if she wanted to launch her best friend into outer space.

"Okay, I can do this," she muttered, psyching herself up. Every step home felt like she was marching into the theater of war, but instead of a heroic entrance, it was more like an awkward shuffle into the spotlight.

As her apartment complex loomed up ahead, it seemed less like her snug, welcoming home and more like a fortress of cringe and doom. Gwen trudged in, half-expecting a chorus of hauntingly out of tune violins playing in the background to underscore her dramatic entrance.

Climbing the stairs felt like ascending a guillotine platform. She almost expected a crowd to gather, eager to witness her pending social execution. But alas, it was just her and the oppressive silence. Upon unlocking her door, she momentarily wondered if her place had always had this air of quiet judgment or if it was a new addition.

Inside, her apartment, a usually cozy retreat, felt like an echo chamber of embarrassment. She moved through it like a ninja trying to evade laser alarms, desperate to escape the tormenting thoughts of her debacle with Luke.

Her room welcomed her with the familiarity of home, yet tinged with an uncanny feeling of an impending disaster. With a sigh that would have put the most melodramatic soap opera actress to shame, Gwen flopped onto her bed, almost expecting it to swallow her up and transport her to a parallel universe where embarrassment wasn't a thing.

Anxiety gnawing at her, she grabbed a pillow, brought it to her face, and screamed into it. The muffled sound probably rivaled the mating call of an anguished walrus. Well, at least her potential career as a wildlife voice-over artist was still on the table.

As she rolled over onto her back, her eyes fell on the slightly ajar closet door. The sliver of her Spider-Woman costume peeking through seemed to taunt her. "Even you can't swing away from this one, Gwen," it seemed to whisper with an annoyingly smug tone.

Closing her eyes, she sent up a desperate prayer to every deity she could think of, her mind picturing Olivia as a strategic war general in a ridiculous commander's hat. If her best friend didn't come up with a stellar plan to face Luke, she was considering researching how to erase someone's memory.

After all, desperate times call for desperate measures, and right now, Gwen was nothing if not desperate. And with that, she settled in for a night of overthinking, strategizing, and hoping for divine intervention.