4 Morning Routines

The morning sun filtered through the blinds, softly nudging Gwen Stacy from her slumber. She groaned lightly, feeling the ache of her nocturnal adventures. While the visible bruises had healed, thanks to her extraordinary recovery, the dull pain served as a reminder of her secret alter-ego: Spider-Woman. Suppressing a yawn, Gwen dragged herself out of bed and made her way to the bathroom, shaking off the remnants of sleep.

After a brisk shower and quick tooth brushing session, Gwen felt marginally more awake. Choosing her attire for the day – a blue skirt and crisp white top – she reveled in the simple act, a contrast to her adrenaline-fueled night-time exploits. Fully dressed and somewhat more alert, Gwen descended the stairs to join her father for breakfast.

Entering the kitchen, she spotted her father, George Stacy, engrossed in the morning paper. She mustered a sleepy smile and greeted him, "Morning, Dad!"

"Good morning, Gwen," George responded, glancing up from his newspaper. His eyes crinkled as he asked, "Sleep well?"

Gwen poured herself a bowl of cereal, topped it with some fresh berries, and responded nonchalantly, "Yeah, more or less. I had a bit of a late start today, though."

George chuckled at her response, folding his newspaper and setting it aside, "Busy night, huh?"

With a sly grin, Gwen replied, "You could say that, yeah. Got caught up with some… difficult problems."

Across town, the morning was unfolding in a remarkably similar manner.

Luke Frenth woke up to the golden sunlight seeping through his window blinds. Still partially ensnared in the tendrils of a dream, he made his way to the bathroom to freshen up. After the ritualistic battle with his stubborn hair and a quick tooth brushing session, Luke felt adequately prepared to face the day.

Dressing up in a grey tee and jeans, he headed downstairs to the expansive kitchen where his mother, Julia, was already deeply engrossed in her tablet, likely reviewing the latest business reports. The aroma of fresh pancakes wafted through the air, courtesy of their personal chef.

"Mornin', Mom," Luke greeted, sliding onto a barstool at the breakfast counter.

"Good morning, Luke. Sleep well?" Julia replied without lifting her gaze from the screen.

"Pretty much," he shrugged, accepting a stack of pancakes from the chef with a nod of thanks.

Finishing breakfast with his mother occasionally interjecting with her business queries, Luke realized it was time to leave for school. "Guess I should head out," he announced, slinging his backpack over one shoulder.

Without looking up from her tablet, Julia nodded, "Remember, punctuality is important, Luke."

With a smirk, Luke retorted, "Can't make any promises, Mom," and strolled out the door.

He headed to the private elevator of their apartment complex, descending a few floors to meet his best friend, Max Rainer. As if on cue, Max burst out from a door leading to an apartment similar to Luke's. With a piece of toast hanging from his mouth and backpack slung over one shoulder, he hopped towards Luke, struggling to put on his other shoe.

"Yo! I'm a bit late huh?" Max managed to say, grinning through the toast.

Luke couldn't help but laugh, "Max, I'm starting to think you make a sport out of being late every day."

Max swallowed his toast and retorted with a smirk, "Well, in my universe, being late is actually being on time."

As they strolled along the immaculately maintained sidewalks, navigating past the meticulously arranged rows of lavish apartments and upscale stores, their conversation took an interesting turn.

"Hey, Luke," Max started, a hint of mischief twinkling in his eyes, "I was thinking of throwing a party this weekend. You know, just a little gathering to blow off some steam."

Luke chuckled, adjusting the straps of his backpack, "Your definition of 'little' is quite different from the rest of the world's, Max. But sure, sounds fun."

Max grinned widely at this, triumphantly pumping his fist in the air, "Great! But you have to promise me one thing. You're not allowed to disappear halfway through."

Luke, however, winced at this. Scratching the back of his neck awkwardly, he hesitated before breaking the news, "I can't, Max. I have a shift at the comic store that night, I'll stay as long as I can though promise!"

Max halted mid-step, turning to Luke with a baffled expression, "Are you serious, Luke? Our parents could probably buy that store ten times over. Why on earth are you working there?"

Luke laughed at his friend's bewildered look, trying to explain his unusual choice, "It's not about the money, Max. It's fun, you know? There's just something about being surrounded by comics all day. Plus, the occasional perks aren't bad either."

Before Max could voice his protests, they found themselves standing before the wrought iron gates of their prestigious school. Out of the corner of his eye, Luke spotted a familiar morning spectacle. Gwen Stacy, the police chief's daughter, was stepping out of her father's police cruiser. Gwen was always dropped off in the same manner, her uniform pristine and her blonde hair swept back neatly.

The scene was so routine that it hardly registered to the two boys. They offered Gwen a casual wave of acknowledgment, receiving a shy nod in return before she disappeared into the throng of students pouring into the school. They rarely interacted beyond these brief exchanges, their paths rarely intersecting in the maze of high school life.

Max watched Gwen's retreating figure before shaking his head and turning to Luke. "You sure about the party, Luke? It's going to be legendary, you know."

Luke chuckled, clapping Max on the shoulder as they started walking towards their respective classes. "I'm sure it will be, Max. But the comic store calls. You know how it is."

"Unfortunately, I do," Max responded with a dramatic sigh, drawing a burst of laughter from Luke. Max turned to his friend with a grin, "So, same time tomorrow?"

Luke nodded, his laughter subsiding to a chuckle, "Same time, same place, Max."

And with that, they split up, disappearing into their own corners of the bustling school, each absorbed in their own routines. Despite the fact they shared the majority of their classes, their familiar banter had become a comforting ritual, a reminder of their bond. This was their routine, a bubble of normalcy in their otherwise hectic lives.

Yet, as they walked away from each other, neither of them could anticipate the curveball that today would throw their way. Little did they know that, by the end of the day, their shared laughter and friendly banter would be replaced with disbelief. Max was completely oblivious to the fact that his best friend, Luke, in an uncharacteristic move, was about to commit the cardinal sin of friendship - ditching him. But of course, that's a story for later in the day. For now, they enjoyed their morning ritual, blissfully unaware of the surprising detour their day was about to take.