Victory At Last

After the exhilarating dodgeball match, Ned and I made our way back to the boys' locker room to change out of our sweaty clothes. As we walked through the halls, I could still hear the echoes of the cheering crowd in my ears.

Gwen and Mary jane caught up to us, still buzzing with excitement. "That was incredible, Patrick!" Gwen exclaimed, grinning.

Mary jane chimed in, " I can't believe you have reflexes like that!

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment at their praise. "Oh, it wasn't a big deal," I replied modestly, trying to play down my abilities.

Ned nudged me in the ribs with his elbow. "Don't be so modest, man. You were amazing out there," he said, grinning.

I turned to Ned and gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

Mary jane then added, "Seriously, Patrick, you were amazing out there. I had no idea you had such incredible reflexes."

My face grew warm and my cheeks turned a shade of pink at Mary jane's words. "I just did what I had to do to help the team," I replied, shrugging my shoulders and trying to downplay my contribution.

I noticed Liz approaching us with an expression of annoyance on her face. She walked over to our group and crossed her arms over her chest. "He just got lucky, that's all," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I turned to face Liz, determined to set the record straight. "Luck had nothing to do with it, Liz," I said, my tone firm. "It was all about quick reflexes and being able to anticipate my opponents' moves."

"Oh, really? Then why did you let flash to beat you up?" she said with a smirk.

"I didn't let Flash beat me up," I retorted, feeling a twinge of annoyance at Liz's insinuation.

Liz rolled her eyes. "Sure, Patrick. Whatever you say," she replied dismissively, before turning and walking away.

Ned put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Don't let her get to you, Patrick," he said, giving me a small smile.

Gwen's phone rang, and she swiftly answered it, a concerned frown creasing her brow. After a brief conversation, she turned to our group, her expression apologetic. "Sorry guys, we're late for band practice. We gotta go," she said.

As Gwen turned to me, I could see the genuine admiration in her eyes. "Congratulations again on the win, Patrick. You were amazing out there," she said with a smile.

Mary jane stepped forward and wrapped me in a tight hug, beaming. "You were incredible, Patrick! I'm so happy you won," she said, her enthusiasm contagious.

As they walked away, I couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by their praise. My face flushed hot with embarrassment as I waved goodbye, still in a bit of a daze from our thrilling victory.

We watched Gwen and Mary jane leave. Ned nudged me and teased, "Looks like you got a hug from Mary jane, man."

I turned to Ned, feeling a little flustered. "Shut up, man. I'm still a little embarrassed," I said, my cheeks turning red once again.

Ned teased me, nudging me in the ribs again. "Come on, Patrick, spill the beans! How did it feel getting a hug from your crush?"

I rolled my eyes and shoved him playfully. "Stop it, Ned. It's not like that," I protested, still feeling embarrassed from all the attention.

Ned chuckled, not convinced by my denials. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, man," he teased, grinning at me.

As the final bell rang, I said goodbye to Ned and headed towards Cyberpunk, the convenience store where I worked part time. Walking down the street, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw that Maine had messaged me. The text read, "Gonna leave the store for now. Dorio part-time boss."

I sighed, realizing that this probably meant I was going to have to work a longer shift than usual. Walked towards Cyberpunk. My thoughts wandered to Maine, my boss. I wonder where he had to go.

I let out a sigh, feeling disappointed that I might have to work overtime again. But bills had to be paid, and no time to slack off. As I stepped into the store, I saw a few customers browsing the aisles. I greeted them with a smile and made my way to the back room to change into my work uniform.

I entered the back room. I saw Rebecca and Pilar taking their break. Rebecca looked up and asked, "What took you so long, Patrick?"

Pilar chimed in, "Yeah, man, we got our hands full here." I could see that they were both exhausted from the long day of work.

"Sorry, guys. I got caught up on the way here," I apologized to Rebecca and Pilar as I entered the back room.

Pilar chuckled and said, "Yeah, we've been swamped back here. Glad you made it, though."

I quickly changed into my work apron and headed to the front of the store. As I approached the counter, I saw Dorio, the part-time boss, already there. I greeted her with a smile and said, "Hey, Dorio. What's up?"

Dorio smiled at Patrick and said, "Glad you could make it. Do you think you could help with the customer?"

"Sure thing, Dorio," I replied with a nod. I immediately got to work, assisting customers with their purchases, restocking the shelves, and tidying up the store.

I was organizing some bags of chips. I happened to overhear two customers discussing the latest video game release. I couldn't help but join in on their conversation, and I suggested some other games they might like.

As the day progressed, the store began to quiet down, and I managed to finish most of my tasks. I checked the time and realized that it was already past my shift's end time. I debated whether to leave or stay and help Dorio with closing the store.

I was in the middle of restocking the chips when I heard Rebecca's voice calling me over. I quickly turned around and saw her struggling with a pile of boxes. Without a second thought, I rushed over to help her.

I reached Rebecca. I saw her lose her grip on the boxes, and they started to slip, toppling over her. My instincts kicked in, and I acted quickly, my spidey sense helping me to catch all the boxes before they could fall on top of her. pulled Rebecca close to me, making sure that she didn't lose her footing.

"Are you all right?" I asked, concerned.

Rebecca's face turned bright red as she looked up at Patrick, grateful for his quick thinking. "Thank you, Patrick. I don't know what I would've done if you weren't here," she said, still a little flustered.

I smiled at her, happy to have helped. "No problem at all. Glad I could be of assistance," I replied.

Still making sure she was steady on her feet. I helped her gather the boxes and guided her towards the storage room where she could safely deposit them. Once we reached the room, I made sure she was okay before returning to my duties on the shop floor.

Rebecca still inside the storage room, taking a moment to recall what had just happened. She thought about how she had almost been crushed by the heavy boxes and how Patrick had rescued her.

She blush at the memory, feeling grateful for Patrick's quick thinking and powerful arms. "That was close," she muttered to herself.

Rebecca stood in the storage room, a box in her hands as she thought back to the recent event where Patrick had saved her from the falling boxes. The memory brought a blush to her cheeks, and she couldn't help but feel grateful to him.

But as she thought more about the incident, a different feeling started to surface. She remembered the strength in Patrick's arms as he held onto her, steadying her. The thought made her blush even harder, and she scolded herself for thinking about such things. "Idiot," she muttered under her breath.

She shook her head and focused on the task at hand, organizing the boxes on the shelf. But her mind kept drifting back to Patrick, his kind heart and powerful arms. She couldn't deny the flutter of excitement she felt at the thought of him, and she wondered if he felt the same way.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took a deep breath. I had been working hard today, and it felt good to see that most of the tasks were finally done. When I turned around, Dorio gave me a thumbs up and a smile.

"Good job, Patrick. You've been a tremendous help today," she said.

I grinned, feeling proud of myself for being able to assist. "Thanks, Dorio. I'm glad I could be of help," I replied.

Dorio nodded and added, "I think we're almost ready to close up for the day. We just need to finish up a few more things, and then we can go home."

I agreed and started to tidy up the counter area, making sure that everything was in place. A sense of accomplishment for a job well done.

Suddenly, Maine walks into the store and asks, "I'm back. How's my team doing so far?"

Dorio replies confidently, "Doing good, Maine. We've handled everything well."

Maine beamed with pride at Dorio's words. "I knew I could count on you guys. You're the best team I could ask for," he said, patting both Patrick and Dorio on the back.

I nod in agreement, feeling proud of our hard work throughout the day.

"Hey Maine, where did you go earlier?" I asked.

Maine turned to him and smiled. "Oh, I just went to visit my brother. He's been feeling down lately, and I thought I'd drop by and cheer him up," he replied.

"That's nice of you," I said, impressed by Maine's kindness.

I checked my phone and realized that it was past my shift end time. "My shift is over, Maine. I'll be heading out now," I said to him.

Maine thanked me for my work and acknowledged my efforts. "You did a great job today, Patrick. Thank you for your hard work," he said.

Dorio also gave me a farewell and thanked me for the assistance I provided. "See you soon, Patrick! Thanks for all your help today," he said with a smile.

I returned the farewell and made my way towards the employee locker to put my apron away. I was relieved that my workday had ended and was looking forward to getting some much-needed rest.

I walked towards the entrance. I noticed Rebecca waiting for me. She handed me a can of my favorite soda, Mountain Dew. I looked at her with surprise and asked, "What's this for, Rebecca?"

She blushed and replied, "It's a thank you for saving me today."

I smile and feel touched by her kind gesture. "Thank you, Rebecca. You didn't have to do that," I said, gratefully.

I noticed her cheeks turning bright red. She seemed annoyed at my response and muttered, "Yeah, yeah, bye Patrick. Thanks for the help," before quickly walking away.

I chuckle at her reaction, knowing that she was just embarrassed and didn't want to show her appreciation too openly. I took a sip of my Mountain Dew and headed out the door, feeling grateful for the small gesture from Rebecca.

I continued walking. I heard a scream for help: "Please help, someone is robbing me!" My heart racing, I started to run in the direction of the sound. As I got closer, I saw a man and a woman in an alleyway. The man was holding a knife and pointing it at the woman.

"Hand over your money or else," he threatened, gesturing with the knife.

The woman was clearly terrified and refused to comply, continuing to call out for help. I knew I had to act fast before the situation escalated.

I made sure to pull my hoodie up, covering my face. As I approached the robber, he turned to face me and said, "Stay out of this, kid, or I'll slice you up." He gestured with the knife in his hand, making it clear that he meant business.

I wasn't afraid, though. I knew I had to take action. "No," I replied, ready to take him down.

The robber charged at me, swinging his knife wildly. Thanks to my Spidey sense, I easily dodged all of his attacks. He became more and more frustrated as I continued to dodge, saying, "Stay still!"

The robber continued to swing his knife at me, dodge each attack. I knew I had to end this quickly before someone got hurt.

"Not a chance," I replied confidently, staring down the robber.

He lunged at me with the knife, but I back-flipped away, avoiding the blade as much as possible. The robber grew frustrated and shouted, "Stay still!"

I replied with a smirk, "Nope," and punched him in the face.

The robber stumbled backward, dropping his knife. He glared at me with anger in his eyes and reached for another weapon in his pocket. I webbed his face, pushed him towards the wall, and webbed him to make sure he couldn't escape. I turned to the woman and said, "You're all safe, ma'am. Call the police," she thanked me for rescuing her. I then jumped my way up to the roof.

As I made my way to the rooftop, a rush of excitement. I knew this was my chance to show off my powers and help the city meaningfully way. When I finally reached the top, I found myself grinning like an idiot, feeling invincible. "That was crazy!!!," I thought.

Then, I heard the police arrive and arrest the robber. An officer approached the woman and asked, "Do you see the person that saved you, ma'am?" The woman replied, "No, he was wearing a hoodie covering his face. I couldn't see him clear officer."

The officer nodded and said, "Alright, well, thank you for your time. Have a good evening."

She nodded and watched as the police escorted the robber away.

As the police were handcuffing the robber, one of them noticed something strange. "Hey, what's all this?" the officer asked, pointing at the sticky substance all over the robber's body.

Another officer approached and examined the substance more closely. "Looks like some kind of webbing," he said, puzzled.

I took a deep breath and let out a satisfied sigh. Saving that woman from the robber felt incredible. As I stood on the rooftop, looking out at the city below, I felt a surge of gratitude for the powers that allowed me to make a difference in the world. With a smile on my face, I shot out a web and swung my way back home, effortlessly dodging buildings and obstacles in my path.

I arrived in front of my house and went straight to the kitchen to grab something to eat. When I opened the fridge, I found a plate of spaghetti with a note attached to it. The note read: "Enjoy your dinner, Patrick. Heat it up first."

I placed the plate of spaghetti in the microwave. I'm grateful for Aunt May's thoughtfulness. She always made sure I had something to eat, no matter how busy my day was. As I waited for the microwave to heat up my meal, I leaned against the counter and reflected on the events of the day. It had been a whirlwind of excitement and adrenaline, but I was happy that I was able to make a difference. "Thanks for the dinner, Aunt May."

Finished my dinner, I made sure to clean up everything and put it away. With a content sigh, I made my way to my room. It was always a relief to have a clean space to relax in after a long day. Entered my bathroom, picked up my toothbrush, and began to brush my teeth. After finishing, I changed into my pajamas and got ready to settle in for the night.

I flopped onto my bed and grabbed my phone, scrolling through social media for a bit. Eventually, my eyes grew heavy, and I knew it was time to get some rest. I set my phone down and closed my eyes, feeling grateful for the day's events and ready to see what tomorrow would bring.

It was the same dream again, it was me and Uncle Ben in the park. It was the same me and Uncle Ben playing catch. Suddenly a commotion, two guys were running out of a bank after they robbed it.

Uncle Ben stopped one robber, but the other one pointed his gun at me! And said "Let him go or else," he said threatening to shoot me.

"Uncle Ben!" I called him. "No! don't!" Uncle Ben exclaimed as he let go of his partner.

Then bang, a gun fired. In front of me, Uncle Ben he shielded me using his body. The one who fired the gun look shock. "I didn't-" he said, "Come on!!" his partner said as cops were closing in on them.

They ran, but the shooter stopped and said "I'm sorry kid didn't mean to shoot him. I'm sorry" He apologized before they left.

Tears streamed down my face as I tried to speak, but my words came out in choked sobs. "Uncle Ben," I managed to get out before my voice broke and I gasped for air, clutching his body. My body shook with uncontrollable sobs, and it was clear I was struggling to regain my composure.

"Please someone help!" My voice trembled as I shouted for help, desperate for someone to come to our aid. Tears streamed down my face as I watched my Uncle Ben's eyes start to close. "Please, hold on Uncle Ben," I begged, my heart racing with fear. "Help is on the way... Please, hold on," I pleaded, my voice cracking.

Uncle Ben reached out and wiped my tears away, his voice calm and reassuring despite his condition. "Are you alright, Patrick?" he asked, concern etched on his face. Despite the pain he must have been feeling, he was more worried about me. It only made me cry harder, knowing how selfless he was, even in this moment.

"I'm alright, Uncle Ben," I managed to choke out, my voice trembling. "But you... why did you do that? Why did you try to stop them?" I asked, my tears falling freely.

"Because it was the right thing to do, Patrick," Uncle Ben said, his voice weak but filled with conviction. "I want you to remember this, son. With great power, comes great responsibility. You have a gift, and you must use it to help others, even if it means putting yourself in danger. Promise me you'll always do what's right, no matter the cost, You have the power to do good, and to make a difference in this world. Always use it for the greater good, and never for personal gain."" he said, his hand still resting on my shoulder.

I nodded through my tears, knowing deep down that he was right. I woke up to the gentle rays of sunlight filtering through my window. Glancing at my alarm clock, I saw that it was only 6:00 am. Sitting up in bed, I reached up to touch my face, only to feel the wetness of tears still present on my cheeks.

I whispered softly to myself, "Thank you, Uncle Ben," still feeling the weight of his loss. My voice cracked as tears filled my eyes. "We miss you so much," I added, my words barely above a whisper. It was hard to imagine a world without him, but I knew I had to keep going and honor his memory by living up to his advice.

I heard a soft knock on my bedroom door, and Aunt May's gentle voice asking if I was awake. I quickly wiped away my tears and cleared my throat before answering, "Yeah, Aunt May. I'm up."

"Okay, dear," she replied, her voice filled with warmth and kindness. "Breakfast is ready when you are."

"Okay, Aunt May," I repeated, my voice still a little shaky from crying.

After she left, I took a few deep breaths and got out of bed. I went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, trying to wash away the tears and the memories of my dream. I brushed my teeth and changed into fresh clothes before heading downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Aunt May," I greeted her, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"Good morning, dear," she replied, looking up from her paper with a smile. "I made your favorite - blueberry pancakes."

"Thanks, Aunt May," I said, pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the table. "They smell delicious." 

After finishing his breakfast and washing his plate, Patrick grabbed his backpack and headed towards the door. "Bye, Aunt May," he called out.

"Bye, dear. Be safe out there," Aunt May replied.

"Okay," Patrick replied before stepping out of the house and heading to school.

Aunt May smiled as she watched Patrick gather his backpack and head out the door. "Our boy is all grown up," she said to herself, feeling a mix of pride and sadness. She turned to look at the photo hanging on the wall, a cherished memory frozen in time. In the photo, Patrick, Aunt May, and Uncle Ben stood in front of their house, all smiling brightly. It was taken on Patrick's 8th birthday, and he was holding his present - a brand new baseball - tightly in his hand.

Aunt May sighed and ran a finger over the frame, her mind flooded with memories of Uncle Ben. She missed him dearly, but she knew he would be proud of Patrick and the young man he was becoming. She whispered a silent prayer for Patrick's safetyvv, her heart filled with love for her nephew.  "We miss you, Ben. But we'll always remember you."

I arrived at the bus stop and took a seat, pulling my backpack onto my lap. As I waited for my best friend Ned to arrive, I looked down at my hands and remembered Uncle Ben's words of wisdom: "With great power, comes great responsibility." I clenched my fist, reminding myself that I had been given these powers for a reason.

But as I sat there lost in thought, another memory surfaced in my mind. It was of my father, who had disappeared when I was just a child. I wondered where he was and what he was doing now. Had he left us willingly, or was he forced to go? I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts aside.

"I'm determined to find you, Dad," I whispered to myself, he knew that if his father was still alive, he had to find him. And if he was no longer alive, then he had to uncover the truth and find closure.

Lost in my thoughts, I was surprised when Ned suddenly appeared at the bus stop. "Hey, man! You're early today," he said, grinning at me.

I looked up and managed a small smile. "Yeah, I guess I am. Just had some stuff on my mind," I replied, grabbing my backpack and slinging it over my shoulder. "Ready to head to school?"

"You know it," he replied with a grin. The bus soon arrived, and we entered it together. I noticed Gwen sitting with Mary Jane, and they both greeted us as we walked towards them. 

"Morning, Patrick," Gwen said with a smile. 

Mary Jane also greeted us, saying "Morning you two." 

Ned and I replied with a greeting of our own before finding our seats in the back.

I sat down, I notice Liz and Flash giving me a hostile look. I decided to ignore them and avoid any unnecessary drama. I just wanted to have a normal day at school.

As the bus started moving, I overhear some whispers and murmurs around me. My ears picked up words like, "It's him, that's the guy who beat Flash in dodgeball," and "Aren't they the school losers?" I could feel the eyes of some of my classmates on me and Ned.

 Felt a pang of frustration and anger as I overheard the conversation happening around me on the bus. "That's him? No way he beat Flash in dodgeball," one voice scoffed.

"The Nerd and Pig won dodgeball? Please," another voice chimed in, accompanied by a small laugh.

"Yeah, those two can't beat Flash," another added, and I felt the eyes of the bus turn towards me and Ned.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself to stay calm and not let their words get to me. I turned to Ned and gave him a small smile, hoping to reassure him.

But deep down, I knew that their words stung. It was hard enough being an outsider in school, but to be constantly belittled and made fun of made it even harder. I just had to keep reminding myself of Uncle Ben's words: "With great power, comes great responsibility." I had to rise above their taunts and prove them wrong.

Ned and I walked down the hall, the whispers and giggles from other students grew louder. "I can't believe they actually won dodgeball," someone sneered. "They probably got lucky," another voice added. "Or Flash was just having a bad day," a third voice said.

I rolled my eyes at their comments, but Ned seemed ready to snap back. I put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, "Let's just ignore them, Ned," I whispered.

But the insults continued as we reached our lockers. "Look at those losers," a voice snickered. "They probably don't even have a date to the dance next week."

I tried to stay calm and focused on opening my locker, but the comments kept coming. "I heard Patrick's dad disappeared. No wonder he's such a loser," someone said. "And Ned's parents own a grocery store. Talk about pathetic," another voice chimed in.

It was hard to ignore the cruel words, but I knew that I had to stay strong and not let their insults bring me down. The only way to prove them wrong was to keep working hard and showing them what we're really made of.

Ned and I walked into Mr. Harrington's class and took our seats at the back. As we waited for the teacher to arrive, we could hear more whispers and snickers from our classmates.

"I heard Ned's family owns a grocery store. Can't even afford to shop at the fancy places," one voice said.

"Patrick only won because Flash was having an off day," one voice said. "And Ned got smacked in the face with a ball, what a loser," another voice added, causing a few people to chuckle.

I tried to ignore them, but I could feel my face turning red with anger and embarrassment. Why did they have to keep picking on us like this?

I saw Ned's face turning red with embarrassment, and I could feel the same heat rising to my own cheeks. I leaned over to him and whispered, "Don't listen to them. They're just jealous. We know who we are and what we're capable of."

Ned gave me a small smile and nodded.

But it was hard not to listen, especially when the insults just kept coming. "Those two will never amount to anything," one voice said.

"I heard they still play with Legos," one voice said, causing a few others to laugh. "I bet they don't even know how to talk to girls," another voice added, making me feel even more self-conscious.

"Yeah, they're just a waste of space," another voice added.

I clenched my fists, feeling the urge to stand up and confront them. But I knew that wouldn't solve anything. The only thing we could do was to prove them wrong, one step at a time.

A familiar voice suddenly spoke up. "I don't think you guys are losers," Gwen said, her voice louder so that everyone in the room could hear. "In fact, I don't believe anyone in this school is a loser or a waste of space. We all have potential and a purpose, and I truly believe that Patrick and Ned will amount to great things. They deserve to be here just as much as anyone else."

She continued, her gaze resting on Patrick. "And Patrick, he's no loser. He's always been a true friend, standing up for others even when he's scared. That's not something a loser does, that's something a hero does," she said, a smile spreading across her face. "So don't belittle him or Ned. They are both amazing people and always will be."

Her words of encouragement warmed my heart, and I was thankful to have someone who believed in me. Despite the constant belittling from our classmates, it was comforting to know that there were still people who saw me as more than just a loser.

Just then, Mr. Harrington walked into the classroom, and the students quickly quieted down. I looked at Gwen and mouthed a "Thanks" with a grateful smile, and she responded with an equally warm smile in return.

Mr. Harrington then cleared his throat and addressed the students' belittlement. "Now, let's remember why we're all here," he said firmly. "This school is for learning and growing, not for tearing each other down. I expect everyone in this class to treat each other with respect and kindness. Is that understood?" 

The students murmured their agreement, and Mr. Harrington continued start his lesson. Sense of relief knowing that the teacher had his back, and that he was in a safe and supportive learning environment. 

After Mr. Harrington's class, Ned and I walked out of the room. As we walked, I saw Gwen a few steps ahead of us. I caught up to her and said, "Hey Gwen, can we talk in private for a moment?"

"Of course," she replied with a smile.

I led Gwen to a quiet hallway where we could talk without anyone overhearing us. "I just wanted to say thank you for what you said in there," I said, my voice a little shaky with nerves. Gwen smiled at me and chuckled. "You know you always get nervous, Patrick," she said teasingly. I felt even more embarrassed at what she said. "Hey, I'm not a nervous wreck," I protested, my voice still shaky with anxiety.

"Yes you are," Gwen chuckled, she added "But that's what makes you you, and I like you because of it," she added, giving him a reassuring smile.

My face grow hot, I blushed furiously at Gwen's words. "Thanks, Gwen," I stammered, still feeling nervous.

Gwen chuckled again at Patrick's nervousness. "But in all seriousness, Patrick, don't ever change who you are just because some people don't understand or appreciate you," she said. "Being true to yourself is one of the most important things you can do in life. It may not always be easy, but it's worth it. Trust me."

"Thanks, Gwen I'll keep that in mind" I said, with a smile blush still present.

Gwen gave me a reassuring smile before turning to head to Mrs. Monica's room. I watched her go, feeling a sense of gratitude for her support. As I stood there, I thought about her words, "Always stay true to yourself." It was something I had heard before, but it felt different coming from Gwen.

Her words reminded me that it's important to be yourself and not try to be someone you're not just to fit in. It can be hard to stay true to yourself when others are trying to bring you down, but Gwen's words gave me the strength to be confident in who I am.

As I stood in the hallway, Gwen's words replay in my head. Her smile was etched in my mind, and I found myself blushing at the thought of her complimenting me. I couldn't deny that I found her cute, especially when she smiled like that. It was something about the way her eyes sparkled, and her lips curved up into a grin that made my heart race. I shook my head, trying to focus on the task at hand. Mrs. Monica's class was my next stop, and I needed to get there before I was late. With a deep breath, I walked down the hallway, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach.