Chapter 6

When the final bell rang Peter had packed his books away, said goodbye to Gwen and Harry and headed out. With Midtown High being close, he opted to walk rather than take the bus.

As he checked his phone for cleaning equipment he didn't expect to be forcefully pulled into an alley.

It was Flash, and two of the high school football team who Peter didn't know.

"Hey." Flash yelled at him, "you made me look like an idiot."

He couldn't help himself and he let out a small laugh, no Flash, you are an idiot,

"You think this is funny?" Flash said as he pushed Peter against the brick wall. "I've got an image to maintain." Flash grabbed at the lapels of Peter's jacket. "People expect me to act a certain way. They expect me to run the school."

Flash smiled as he brushed down Peter's lapels, "they dont expect a shit stain like you to get me in trouble. Miss Munroe pulled me out of class and lectured me."

Without warning, Flash threw a punch and slammed his fist into Peter's gut.

In surprise Peter double over, snorting as he fell.

"Now, You behave. Do what you're told and school goes great for you." Flash leant down and lifted Peter's head. "Piss me off again, and this won't be the last time I make you pay."

Peter looked at Flash and saw the strange anger in his eyes. This wasn't like him, this went too far.

Peter could feel the anger coming from him. It was hot and raw as if someone had pushed his brain into a fire, and as he crouched on the ground. Peter had had enough.

He had barely registered the punch and had reacted out of habit rather than pain. Was he really now that tough that even Flash's punches were so weak?

Peter had used his powers, he'd spent all week doing nothing but training the best he could.

With next to no data on his phone plan, he could load a single video. So he chose one labelled.

'How to throw a punch.'

Flash stood and smirked at his two friends, "So, I think for wasting our time, you should donate to the Flash fund. What do you guys think?" he said laughing, and his friends joined in.

Peter brought himself to one knee and punched Flash as hard as he could in the groin.

Flash crumpled and held his crotch. Emitting the strange mix of high-pitched howl and gurgled cry. The two other students rushed over,

"What the hell?" one asked but Peter stood straight and glared at him,

"You fucking asshole." The second shouted and rushed at Peter. It was as if he was moving in slow motion, and Peter side-stepped and clotheslined him, sending him to the ground.

The first gained some courage and swung at Peter. Who saw it coming in and stepped back, before spinning and kicking him in the stomach.

He went flying and smacked against the alley wall, before sliding down and laying there.

Shit, Peter thought. He hadn't held back, and while the deserved it, he didn't need to hit any of them so hard. Flash was still lying on the ground in agony, and neither of the other two was moving.

Flash got on his hands and knees, coughing and wheezing.

"I," he stammered "I'll fucking kill you."

Peter shook his head. "Leave me the hell alone. We're not kids, we're adults. Touch me again I'll do worse at school."

If they agreed, no one said anything, as both boys began to stir and Flash got to his feet, shaking and groaning.

"Get," he tried to say, "get the hell back here Parker."

Peter clenched his jaw, wanting to say more but just shook his head and left as Flash failed to stay standing.

This was not the end of this, and if Flash had become violent, then it would only escalate.

Peter wished Uncle Ben was here. He would know what to do, what to say to make Flash leave him alone,

Thinking of his uncle brought a smile to his face, and Peter could hear his voice.

He chuckled to himself. He knew Aunt May would tell him to kick Flash's ass. Uncle Ben was definitely the more pragmatic of the pair.

He knew he would tell him to talk to Flash to find a common ground to settle their differences. But if none of that worked, that to beat a bully, sometimes you had to beat a bully. And May would agree.

Peter was feeling better about the whole ordeal until he got home and saw Aunt May's face.

She couldn't know already could she, but on the kitchen table were two letters. One from Oscorp and one from the school.

"Go ahead, they are both about you."

Sitting down while Aunt May finished getting dinner ready, he took the Oscorp one first.

He skimmed through it,

Blah blah, lost property, blah blah bill.

At the bottom was an account number and a thousand dollar figure. For the replacement of the lost camera.

He snorted, "yeah, no. I'm not paying it. Post this to Norman," and May turned from stirring the pot.

"Norman?"

Peter smiled, "yeah, the NDA doesn't cover this. Plus, Gwen said Oscorp took it, so I bet some jackass swiped it." May raised an eyebrow at Peter's more colourful than usual language but said nothing. "I'm not having to explain why I'm being charged almost a thousand dollars to replace a crappy Oscorp camera. So either he makes this go away, or I sent the letter to the Bugle."

May snorted and lifted the pot. It was meatloaf and potatoes. While the meatloaf was still in the oven, the potatoes needed to be drained and mashed.

As she continued, Peter lifted the second letter.

"Per your complaint Mrs Parker, The school board finds no fault with" and he stopped reading.

"They denied everything?" and as she seasoned the potatoes May shook her head,

"Keep reading," she said, grabbing the potato masher.

"Per your complaint Mrs Parker.

We concluded the following,

Neglected his homework assignment,

Acted out, disrupting the tour during the meal break,

Left the school excursion without permission,

Neglected to inform a member of the teaching staff of his absence,

As per the waiver signed, We are preparing to bill you for the total cost of Peter's excursions to Oscorp.

Please find attached an itemised bill, and make payment to."

He stopped, throwing the letter onto the table. "They want to charge me for ditching the class?"

May put the pot down just as the oven timer went. She wafted away the little bit of smoke from the pan and tipped the meatloaf out. Once she covered it in sauce she slid it back into the oven to let it finish browning while she finished the mash.

"I know you don't like me interfering Pete, but this," and she shook her head. "The trip was five thousand dollars. Covering insurance, transport, meals, and other costs," she explained. "Even if you went and got sick, they didn't care," she said with a hint of annoyance on her face.

"Yeah. Interfere all you like. Meal? They gave us a Fig Newton and a Capri sun at lunch." he snorted, "Sue the hell out of them."

May laughed, and now the mash was done let it on a low heat to finish the meatloaf.

As she dished their meal up, Peter set out the cutlery and poured out two glasses of juice to go with it.

"You know the school will fight back," she said with the fork hovering n front of her.

Peter nodded as he ate, "Somethings up at school. When I went back." but he paused. How could he explain the strange feeling he was getting? "Even Flash was weird."

May nodded, "It's your last year, maybe they don't want anything to go wrong for Flash."

Peter sighed and stabbed a piece of meatloaf. It was reasonable. He was graduating and so far there had been no one to replace him. With him gone the school would be losing a lot of sponsorship deals.

"I don't know," he admitted as he scraped the last of the potato onto his fork with the last of the meatloaf and savoured it. May's cooking was always astounding, while his was always burnt. "But, if this is their way of squeezing money from students, then give them hell."

With the meal finished May sat with her juice, "but, it won't be me that gets hell, Peter. You always made me stop because you still have to go there."

Peter nodded, and as he leaned forwards and stared at his glass, "But. Uncle Ben said never to run from your problems, and I kept my head down for four years." He sat back up and stared at her, "and it's time I stopped running."

She smiled softly and patted the back of his hand. "Dishes then homework." She lifted the school letter. "I have a lawyer to find."

Peter snorted as he lifted the empty plates. "Yes, Aunt May." 

As she walked past to get the phone she gently kissed him on the side of the cheek,

"Good boy," she said with a small smile, laughing as he wiped the lipstick from his face.

She had moved to the sitting room while Peter cleaned up, that was their rule. She cooked and he cleaned. And once he was done, he grabbed his phone from his jacket and headed into his room.

He had already finished his homework. Even being away for a week wasn't enough to put him behind. Most of the stuff they were doing was mainly exam prep now and studying for Midterms.

He was so far ahead that classes were either free periods or library time. So instead he used it to help Harry and Felicia with their work.

He knew the school would dig its heels in over the bill. They would use every excuse they could think of to make him pay for his incident. Thankfully though he had a secret weapon.

Lifting his phone, he scrolled to Gwen's name and opened the chat app,

Hey Gwen, you know how you took me to the security room when I was sick?

Sure, what's up Pete?

The school says I ditched and is billing me,

No way, kick their asses.

Yeah, I need you to maybe come with me when I speak to the school, cause I was pretty out of it.

out of it is an understatement, you puked everywhere,

Yeah, I kinda figured that but cause of Osborn I can't tell anyone, so I need you to back me up.

Hmm, I dunno Pete, maybe have to hold this over your head.

Gwen, please. I'll do anything.

Uh-huh, anything?

Sure, you need help with a class or uh, I dunno

Oh, I need a hand alright

Gwen, this is serious.

And you don't even need to ask Pete. You know I've got your back.

I know, thanks, Gwen.

As Gwen closed the app down, she lay back in her bed and sighed.

Peter wasn't just out of it he was near comatose, and whatever Osborn had done really messed him up. She knew he'd signed something and wasn't allowed to talk about it, but that was now coming back to bite him on the ass.

She had no idea what was going on, but if she had ten bucks she would bet it was something to do with Flash. It always was.

She opened the app again.

Hey Fel

What

Pete's in trouble, can you maybe keep an eye on him during the classes you share.

Really? Maybe I should hold this against you.

Yeah, I'm sure if you asked Pete would give you a hand with classes or in the club.

Nope, this is a favour from you, not him. I'll watch out for him, but you owe me Stacy, and I will collect.

Felicia saw Gwen disconnect and she threw her phone on her bed.

It had been another sucky day. She watched as everyone got ready for college and exams, and she knew it was never going to be her life.

Lying back in bed, she hugged her pillow.

Once, just once she wished she could get what she wanted.