The bell for the last class rang, and I was still distracted, putting my things into my backpack without really paying attention.
Walking down the school hallway, I dodged people while my mind remained stuck on that night at the ice cream shop. The way Peter wobbled on the ice rink wouldn't leave my thoughts, how he can be brilliant at everything and yet so clumsy on a pair of skates.
A quiet laugh slipped out at the memory. We were so close. We talked so much… and still, I don't know where we stand. Are we friends? Are we something more?
At my locker, the combination came automatically. While arranging the books for the next class, my gaze lingered on an empty shelf.
"What if I invite him?" The thought appeared out of nowhere, and my heart skipped.
Everything played out in my head.
Dad is on patrol tonight, so the house would be ours.There I was, calling Peter, cooking something nice for dinner… washing dishes together while laughing at something silly.Maybe I'd even dare to sneak a little of Dad's wine.
Then we'd sit on the couch, a movie playing in the background that neither of us would truly care about, sharing popcorn and feeling that electric spark when our hands brushed inside the bowl.The silence would grow heavy, our eyes would meet, and slowly we'd lean closer until his breath hovered over my lips and then—
"Oh no, Gwen," I whispered, my face burning.
The Physics book came up to cover my face, cold paper pressed against my cheeks.
How embarrassing.
A sharp shake of my head chased the image away, trying to regain composure before anyone noticed how red I'd turned.
"Calm down, Stacy. It's Peter. Just Peter… the boy who's turning you into a complete mess."
A deep breath followed, the book lowered, an attempt at looking normal even though my heart was racing.
Another steady breath, forcing my pulse to slow while finishing with the books.
"You can do this, Gwen. It's only a dinner invitation. It's not the end of the world."
That small pep talk was enough to close the locker and get ready to look for Peter.
Before taking a single step, a large shadow fell to my right, blocking the way.
The locker door shut partway, and the first thing in sight was a leather jacket with the football team letters stitched across it. My eyes traveled up to find the proudest smile in school and blond hair stiff with a gallon of gel. Flash Thompson.
"Hey, gorgeous," he said, as if bestowing a blessing. "Listen, the guys and I are going out to celebrate yesterday's win, so I'll pick you up at seven. Be ready, wear your best dress and put on a little makeup. And don't wear those glasses. I want to see those blue eyes clearly."
One eyebrow lifted in disbelief. Did he really just say all that without even asking?
"Hi, Flash," came the driest tone I could manage. "I don't remember accepting any invitation from you, unless you're counting the Tuesday tutoring sessions in the library so you don't fail every subject."
Flash didn't flinch. One arm braced against the locker, invading my space, as he leaned closer with an expression he probably thought was charming.
"Oh, come on, Gwen. You felt it too," he said, dramatically closing his eyes and placing a hand over his chest. "That spark between us. That heat rising through your body and burning in your chest…"
"The only thing I feel is disappointment, Flash," I interrupted, crossing my arms. "Especially after you failed the History test despite all the time I wasted explaining the material to you."
He rolled his eyes and let out an impatient breath.
"Don't be like that, babe. Let me make it up to you," he moved even closer, lowering his voice in a way that made my skin crawl. "Trust me, I could make you feel very, very good to make up for the bad time."
Disgust twisted in my stomach. A grimace of pure rejection crossed my face as I leaned back as much as the locker allowed.
The word "no" rested right on the tip of my tongue, ready to be thrown in his face, when someone cleared their throat just behind him.
For a second, my heart stopped. I thought it was Peter. But when the idiot in the football jacket stepped aside, Harry Osborn's gaze met mine.
Harry watched us with that "your existence bores me" look he always wears when he wants to play the bad guy.
"What's going on, Flash?" Harry said casually. "Could've sworn you were dating Liz. I don't think she'd be too thrilled to hear about your plans for tonight, would she?"
Flash went rigid and straightened up completely, puffing out his chest as if his height alone could intimidate. It was written all over his face that he was burning inside.
"Why don't you mind your own business, Osborn? Can't you see I'm busy?"
Harry smiled, but in that fake way, as if pretending to recall something.
"Ah, right… now I remember. Liz dumped you after you were found naked in the park with Sally's sister. The cops had quite a bit of fun that day, didn't they?"
Flash's eyes turned bloodshot. In a sharp movement, he grabbed Harry by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the lockers.
"Think you're so smart because your daddy's got money?" Flash hissed, practically spitting in his face. "Everyone knows Mr. Osborn is disappointed in you. I wonder what he'll say when you get your butt kicked and they find you hanging naked from a pole."
I was about to shout at him to let go, but Harry didn't even flinch.
"Why don't you try it?" Harry shot back. "I'm sure your father, the Police Chief, would love losing his badge over a scandal caused by his son. He'd have a lot more time to spend at home with you, wouldn't he?"
Flash froze, clenching his teeth so hard I thought they might crack.
With an angry snort, he shoved Harry away roughly, slamming him against the metal lockers before turning around.
He stomped off like a wounded bull, and a poor guy walking by with a stack of books didn't move out of the way in time. Flash crashed into him head-on, sending him to the floor along with all his notes.
"Watch where you're going!" Flash barked without even looking back.
Harry watched him leave with a half smile, then looked at me. We stayed silent for a second before, unable to help it, we both burst out laughing.
"Seriously, Gwen, you have incredible luck," Harry said between laughs. "Out of all the girls at Midtown, you had to be Flash's target."
I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear and let out an annoyed sigh.
"Don't even mention it. I only tutor him because he needs it to stay on the team, but I have no idea what's inside that hollow head of his to think I'd have even the slightest interest in him."
Harry laughed again while I shook my head. I finished organizing my things, shut the locker with a firm clang, and slung my backpack over my shoulder. I felt lighter, but the silence that followed turned… strange.
"Well?" Harry asked out of nowhere.
I raised an eyebrow, confused.
"Well what?"
"Come on, you know. It's Valentine's Day," he said, leaning against the locker again, calmer this time. "No lucky guy on your list?"
A sarcastic laugh slipped out as I tried to brush it off.
"I don't have time for that, Harry. Finals aren't going to pass themselves."
"Oh, come on, Gwen. You can't keep your head buried in books all the time," he insisted with a grin. "You'll grow old before you're twenty."
"Oh, really?" I shot back playfully, even though his tone amused me.
Harry shook his head, laughing as if he were plotting something. He thought for a moment, then brightened.
"You know what? I've got a huge mansion, a movie screen in one of the rooms, and tons of candy. Why don't you come over after class and watch something? I swear my butler makes the best popcorn in the country."
I froze. That was the last thing I expected.
"I… well…" I started to stammer, desperately searching for a way to say no without making it sound harsh.
Harry is my friend, but in my mind I could already see that dinner, the movie on my couch and, above all, Peter's face.I couldn't say yes. Not when I already had a whole plan in mind with someone else, even if that "someone" didn't know it yet.
I was just about to invent any excuse to turn Harry down when a whirlwind of chaos appeared.
Peter arrived practically skidding to a stop, greeting us both in a thin voice while wrestling with his locker. He shoved books in, pulled notebooks out of that backpack that looks like it's about to explode at any second, everything in total disarray.
Harry and I exchanged a "you know how he is" look, and I couldn't help stepping forward to place a hand on his shoulder.
"Relax, Peter. Breathe, there are still five minutes before class," I said, trying to get him to slow down.
But then I saw it.
Peter lifted his head and my heart tightened. One of his eyes was bruised, already starting to swell, and there was a pretty nasty cut on his eyebrow. Without thinking, I cupped his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me.
"What the hell happened to you?" I asked, feeling anger crawl up my spine.
Peter tensed immediately and began to stammer, his eyes darting from side to side. Harry stepped closer too, frowning with a look that promised trouble.
"It was Flash and his stupid gang, wasn't it?" Harry muttered through clenched teeth.
"No! No, it wasn't him… I… I fell down the stairs and… well, you know I'm kind of clumsy," Peter babbled, but I wasn't buying it for a second.
"Enough," I said, feeling my patience snap.
I pulled out the small emergency kit I always carry in my backpack. I took some gauze, soaked it with antiseptic, and started cleaning the cut carefully, even though I was furious.
"That's it, Peter. I'm taking this to the principal and, if I have to, I'll write a column in the school paper about the bullying from those gorillas. This can't keep going."
Just as I was dabbing the gauze over his eyebrow, Peter gently took my hands, stopping me. His hands were a little cold, but his grip was steady.
"Gwen, really, it's fine," he said, searching my eyes. "It was an accident. Flash had nothing to do with it, I swear."
I went still, staring straight into his eyes.
I know him too well. I know when he's nervous, when he's excited and I definitely know when he's lying to me outright. But he has this way of asking for things that just melts me.
I let out a frustrated breath and shoved everything back into the kit, zipping it closed a little harder than necessary.
"Fine," I gave in, even though I was dying to go find Flash right then and there. "But I'm warning you, next time it won't matter if you give me that abandoned puppy look. I'll handle it myself."
Peter sighed in relief and looked at Harry. He just nodded with a resigned half smile.
"You heard her, Pete. When Gwen gets serious about something, there's no turning back. Better not make her mad."
Peter nodded, still a little dazed.
I crouched down to gather the mess of books Peter still had scattered on the floor, trying to bring some order to his chaos while he finished calming down.
I liked helping him, but my mood crashed the second Harry opened his mouth.
"So how's that going, Pete?" Harry asked with a sideways grin. "You know… the tutoring with Liz."
I felt the back of my neck tighten. I kept stacking his notebooks, but my ears went on high alert, catching every word.
"Well… at first it was hard," Peter sighed, running a hand through his hair and leaving it even messier. "She didn't seem interested or willing to try. But then, one day, everything changed. Now she takes notes, answers about… I don't know, maybe 48 percent of the questions? She pays attention, asks things… It's a miracle, honestly."
Harry shot me a knowing look that I caught immediately.
"Yeah… a naked miracle," Harry said with a sarcastic smile.
Peter stared at him, completely confused, blinking with his bruised eye.
"Naked? What are you talking about?"
"Never mind, Pete, just me being dumb," Harry waved it off, though he kept poking. "So you've been spending a lot of time alone with a cute cheerleader, huh?"
I noticed Peter stiffen. His cheeks began to turn a soft pink.
"Well… I wouldn't say a lot but… her attitude toward me has been… weird lately," he stammered.
I stood up in one quick motion, handing him his now organized backpack, and I couldn't stop my voice from sounding a little sharper than usual.
"Weird?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Yeah, she's been…" Peter began to explain, thanking me with his eyes, but he couldn't finish the sentence.
"PEETIIIIIIE!!"
Out of nowhere, a high pitched shriek tore through the hallway.
Before Peter could react, a girl in a cheerleader uniform came flying in and slammed into his back so hard she nearly knocked him over. Tan arms wrapped around his chest, hugging him with a confidence that made me clench my teeth.
"Liz?" Peter asked, completely stunned.
She let go of him only to coil herself around his arm like ivy, pressing her body against his without the slightest hint of shame. Peter was red as a traffic light, but Liz did not seem bothered at all. She greeted him with a radiant smile until she noticed his injuries.
"What happened to your face?" she asked, faking exaggerated concern.
"I… fell down the stairs," Peter repeated with his usual excuse.
Liz let out a silly little giggle while stroking his cheek.
"Oh, Petie, you're so clumsy…"
And then, right in front of me and without giving anyone a chance to stop her, she took his face and planted a kiss on his bruised eye and another on the cut on his eyebrow.
"There," she said in a sugary voice. "Now they'll heal much faster."
Peter started stammering nonsense, completely undone.
As for me, I felt a nervous twitch in my eyebrow and clenched my fists until my knuckles hurt. My blood was boiling. "Petie"? Healing kisses in the middle of the hallway? It was the cheapest, most indiscriminate display of affection I had ever seen.
I glanced at Harry, who was enjoying the show with a grin stretching from ear to ear.
I had to clear my throat loudly, almost forcing a cough, because I felt like if I did not interrupt that spectacle I might actually explode right there.
Liz finally seemed to notice she was not alone with Peter and greeted us with a friendly smile. The kind that makes you want to answer by slamming a door.
"Well, Liz," Harry began, dragging out the words and placing almost cruel emphasis on the next one, "our friend 'Petie' was just telling us how much you've improved. He says he's very surprised by your… rapid progress."
Peter hunched his shoulders, shrinking into himself, dying of embarrassment.
But Liz, far from letting him go, pressed herself even closer to his arm, if that was physically possible.
"Well, that's because I have the best teacher ever," she said, looking up at him with a smile.
Peter turned a bright, almost fluorescent red.
I narrowed my eyes, feeling my patience slip through my fingers like sand.
"If you've improved that much," I said, trying to keep my voice reasonable, "I guess you won't need Peter to waste so much time on tutoring anymore, right? You can probably manage on your own now."
Liz shook her head immediately, making her long hair sway from side to side.
"Oh no, quite the opposite. This is when I need him the most. If I don't have my teacher to guide me, I'm sure I'll get lost," she pouted slightly before looking at him and winking. "I'm completely in your hands, Petie. I'll do whatever you tell me, because I trust you blindly. Really… whatever."
"Whatever"? Did she seriously just say that in the middle of the school hallway?
Peter, who clearly wished the floor would swallow him, exchanged a look with Harry.
My "dear" friend only smiled to the side, lifting his eyebrows and nodding slightly as if he were witnessing the best play of the game.
"Well… we still have to finish the year," Peter stammered, trying to recover some dignity. "So… in the meantime, we can keep polishing the study methods."
"Yes… polishing," Liz repeated, stretching out a finger to give him a playful tap on the tip of his nose.
I closed my eyes for a second and forced my lungs to inhale and exhale slowly.
"Inhale… exhale… do not throw the physics book at her head… inhale…"
I do not think I had ever needed breathing exercises so badly in my life just to avoid losing it in front of the entire school.
I was about to deliver a fairly sharp response when Harry stepped forward, that spark in his eyes that never leads to anything good lighting up again.
"I have an incredible idea!" he exclaimed, grabbing everyone's attention like he was hosting a show. He looked at Peter, at me, and then at Liz. "Gwen and I were planning to go to my mansion after school to hang out."
I raised an eyebrow immediately.
"'We were planning'? Since when did I agree to that?"
Peter looked at me for a split second with a confused expression. But Harry did not stop there.
"But think about it… just the two of us and my butler in that huge mansion would be pretty lonely. Why don't we make it a double date and have all four of us go?" Harry smiled as if he had just discovered the cure for cancer. "Liz with Peter, and Gwen with me."
"Actually, I…" Peter and I started at the same time, trying to stop that madness, but Liz was faster.
She let out an excited squeal that nearly left me deaf.
"That's a wonderful idea!" Liz shouted, squeezing Peter's arm against her. "A double date in a mansion with my Petie! We accept!"
Peter and I exchanged a look that clearly said "help me," neither of us entirely sure how we had ended up in this mess.
Harry clapped his hands, sealing the deal before we could protest.
"Done then! But if it's going to be a double date, it has to be special. Nothing rushed today. Tomorrow, Saturday, I'll pick you up at your houses in a limousine and bring you to mine. I'll spend today preparing everything so it's the perfect date."
I tried to open my mouth to say I had other plans, but the bell for the next class echoed through the hallway, cutting me off.
"It's a deal, Harry!" Liz said, pulling Peter's arm hard. "Come on, Petie, we have this class together."
Harry winked at me, slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked off as well.
I stood there for a moment, alone, while the rest of the students hurried past me, bumping into my shoulders.
I watched Peter's back as he was dragged away by Liz. He looked so small like that… so far from me.
A bitter pang hit my chest, but I shook my head firmly.
"No, Gwen Stacy. Focus."
I started walking toward my class with my chin held high.
It did not matter that my original plan had fallen apart. The Osborn mansion is enormous, practically a labyrinth. It has dozens of rooms, gardens and corridors where anyone could easily get lost for a while… and that is where I come in.
"I just need to find the right moment for the two of us to get lost."
I thought with renewed determination.
Far from Harry and, especially, far from that homewrecker Liz.
One setback was not going to stop me.
One way or another, tomorrow night, Peter Parker was going to be alone with me.
==============
HELLO EVERYONE, HOW'S IT GOING?
As for me, pretty crappy, but I'm used to it. I had planned a longer chapter, but writing and editing on my phone is torture, besides the fact that, for some reason, it runs unbelievably slow.
So this is, so to speak, the first part of the Valentine's Day special. These events take place after the Young X-Men one, in case you were wondering.
Gwen had finally gathered the courage to invite Peter over to her house alone, but two obstacles have gotten in her way.
But it doesn't matter. Young Staicy is not a young lady who gives up easily. This isn't going to stay like this.
For now, this is all I can offer. Sorry for the delay and for any mistakes there might be in the text.
As always, I really appreciate your comments and your support.
See you soon, kisses :)