Little Spy | Peter Parker ✓

[30]

"IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. I-I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!"

I glanced up from my cross-legged position on the floor, a small frown tickling my lips as his words were leaving me filled with both anxiety and fear towards the boy. "Look, I'm sure that it was just a one-time thing - they were just frightened seeing you or something, so they ran. Anyone would, you're Spiderman, after all."

"No, it wasn't that," he interjected, still not looking my way. He had been like that since heading back to his apartment, and it was as though he wasn't truly talking to me in a conversational way, just trying to say everything before he went insane from curiosity. "This was different; they were watching me, Em. When they saw me, it wasn't that they were scared of me, it was that they were scared of me knowing who they were. Does that make any sense?"

"But how would you know that? You said there was a mask covering their face."

He sighed and sunk into his best, running his hands over his face and still not returning my sceptical gaze. "They were, yeah, but it was obvious - and I mean, the way they fought, too - it was like they weren't actually trying to kill me or anything, but I don't know why. If they wanted to hurt me, why did they run? If they wanted a fight, why did they act so...timid?"

I shrugged and looked back down at the pages sprawled across my lap. We had been having this argument for an hour now, with Peter babbling on and on about this mysterious figure who had attacked him and ran off, and me trying to think of the best way to get his mind off of this discussion. It didn't seem like a big deal to me, but for some reason, this had resonated with the boy and he couldn't stop talking about it. Which, unfortunately, meant I was stuck in the uncomfortable situation of listening to the boy talking all about how I had beat him up and hope that he wouldn't figure out that it was me. I never believed I'd be in such a strange position in my life - but, then again, this entire mission was a series of strange and, usually, unfortunate events, and one I hated having to discuss for so long and so soon after.

"The voice, it was so...I dunno, familiar? I know I heard it somewhere, I just couldn't figure out where."

My eyebrow raised at his words, and a teasing note flowed into my voice. "Hmm, your dreams? Is this your fantasy dream girl; beats you up and serves dessert an hour later?"

Immediately, his face went bright red and he chucked a pillow at my head, laughing through his humiliation. "What - no! That doesn't even make sense - no! Why would you think about this like that?"

"I dunno, just the way you talk about it seems like you've got a crush on your mystery friend. That, and you're obviously into some pretty weird stuff if you know what I mean...?"

Peter scowled and turned away from me, turning his tomato-esque face from view. "You're in a good mood today, aren't you?"

"Hmm, maybe - perhaps I just like being called out of nowhere and getting the chance to mock you." I tossed the pillow back at his turned figure, continuing the friendly taunt - with luck, I could mock his way out of his crazy delusions if I was careful enough. "Why are you so upset at this? It was probably just...I dunno, but it's probably not a big deal. You're going to drive yourself crazy if you keep thinking about it!"

He sighed. "I know, I know, it's just...what if there is someone else out there? Someone like me? I could have someone who understood what I was going through, someone who could actually get and help me! I mean, I've been so alone in this, aside from Tony, but he's experienced and he's...Tony. What if this person was my age? I could finally have someone who understood and could actually help me."

My heart plummeted down to my stomach, and almost immediately, my smile warped into a messy frown, staining my cheeks with new anger and disappointment - mostly towards myself. However, I used that to manipulate the boy as well and gave a sad little frown that perfectly depicted what Emily should be feeling. "Yes, guess you've been pretty alone in this, haven't you?"