CAT SCRATCH FEVER | PETER PARKER

Graduation Day

"And now, I'd like to hand over the mic to Class of 2024's salutatorian, Peter Parker," MJ concluded her speech, stepping away from the podium as Peter took the stage.

"Woo! Peter!" May cheered from the audience, trying to keep the phone steady in her hand.

As he stood in front of the podium taking in the crowd, a slow smile started to spread across his features before breaking out into a wide, toothy grin.

"Thank you, MJ. For that amazing speech." He glanced over his shoulder at his girlfriend, who flashed him her signature tight-lipped smile.

"I'm honestly not sure how I'm going to top that," he admitted, earning a chuckle from the audience. "First off, I'd like to thank our friends and families for taking the time out of their busy schedules to be here. It is only through your support that we can be standing here today."

He quickly looked down at the typed speech in his shaking hand. "In a few moments, we will cross this stage and receive a diploma we have worked a tough four years for. At that moment as we hold this piece of paper in our hands, we will feel a rush of emotions. Excitement. Pride. Anticipation. Anxiety."

"I say anxiety because for a lot of us we have no idea what is coming next. Several of us already have scholarships and acceptance letters to many prestigious universities." Peter's eyes scanned the rows of graduates beneath him. "Yet, there is still that uncertainty gnawing at the back of our minds. Will I make it in college? Am I choosing the right school? The right major? Maybe you're even asking yourself, is college even for me?"

"The truth is, we won't know those answers until the time comes. We can't control the future, but what we can control is our selves. As I researched different commencement speeches, I found that a lot of them talked about the same thing: working hard. All of us know we need to work hard. That's why we got into this school in the first place."

"But what I think a lot of those speeches tend to forget is that life is not all about how hard you work for something. It's about how you treat others along the way. It's about how you react in the face of failure, especially when you gave it your all. It's about how you deal with the inevitable taste of disappointment, and whether you can stomach it or not. Most of all, it's about how you grow as a person and learn from all the mistakes you've made. Because I promise you, you will make plenty of mistakes."

Peter paused to clear his throat. "Character is something that is undervalued in our society. But it is something our society desperately needs. Especially in positions of power, which many of us want to be in. So I want to tell you something my Uncle Ben once told me. With great power comes great responsibility. Remember this when you finally become president, CEO, et cetera. Because it is so easy to forget to be kind and humble when you're at the top and think everyone else is beneath you."

"I guess this is the part where I start thanking people." He couldn't help but give a sheepish grin. "Ned, thank you for always having my back. Since middle school, you have never once let me down. And I can't think of anyone else I would rather call my best friend."

"MJ." He turned back to the girl behind him, trying to control his beaming smile. "Thank you for always keeping me on my toes. Whether that be with your humor or competitive spirit, you never once missed a chance to put me in my place."

"Aunt May." His eyes shifted to the side where the families were sitting, softening once he spotted her. "I want to thank you most of all. You and Uncle Ben took me in and raised me as your own son."

Trying to keep his voice from getting choked up, Peter took a moment to collect himself. "I-I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for you. I love you so much. Thank you. For everything."

"And thank you, Class of 2024!" Peter waved his arms in the air, rousing the entire crowd to their feet. The cheers and shouts continued to ring out as he walked back to his seat, echoing throughout the vast stadium.

As he listened to the roaring applause and gazed upon the smiling faces of his classmates, Peter's heart beat with excitement for the next chapter in his life.

**

A/N: We're just going to pretend that the end credits scene in Far From Home didn't happen for this story.