Peter handed the cashier the money that he owed for the miscellaneous items Aunt May needed for her lunch tomorrow. Nodding his head as a goodnight, he plugged in his headphones and headed out of the 24 hour grocery store. Glancing down at his phone, he winced at the time. It was getting close to midnight, no doubt Aunt May would either be sleeping or staying up to scold him for being out so late.
He couldn’t help it. He had gotten distracted by the news on the television store he had passed along the way. The city was divided on Spider-Man and Peter got a little too invested in what they were saying. And then he had found some perfectly good CD players and old camcorders that were tossed in the dumpster by the electronics store. To be completely honest, it was a wonder that Peter had even made it to the grocery store at all. He was easily distracted and always seemed to veer off course unless it was extremely important.
He was halfway home when he noticed a girl sitting on the front steps of a house that was blaring with awful music and strobe lights bright enough to cause him to have a seizure. Slowing down his pace, he shifted the bags in his hands and pulled out one of the headphones.
“You okay?”
The girl’s head snapped up, her eyes widening and then relaxing that it was just a kid and not some crazy looking stranger. Pulling her knees further to her chest, she gave a small smile and nodded. “Me? Yes. I’m okay.”
Peter wasn’t convinced, looking at her clearer, he recognized her from his computer class. Flickering a look towards the house, he rose a brow. “Shouldn’t you be inside?”
Shrugging, she sighed. “I suppose.” Looking behind her, she frowned. She could see her friends dancing and having fun from behind the windows. Turning back around, she mumbled. “I’m just not feeling it tonight.” Shoving her hands in her jacket pockets, she looked up at Peter. “I’m waiting on my friends to finish having fun.”
“They don’t sound like good friends if you’re out here all by yourself….” Peter stated. Again he shifted the bags in his hands.
“Oh! No, they’re great! I love my friends,” she defended, frowning, she ran a hand through her hair as she tried to figure out how to say what she wanted to say without sounding mean. “They just….sometimes…they can be a little overbearing. They definitely mean well! I’ve been cramming for the past two weeks for finals and I’m not always up for parties, you know? And they begged me to come out tonight and I-”
“-gave into peer pressure? It’s okay. I understand.” Peter assured even though he honestly had no idea what it felt like to be pressured into a party he didn’t want to go to. In fact, he wasn’t sure if he had ever been invited to any of the parties that had been popping up for the past few months. Not that he minded, he had important business to take care of most nights but before he became Spider-Man, he may have been a little upset.
She frowned but eventually nodded. “Yeah, I suppose I did give into peer pressure.” Sighing, she bit her lip. “I really mean it though, they do mean well. If I asked them to leave, they would but I don’t want to ruin their fun because I’m not having fun.”
Peter gave her a smile, he hadn’t really spent a lot of time admiring her like he did with Liz but he knew that she was one of the sweetest girls in his school. Placing the bags in his opposite hand, he stuck the other for her to shake. “I’m Peter, by the way.”
“I know.” She smiled, taking his hand anyway. “You’re in my computer class,” she giggled at his expression. “You aren’t invisible, Peter.”
“Yeah, I, um, I, didn’t, I figured you didn’t know me. Most people ignore that I exist, so….” Trailing off, he tilted his head and did a little spin before adding, “I know who you are too.” He mumbled her name and went red at her tired, glistening eyes and smile.
[Y/N] didn’t know much about Peter other than he was one hell of a smart kid but she had a feeling that there was a lot more to him that his slightly adorable looks. The more time she sat on the curb listening to him mumble and avoid her eye contact, the more she realized just how cute he was. Shaking her head, she chuckled. “I would never just ignore someone’s existence, everyone has a purpose whether it be good or bad.”
Peter just smiled, nodding. A silence fell over the two for a moment before Peter had an idea. “Well, listen, uh, um, I could, you know, maybe, if you wanted.” Closing his mouth, he internally called himself in an idiot for sounding like one. “I could walk you home, if you want.” He flickered a look towards the party that didn’t seem to anywhere near close to being done. “Seems like they might be in there for awhile.”
She turned her head too, glancing at her friends drinking it up. Sighing, she stood up. [Y/N] smiled lightly, “You know what, yeah.” Pulling out her phone, she sent her friends a group text saying that she was headed home and a thank you for inviting her out. Putting into her pocket, she looked up at Peter’s dumbfounded face. “What?”
“N-nothing! I, uh, didn’t think you’d-”
“-Peter,” she firmly said, walking towards him, she pulled a bag from his hand and held it in her own, “You made an offer to walk me home, anywhere sounds better than here.”
“Right.” He spoke softly, smiling, he bit his lip. “Where to, which direction?” Aunt May would understand if he was just a few more minutes late.
[Y/N] tilted her head, a smirk on her lips. “Are you sure that you don’t do the pretending of people’s existence?”
“Uh what?”
She started walking, causing Peter to stumble after her. She chuckled, “We live in the same apartment complex, Parker.” She flickered a look, “I’m pretty sure everyday we sit across from each other on the train.” Sighing, she smirked again. “Although, you’re pretty invested in your iPod most mornings so it doesn’t offend me that you didn’t know that part but come on, we’ve bumped into each other on the elevator, I’m sure.”
Peter recalled a few moments where he did remember her being in his complex. “Oh, wow. I, I’m sorry. I never pay attention. I’ll be sure to not pretend you don’t exist.” He flickered her a smile.
“Good!” She giggled. “Because I won’t be forgiving next time now that we’ve made our acquaintances.”