Penny closes the door behind her with a sigh of relief. Lately, Aunt May had been on a mission—asking her way too often about her love life at school.
Shaking off the thought, she glances around the quiet street. Seeing no one nearby, she unzippes the front pocket of her bag and pulls out a pair of earbuds.
Slipping them on, she mutters under her breath, "Activate Microbots, Skateboard form."
"Command accepted," replies a smooth female voice in her ears.
From the slightly open zipper of her backpack, a stream of small, interlinked black Microbots spill out, crawling like ants. They flow to the pavement, clicking together rapidly until they form a sleek black skateboard within seconds.
Penny couldn't help but smirk, pride bubbling up like it always did. Even if she did this every day, it never got old.
"Who needs to buy a new board when I can just make one on the spot?" she mutters, remembering how Flash had snapped her old one in half, a few months ago at school.
Sure, it wasn't unlimited—she could only form preset shapes programmed into the bots, and they had to be recharged regularly. Not to mention she could only carry so many of them in her bag. But still… totally worth it.
She steps onto the board and kicks off, gliding onto the sidewalk with the city breeze whipping through her hair. The ride was a little bumpier than a regular board—the wheels weren't perfect—but that was only a minor issue.
"Play from my morning playlist, Karen," Penny says with a grin.
"Yes, Penny," came the familiar voice of her AI. A beat later, 'Sunflower' started playing, filling her ears with rhythm as she rolled into the city's waking heartbeat.
The streets gradually got busier, the noise of honking cars and morning chatter rising around her. She weaved past people, humming to the music—until something made her stop dead in her tracks.
There, splashed across the wall, was a freshly painted graffiti of Iron Woman. Mid-flight, palm repulsors glowing, she soared above a shadowed cityscape. The paint looked almost wet, the depth and shading strikingly lifelike.
"Whoa... cool. That's new," Penny whispers, hopping off her board. She fishes out her phone, already angling it for the perfect shot. "The shading on the edges… they used real depth here. Gotta be local. Definitely posting this."
Her eyes drift to the bottom corner, spotting a tag—a stylized purple A inside a circle.
Snap
Snap
She crouches, then climbs up onto a nearby trash bin for a better view. Her eyes narrowing in focus as she switches to wide angle, her tongue poking slightly out in concentration.
"Wow… this angle's perfect," she whispers to herself, completely in the zone.
Time flew by as Penny selected the best shot, adjusted the filters, and uploaded it to her Insta-gram. She tagged the post #NYHeroesStreetArt.
Her account was filled with pictures like that—little slices of the city she found cool or beautiful. Not many selfies. Not many followers either—just a handful of friends and some family.
Still, she smiled when she saw someone had already liked it… and commented.
Her smile widened when she read the name: Lucas.
"The artist killed it, but your shot makes it pop. 🔥"
As always, he was the first to like and comment, and every time, it made her stomach flip with that weird, bubbly warmth.
Just as she slides her phone back into her bag and steps onto her board again, she spots the school bus rolling through the intersection a block away.
"No-no-no-no—ugh!" she groans.
Kicking off fast, she tries to catch up, but the bus was already long gone.
"That shitty bus driver," she mutters in annoyance. He never waited more than five minutes—like he had somewhere more important to be than picking up students.
Abruptly a car horn sounded beside her.
"Hey, dork! Missed the bus again?" a smug voice called out.
Penny turns her head and sighs. A cherry red Tesla had pulled up beside her, and leaning out the window was Liz Allan—flawless blonde hair, oversized sunglasses, and enough cleavage to make the sun nervous.
Penny huffs.
"Don't start this early, Liz. C'mon, Penny. Hop in," a gentler voice said from the driver's seat.
Mary Jane Watson—MJ to everyone who knew her—gave Penny a small wave through the mirror. With her red hair, elegant features, and bright green eyes, MJ easily outshone even Liz when it came to looks. But that wasn't what made her famous. She was Lucas Watson's little sister—the Lucas Watson—making her not just popular in school, but practically a celebrity across half the country. Penny had once overheard guys traveling from out of state just so they could 'accidentally' bump into her in the hallways of the school.
Gratefully, Penny grabbed her board, opened the back door, and slid in behind Liz.
"Deactivate Microbots," she whispered.
The skateboard dissolved into its component microbots and slithered smoothly back into her open bag, which she placed on the floor near her feet.
"So," MJ said as she started driving, glancing at Penny through the rearview mirror. "Stayed up late again?"
"Yes… but I was still on time today. If the bus driver had just waited a few more minutes…" Penny mumbled, eyes shifting away.
"That's what you always say, dork," Liz teased. "You are shockingly consistent at missing the bus."
"Well, it's not entirely Penny's fault," MJ said, eyes still on the road. "The driver is a jerk. He should at least wait until all the students show up."
"That fat bastard's impatient and lazy," Liz replies matter-of-factly, reclining in her seat. "That's exactly why I stopped taking the bus. Riding in style just makes more sense."
She stretches, adjusting her already-perfect top. "And Penny here stubbornly insists on chasing after the damn bus. Even after I offered her a ride."
"You offered?" MJ arched a brow, glancing sideways at her.
"Hey! Eyes on the road, my personal driver," Liz said, lazily waving her hand.
MJ smirks and punches Liz's arm—just hard enough to make her wince.
"Ow! Rude! Look, there's a mark now," Liz said dramatically, rubbing her arm. "Ugh, I have cheerleading practice today. What if I bruise?"
She pouts at MJ, who rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile.
"Penny, like I have told you before, I can just pick you up from your place. It's really not a big deal," M.J. says, ignoring Liz's theatrics.
"It's alright. I don't mind taking the bus," Penny replies with an awkward smile, turning her gaze out the window. She didn't want to inconvenience her friend every day.
"See? Told you she is too stubborn. Her brain's gone stagnant from reading too many books," Liz snickers, opening her phone.
"Liz…" M.J. warns with a sharp look.
Penny just smiles wryly, she knows that Liz has a habit of speaking whatever was on her mind. So she had long since learned not to take her jabs personally, usually she just ignores her entirely.
"What? I was just kidding," Liz mutters, rolling her eyes.
M.J. sighs and glances at Penny in the rearview mirror. "Just let me know if you change your mind, okay?" she says gently.
"Sure," Penny nods, grateful for the offer even if she wasn't ready to accept it.
Shaking off the thought, she brightens and tells them about the Iron Woman mural she saw on the way.
They continue chatting about random topics until they reach the school.
Midtown High.
One of the most renowned public schools in New York. Its reputation stems from a long list of impressive alumni—famous politicians, groundbreaking scientists, and wealthy business moguls. It's the kind of school where even families who can afford elite private academies still send their kids, just for the prestige.
After parking, Penny walks into the school with M.J. and Liz, but soon drifts away as they join their respective friend groups. Truth be told, she had slipped away intentionally. Hanging around with the 'popular' crowd rarely ended well for her.
She weaves through the crowded hallway with practiced ease. At only 5'2", it's easy to slip through unnoticed. Tuning out the noisy chaos around her, she finally reaches her locker—and sees a familiar face.
"Hey, Jessica," Penny greets with a warm smile.
Jessica Jones, with her long black hair and perpetually tired expression, simply gives her a blank stare, shuts her locker, and walks off in silence.
Penny sighs. "Still mad at me?" she mutters to herself as she opens her own locker.
Months ago, she had tried to befriend Jessica after her parents died in an accident. She thought Jessica might appreciate someone who could relate—after all, Penny was an orphan too. But her attempt backfired. Jessica had stormed off, clearly offended by the comparison, and hadn't spoken to her since. Honestly, she didn't speak to anyone at school.
"Did Jessica ignore you again?" a cheerful voice pipes up beside her.
Penny turns and smiles at the fat boy who arrived. "Hey, Ned. Maybe she is just not a morning person."
"When is she ever?" Ned chuckles. "But hey, if you ever do get her to talk, can you ask her for her sister's number? Or, like, an autograph? Patsy Walker has been my crush since childhood." He places a hand on his heart for emphasis.
"Like you would ever have the guts to call her," another voice joins in—this time from a girl with a neat black ponytail and small purple-framed glasses.
"Hey, Missy," Penny greets with a smile. "And no way—I am not asking her about her famous sister. She already hates my guts. I don't want her thinking I have some kind of agenda."
"She doesn't hate you," Missy says, rolling her eyes.
"I will settle for an autograph," Ned says with a wide grin.
Ned Leeds and Missy Kalenback are two of Penny's only real friends at school. Ned's a huge nerd and gaming addict, which is how they originally bonded. Missy, who is just as short as Penny and similarly overlooked, became close to her over shared experiences, looks and personalities.
They weren't part of the popular crowd—not even close—but Penny always found it easier to be herself around them. And that mattered way more.
TRINGGG TRINNGG
"C'mon, class is about to start," Missy said, ignoring Ned and pulling Penny along.
"Hey, wait for me!" the chubby Ned called, hurrying after them.
The classroom was already devolving into chaos.
"Hey, look! Puny Parker and her clone are here!" a loud, mocking voice rang out from the back of the room.
A muscular blond boy lounged on a desk surrounded by other students in school football jackets. Flash Thompson—star of Midtown's football team and resident jerk. Football was huge at Midtown High, and with the school's tiger mascot, the players acted like kings of the jungle.
Flash had coined the nickname Puny Parker back in middle school, and somehow, it had followed her into high school like a bad curse. Even now, many people still thought that was her real name.
Laughter erupted from Flash's group, and Penny clenched her fists at her sides.
"Why don't you shut up, Flash?" Missy snapped, stepping in front of Penny with a glare. Small but fierce, Missy never backed down from a fight, especially when it came to bullies.
"Oh look, the 'Messy' clone is protecting the original," Flash sneered, prompting another round of laughter.
The saddest part was how much of the class joined in. Behind them, Ned kept his head down. Penny couldn't blame him—every time he stood up for her, Flash made an example out of him.
"Name-calling? Really?" came a sharp voice from behind. "Now I understand why you failed yesterday's English quiz."
The class fell silent immediately.
Stepping into the room beside Penny was a beautiful blonde girl who was the very picture of poise and confidence.
"Gwen," Flash muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.
"What? Want to keep going?" Gwen asked as she walked toward the back. "I can always ask Miss Warren to give you extra English lessons after school. That way you will definitely have to skip football practice."
She walked towards them calmly, with no trace of fear.
The boys surrounding Flash quickly scattered, and Flash slumped into his seat, saying nothing. He knew better than to challenge her.
There were two reasons why no one messed with Gwen Stacy. One—she was the class monitor, and her 'suggestions' could land you in detention or after-school tutoring in a heartbeat. Two—her father was the Police Commissioner. Even Flash knew better than to push his luck with her.
A second later, the Physics teacher strode into the room, prompting Penny and her friends to hurry to their seats in the middle row.
"Thanks," Penny whispered as Gwen passed by.
Gwen gave her a kind smile and sat down, already pulling out her books.
Just as Penny settled into her seat, something smacked lightly against the back of her head. She sighed and glanced down at the crumpled paper ball that landed on her feet.
Please let this school day end soon…