Midtown High School
One of the most coveted schools in New York.
Said as a school of geniuses, with a legacy that has lasted for many years. Everyone who went there, became successful adults and people who rose fast in life, living up to their name as a school of geniuses.
Every year, thousands of young people try to enter this school, but many fail to meet the extremely strict requirements of the school, which is said to only accept the best.
If you enter this school and graduate with honors, then your chance of doing well in life already goes up by 60%, because there will be people from all sides wanting you on their team.
If you entered with a scholarship, then this chance is already 80%, because to have gotten a scholarship, it means that you stood out more than the others and silently affirms that you are better than the others.
It's not a matter of arrogance, it's just a simple truth. Midtown High is the school of the best, just passing the exam already makes you better than the others, passing and having a scholarship makes you the best of the best.
And this is the case of Peter Parker.
A brilliant student, to say the least. The best of your class, maybe even the best of your year.
A young man who, despite having a very humble origin and having faced many difficulties to get where he is, proved that all his efforts were worth it.
Since the school year began, Peter has given nothing but good results. Always participative in classes, did not make unnecessary confusion, always respectful with the teachers and other employees of the institution, a golden boy so to speak.
The only thing that could be classified as a "defect" in him would be his more closed personality and his habit of isolating himself from other colleagues, but not even that was really a defect. In fact, the fact that he always kept his distance was what allowed him to have more time to focus on his studies.
An organized and hardworking young man who was just living his life without drawing unnecessary attention, this was Peter Parker.
Or maybe not?
Is there more about Peter Parker than just the antisocial young man everyone saw?
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*RIIIIIIIINNNNNNG*
As soon as the bell of the corridors rang, the corridors quickly filled with students going to the cafeteria, picking up their materials from their lockers or talking to friends about school activities, some party that would happen that week or something of teenagers.
Even outside the classrooms, it was still possible to see the energy of Midtown High students.
There were those who were already falling in some subjects and were doing their best to improve before the final exams.
There were the lazy people who were paying others to do their work.
And there were also those who didn't even want to study, they were just thinking about getting girls and being the popular ones at school. Usually, they are the ones who fail the most at the end of the year.
Among all this adolescent energy and enthusiasm, there was a person who stood out for his negative energy that did not match at all with that youthful environment.
This person was Gwen Stacy, daughter of police captain George Stacy and also one of the most intelligent students in Midtown, besides being one of the most beautiful.
With her long blond hair that falls like a cascade down her back, her deep blue eyes like the bright waters of the ocean, her shiny porcelain skin and without any kind of imperfection, as well as a face comparable to that of a model.
Despite wearing mostly simple clothes, jeans, black or white blouses and shoes of the same color, this simple set of clothes was something that only highlighted her natural beauty.
At this moment, in the midst of all the energy and life around her, she was not focused on the newest gossip of the corridors, on the work that the teacher sent or on making her way to the cafeteria. No, his thoughts were focused on only one person at the moment, Peter Parker.
Your childhood friend. Gwen's best friend and the closest person to her. Well, that was until 2 months ago.
Gwen has known since... always. They have always studied at the same school since primary school, they have always had very identical grades on the report cards, they have always had very similar tastes.
Peter was, arguably, the only boy that Gwen's father genuinely liked.
As a policeman and extremely protective father, George didn't like it at all when Gwen talked about boys and always did some group work with a boy, George made a point of leaving his gun in sight for everyone.
But that changed when the boy in question was Peter. Peter was the exception to this rule. George saw Peter grow up, met his uncles and always allowed Peter to show up at his house whenever he wanted. He had even joked with Uncle Ben that if one day Peter and Gwen stayed, he would arrest the first person who objected to it.
In short, Peter and Gwen had always been inseparable.
But everything changed when the school year started.
Suddenly, Peter had become a completely different person.
The same Peter who always answered her calls and always answered her messages, began to ignore her calls and only view her messages, but never answered.
The same Peter who had difficulties communicating with others, began to talk frequently with athletes, teachers, classmates and others.
The same Peter who had never done any kind of physical exercise in his life, began to exercise frequently and develop muscles little by little.
The same Peter Parker who was always glued to her, began to avoid her as if she were a plague.
This was destroying Gwen little by little. To think that her best was becoming such a different person and moving away from her, was making her wonder if she had done any harm to him and didn't realize it.
The last time Gwen was able to see Peter was during the freshmans' visit to Oscorp when she was stung by the...
"Gwen! "
Her thoughts were cut off when a voice called her back to the real world.
"Girl, you need to learn not to separate from the world when you're thinking, it's the fifth time you've done this this month"
Looking to the side, Gwen came across the latest addition to her social circle.
With vibrant and flashy red hair, green eyes with an almost supernatural glow and skin almost as perfect as Gwen's, Mary Jane Watson looked at her with a slightly irritated face.
Mary Jane was certainly the most popular girl among Midtown High freshmen. Her beauty and natural charisma, along with her incredible ability to communicate with anyone, made her the reason for many conversations in the corridors. Especially among boys.
Just like Gwen, she also liked to wear simpler clothes, but she also varied her style as the weeks went by. Jeans, high heels, some half-colacas blouses, earrings and other types of accessories. But something she never forgot to use was her half-reddish black lipstick, which highlighted her already perfect lips even more.
Until now, Gwen was still trying to understand how they became friends. She simply asked the redhead for a pencil on the first day of school and before she realized it, she had already given her her number.
It happened so fast and so naturally that she didn't even realize it when it was too late.
"So, what are you thinking about Gwen? "Mary Jane asked crossing her arms and leaning against her closet, which was right next to Gwen's.
The blonde just sighed and put away her materials before starting to go towards the cafeteria, being followed by Mart Jane and another dozen students also going to the cafeteria.
"Nothing too much. Just school stuff " Gwen replied in the dry and vague way she always used when the redhead asked.
Mary Jane, as always, frowned at her friend's lame excuse.
"Seriously, you use the same excuses with different words to not tell me what you're really thinking" MJ said with an expression of clear irritation. "I thought we were friends"
"And we are?" Gwen answers but it came out more like a question than an answer, because she still didn't understand the nature of their friendship.
"So tell me what's going on in your head"
"I've already said it's no big deal"
Seeing that insisting would not lead to anything, MJ just gave up on the subject and soon the two started talking about the strange biology teacher.
Entering the cafeteria, Gwen was greeted by the sound of conversations and laughter as she headed to her destination, the popular girls' table as she was called.
Gwen never considered herself a popular girl. In fact, she never considered herself a beautiful person, but she also never saw herself as an ugly person. She always saw herself as a girl who would hardly attract attention.
But after puberty finally came to her during the holidays, she had become beautiful enough to get the boys' attention when she passed through the hallway.
And apparently, this made her become "worthy" of sitting at the popular girls' table on the first day.
To be very honest, Gwen practically didn't know the girls at that table. She most likely heard their names once and soon forgot because she didn't think it was important enough for her brain to save.
Translating, she didn't give a fuck about those girls.
They were the most superficial, dramatic and dumb people Gwen met in that institution. And she was being generous by not using much stronger words.
They only talked about fashion, boys, accessories, some party they were going to have or about shit that made Gwen want to leave there every day. But unfortunately, she couldn't even if she wanted to.
Whenever she tried to go to another table, it never worked. When she tried to sit with the boys, they tried to flirt with her or ask for her number. When she sat with other girls, they felt pressured by her "reputation" and ended up either leaving, or leaving an uncomfortable silence in the place.
The popular table was the only place where she could sit without feeling uncomfortable. But their conversations were so superficial that Gwen had a hard time believing that it was a human being who was saying that.
His conversations with Peter were more interesting than what he was listening to now.
Speaking of Peter...
On the other side of the cafeteria, surrounded by laughter and youthful energy, Gwen his once best friend and his new group of friends.
Flash Thompson, an athlete with good grades who managed to enter with a sports bag, being described as a rare jewel and a prodigy with a talent that is not seen every day.
Despite having the most generic appearance of a brainless high school athlete, blond hair, blue eyes, 1.80 tall and a beauty a little above average, he was certainly not as stupid as he seemed, besides having a pleasant personality. In short, a giant with a heart as big as his muscles.
And then there was Harry Osborn, probably the richest student in that school.
Harry was the son of Norman Osborn, CEO and founder of Oscorp companies, a multinational in the pharmaceutical industry valued at billions. Certainly, one of the largest in the world in this field.
Harry could be described as the classic "young billionaire playboy" apart from the part that he was not even a playboy. Did he go out with several pretty girls? Yes, but he was someone very polite, extremely humble despite his rich origin and despite not being as smart as Gwen or Peter, he was certainly well above average.
As for his appearance, well he was "the wet dream of all girls" according to her "friends". Redhead, green eyes, a dazzling smile that made the girls blush and despite not being as tall as Flash, he was solid 1.76 tall, as well as a well-worked physique.
He could be described as that friend who pays everything others ask for and doesn't worry about the money he spends. And let's be honest, he's the only one in that school with the right to be classified as such.
Next to him, there was the center of envy of all the girls at school, Felicia Hardy. She was someone who just by being in a room, already made everyone stop to look at her.
As much as Gwen didn't like to admit it, she herself felt a little jealous of Felicia. How could she not? Felicia had long natural platinum hair as surprising as it is, green eyes, perfect pale skin in a supernatural way and besides everything, she was 1.75 tall, relatively taller than the other girls, herself included in this environment with her 1.70 tall.
Add it all to a pretty face and a captivating personality that you have Felicia Hardy. She could only be described as perfect in every way.
Athletic, charming, always confident and with a beautiful smile on her face, she was one of the reasons why boys still went to school.
Gwen had already heard her friends talk about some rumors that other girls keep spreading about her because they feel inferior around her, like saying that she only came in because of her appearance or that she stole other girls' boyfriends (which was nothing more than a lot of crap in Gwen's opinion), but with everything she saw and heard about Felicia, she simply ignored all these rumors.
And in the middle of all these popular names, sharing jokes and laughter, there he was.
Peter Parker Completely different from what she remembered.
Now without her characteristic nerd glasses that she had worn since she remembered, Peter now contact lenses that highlighted his brown eyes well and now without the glasses, Peter looked like a completely different person.
His brown hair, which he usually always left long and used to cover part of his face, had now been cut and left at a more normal length, highlighting his eyes more.
His clothes, which once consisted of long-sleeved shirts, coats or anything that made him mix in the crowd without standing out, now consisted of simple short-sleeved blouses and sports pants that highlighted the few muscles he developed with his new exercise routine.
He, who always kept his head down and walked bent no matter where he went, was now with his head held high and exuding confidence wherever he was.
This was a change that happened right in front of her and Gwen still couldn't understand how it happened.
Peter, Harry, Flash and Felicia were the cool guys from Midtown High. Not necessarily the most popular (although it's not a lie that everyone had many admirers, even Peter to Gwen's surprise), but they were the ones who stood out among the others, like rare diamonds around a pile of coal.
Flash with his prowess in sports and tactical vision on the field, Harry with his richness and simple attitudes, Felicia with her beauty and personality, and finally, Peter with his intelligence and the growing number of academic achievements. Add this to the fact that everyone has extremely high grades and you have a fantastic four's teen edition.
Gwen still wondered what had happened to Peter for him to have made such a drastic change in himself. Even though he still kept parts of his old personality, such as not liking crowds and staying a little away from others, Peter had made someone totally different.
Gwen knew she needed to talk to him. They were best friends. Childhood friends. She needed to understand what was happening to him, talk to him and maybe get back to that connection they had before.
But she didn't want to ruin his happiness. Peter was happy and liked to see that. She liked to see that he was making new friends and that he was no longer that shy and introverted young man to the extreme that she knew for most of her life. She wanted to try to give him space before trying to speak, but curiosity was already starting to get the better of her.
She wanted to go talk to him and bury that subject for good, but she was afraid that he had changed so much that he no longer wanted anything to do with her, she was afraid of losing her long-time friend and having to end up limiting herself to the girls at her table.
She was already having enough problems since the spider bite and didn't want anything else stressing her out now, so she was already decided. She would talk to Peter, no matter how scared she was, and finally take that weight off her shoulders.
She could even lose Peter, but she needed to end that subject.
Once and for all.