The late-November chill bit at Peter's neck as he and Liz walked through the school gates. The sky was overcast, the kind of gray that made everything look sleepy and dull.
Liz wore her usual blazer over a maroon hoodie, her breath visible in short puffs.
"You didn't forget about the chem quiz, right?" she asked.
"Of course not," Peter replied, deadpan. "Just because I forgot every other quiz this month doesn't mean I'll forget this one."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Good. Because you promised to help me at lunch."
As they neared the main lobby, Peter noticed a crowd of students hovering near the bulletin board by the front office.
A small rectangular sign, freshly pinned and printed on frosted blue paper, caught his eye:
Winter Dance – December 16th, 6 PM – Midtown High GymTheme: "Starlight in December" Sign up for partner list & volunteer shifts in the main office by next Friday.Dress code: Formal.Tickets: $15 per student (includes refreshments).Guests allowed with school ID or signed approval.
"Huh," Peter said, stepping closer. "Guess it's that time of year."
"Oh yeah," Liz replied, reading over his shoulder. "I totally forgot about this."
Around them, students murmured with a mix of excitement and stress. One girl squealed into her phone. A junior near the board muttered, "I don't even have a dress."
Peter turned to Liz.
"So, uh… you planning to go?"
Liz looked at him. "Are you?"
He paused. Then nodded once, casually.
"Yeah. I think I'd like to."
"With anyone in particular?" she teased, eyebrows raised.
"Well," Peter said, "I was kind of hoping you'd be my partner."
Her eyes lit up almost instantly.
"You're asking me to the Winter Dance, Peter Parker?"
"I am."
"Then yes. Obviously yes."
During the break, Peter met up with Harry by their lockers. The buzz about the Winter Dance hadn't died down; the hallways were still filled with chatter and speculation.
"You're going?" Harry asked, slinging his bag over one shoulder.
"Yeah. Since I have a girlfriend. I asked Liz this morning."
"And she said yes right?"
"Pretty confidently, actually."
Harry grinned. "Alright then. We need suits. I'm not showing up in last year's crumpled tux like Flash did."
"You want company?"
"Sure. I need someone to talk me out of buying something weird and expensive."
"Sounds like a plan."
After the classes were over Peter walked towards his house.
Peter pushed open the front door, hanging his bag by the coat rack.
"I'm home!"
Uncle Ben looked up from the couch. "Hey, kiddo. How was todays school?"
"Pretty normal. Oh, and I asked Liz to the Winter Dance."
Aunt May stepped into the kitchen doorway with a dish towel in hand.
"Dance?"
"Yeah, it's on the 16th. Formal. School's throwing it."
Uncle Ben whistled. "Well, look at you. Young man's growing up."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "I asked a girl to a school dance. I'm not getting married."
May smiled warmly. "Still. That's lovely, Peter. You two will look wonderful together."
"I'm heading out now, actually. I'm going suit shopping with Harry."
"Don't let him pick anything shiny," Ben called. "You'll regret it."
"Yeah, no promises."
The city was already decorated with early winter lights — strings of blue and white hung across lamp posts and store windows, shimmering with that pre-Christmas energy.
Peter and Harry ducked into a mid-range boutique that specialized in teen formalwear.
Inside, racks of suits lined the walls — navy, black, dark green, maroon. The place smelled like starch and cedarwood.
A sales guy approached, clipboard in hand.
"Winter Dance?" he asked, clearly recognizing the two of them.
Harry nodded. "Yep. Midtown High."
"We've got a section set up for that—this way."
They followed him to a rack labeled 'Student Formal Specials – Winter Dance 2025'.
Peter thumbed through the suits while Harry tried on a gray blazer in the mirror.
"Do you even care about the color?" Harry asked.
"As long as it fits and doesn't make me look like I'm running for prom king, I'm good."
Peter pulled out a deep navy suit with a sleek fit. Classic. Not flashy.
"Try it," Harry said. "That one actually looks good."
Peter stepped into the changing room. A few minutes later, he stepped out.
Harry gave him a nod.
"Not bad. You'll make the school nerd look dangerous."
"That's what I'm going for."
"Liz is gonna love it."
Peter smirked. "Hopefully."
Harry picked a deep burgundy jacket with black lapels, surprisingly stylish.
"Dude, if dad sees me in this, he'll probably throw a drink at me."
"Then you should definitely buy it."
They paid, each bagging up their suits, and stepped back onto the sidewalk.
The evening air was colder now, but it didn't bother Peter.
For the first time in a while, things felt… normal.
Even good.