That morning, William stared at himself in the mirror. The school uniform fit snugly on his new body. It felt strange. He couldn't even remember the last time he had gone to school. Now, he had to face his first day as someone he still barely knew… but who already had a life in motion.
"Well, whatever," he muttered, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "Time to play 'new character.'"
He stepped out of the apartment, walking along the sidewalk toward Midtown High School. As he approached the school gate, he nearly bumped into a skinny teenager wearing glasses, clutching a thick book tightly against his chest.
"Sorry, sorry!" the teenager blurted nervously as he almost ran into him.
William squinted. "Peter Parker…? But it looks like he hasn't been bitten by the spider yet…"
Peter rushed inside, his face pale and anxious like a freshman who's already late.
Not far from there, William spotted a girl with bright red hair laughing with her friends. She radiated confidence.
"Mary Jane Watson," William murmured.
He took a deep breath and stepped into the school building. Before long, he found his classroom. When he opened the door and walked in, his eyes immediately met someone sitting in the middle row—Gwen Stacy.
Gwen's face lit up when she saw him. "Hey, you actually came!"
Cute… William thought reflexively, then shook his head slightly to dismiss the thought.
He sat down next to Gwen, trying to act casual. "Yeah, I said I'd come, didn't I? Besides… skipping school for a month isn't exactly a smart move."
Gwen nodded firmly. "Exactly! You need to take this opportunity to study. Grades are important, especially for college. You don't want to—"
"Gwen…" William interrupted. "You're kinda chatty."
Gwen shot him an annoyed look. "Chatty? Listen here! I'm just trying to make sure you won't regret anything in the future. If you don't get a good education, you might—"
William held his breath and let her talk. Okay, this is the real test of mental strength… enduring Gwen's lectures.
A few minutes later, the teacher walked in and class began. William did his best to keep up, though a lot of it felt unfamiliar. Fortunately, he was a fast learner—whether it was a side effect of his powers or just sharpened focus, he wasn't sure.
After class, William and Gwen headed to the cafeteria. They sat at a quiet corner table.
Gwen opened her lunch and kept talking about the day's lessons. William nodded occasionally, not saying much, more focused on observing his surroundings. In the distance, Mary Jane sat laughing with her friends.
"Hey, Gwen," William asked quietly. "That's Mary Jane, right?"
Gwen paused mid-bite. "Yeah, why?"
"Just curious," William replied casually.
Gwen squinted at him suspiciously. "Why are you curious? You got a crush on her or something?"
William raised an eyebrow. "What? No, I'm just asking."
Gwen scoffed. "If you're just asking, then you don't need to know."
William froze. "...Okay?"
Gwen turned away slightly, her cheeks a bit red. "It's nothing!"
The final school bell rang. William let out a relieved sigh, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Though everything still felt unfamiliar, he was starting to get a little used to it. As he stepped out of class, Gwen walked up to him, swinging her bag playfully.
"Hey, heading home alone?" she asked.
William shrugged. "Looks like it."
"Me too. Want to walk together?"
He looked at her for a moment. "Sure, why not."
They walked side by side, strolling along the sidewalk now bathed in the golden afternoon sun. The atmosphere was calm. A few other students lingered around campus, but the streets were mostly quiet.
After a few steps, Gwen turned to him with a bright expression. "Hey, let's stop for some ice cream! I know a good place nearby."
William glanced at the sky, then at his watch. "Kinda feel like heading straight home…"
Gwen's face immediately fell, her lips pouting and her eyes slightly pleading. "Oh… okay."
William stared at her for a few seconds, then laugh. "I'm kidding. Let's go, show me the place."
Gwen instantly beamed. "Hehe, should've started pouting sooner."
They headed to the next block, toward a small, somewhat old but clean-looking ice cream stand. The elderly man running the kiosk smiled warmly when he saw them.
"Oh, Gwen! Brought your boyfriend this time? You're usually alone!" the vendor teased with a laugh.
Gwen turned bright red. "No! He's not my boyfriend, sir!"
The man laughed even louder. "Ah, not yet maybe!"
William just chuckled as he received his cup of ice cream. Gwen was still looking down, cheeks flushed, as they sat on a small bench not far from the stand.
"This place got a story or something?" William asked, licking his ice cream.
"Hmm… sort of my secret getaway spot when I'm feeling down," Gwen replied, eyes gazing up at the sky.
William was silent for a moment, then turned to her. "Gwen, can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"In your opinion… what kind of person am I?"
Gwen looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, from your perspective. What's William like? The one you know."
Gwen fell silent. Her eyes lingered on William for a while before she gave a small smile.
"You're… annoying. Sometimes careless. Sometimes selfish. But… you're also thoughtful, though you try to hide it. You make people feel at ease around you. And… sometimes you seem really cool, even if you don't notice it."
Her tone softened, nearly a whisper filled with unspoken emotion.
Then she snapped out of it, blushing. "But yeah… you're just you, William. Like always."
William stayed silent. Gwen's words slowly painted a picture of who the original William was before he took over. So… not the popular type, but not brooding either. Someone close to Gwen…
He looked at her and smiled warmly. "Thanks, Gwen."
She looked back, a little surprised. "For what?"
"For… making everything feel a little lighter."
They sat in silence for a while, enjoying their ice cream in a quiet, comforting stillness.