"Cool outfit."
The dog-faced man spoke while staring straight ahead.
"Thanks."
"Where'd you get it?"
"I made it myself."
"Looks like it's not very comfortable."
He gave Spider-Man a surprised glance, but then neither of them said another word.
Once they reached the ground floor, Spider-Man bolted out the door like a sprinter at the starting gun. He quickly changed back into his regular clothes and rushed to find his scooter what was left of it.
Seeing it in pieces was crushing. It had been his only way to get around.
Now, without it, he'd be stuck using the No. 11 bus his legs.
Damn it!
He punched the wall. Everything that had gone wrong today had left his still-developing heart on the verge of collapse.
I have superpowers!Why am I doing worse than the average guy?Was Uncle Ben wrong when he said, "With great power comes great responsibility"?
I've suppressed my instincts, sacrificed so much and what did I get in return?I lost my girlfriend, lost my money, and now even my only means of transportation got smashed by some criminal!
Why?
I followed every traffic rule!
Why is it that honest people always get the short end of the stick, while those rich, heartless jerks who commit every kind of crime get to live like kings?
As he passed by a commercial street, he noticed a giant ad board with Mary Jane's poster on it.
But Spider-Man didn't even glance at it. Or maybe he'd already stopped noticing it.
No matter how amazing she is, she's not mine.What's the point in being this pathetic?
No. I'll tell her. I'll tell her I'm Spider-Man. Maybe she'll be surprised. Maybe I can win her back.
With that in mind, Spider-Man took out his phone and typed:
"Actually, I'm Spider-Man."
His fingers trembled over the send button.
Hoo...
He let out a deep breath, like a huge weight had been lifted. His body suddenly felt lighter.
Ding-dong...
A message notification!
His heart leapt. He had no idea how Mary Jane would react.Would she be surprised? Shocked? Maybe even say, "I want to see you"?
Hopeful, he opened his phone screen.
"Sorry, your account is out of balance. Please recharge to continue using mobile services."
"What the hell?!"
Spider-Man nearly threw the phone. But as his hand shot up, he remembered it was a Stark Industries company-issued phone. Probably the most expensive thing he owned. After a moment of thought, he slowly lowered his arm.
His lonely shadow stretched long and thin across the alley.
That night, the rich lay tangled in beds of indulgence, while the poor could only hold themselves panting in silence.
The next morning, Spider-Man was jolted awake by his alarm. He groped around and finally shut it off.
Still groggy, he sat up but everything was blurry, like he'd gone back to the days before he became Spider-Man.
"What the...?"
He waved his right hand in front of his face. Am I still dreaming?
He rubbed his eyes hard. Still no help.
Eventually, he dug out his long-forgotten glasses from the bottom drawer of his desk and put them on.
Hoo...
Finally, he could see clearly. Nearsightedness was such a pain.
With no money for breakfast, Peter quietly opened his door. He hadn't paid rent in a while, and lately, the landlord had been lurking like a predator.
Suddenly, the door across the hall swung open. Without hesitation, Peter jumped straight down the stairs.
Sure enough, it was the stingy landlord.
"Hey! You little punk! Pay the damn rent already!"
The man, clearly just out of bed and still pulling up his pants, yelled down the stairwell but Peter was already gone.
"Damn it! Let's see if you dare show your face tonight!"
Fuming, the landlord yanked up his pants and slammed the door shut.
On the No. 5 bus, Peter dug into his pocket and dropped in a 50-cent coin.
"Sorry, sir. Fare's gone up. It's one yuan now."
The driver gave him a hard look, waiting for the rest of the payment.
"Uh… but I only have fifty cents."
Peter turned every pocket inside out. Aside from a little dust, there was nothing else.
"Then I'll have to ask you to get off. Don't block the line."
Peter turned around. A long queue had formed behind him, all wearing expressions of irritation.
Lowering his head, he glanced at the 50 cents he'd just lost in the coin box, cursed his luck under his breath, and was about to step off the bus.
"I'll pay for him!"
A soft, clear voice rang out like an angel had descended into his gloomy world.
He turned back.
Wow, she's beautiful. Just as gorgeous as Mary Jane.
"Oh... thank you!"
He thanked her over and over.
"It's no big deal. After all, we're classmates."
She smiled, her voice calm and composed.
In that moment, it was as if a warm beam of light had pierced through the shadows of his life.
"Huh? Classmates? I don't"
Peter had wanted to say I don't think I've seen you before, but caught himself, didn't want to sound rude.
She wore her hair in a cute, high ponytail. Her forehead was smooth and fair, and unlike many Western girls, her face was free of freckles, giving her a soft, delicate charm.
She wasn't tall around 5'5" but her figure was well-proportioned. Her short school skirt revealed a pair of pale, slender legs.
"You were about to say you've never seen me, right? Come on, I sit five seats diagonally in front of you on the left. We've been in college for a year now. Do you even know how many people are in our class?"
She sat beside him, turning slightly to face him.
Peter felt a bit flustered, though his gaze kept drifting toward her.
"I've just been… busy, I guess. Never paid much attention."
He scratched his nose awkwardly, adjusting his glasses.
She answered smoothly and without judgment.
"That's because you're always late. Every time, you come in with your head down, sleep through class, then sneak out early. The professors complain about you daily. If you keep this up, you're never going to graduate."
Peter didn't realize his reputation was that bad. He lowered his voice.
"I don't even know your name."
"Gwen. Gwen Stacy."
She said it earnestly, as if hoping he'd remember.
"Oh, I won't forget. You're so pretty just hearing your name once, and it's already stuck."
Peter replied.
As he stared at her soft, jelly-like lips, he suddenly had the urge to lean in for a taste but quickly suppressed the thought.
He didn't want to end up in jail.
(End of Chapter)
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