"Eyy yo, puny Parker got them reflexes?!"
Of course it was Flash, ever the bully, ever the godson of a B-word. With one hand, I crushed the can of fizzy drink and tossed it straight into the bus trash bin without even looking.
"Get a life, Thomy."
"Ooooooo..."
The entire school bus went silent. Everyone stared, wondering if I had lost my mind. Did I grow a tail? Honestly, my mind is an adult's, but my body is a fifteen-year-old's.
Yup, he's getting up. Flash cracked his knuckles, glaring at me.
"You asking for a death wish, dork?"
I smirked. Afraid of him? No way. I was reborn. I wouldn't be afraid anymore.
Flash grabbed my shirt, fist cocked back.
"Tough," I muttered, then spit right in his face.
Boom! Lifelong teenage wish accomplished. I should write a note about standing up to bullies.
"You're dead, Parker!"
Flash swung wild, left and right. But I knew his every move. I didn't even need my spider-sense. Maybe I had just grown used to his bullying.
Then I saw Gwen. She was worried, trying to step in. But Flash's fist almost connected with her face, glasses and all.
In a blur, I pulled Gwen into my arms, blocking Flash's punch. My hand twisted his wrist sharply, and he groaned in pain.
"Huh? I didn't know I was that strong," I muttered, staring at the humiliating position Flash was in. I thought it would feel satisfying, but it didn't. It felt childish.
I let him go, leaned close, and whispered, "Try to hurt my Gwen again, and I won't be that nerdy kid anymore. Sometimes brains can be a bigger man than brawn."
I walked back and sat beside Gwen. "You alright, Gwen?"
"Yeah… yeah. Thanks for protecting me, Pete."
"It's nothing. What are two partners in a peapod called? A two-Einsteiner, get it?"
"Umm… no. But I like when you said that…"
I raised a brow. What did I say? Gwen was blushing, twirling her long golden hair.
"Call… calling me, 'my Gwen…'" she whispered.
"…!!!!"
I blew it.
As I entered Midtown High, nostalgia hit me. I took in a deep breath.
"Ah yes, the smell of school."
Smack! Gwen playfully hit my head, teasing me.
"What are you, a sophomore? We're in our third year, dummy Pete."
"Haha, real funny, Gwen."
She cupped my cheek with a soft tap. "See you during lunch, Petey?"
"You bet."
She smiled, hips swaying as she walked away, glancing back over her shoulder.
MJ appeared, punching me on the shoulder.
"Ow!"
She looked flushed and pouty. "What was that?"
"What was what?" I asked.
"You're usually the nerdy boy-next-door, not some bad-boy type. What changed?"
I sighed, unfazed. I wasn't interested in her anymore. MJ would dump Flash soon, then move on to Harry…
Oh no. Harry. My best friend. My brother from another mother.
At least, he was. Until he thought I killed Norman Osborn. But the truth was, Norman died by his own hands—his glider struck him when I dodged. Harry blamed Spider-Man, but the guilt worsened when he hired Doc Ock to capture me. That's when he saw my face.
"Pete!"
I turned, seeing Harry's bright smile. But this time, I was reborn. Maybe I could change his fate—and Norman's. No Goblin, no Gwen's death.
A win–win, right?
"Dude… what did you do to yourself? You're looking like a new man. Like in that one song by Tom Williams, 'If I Were a Rich Man.'"
"Ya think so, Harry?"
"Hell yeah, man."
Harry slung his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close like always. He took out his phone and leaned in to whisper.
"Dude, my dad hired a new secretary… and she is smokin' hot!"
He swiped open his gallery, showing me a photo. Felicia Hardy.
At first glance, I muttered, "Wow, she's beautiful. How old is she?"
"I think 23… maybe 25."
Felicia. I remembered her clearly from my past life. We first met during a heist when she stole a national treasure. Over time, I grew intrigued—her skills, her charm, her dangerous allure. I almost fell in love with her. We had our ups and downs, great chemistry, respect, even a solid bond.
But Felicia never liked Peter Parker. She preferred Spider-Man. She was a wildcat—adventurous, reckless, a thrill-seeker. Trouble followed her like a shadow, with that strange cat-like aura. Wherever she went, bad luck seemed to stalk her steps.
"Pete, you with me? You've been staring at this chick for a long minute."
"Ah, sorry, Harry. Just feels like I've met her before. I don't know… got that tingling feeling."
"Let me guess, the Peter Tingle?"
Yup. Jokes were always Harry's medicine.
"Hey Pete, you know tomorrow our class is going to Oscorp for a field trip. You signed up for it, right?"
Yes. Tomorrow. The day it all began—the day that radioactive spider bit me on the back of my neck.
In my past life, I discovered that Dr. Connors, Norman Osborn, and my father, Richard Parker, were all tied to those spiders. Dad was the head of the experiment, while Connors and Norman were just assistants back then.
But the project was shut down. Dad went silent. And then… my parents died in a plane crash, hunted down because of what they knew. I was just six, maybe seven, when Uncle Ben took me in. Everything was lost—Mom, Dad, their research—all of it gone in the flames of that crash.
"Hell yeah, who wouldn't," I answered with a smile.
"I bet MJ will be there…" Harry added with a sly grin.
Right. I almost forgot, Harry had a thing for MJ. Not much ever came from it, but maybe I should just let it play out. No interference this time.
I walked into class, answering roll call easily, spotting Gwen at her desk too. If I was right, she worked part-time as an assistant in Dr. Connors' lab. Maybe I'd see her tomorrow.
Harry noticed me drifting into thought.
"Dude, don't tell me you've got a thing for Gwen? I thought you were all about Mary Jane. She's the school belle, man—even if she's dating that dummy Flash Thompson."
I shrugged. "I think girls these days prefer football guys, Harry."
"I guess. I mean, Gwen may be hot, but she doesn't really have that girlfriend vibe, Pete."
"Well, I think she has wife-type material."
Harry's pen slipped from his hand. His mouth hung open.
"Dude… when did you start talking like some old man?"
"Eh?"
"Yeah, Pete. Who are you, and what did you do to teenager Peter Parker?"
We both chuckled. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Gwen peeking over her shoulder, a soft smile forming on her lips.
And I could tell, she heard every word.
---
Chapter 2 — End.