The Date
Winter Parker had been through some intense experiences over the last few weeks—gaining superhuman abilities, humbling her longtime bully, and trying not to freak out over the fact that she had suddenly caught the attention of the most beautiful girl she had ever met: Karina Yu. But none of those events could compare to the nerves that buzzed through her as she prepared for her first date.
With Karina.
A date with Karina Yu
She still couldn’t believe it. Winter glanced at herself in the mirror for the tenth time, adjusting the collar of her jacket. She wanted to look casual, but not too casual. Ningning had insisted on helping her pick out an outfit, which meant Winter was currently wearing something far more stylish than her usual hoodie-and-jeans combo.
"Chill, Parker, you look great," Ningning said as she lounged on Winter’s bed, scrolling through her phone.
Winter tugged at her jacket again. “Are you sure? What if I look like I’m trying too hard?”
“You are trying hard, and that’s fine. Karina’s gonna love it. Besides, she wouldn’t have asked you out if she wasn’t interested.”
That fact still hadn’t fully sunk in for Winter. Karina Yu—popular, cool, and drop-dead gorgeous—had asked her out. It was a miracle Winter hadn’t spontaneously combusted on the spot.
“Yeah, okay,” Winter muttered, taking a deep breath. “I can do this. Just a normal date with a normal girl.”
"Normal," Ningning scoffed. "You? Normal? Yeah, sure, Parker. Just try not to web-swing your way into trouble."
Winter groaned. "Why did I agree to this again?"
Ningning gave her a look. "Because you've had a crush on Karina for years, and this is your shot. Don’t mess it up."
Winter sighed. Ningning was right. This was her chance, and she couldn’t afford to screw it up. No matter how nervous she was, no matter how much her palms were sweating- why were her palms sweating so much?—she was going to make sure Karina had a great time.
---
The date was set for a Saturday evening, and Winter had agreed to meet Karina at a small café near their campus. It was cozy, with warm lighting and a relaxed vibe, which was perfect considering Winter was a bundle of nerves.
Winter arrived early, naturally. She fidgeted in her seat by the window, checking her phone every few seconds. Her hands were clammy, and she couldn’t stop bouncing her knee under the table.
“What if she changes her mind?” Winter mumbled to herself. “What if she—”
Before Winter could spiral any further, the door to the café opened, and there she was—Karina Yu.
Winter’s breath caught in her throat as Karina walked in, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Winter. She wore a simple but stylish outfit—a black turtleneck tucked into high-waisted jeans, paired with a beige coat that made her look effortlessly elegant. Her long, dark hair was loose, falling in soft waves around her face.
Winter could barely function as Karina smiled and made her way over.
“Hey, Winter,” Karina greeted her, sliding into the seat across from her. “Sorry if I’m a bit late.”
“No, you’re fine!” Winter blurted out, a little too loudly. “I-I mean, you’re right on time. I just got here myself. Well, maybe I got here early, but it’s not like I was waiting long, or anything, I—”
Karina chuckled, a soft, melodic sound that made Winter’s heart do flips. “You’re cute when you’re nervous, you know that?”
Winter’s brain momentarily short-circuited. Cute? She thought she heard that wrong, but the amused look on Karina’s face told her otherwise. She thinks I’m cute?
Winter felt her cheeks burning. “I, uh… thanks? I mean, you’re cute too—no, not cute, more like gorgeous—I mean, you’re both, but I—ugh.” She groaned inwardly. Great job, Parker. You’re malfunctioning already.
Karina smiled, resting her chin on her hand. “You’re so funny.”
Winter’s internal panic settled a bit as she realized Karina wasn’t mocking her. In fact, she seemed genuinely charmed by Winter’s awkwardness. It was… confusing, but in the best way.
Once they ordered drinks, the conversation began to flow a little easier. Karina was surprisingly easy to talk to, even if Winter stumbled over her words more times than she’d care to admit. They talked about everything from their classes to their favorite movies, and Winter found herself laughing more than she had expected.
“So,” Karina said, stirring her coffee, “what made you want to sneak into Oscorp that day?”
Winter stiffened slightly, a flash of panic running through her. She had nearly forgotten about that. “Oh, uh… I just, you know, got curious. Heard some rumors about the place and thought it’d be fun to check it out.”
Karina raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Sure. Because wandering into a restricted area at a huge corporation is totally normal.”
Winter grinned sheepishly. “Okay, fine, maybe it wasn’t the best idea.”
Karina smiled, shaking her head. “You’re lucky you didn’t get caught.”
Winter wanted to laugh and say actually, I did get caught—by you. But she didn’t want to push her luck.
The evening flew by, and before Winter knew it, the sky outside had darkened, the café beginning to quiet down as the night went on. Despite her initial nervousness, Winter had genuinely enjoyed herself. And, to her surprise, it seemed like Karina had too.
As they finished their drinks, Karina glanced at her phone and sighed. “I guess I should head home. It’s getting late.”
Winter’s heart sank a little. She didn’t want the night to end. “Yeah, I guess so.”
They stood up, and Winter insisted on walking Karina home, which she eagerly agreed to. They left the café and began strolling down the quiet streets, their breath visible in the cool night air.
The walk was comfortable, the two of them falling into easy conversation again. Winter still couldn’t believe this was happening—walking Karina Yu home after their first date. It felt surreal, like something out of a dream. Every now and then, their shoulders would brush, sending a spark of electricity through Winter that she wasn’t entirely sure had to do with her spider abilities.
Eventually, they reached Karina’s apartment building. Winter stopped at the entrance, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside her. Was this the part where she…? No. There was no way.
“Well,” Winter said, scratching the back of her neck, “I had a really great time tonight. Thanks for, uh, agreeing to go out with me.”
Karina smiled, stepping closer. “I had a great time too. You’re fun to be around.”
Winter’s heart pounded in her chest as Karina looked up at her, those dark eyes shimmering under the streetlight. She suddenly felt like her body had forgotten how to function. Was this the moment where she—
Before Winter could overthink it, Karina leaned in, her hand gently resting on Winter’s arm. And then, without warning, Karina closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to Winter’s.
Winter froze. Her mind completely blanked out. Karina Yu—her ultimate crush, the girl she had admired from afar for years—was kissing her.
It was soft and quick, just a brief brush of lips, but it was enough to send Winter’s brain into a meltdown.
And just as quickly as it happened, Karina pulled back, a playful smile on her face. “Goodnight, Winter.”
With that, Karina turned and disappeared into her building, leaving Winter standing there—completely and utterly malfunctioning.
Winter blinked. Then blinked again. Her entire body felt like it was buzzing, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.
“She kissed me,” Winter whispered to herself, still in disbelief. “She kissed me.”
A goofy, lovestruck grin spread across her face as she finally turned and began walking home, her steps lighter than ever.
Karina Yu had just kissed her, and Winter Parker was pretty sure her life would never be the same.