The Change Part 2
It's been three months since Ellie had been bitten by the spider giving her powers. The first few weeks. Her disguise was a mask and a hood. But as time went on she worked on making her own suit. Remembering the colors of the spider that bit her. She put a spider on the front of her suit and the back. She made so many sketches of the suit she wanted in her journal. She thought of the colors and went with red and black. She used skintight cloth and other sewing materials to make her suit. She was no beginner to science, she made sure her suit was fire proof, maybe it wasn't bullet proof, but her spider tingle helped her a lot.
She was going to tell Sam but ended up backing out last second. Dina, Joel and Sarah were completely out of the question. So was Sam. From what she's been doing so far it's dangerous. Like really dangerous. She has had so many bruises and cuts cause of this...new job she has. She hated how she's had to cancel on a lot of plans, wether it was with Joel, Sarah, or Dina. Especially Dina. She was her best friend, who so happened to be the girl she was in love with. She always made time for Dina. But with this new responsibility she couldn't. Not even for Dina.
"Hey Ellie."
The girl looked up from her book and saw the brown eyed best friend looking down at her. She offered a smile and moved her backpack from the seat next to her. She was outside on one of the benches facing the football field.
"Oh hey Dina. Is your cheerleading practice over?" Even though Ellie didn't need her glasses anymore. She decided to keep them. Not wanting raise suspicion. Switching the lenses with non subscription lenses.
"Yea it ended just now. You ready to-" At the sound of an alert coming from her phone, which was just special bing indicating that there was need of a certain superhero. Followed the familiar bing.
Cat: meet up got some action on the east by the bay. Could use help from a certain someone
Ellie met this fellow...partner only three weeks ago. Cat. Cat saved Ellie from some thugs that had some advanced weapons. And ever since they have worked together. Ellie didn't tell her, her secret identity, one because it was dangerous for her to tell and two she came to the conclusion that no one should know. No matter how much she trusts them. For now.
"Uh sorry Dina I gotta go. I'll see you later." Ellie quickly gathered her stuff and waved goodbye at Dina before rushing off. Dina was left standing alone feeling confused and a little hurt. She didn't understand why Ellie has been avoiding her. If first started a few weeks ago. She annoyed and not going to lie she was getting a little pissed.
Why was Ellie pulling away?
Dina noticed that every time Ellie would leave like how she just left, Ellie would always get message on her phone. There was only one thought going through Dina's head.
Ellie was seeing someone, and that someone was not her.
*
"So what do ya think about this Spider-girl?" Joel asked as soon as Ellie came downstairs to grab a bite. She had arrived home only a few minutes ago. The alert she got while talking to Dina was for a bank robbery. She was able to stop the robbers. The officers thanking both of them along with the civilians she rescued.
"Oh she's cool, really like her suit. Looks badass." She said as she sat down across from Joel who sat next to Tess and next to Sarah. She was a bit bruised and cuts under her shirt, her healing was quicker just not as quick as she would hope for. Being punched and shot at hurt a lot.
"That girl is doing great from what i hear. Stopping thieves and other criminals. Tess here said that Spider-girl is a lot of help with the police." Joel spoke as he ate his food. Sarah looked at Ellie with furrowed eyebrows. When she remembered something that happened earlier, while Ellie was out.
"Dina stopped by. Said she was looking for you. I thought you said you were with her."
Ellie felt her eyes widen and her heart stop for just a few seconds. She needed to focus come up with a quick lie. Tess and Sarah shared a look. Knowing very well that the auburn haired girl was caught.
"Uh no I told you I was going to be at Sam's."
"Oh really because she said she went to Sam's and you weren't there."
Crap. Think. Ellie think.
"Fine you caught me, I've been working on a portrait of all four of us and Dina. Figured I'd work on it today after school." The lie came out before she could actually think about it.
Great. Now I'm going to have to do that, cause I don't have anything else to do. Good job Ellie. Adding more shit to your plate.
"Oh. When is it going to be finished? How big is it? Should I buy a frame for it? I think it'll look great in the living room."
"Uh about a week or two. And yea sure thing Joel. Well I'm tired. I'll see you guys tomorrow."
*
After that, she needed to start making more time for Dina. Or try harder. So that's what she did the following day. She spent all night and morning drawing something that Ellie knew Dina would love. Dina has always loved Ellie's drawings. Especially the ones of them together. So what did she do? She took her favorite picture of them, which was of their yearly summer getaway. For two weeks they spent at a beach with Joel and Tess. They mostly spent it together while Joel and Tess would go off. It was a picture she has never shown Dina. She thought it would be perfect. So she got to work. It wasn't a big picture. A nice small one, but bigger than a regular drawing paper.
She started at seven and finished it at four in the morning. She didn't usually use color but for this she did. Dina loved it when she used color in her drawings. She smiled down at the beautiful drawing, remembering the moment it was taken.
~
Ellie smiled cheekily up at Dina from where she sat. They were in California for their summer getaway. Spending two full weeks with her best friend. She honestly couldn't be happier. It was the fourth night in California and she thought it would be good to go out to the cliff she found. Cause of California's warm weather, it would be a great night to go out star gazing. So she decided to take a protesting Dina to cliff not far from the cabin they were stay at with Joel and Tess.
"Ellie are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Come on Dina. It's star gazing and the sky looks fucking amazing."
"Ugh fine. Only because you're cute." The confidence that Ellie held just a second ago was washed away being replaced with a blush that reached the tip of her ears.
"Shut up and sit down you jerk." Dina gave in and sat down on the blanket Ellie brought out with them. Ellie was already laying down with her hands behind her head. She laid down her hips touching Ellie's. She blushed, even through her shirt she could still feel the body heat coming off Ellie. When she was younger she remembered how many times her younger self would cuddle up to Ellie when they'd have sleepovers or the yearly fall camping trips. They'd go on as family. Tess, Sarah, Talia, Joel, herself and Ellie.
"What are you thinking about."
"On how maybe you ate a furnace when you were younger."
Ellie let out a laugh and shook her head. She looked to her side at Dina's profile. She couldn't help but to admire Dina's face. How soft and beautiful her features looked. She wished she had her journal with her. That way she could draw how beautiful Dina looked. She took a mental picture and saved it for later. That way she could look back at the memory and draw.
~
Now that she was in school she had to do that stupid drawing, she told Joel, Tess and Sarah she was doing. So here she sat on her phone looking for a great picture. Or she could just come up with something. Use her imagination. The five could be some cool astronauts or zombie killing badass's or riding some cool dinosaurs. Ellie shook her head chuckling to herself at that last thought. Reaching above her head to get all the color paints she'd need for her painting. Feel the cold air on her exposed tummy.
"Oh my god Ellie. What happened!?!" Ellie actually jumped. She has always been able to feel when someone was approaching her but this time, she didn't. She recognized that voice immediately. She would need a good excuse on why she's been avoiding Dina. Although she wasn't doing it on purpose. At first she tried to make time with Dina. Pretend that everything was the same and she didn't have powers. But she learned that it was easier said then done. Every time they were together, there was always someone who needed saving. So she would leave and help them.
Ellie realized that Dina would think she's been avoiding her. Which was not the case. Just that there's been more robberies and people who need help lately. Especially since there was a new gang in the city. Some man named David was apparently the leader. Ellie had only gathered little information on the guy. The man was 45 years old, owned a tall building down on Broadway street and has been accused of selling drugs and being involved in multiple murders, and kidnapping young kids but there was no evidence on that. Well she's been stopping a lot of drug deals, murders that involved this gang. With all those guys ganging up on her she knew she need to make some upgrades to her suit. So that's what she did. But that didn't stop the bruises or the cuts, not mention the bullet holes. The suit was able to stop most bullets from actually puncturing her skin but sometimes they got lucky and the suit was able to slow down the bullet not completely stop it. She had to learn how to take care of wounds on her own. Those moments when she would arrive home late, going threw her window and have to clean herself up, she wished she could have someone to help. But was she really willing to put her loved ones danger. The answer to that was no. Not to mention that if Joel would ever find out, he'd probably die of a heart attack.
She had to take down David. Take down the bigot and she was sure most crime would go down. Hopefully.
"Uh? What are you-" Ellie didn't have time to react before the shorter girl basically rushed to her, taking hold of the front of her grey flannel was pulled up exposing the bruises and faintly red cuts from the criminals she stopped this morning. They were David's thugs and it was like they expected that she'd show up cause they were ready. So it took a lot longer for her to finish up. She was late for her first class. Looking at the girl in front of her. She saw the clear concern and anger in those brown eyes that she loved so much.
"Ellie, what the fuck happened." The girl in question let herself be examined, gentle warm hands touching the bruises.
"Uh n-nothing I uh fell?"
"You're fucking lying. Why are you lying was it those assholes picking on you again. You fucking tell me and I'll take care of it. Who was it?" Dina from the very beginning has always looked out for Ellie. Even though she knew very well that Ellie could defend herself, Ellie just wasn't a very confrontational person. Especially since Ellie was so shy. Dina remembered the first time they met. The auburn girl was basically hiding behind Sarah. Dina made it her mission to protect Ellie. At the time Ellie and herself were the same height, Dina just an inch or two taller. As years went by they grew closer and became best friends off the bat. They did had shared everything together. There wasn't a moment where they were apart. Not even when Dina started dating Jesse. She still made time for Ellie. Always did.
So when she felt Ellie pulling away, it hurt a lot. The worst pain cause she didn't even know why. She tried to make her talk or even went to her house, which was like a second home for her. Dina looked at Joel, Tess and Sarah like a second family. Especially since her parents were not the best. When she'd go to Ellie's house and she wouldn't be there, the small pain in her heart grew even more. The lies were pilling up and she demanded answers. Ellie's supposed to be her best friend, best friends don't lie.
"I-I can't."
"Ellie please, tell me. Are you in trouble? Is this why you've been ignoring me. Please Ellie you have to tell me what's wrong." This was followed by silence. Ellie was battling herself. Whether she should tell Dina the truth. But all the cons were towering over the pros of telling Dina her secret.
Dina watched as her best friend fiddled with her fingers, not even looking at her. Dina bit her lip and looked up trying not cry. She couldn't understand why, why Ellie was shutting her out. Why she was lying. Why Ellie was pushing her away. What changed. Dina let out a shaky sigh, letting go of Ellie's much bigger hands.
"You know what fine, don't tell me. But I am telling Joel about those bruises." As Dina went to walk around Ellie, a hand shot out preventing her from walking away.
"Dina wait...I'll tell you." Ellie's thoughts were running through her brain trying to make sure she worded everything right. Her brain screaming at her, not to tell Dina. She was so sure that she would never tell anyone her secret but...if she doesn't tell Dina right now. She'll tell Joel, Joel will tell Tess and Tess will tell Sarah, Sarah will tell Tommy and Maria. She couldn't have that. She could trust Dina with this. She knew she could. She knew if she tells Dina about her secret, she would have to work even harder to make sure the bad guys never know her real name.
As Ellie went to open her mouth she was stopped by her phone ringing. She dug into her pocket seeing who was calling 'Officer Anderson'. Ellie met Abby Anderson a while back when the officer needed help. Since then Abby would call Ellie when needing help, especially with David's thugs. Abby only knew Ellie as Spidergirl.
"Spidergirl we need your help. We're at David Fisk's tower and things are getting really ugly."
"I'm on my way." Ellie gathered her things and looked back at Dina. She could see the hurt, the disappointment, but mostly the sadness and anger.
"Dina I promise you I'll tell you everything later today. I just have to do something. I'll be at your home and I'll explain. Everything. I promise. Just please don't go to Joel." Dina hesitated, seeing Ellie so, in a rush to leave her standing there once again. After seeing those bruises on Ellie was she really willing to let her run off to most likely get hurt.
"If you're not at in my room by 9 I'm going to Joel."
"Nine. I'll be there. I promise."
*
Things weren't going great. David had men on all floors, all armed. Even going as far as bombing parts of his own building. Just to buy himself some time to escape. Officer Anderson and Ellie worked together to make way into the building. But since the elevators weren't working they had to take the stairs. But Ellie wasn't going to let David escape. No so she went up the elevator shaft.
"Spider girl he's wiping the computer systems. You have to stop him or it won't matter if we do arrest him."
"Fuck okay. I'm on it."
Ellie moved through the vents to get to the computers, not being surprised when she crawled in the room to see some of David's thugs. With some trouble she was able to stop them and web them up and stop them from clearing the services. Heading directly for David's office. Saving some trapped citizens on the way up.
At reaching the big long doors she threw the doors open with her webs.
"It's ov-Holy shit. Someone's clearly been using some...strong ass steroids." Ellie eyes widen underneath her mask. She couldn't believe how big and buff David had gotten. He was only 5'10 the last time she saw him and now here he stood at almost 7'5 give or take a few inches and buff as fuck.
"You have been a real pain in my ass you little bug. You're right, it is over. For you." At sight of a big boulder heading directly at her. She was barely able to jump and avoid being hit. But before she could gather her bearings she was picked up and roughly punched, thrown like a rag doll before being tackled through at least six walls.
"You are everything that's wrong with this city!" David Fisk yelled after throwing Ellie into the opening of the big room.
"Fuuuck, that's funny I was going to say the same thing about you dick face."
Ellie knew she had to fight past the pain. She will not let David escape. There was no way. She fought against him and his men. Avoiding the things being thrown at her by David. Some things hitting her and David taking those chances to hit Ellie really hard. She was sure she was bleeding from multiple wounds in her body.
Luckily she was finally able to get the upper hand. Able to finally web up David as they fell through glass and cement that was already weaken by some of the bombings.
"Thanks for the help spider girl." Was said by some officers. She didn't wait. She needed to get to Dina. Especially since this show down lasted longer than she had hoped for. It was only five till nine.
She needed to get to Dina.