Chapter 39
“—wait, wait, rewind,” Camila said, nearly slipping on her turn as she caught Gwen’s whisper mid spin. “You what?”
Gwen giggled, arms lifting into fifth position. “I said… Miles asked me to be his girlfriend.”
Camila gasped so dramatically she almost tripped, catching herself on the bar. “Gwen! You drop that news in the middle of pliés? Are you insane?”
“I didn’t think you’d literally lose your footing,” Gwen teased.
Camila’s hands flailed. “I have been rooting for you two for months! This is better than a season finale! I need details, all of them.”
“After class,” Gwen promised, grinning. “If I survive your reaction first.”
Miles was already waiting for her outside the café, balancing two trays like a pro. Gwen lit up at the sight of her favorite order—yes, with extra fries and that weirdly specific iced tea only two people ever order.
“You remembered?” she asked, sliding into the seat across from him.
“Of course I did,” Miles said with a smirk. “It’s only your third favorite meal. I know your top five by heart.”
Gwen raised a brow. “Only third?”
“I didn’t want to be predictable.”
Their laughter blended into the city noise as they swapped fries and shared bites and stories. Gwen leaned her chin on her palm as she watched him speak, heart feeling warm and light.
“This is nice,” she said softly.
“Yeah,” Miles agreed. “It really is.”
The sky was deep navy, the city buzz below like a distant lullaby. Gwen sat on the ledge of an old building, swinging her legs while Miles—still in his Spidey suit—flopped down beside her.
“Patrol done?” she asked.
“Yeah. Rhino’s back in jail and no one crashed a car into a bakery today, so I’m calling it a win.”
Gwen leaned her shoulder against his. “It’s kind of our thing now, isn’t it? Rooftops and midnight.”
Miles smiled behind the mask. “Yeah. Our own little city hideouts.”
They played music off her phone—something soft and ambient, the kind of soundtrack that made streetlights look romantic. He passed her a sketchpad from his backpack.
“You’re drawing again?” Gwen asked.
“I never really stopped.” He opened to the latest page—a half-finished drawing of Gwen in her ballet outfit, arms outstretched in motion, delicate and alive. “This one’s my favorite.”
Gwen stared. “You remembered the exact pose.”
Miles shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I remember everything about you.”
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was full, like the space between beats of a song you never want to end.
“I miss your blog,” Miles said eventually, voice soft. “Not just because you write about me. I liked reading your thoughts. It felt like… a peek into your brain.”
Gwen’s throat tightened. “I didn’t think anyone actually cared.”
“I did. Still do.”
Their fingers found each other without looking. The rest of the world slipped away.
The screen glared back at her.
New Post: Draft.
Gwen sighed, fingers hesitating over the keys.
Okay. So.
Remember that dramatic, angsty post I made about quitting? Yeah… let’s call that what it was: a full-on spiral with glitter.
I'm not proud of it, but I'm not deleting it either. It was real. I was feeling a lot, and I didn’t know how to handle it.
But I miss talking to you. The blog wasn’t just about Spider-Man or crime or ballet.
It was about me. And I think I’m ready to find that voice again.
So… hi. Again.
Let’s see where this goes.
Comments:
@CamilaCamomileTea: about TIME. now pls spill about rooftop boy
@Junkeee3: we missed you!! also pls post even more often now, i love your blogs TT
@spideyfan129: YESSSS welcome back QUEEN
@MilesM1610: Can I still get a shoutout or do I have to present the drawing?