There's only one way to go (and its not up)
Good luck is when opportunity meets preparation, while bad luck is when lack of preparation meets reality. And by all the gods and their grandmothers, Peter was determined to make himself some good luck, I mean after all he'd had his whole life filled with nothing but bad luck even Aunt May and Ned had nicknamed his unfortunate luck “Parker luck”. He'd lost his parents at five to a plane crash, Uncle Ben was killed in a shakedown Peter had failed to stop. Peter knows it is not his fault at least that's what May says.
For the past year, things had started to go better for him, spider-man was starting to get positive attention after being seen working with the Avengers ( THE AVENGERS!) Peter had landed himself an internship at S.I ( although this was sort of a cover-up for him missing school all the time as spider-man, still Mr stark mentored him and helped him a lot ) Aunt May had just gotten a raise ( he was extremely proud of her ) he had gotten straight A’s even with all the school he'd missed ( he was pretty shocked with this one) and lastly the academic decathlon team had won the national competition and won a field trip to a surprise location ( Peter couldn't be prouder MJ had worked so hard to keep them all in line) so to say this school year had been going well would be an understatement of the century with all his Parker luck rooting against him.
Peter had jinxed it all his positive thinking this morning had done this, Peter thought bitterly as he stared down the innocent permission slip sitting on his desk. Although Peter could hear every word of the excited rambling of his teammates.
“Omg this is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”
“For you maybe I'm going to work there one day!”
“Do you think we'll meet any Avengers, maybe even Pepper Potts!”
That last one was from his so-called best friend Ned, Peter mentally acknowledged a migraine coming on if his teammates didn't quiet down soon.
Mr Harrington could barely hide his excitement as he tried to settle down the team “Now, now the field trip is next Friday meaning you have to bring your permission slips back on Monday otherwise you will not be able to come.”
Peter did wonder if the school would accept Tony Stark signing his form.
“ we will be staying Friday night and we will get back to school on Saturday at 2 pm so make sure to pack accordingly and wear some comfortable closed shoes otherwise you won't be allowed to participate in some of the demonstrations.” Mr Harrington seemed to finally realise that most of the class was way too excited to listen to the rules as he quickly dismissed them.
Peter and Ned quickly gathered their stuff and made their way to the door Ned was babbling on about what they might see at the tower honestly Peter wasn't listening too busy worrying if Mr stark would try to embarrass him or be too busy laughing to do anything.
“Mr Parker?”
Peter's heart stopped mentally calculating how many days he's skipped, 22 so far this year that's not enough to be in serious trouble… right? Peter was mustering an electrifying surge of confidence, to rival even Mr Stark, all of it was fake of course but Mr Harrington didn't need to know that.
But when confronted with the tired-disappointed look Mr Harrington gave him
Peter mumbled, losing all his confidence “Yes sir?”
“Do you know why I've asked you to stay behind?” Mr Harrington questioned ‘No because if I did I wouldn't be this nervous’ Peter thought sarcastically
“No sir, is it to do with my attendance?” he asked as he plastered on an innocent face maybe he was finally going to do something about Flash, Peter foolishly hoped.
“No, but you do need to work on that, but this “internship” needs to stop”
Peter felt a cold simmering rage building. Of course, he wasn't doing shit about flash.
Wait, does Mr Harrington not believe him?
“My internship is real” Peter corrected “And I can't exactly ‘stop it’ as it would take at least two weeks of paperwork to ‘stop it” he added quickly stopping Mr Harrington from arguing.
Instead, Mr Harrington just looked even more disappointed “Look Peter I know you have a tough time fitting in at school…”
Peter frowned he didn't think he had a hard time fitting in he had Ned and MJ no matter how many times she called them losers (affectionately of course)
“… But your lying has to stop it's not making you any ‘cooler’, this lie is just isolating you further from your classmates” Mr Harrington continued when he saw the frown on peters face
“But sir”
“No Peter, I won't hear any more of this. Promise me you won't bring up your lies during our visit, as it could reflect very poorly on the school. If anyone hears you bragging about this nonsense we don't know what Tony Stark will do.”
Peter was sure Mr Harrington had made sure he came across as worried but Peter knew he couldn't care less if Peter was a fast food worker or the president of the USA
“Have I made myself clear?”
Peter nodded. The rage was going to flood out of him if he stayed here any longer.
His thoughts were going a thousand miles an hour and Peter couldn't keep up, there was no way this was possible Mr Harrington had to believe him.
Pepper and Tony had spent weeks overseeing the paperwork for his school saying that he ‘did in fact intern at Stark Industries sorry for the confusion’
What had they done with all the paperwork?
All those forms Mr stark has spent weeks complaining about
“I mean couldn't I just go down there and tell them myself it would be so much easier.” only after a pointed stare from Pepper Tony added “And more efficient”
Peter’s breathing evened out at the warm memory, before adding a side note to himself ‘Mr Stark can not under any circumstances find out Peter's school does not believe he interns for Stark Industries.’
He pulled open the front door to the school and made his way down the concrete stairs taking notes on the slow appearing water splatters.
His eyes look up to find Happy’s slick black car fitted with tinted windows. Rushing to the door as the rain pushes down with more effort he all but jumps into the backseat.
Giving an energetic greeting to Happy before shrugging his backpack onto the floor and clicking the seatbelt on, while Happy was already started on his way to the tower or as Peter had started to think of it home.