Unmasked Emotions
Peter’s alarm blared at 6:30 AM, shaking him from a fitful sleep. He groaned and slammed his hand on the snooze button. It had been a long night—after helping Morgan with her science project, he spent another hour trying to catch up on schoolwork, and his mind hadn’t stopped spinning. Felicia’s teasing words, Tony’s fatherly advice, and his own tangled thoughts about the future played over and over.
There was no rest for Spider-Man, even if he desperately needed it.
As Peter finally dragged himself out of bed and into the shower, he couldn’t help but replay the last few days in his mind. Felicia Hardy—his classmate, of all people. It was weird, really. They had known each other for a while now, but things had gotten a lot more... complicated lately. At school, Felicia was charming, sharp-witted, and always ahead of the game. But when the sun went down, she was something else entirely.
After getting dressed in his usual Midtown High attire—a plain T-shirt, jeans, and a jacket—Peter headed down to the kitchen. The smell of fresh coffee and bacon greeted him as he rounded the corner.
Aunt May was already there, standing at the stove, humming quietly to herself. She turned when she heard Peter enter, her warm smile instantly lifting his spirits.
“Good morning, sweetie,” she said, flipping another pancake. “You’re up early.”
Peter grabbed a glass of orange juice and sank into a chair at the table. “Yeah, I’ve got school stuff. Thought I’d get a head start today.”
Aunt May raised an eyebrow. “School stuff? Or Felicia stuff?”
Peter nearly choked on his juice. “What? No—Aunt May!”
She chuckled, setting a plate of pancakes in front of him. “I’m just saying. You’ve been distracted, Peter.”
He sighed, cutting into his pancake and avoiding her eyes. “It’s just… complicated.”
Aunt May sat down next to him, her expression softening. “Peter, you know you can talk to me about anything, right? I may not know everything about your superhero life, but I can tell when something’s weighing on you.”
Peter hesitated, unsure how to explain his classmate Felicia without making it sound worse than it was. “She’s not… bad, you know? She’s just—she’s different. And I don’t know if she’s right for me, but I also don’t know how to stop feeling like this.”
Aunt May gave him a sympathetic smile. “Love is messy, Peter. It doesn’t always make sense. But it’s important to trust your instincts. If she makes you happy, that’s worth something. But if you’re constantly second-guessing yourself… maybe that’s worth paying attention to, too.”
Peter nodded slowly. “Yeah, I guess. It’s just—well, Tony, Nat, even Thor—they all keep telling me she’s trouble.”
Aunt May leaned back in her chair, thoughtful. “And what do you think, sweetie?”
Peter stared down at his plate, the pancakes now forgotten. “I think… I don’t know. She’s wild and unpredictable. She doesn’t follow the rules. But… I like that about her. I don’t know what that says about me.”
Aunt May chuckled softly. “It says you’re young. It says you’re still figuring out who you are and what you want. And that’s okay.”
Peter smiled a little, appreciating her honesty. “Thanks, Aunt May.”
“Anytime, kiddo.” She stood up and ruffled his hair, just as Tony appeared in the doorway.
“Mornin’, Underoos,” Tony greeted, already holding his coffee mug. “Ready to save the world today?”
Peter grinned, standing up to grab his backpack. “Always.”
By lunchtime, Peter’s day had returned to its usual rhythm. Midtown High was bustling with activity, the hallways filled with the chatter of students and the occasional sound of lockers slamming shut. Peter wove through the crowd, his mind drifting again.
He knew he should be focused on school, but Felicia’s text from earlier was burning a hole in his pocket.
Felicia: "Meet me tonight. I’ve got something special planned for us."
It was vague, as usual, and Peter couldn’t tell if that was exciting or nerve-wracking. She had a way of keeping him guessing, always on edge, always anticipating her next move. And after what Aunt May said this morning, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was in over his head.
As he reached the lunchroom, Peter spotted MJ and Ned sitting at their usual table, deep in conversation. He slid into the seat next to Ned, who immediately started talking about the latest LEGO set he’d built, but Peter’s mind was elsewhere.
MJ narrowed her eyes at him. “You’ve got that ‘lost in thought’ look again, Peter. Let me guess—Felicia?”
Peter shot her a look, surprised at how quickly she picked up on it. “How do you—? Never mind. Is it that obvious?”
MJ smirked, leaning back in her chair. “Only to the people who know you best.”
Ned’s ears perked up at the mention of Felicia. “Wait, the Felicia? You’re still hanging out with her?”
Peter shrugged, trying to keep his voice casual. “Yeah, we’re… hanging out.”
MJ raised an eyebrow. “And by ‘hanging out,’ you mean running around the city, getting into trouble?”
Peter winced. “It’s not like that. Okay, maybe sometimes it’s like that, but it’s… more complicated.”
Ned leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. “Dude, you’ve gotta be careful. She’s, like, trouble, right?”
Peter sighed, rubbing his temples. “I know, I know. Everyone keeps telling me that. But there’s more to her than just being ‘Black Cat.’ She’s not a bad person.”
MJ crossed her arms, studying him closely. “Maybe. But it sounds like she’s putting you in tough spots. Is that really what you want?”
Peter didn’t have an answer for that. It wasn’t that simple. Felicia wasn’t simple.
Before he could respond, his phone buzzed again. Another text from Felicia.
Felicia: "You’re not bailing on me tonight, are you, Parker?"
Peter stared at the message, his heart beating faster. He knew what he should do—probably text back, say he couldn’t make it, go home, and be responsible. But what he wanted to do was run headfirst into the thrill of it all.
MJ watched him carefully, her expression unreadable. “Looks like you’ve got a decision to make.”
Peter nodded, feeling the weight of her words. “Yeah. I guess I do.”
That evening, Peter found himself back on the rooftop near the school where he and Felicia had been sneaking off to. His heart was pounding in his chest, and not just from the run through the city. He knew he was on a fine line between excitement and trouble, but for some reason, that line was hard to walk away from.
Felicia stepped out from the shadows, dressed in her Black Cat suit. She wore her signature smirk, eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
“Right on time, Parker,” she teased, stepping closer. “I was starting to think you might bail.”
Peter shrugged, trying to play it cool. “I don’t bail. I just—had a long day.”
Felicia’s smirk softened just a little, and for a moment, Peter thought he saw something genuine flicker in her eyes. “We all have long days, don’t we?”
Peter nodded, suddenly feeling the weight of the conversation. “Yeah. Felicia, I—”
Before he could finish, she reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer. “No talking,” she whispered, her voice low and soft. “Just trust me.”
Peter swallowed hard. This was the moment—where he had to decide if he was willing to dive deeper into whatever this was with Felicia or walk away before it was too late.
And as her fingers slipped into his hand, Peter knew exactly what choice he was making.