Picking Up the Pieces
The next morning, Peter felt the weight of the previous night pressing down on him like a heavy blanket. He hadn’t slept much after his encounter with Felicia, and the few hours of rest he did get were filled with dreams of her—her soft voice, the way her eyes flickered with emotion, the pain in her smile as she said goodbye.
He dragged himself out of bed, the echoes of their last conversation still playing in his head. What was he thinking? Had he made the right decision? Was he really walking away from her for good? His head throbbed with uncertainty, but deep down, he knew it wasn’t just about Felicia. It was about everything.
Balancing his life as Peter Parker and Spider-Man had never been easy, but with Felicia in the mix, it had become nearly impossible. He couldn’t keep crossing lines, couldn’t keep pretending that everything would work out if he just ignored the obvious. But now that she was gone, he was left with the consequences—the emptiness, the confusion, and the gnawing sense that maybe he had made a mistake.
As he stepped out of his room, he could already hear the familiar sounds of life in the Avengers Tower. Tony was tinkering with something in the lab, the faint hum of his machinery vibrating through the walls. Morgan’s laughter echoed from the living room, and Aunt May was in the kitchen, no doubt preparing breakfast. It was comforting, in a way—like the tower itself was a reminder that he wasn’t alone, even if he felt that way.
Peter shuffled into the kitchen, running a hand through his messy hair. Aunt May was already busy at the stove, her back turned to him as she flipped pancakes. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled warmly when she saw him.
“Good morning, sweetie. You look exhausted. Everything okay?”
Peter shrugged, grabbing a glass of water. “Yeah. Just… a lot on my mind.”
Aunt May studied him for a moment, her motherly instincts clearly picking up on more than he was saying. She set the spatula down and turned to face him, crossing her arms.
“Is this about Felicia?”
Peter flinched slightly, surprised she could read him so easily. “Maybe. It’s… complicated.”
Aunt May nodded, her expression softening. “Love usually is, Peter. But it doesn’t have to be impossible.”
Peter leaned against the counter, staring at the floor. “I had to walk away. I didn’t want to, but I can’t keep doing this. It’s like I’m losing myself every time we’re together. She’s not a bad person, but we want different things.”
Aunt May stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It sounds like you made the right choice, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.”
Peter sighed, rubbing his temples. “Yeah, I guess. But I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“That’s normal,” Aunt May said softly. “You cared about her. That doesn’t just go away overnight.”
Peter nodded, appreciating her understanding. “I know. It’s just… I hate that I had to hurt her. She deserves better than that.”
Aunt May smiled sadly. “Sometimes, doing the right thing doesn’t feel good. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
Peter swallowed hard, the knot in his chest loosening just a little. “Thanks, Aunt May.”
She squeezed his shoulder. “You’ll be okay, Peter. You always are.”
School that day felt like a blur. Peter went through the motions—listening to his teachers, sitting with MJ and Ned at lunch—but his mind kept drifting back to Felicia. Every time he glanced at his phone, he half-expected to see a text from her, but there was nothing. No teasing message, no sarcastic comment. Just silence.
It was strange, how quickly things could change. One moment, he was caught up in the whirlwind of Felicia’s world, and now it was over, just like that. He wasn’t sure if he should feel relieved or heartbroken.
During lunch, MJ gave him a curious look. “You’ve been quiet today. Everything okay?”
Peter shrugged, poking at his food. “Just thinking. A lot.”
MJ exchanged a glance with Ned, who was too busy scrolling through his phone to notice the tension in Peter’s voice. She leaned in, lowering her voice. “Is this about Felicia?”
Peter sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Yeah. I had to end things.”
MJ raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Really? I thought you two were… I don’t know, in your own weird way, kind of good together.”
Peter laughed bitterly. “Yeah, well, it wasn’t working. She’s complicated, and I can’t keep crossing lines just because I care about her. I have responsibilities, and she… she doesn’t live by the same rules.”
MJ nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I get that. But it’s still tough.”
“Yeah,” Peter muttered. “It is.”
Ned finally looked up from his phone, oblivious to the heavier conversation. “Hey, did you guys hear about the new Spider-Man tech? There’s this rumour going around that Stark’s building him a suit with built-in AI. Think that’s true, Pete?”
Peter blinked, momentarily thrown by the question. “Uh, maybe? I don’t know. Tony’s always working on new stuff.”
Ned’s eyes lit up. “Man, that would be so cool! Imagine having an AI assistant while you’re out fighting crime.”
Peter forced a smile, grateful for the distraction, but the weight of his conversation with MJ lingered. Even if he had made the right choice with Felicia, it didn’t make it any easier.