Chapter 9
After that incident, Wade started acting…strange. It’s not as if he stopped being Wade. He just stopped being fully one hundred percent Wade in front of Peter. He still called Peter baby boy. He still flirted charmingly with him. But Peter noticed that he was somewhat distant now. He didn’t text him near as much, as in he no longer blew up Peter’s phone if he didn’t respond right away. He was just…distant.
And Peter was beginning to hate it a little bit.
He had gotten so use to the captain’s constant presence, both in school and out, that he didn’t know how to handle the sudden distance between them. Peter didn’t know how to bring it up to him because after all, Wade was still acting like Wade. Just not to him. Maybe he was imagining it? Maybe it was him making it weird between them after his giant breakdown in Wade’s Jeep. Except, no, because Peter had tried to start up conversations like they had had before. Only to be shot down, kindly, but shut down none the less, by Wade.
So, Peter knew it wasn’t him making it weird. He just didn’t know what was making Wade act weird towards him.
Looking down at his phone, Peter contemplated on what to text the captain. He could just be out front with it. Aggressive. Assertive. Straight to the point. That was not Peter Benjamin Parker, though. No, no.
Peter Benjamin Parker was an awkward nerd. An awkward nerd who had trouble asking for a refill of water at a restaurant and calling the doctor’s office to make his own appointment. He could not possibly just ask Wade, one of his best friends, why he was being so god damn weird.
Groaning, Peter thunked his head down on the desk and pushed his phone away. He’d just ignore the situation because at the end of the day, Peter B. Parker was a coward. A coward who had no idea how to approach such a situation.
“People grow apart,” he muttered to himself as he changed out of normal clothes. “I mean, sure. They probably don’t grow apart this fast,” he pulled on his joggers and long-sleeved shirt. “But they do grow apart, “he reasoned. Sitting down to put on his running shoes, he sighed pitifully, “he must’ve realized what a freak I am.” Grabbing his earbuds, he plugged them into his phone and closed his eyes against the music.
A run would help.
A run did help. Even though, Peter was vaguely disappointed that Wade had still not responded to the last text he sent. He reasoned it away though. Wade had been really busy training and practicing for the upcoming baseball season. Perhaps he was just too tired to talk to Peter? Yeah, that’s what it was. He was simply tired.
Yeah. Tired of me.
Laying down on his bed, he pulled up the group chat between MJ, Ned, and him.
Hey, guys. Feel like doing anything tonight? I don’t think I can study for much longer or my brain will implode.
Not tonight, dudes, sorry. Annual family night and there is no escape. Have fun if you do something, tho!
Yeah, sure. There’s a place just outside of town where you can see the stars. It’s pretty awesome. Just can’t stay out too late.
Awesome!
Pick you up in fifteen, loser.
Knocking on Aunt May’s door, he gently pushed it open.
“May?” he asked quietly in case she was sleeping. If she was, he’d just leave a note or something.
“Yeah, honey?” She answered, yawning.
“Sorry if I woke you up,” he stepped into the room. “I was wondering if it would be okay if I went out with MJ for a bit? She has a cool place where the stars are really clear and I wanted to check it out.” He shot her his best puppy dog eyes causing her to huff out a chuckle.
Brushing some graying hair from her eyes, she nodded around another yawn. “That’s fine, Pete. Just don’t stay out to late, okay?” She settled back down against the pillows and blinked at him blearily.
“Thanks, Aunt May,” blowing her a kiss, he said, “I’ll be back by 10 at the latest and I have my phone on me.”
“Be safe, Peter. Love you,” she mumbled, halfway asleep already.
“Love you, too,” he shut off the light and closed the door.
His phone binged. Pulling it out, he smiled when it was Wade. Only to frown at the short response from a rather large and meant to be humorous text. Frustrated, he shoved it into his pocket without even opening it. It’s not like Wade really cared anymore anyways.
Headlights pulled up to the driveway and Peter walked out, making sure to lock up.
“Get in, loser,” MJ said sticking her head out of her window. “We’re going stargazing.”
Laughing, he opened the door quickly and buckled up.
The drive was spent mostly in silence. It didn’t bug Peter at all. MJ was a pretty quiet person in general. Something soft and classical was playing through the speakers. H relaxed in the passenger seat. He was nearly in a light snooze when MJ spoke up.
“What’s been going on with you and Wade? Are you two like fighting or something?”
Clearing his throat, Peter asked, “What gave you that idea?”
MJ scoffed, rolling her black lined eyes. “You two flirt constantly. But not here lately. So, what’s going on?”
Letting out a forlorn sigh, Peter shrank down in his seat. “I honestly have no idea,” he muttered, voice low and sad. “He just doesn’t talk to me anymore.” Huffing, he sat back up, arms folded. “I just think he finally got over his obsession with the new kid is all. You and Ned said it would happen,” he pointed out, frowning.
“Yeah,” MJ scoffed. “I’m calling bullshit.”
She pulled to a stop near a flat field and got out. Following, Peter laughed when she climbed her car to lay down on the hood. When she signaled impatiently, Peter clambered up as well. Laying down gently against her windshield, they stared up at the twinkling stars. There were so many dotting the night sky.
“Wow,” Peter breathed, “you don’t see anything like this in the city. It’s beautiful.”
MJ hummed in response resting her head on her folded arms. “It’s one of my favorite places. You think this is awesome? You need to come out here when a meteor shower happens. That’s an awesome time.”
“Yeah,” Peter agreed, smiling up at the stars. “I bet.”
“Okay, enough tip toeing,” MJ declared, sitting up and staring down at him. “Tell me what happened between you and our fair captain.”
Rolling his eyes, Peter sat up, too. “I honestly don’t know.” He ran a hand trough his hair, closing his eyes. “One minute we were fine and now,” he shrugs, “I don’t know, MJ.”
“It’s like you two are broken up,” she said, shrugging off Peter’s protesting with a wave of her hand. “It is! It’s like you two had a breakup and are trying to be friends still. It’s freaking weird, dude.”
“I know!” Peter exclaimed; arms thrown up in frustration. “I don’t know what happened. He’s still sweet to me, you know?”
“Yeah, but almost too sweet. He doesn’t joke with you anymore. He doesn’t say any terrible pick up lines. He just sits there and stares at you with this weird look on his face.”
“He doesn’t stare at me, MJ,” he scoffed.
“He stares at you all the time, Peter. All the time,” she told him. “It is alarming yet still endearing. Dude’s basically a walking heart eye emoji.”
Peter didn’t answer. He looked up at the stars, instead.
“Just talk to him, Peter,” MJ sighed, laying back down. “Obviously you need to.”
“Yeah,” Peter swallowed. “I’ll try.”
“Good.”