stare off
The next day, Harley stepped out of the car, waving goodbye to Happy (who just grunted and drove away) before gripping the straps of his backpack and looking up at the school building. He was kinda nervous, I mean, it’s a whole new school full of hundreds of new teenagers that he didn’t know- well, apart from Peter. At the thought of him, he relaxed slightly, knowing there was someone that he (sort of) knew, because even though they only met yesterday they already got on as if they had been friends for years. It didn’t matter that he didn’t know Peter’s favourite colour or his favourite food, because he had time to learn these things, or, that’s what he told himself. So, Harley pushed his shoulders back and walked into the double doors, trying to reassure himself from the doubt that was creeping up. I don’t actually know him that well. What if Peter doesn’t actually like me, or what if it’s awkward and we can’t find anything to talk about? Or what if his friends don’t like me, so he kicks me out anyway? Or what if-
“Harley!” Peter’s chirpy voice snapped him out of his thoughts and his grin was so big and bright and goofy that Harley couldn’t help his own smile that appeared in return.
“Hey,” he said in relief, slightly breathless and hair mussed from the wind and damn if that didn’t kill Peter. Who ignored that thought because he was in denial.
“Can I see your schedule? I’ll show you to your class, he offered, and the other boy nodded and pulled out his timetable. “Ooh you’re in a lot of my classes actually, but not my last two periods. C’mon.” He started walking down the corridor, leading Harley to their first class.
⎊
After a morning of being repeatedly called out to the front of the class to introduce himself, Harley was relieved when the lunch bell rang. Only, then he internally panicked once he realised he was about to meet Peter’s friends, because he really needed to make a good impression on them. He needn’t have worried, he realised as soon as a short asian boy bounded over to them with a “hey Peter!” in a voice happy enough to rival Peter’s own. God, they were both like excited puppies.
“Ned! This is Harley, the guy I was telling you I met yesterday? And Harley, this is Ned, my best friend!”
They greeted each other with small smiles and made their way to the cafeteria as Peter’s tummy growled loudly. And then grumbled again.
Harley let out a laugh, “Are you that hungry?”
“Yeah, man, I have to eat a lot ever since the sp- uhhh I’ve got a fast metabolism.” Peter internally cringed at his slip up; had he really almost revealed his identity 2.2 seconds after knowing this guy? Ned, however was trying really hard not to laugh and Harley just raised an eyebrow. “Oookayyy then. So Peter is a hungry boi, why aren’t we eating yet?!” And he turned to get his lunch, assuming they would follow. Ned smacked Peter in the arm as soon as Harley was far enough away.
“Dude! You already almost told him your secret identity,” he chuckled in disbelief while Peter went red and stammered, choosing to ignore Ned and get his lunch. He was hungry damn it.
They had sat down for 3 seconds before a girl with a curly fringe in her face and an unimpressed look plastered on slammed her tray down a couple seats down from them. “Losers,” she said in greeting, shocking Harley a little before pulling out some book thicker than Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and diverting her attention to that.
“Don’t worry about MJ. She seems blunt but she’s all fluff underneath, aren’t you Michelle?”
Peter only got an unamused grunt in return.
“Hey MJ don’t you wanna greet our new friend? This is Harley. I think you have last period with him.”
At this, the girl looked up from the page she was reading and when her eyes met Harley, she studied him. He refused to bristle under her gaze (even though he was kinda scared) and just made eye contact with a challenging look of his own. It felt like an eternity before her lips slightly quirked up and she shot out a “Hi,” before burying her face in the book again.
“I think that was a success,” Harley turned to Ned and Peter, the two of them laughing a little before nodding.
“That was definitely her approval.”
If MJ let herself smile at that behind her book, no one had to know.