NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: A Different Kind Of Hero
(A DIFFERENT KIND OF HERO)
"Alright Pete. Remember to catch the bus on time. There's still half an hour until it arrives. And be careful out on the road. Avoid alleys while returning; yesterday on the news they mentioned some new gang that robs people and even murders them. So you should be careful. And try to hang out with someone instead of being alone. Why don't you chill with MJ? She's our neighbor, and Flash drops her back." May said as she finished grabbing her belongings, already running late for her duty at the hospital.
I couldn't help but sigh. If the story of Spider-Man is anything like Tobey's, I could only guess how MJ and Flash treated Parker. But I figured it was in my best interest to stay in character. I casually replied, "No need to worry about me. I'll be careful, don't worry, May."
May smiled and gently kissed my head while ruffling my hair. Then she rushed towards the door, opened it, but before leaving, she turned and said, "Bye, Peter. Take care."
I couldn't help but smile back, replying, "You too, May."
She smiled and left.
I was feeling kind of happy right now. Even though I am Peter Parker, who had a knack for getting his loved ones killed or worse, it was his destiny—no point in blaming him for that. But if I became Spider-Man, I wouldn't let anyone hurt them. Obviously, I have less attachment to villains than the people I love. So yeah.
Then, without warning, a sharp shooting pain shot through my head. I cried out in agony as I collapsed on the ground, gritting my teeth. It felt like my head was about to burst.
Hours seemed to drag by, but the pain didn't cease. As if someone up there was getting their kicks off my misery, the intensity of the pain increased tenfold. It felt like I was trapped in a cosmic joke that just wouldn't quit.
Finally, it stopped.
I groaned as I stood up, my clothes soaked with sweat. "Damn it. Now I have to wash up again," I cursed in annoyance. But, hey, no need to give Peter's bullies any more reasons to go after him.
Turning on the showers, I let the water cascade down, and suddenly, it was like a movie was playing out in my head. Scenes of Peter's life flashed before my eyes, and damn, it was terrible. Who knew that the famous Peter Parker had his head down inside a commode at some point?
"Damn. That's embarrassing. Isn't there some kind of no-ragging team in foreign schools? I thought they were strict with bullies and all that crap," I muttered. Whatever, I guess I would have to fight a lot.
Then reality dawned on me: I wasn't in my prime. I was just a weakling in this body. I might need to exercise to deal with those school bullies. Annoying, but God no—I'm not planning to swirl my head in a fking dump!
Changing my clothes, I grabbed my backpack because it was time for my bus. My memories had somehow integrated with Peter Parker's, or maybe it was the other way around. Now I had no idea if I was Peter Parker or Ace Sullivan.
Taking a deep breath, I locked the door and rushed to the bus stop. Thankfully, I was on time, seeing that the bus had just arrived.
"Well, find the last seat and enjoy a cozy chat with your loneliness. Not a bad idea, huh?" I muttered as I tried to enter the bus.
Yep, tried. Because as soon as I lifted my foot, the bus took off.
"Son of a bitch. It seems like the Tobey version of Spider-Man was right about the bully thing. How much of a weakling is this Peter, that even a bus driver is bullying him?" I pondered.
F*ck it. I decided to chase it down. And I had a f*king cool idea on how to stop that bus.
I sprinted after the bus, my heart racing as I felt the familiar weight of my backpack dragging me down. The kids inside were laughing, their faces pressed against the windows, pointing at me like I was some sort of circus act. "Just great, Parker. Another day, another embarrassment," I muttered under my breath.
"Hey! Stop!" I yelled, but the bus driver was clearly trying to audition for a Fast & Furious sequel, grinning as he glanced at me through the rearview mirror. Typical.
As I ran, I scanned my surroundings for anything that could help me out. I needed to do something dramatic—something that would make these bullies take me seriously, if only for a moment. And then I spotted it: a **beer bottle** lying in the gutter. Out of place in this suburban neighborhood, but I wasn't about to question my luck.
I snatched it up and gripped it tightly, feeling the cold glass against my palm. "This is it, Parker. Make it count," I thought, trying to channel whatever confidence I could muster.
With a deep breath, I wound up like a pitcher on the mound and hurled the bottle at the bus with all my might. Time slowed as the bottle sailed through the air, glinting in the morning sun.
**CRACK!**
The glass shattered against the bus window, leaving a spiderweb of cracks that spread like my panic. I couldn't believe it actually worked!
Inside the bus, laughter turned to gasps. The students leaned closer, eyes wide. "Did he just throw a bottle?" one kid shouted, disbelief etched on his face. Another burst out laughing, "Dude, he's going full-on vigilante!"
The bus driver slammed on the brakes, swerving slightly as he turned around, his expression a mix of shock and anger. "What the hell was that?!" he bellowed, flinging the door open.
I stood there, heart racing, "Nothing much. Just proving the point that I could be a better superhero than you could ever be a driver." I tried to play it cool, but I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.
The students erupted into laughter, some clapping and cheering me on. "Nice arm, Parker!" someone yelled from the back.
I couldn't help but grin at the unexpected support. Maybe today wasn't going to be so bad after all. The bus driver, still fuming, shook his head but there was a hint of a smirk on his lips as well.
"Get on the bus before I change my mind!" he shouted, trying to sound authoritative but clearly amused.
I hopped on, adrenaline coursing through me. As the bus pulled away, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, I had finally made my mark.
As I found a seat in the back, I caught a few of my classmates giving me thumbs up. They might have seen me as just Peter Parker, the awkward nerd, but today I had shown them a glimpse of something more.
I found MJ glancing at me curiously and Flash glaring daggers at me. Jealous much?
"Well, well, looks like my school life isn't going to be easy. But whatever."
"Watch out, world. This isn't just any Peter Parker; this is The Amazing Peter Parker," I thought with a smirk, feeling a flicker of confidence that I hadn't felt in a long time.
A/N:
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