ALIAS ? Peter Parker?

2.10 Bugging A Spider

My eyes narrowed at her. What?

After being glared at for a second, she waved her hand. "You can go."

I collected my things and left feeling confused but interested. If I did this, she would back the hell off right? Three people were nothing. Nothing at all. Worst-case scenario one of the people I'd name was Olivia Edmond.

Olivia Edmond remained the only name on the mental list as I walked back home. It wasn't that I am the only person I could trust, but rather my own fake identity wasn't leaving anytime soon.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a tall red-haired man, pelvis leaning forward as he rolled a thin cigarette in his mouth.

"Hey, cutie."

A tension fell across my muscles, but I kept my eyes focused on the path in front of me. Breathe.

"Hey, where you going?" He leered, and I pushed down my gag reflex. Don't say anything. "Come on, don't be a bitch." Jaw clenched, my fingers curled into a fist, and stilling ice chilled my blood.

"Look, I just want to talk." A rough hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me backward till I spun facing him.

My free fist rammed into his nose and the firm bottom of my shoes slammed into his thin sneakers. His hand flew up to slap my cheek, but I blocked with my forearm then punched his throat. Like a stress toy, his eyes bulged, and his hands went to his neck.

I kicked his groan, and he fell back, writhing in pain.

A content smile went on my face: who needed therapy?

***

It was a fine day until I saw Ned's backpack. Purple with black straps on the lunch table. Brand new. New. New. New...

Why would he need a new backpack? It was fine in DC-

"What are you staring at?" Alex asked, head swiveling around to the table behind him.

"What?" I snapped back into the present and instantly dropped the chocolate pudding that was being cradled by the white plastic spork onto my lap. "Oh, shit." Alex quickly began to throw napkins at me as I scooped up the dessert from my thigh.

"Very smooth." He remarked as I licked the pudding that got my knuckles off.

"Fuck off."

"And classy, too."

"Not all of us can be so elegantly mysterious." I cooed, squeezing his hand. His nose wrinkled, and he gagged; he despised the awkward compliments almost as much as I hated hearing about how people wanted to hook up with him in the library.

"Clearly not. Did you trip, again?" He questioned as he sipped his bottle of water. His boney pinkie pointed at my forehead.

"Walking is a very difficult task," I replied, eyes drifting to the new purple backpack, then flicked to the pale boy beside the owner. An uneasy crawl ran up my neck as I felt him purposely ignore my gaze. Don't... I should... Oh, fuck it... "Speaking of walking, I think I'm going to walk home today."

"Why?"

"I just feel like it." I shrugged.

"Right." He nodded, lips pressed together. "So, is that's what you were doing this morning, just walking?"

My chest squeezed, I had gotten sloppy. With a shrug, I stirred the cup of pudding. "Had a nightmare wanted to walk it off."

"What about?"