Living My Life [Book 2]

Chapter 36

Three years later...

Peter's POV

"Spider-Man is a monster! He is a sickness! He poisons the minds of young kids with violence!"

Blah blah blah.

I hear this every day. Mixed views about the rising star superhero, Spider-Man. If there was one person that hated him the most- it was J.J. Jameson. He is always saying bad things about me in the news-er about Spider-Man.

Keeping this from my parents has been hard but I haven't slipped up yet and I don't plan to. Wade tried to convince me the first months of being Spider-Man that I should tell my parents.

We all know how that turned out.

When Spider-Man first got on the news my Dad had shoved it in my face. Literally. It was the news feed on his tablet. I managed to convince them it wasn't me. Sadly, the only way to do that was convince them that I didn't have powers anymore. Wade had even helped out by dressing up for Spider-Man for a day when I was out of town.

"This man is atrocious. He has some nerve to call Spider-Man out like that," Pops said. We were eating pizza and flipping through channels on TV.

I've been keeping my secret long enough to have learned not to flinch or look uncomfortable when my parents bring up Spider-Man.

"True. He's just a kid," Dad chimed in before taking another bite of his pizza.

"I wonder if he has any parents or anyone watching him," Pops said with a look of consideration.

"My graduation ceremony is this Friday," I changed the subject.

"Oh! That's right," Dad said finishings his last bite of pizza.

"Oh my gosh, Peter. You're all grown up. Eighteen years old? Wow," Pops said like he still couldn't believe it.

I smiled and shrugged innocently.

"Some things never change," Dad laughed, "you ready for college?"

I exhaled loudly and smiled. "Yes, MIT here I come."

"That's my boy. Did I ever tell you that's where I went to college?" Dad asked with a goofy smile playing out over his face.

Pops groaned and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Tony, we all know that's where you went to school. You won't let us forget it either," Pops mumbled the last part so only I, who was closest to him, could hear.

Dad heard this and instantly had a comeback. "I'm sorry we can't all be Capsicles," he said grinning.

"Oooh, are you just gonna take that Pops?" I laughed making the situation worse.

Pops stood up suddenly and so did Dad. They met in the middle of the floor intensely gazing at each other.

"You wanna say that again?" Pops challenged with a slight smile.

I scurried out of the room before things escalated. I went to my room and shut the door so I couldn't hear their "argument".

Times like this make me think of Wade. Times when my parents remind me what love it is. I see it in their eyes and they way they act. I want that.

I still remember the day Wade left. I should've known he would leave once he graduated but I didn't expect him to leave me.

"Long distance relationships never work," he had said.

"Then don't go a long distance," I defended. He wouldn't look me in the eye. He was looking at the ground. We were at our spot. On top of the roof of my favorite cafe.