I’m Not Becoming Spider-Man - Chapter 27: The Enemy Was Right Beside Me (Patreon)

“A place to live?” Thompson asked, puzzled.

“Harley thinks home is too far from school, so he's looking to rent somewhere nearby. Uh, forget I said that. I probably told you too much.”

“Hmph. You think I'd run around telling everyone?”

“I do, actually.”

“What kind of person do you think I am? An idiot?”

“Aren't you?” Peter replied. Thompson lunged to grab him, but Peter slipped out of reach. “Anyway, buddy, class is about to start. See you around.”

“Fine. Hey, Peter!” Thompson called after him.

“What?”

“When's the next Batman issue coming out?”

“The week after next, I think.”

“Can't you make it sooner?” Thompson grumbled, heading for his own classroom.

But as he walked, his thoughts returned to their earlier conversation. Renting a place away from home... that didn't sound bad. In fact, it sounded wonderful.

He wouldn't have to go home anymore.

...

“Oh my God, you have no idea how stubbornly old-fashioned he is!” Gwen began complaining the moment Peter arrived. “I told him an apartment would put me closer to school. I have band practice after classes, plus the school newspaper to work on with you guys. By the time I finally get home, there's barely any time left. And that's on top of those awful, pointless courses I have to study!”

“So he refused, just like we expected? Frankly, you're rushing things. Harley hasn't even finished making arrangements.”

“I wish my dad could be as understanding as your family.” Gwen rested her chin in her hands, thoroughly miserable.

“Maybe you two just aren't communicating very well?”

“How am I supposed to communicate with him? He never understands what I'm trying to say.” Gwen looked up at Peter. “How about you talk to him?”

“I'd rather not get mixed up in your family problems. Those things are always complicated, and nobody ever sorts them out neatly.”

“Oh, come on. We're going to be roommates, aren't we?”

“Whoa, hold on. I haven't agreed to anything. I said I'd talk to Aunt May first. Out of all of us, I'm the one who least needs to rent a place.”

Besides, if he moved out, Mary Jane would undoubtedly come after him. And if she didn't... well, part of him would worry about her.

“Peter, just imagine. If we live together, you might get to see me wearing something different for a change.”

“Is that supposed to be a seduction tactic? Besides, I doubt it. What, do you not bother getting dressed properly at home?”

“You're not at my house.”

“I don't particularly want a girl running around my place half-dressed, either,” Peter said. “Anyway, let's wait until Harley gets back this afternoon before we talk about it again.”

Peter couldn't understand why everyone was so desperate to escape their houses. Were their homes really that uncomfortable?

“Oh, right! We're going to buy musical instruments this weekend,” Gwen said. “Want to come?”

“Aren't you starting a girls' band? What would I be doing there?”

“Uh... giving us some advice?”

“I enjoy listening to music, but that doesn't mean I have the names of every instrument brand memorized.”

“Fair enough.”

“But when you rehearse, I could bring Harley along to listen.”

“Deal!”

At lunchtime, the two headed to the newspaper club room to eat and get some work done.

“Gwen, why don't you check the mailbox? Maybe somebody sent in feedback.”

“As if anyone would bother...” Gwen began. Then she opened the mailbox and found quite a stack of responses.

The paper's circulation wasn't especially large, so it was encouraging that so many students had bothered to cut out the feedback form printed at the back.

“Who knew so many people loved heavy metal?” Gwen exclaimed.

“Don't get excited yet. They're probably writing about some other section.”

“Hmph. I'm sure at least some are for me, Peter!”

“Hope you won't be disappointed.”

They sorted through the responses as they ate. Readers could cut or tear the form from the back of the paper, fill it in, and drop it in the mailbox.

To their surprise, nearly half the slips bore the exact same handwriting. Most said things like “Batman is amazing!” or “Release the next issue already!”

“Uh... Peter, any guesses who wrote these?” Gwen asked.

“Thompson. I'd bet on it.”

“I never knew he liked Batman this much.”

“Maybe it's exactly his kind of thing. Oh, look, someone wrote about your column... uh...”

“What?” Gwen took the slip from him. It contained thoughtful, encouraging feedback. She brightened. Someone really did enjoy her writing about music!

“I bet Mary Jane wrote it.”

“What? She's in the newspaper club herself! What's she playing at?” Gwen muttered, crestfallen. For a moment, she'd thought she'd found a fellow heavy-metal fan.

“Well, let's finish sorting these. I didn't expect this kind of response, either.” Even after removing Thompson's mountain of comments, there were still plenty of genuine submissions.

Neither Peter nor Gwen knew that their little school publication, which had once depended on pictures of blonde beauties to attract attention, was beginning to cause a stir throughout Midtown High.

“Hey, did you see the latest school paper? It's awesome!”

“What? It's just a football game. Who cares about that giant idiot on the cover?”

“Not that! There's a comic in the back called The New Batman. It's seriously cool!”

“No way. Really?”

The conversation between the boys nearby made Cindy turn her head.

She couldn't understand why anyone would get so excited over the school paper. She lowered her gaze and returned to her homework. Public high school might not be terribly strict, but she was preparing for college entrance examinations. She had to work hard.

She absolutely had to hold on to her place as the school's third-ranked student. Those grades would give her a better shot at getting into college!

Why third?

Because the two students above her were monsters who never seemed to lose their positions. Cindy had arrived at high school brimming with confidence. She'd been first in her class throughout middle school, only to find herself pushed down the rankings for the first time.

She remembered their names perfectly. One was Peter. The other was Gwen.

Gwen...

Hang on. Wasn't there a Gwen in the band she'd joined? Hadn't they even talked about guitars together?

Her sworn academic rival had been right beside her all along?!