Chapter 41: First Day of Highschool 1
The rising late summer sun gently warm my back as I walk over to Peter's apartment. For our first day of highschool we wanted to go together as we've always done every year since we first met back in middle school. My outfit is pretty mundane; just a simple printed tee, some cargo shorts and my actual backpack. Now that I have a new amulet of misdirection I don't need to have a secondary back pack just for my suit. If there's one thing about stealing from crazy rich criminal scums is that I have more money I could ever use in my life.
Never really understood why rich people want to make more money when you can't even bring it with you. Hell if I could bring something with me from my previous life, I would love to bring my last stash of Mary Jane with me because it's been a very long and stressful 14 years in this life. I do miss rolling tiny brown pretzel sticks every weekend under the suspicion of my parents. I wonder if I can even get intoxicated with my superhuman body. Never really tried because I've been so busy with work and gaining power. Plus I think Steve can't even get drunk, so if I'm anything like him I might not even be buzzed from a little smoke. SIGH. The price of becoming an enhanced superhero I guess.
Welp no need to cry over ungrind herbs. I walk over to the block that Peter's on and I was about to pull up my phone to text him but he's already stepping out on to the sidewalk to give me a wave. "Wassup dawg." I gave him out hand shake before taking off my headphones. "You ready for our first day as real teenagers?" He gives me a nervous smile since for all of our friendship he's always been a background character. Now he has the potential stand out and be the center of attention if he tries. "I know I am, but what about you Peter?" I let out a chuckle as we both walk over to his bus stop.
I have my own designated bus stop too but I wanted to catch a ride with Peter since he's one of the last stops the bus would make before bringing us into Manhattan. "I-I don't know Ned. This summer has been so weird and wacky that I don't know if I can even be a teenager anymore." He shrugs his shoulders and tilt from side to side, wanting to spill out his secrets doesn't know how to do so. "You mean it's even more weird than me growing a foot in height and 200 pounds in muscles?" I smirk at him while trying to mockingly flex my biceps. I need to be careful because if I do it too hard, this double XL Tshirt might become too tight and burst open.
"Yes?...I don't know how to explain it to you, Ned." Peter let's out a sigh as we join a small group of students who are waiting at a stop sign. "Y'all going to Midtown high too?" One of the kid call out to us. I gave them an upwards nod. "Sick." The kid nod his head before putting his headphones back in and going back to his phone. "It'll be alright Peter. It's just like middle school but everyone is changing. Hell I know some peeps were already going through puberty before we were even 12. Now some might be a late bloomer like me but that's cool. Just chill and try to just be Peter Parker." I smile at him before walking over to a wall to lean on.
"How do you do it Ned? How are you so accustomed to the new changes like this." Peter lean against the wall next to me with his arms crossed. "It's simple Peter. Just be yourself and don't mind what other people think about you. Did you think I wasn't struggling with social pressure at the rec when I first started working out? I was a nerve wreck and super nervous but eventually I stopped caring because everyone else was focused on what they were doing instead of the big Asian kid that's lifting weights." I look over at the approaching bus and step forward to get off of the wall. "That must be our bus." I take out a card from my pocket to compare the numbers on one of the bus's window and the numbers on my card. "Yup that's our bus alright." Peter quickly put his card away as we all line up to get on the vehicle.
Being one of the last stops in Queens before going straight to school, the ride wasn't really long. Soon we arrive at the building that we'll be built the next four years of memories in...maybe it might just be three years depending on how things unfold in this world. Peter and I joined the freshman group in front of the school to be told how to read our schedule and how to navigate around the building.
I did get a few weird looks at first because of my large size compare to most kids in my grade, but there where a few other African kids that got their growth spurt over the summer too so it wasn't so bad. Just very uncommon to have an Asian kid growing this tall and big over the course of three months. But besides that nothing bad really happened. Peter and I have a couple of classes together where we would goof around while being the two students with all the answers. While the classes that we didn't have, I would still try to make new associates and create laughter around the classroom while still answering everything correctly.
Once lunch came around Peter and I found each other with ease. It's not hard trying to spot a 6'4 kid amongst a sea of still growing teenagers. Plus it wasn't hard for me to find Peter either with my enhanced senses. Just because he's a background character for most people doesn't mean he is with me. I've grown to love Peter like a brother. I thought I would still be fan girling over him when he finally became Spider-Man. But seeing how we're on equal footing, it's difficult to remain a fan while also be a peer and a possible mentor for the growing boy. He's from this universe so he only knows that he can discover from himself. I have the privilege of knowing how a web slinger should act and perform, as well as being nearly 30 in mental age.
"So how's your first day so far?" I look over at Peter before taking a bite into my mini carrots. "You already know how it is Ned. It's no fun without you and all the lessons are things I can do in my sleep." He laughs before opening his carton of milk. "I know right. I wonder if this school has something more advance for us to do. I mean don't get me wrong. I'm loving how people treat me now since I have all these GAINS!! But I'm not all brawns and no brains. I need something to be complicated and exiting." I put up Italian fingers to emphasize my complaint.
He struggles to keep his drink in while trying not to laugh. "What? I'm serious. I may be bigger now but you here." I point towards my head. "It's still the same guy that wants to get lost in the sea of science." Peter nods his head while cleaning himself with a napkin. "So what really happened Ned. Just how did you get so much muscle mass in a few short months?" Some of the other freshman around our table glace over at the mention of my name. "Wait YOU'RE Ned!" One of them point at me.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone