Chapter 89: Friends II

Peter Parker had spent most of his life feeling completely invisible.

He was a quiet, kind-hearted boy who kept his head down, carrying a sorrow that started when his parents died when he was barely six years old. Ever since that quiet trauma, his Uncle Ben and Aunt May had taken him in, raising him with endless warmth and care. Yet outside the safety of his home, the world felt cold and indifferent.

Throughout his childhood, Peter was overlooked, isolated, and frequently picked on by kids who saw his gentle nature as weakness. He walked through school like a shadow, blending into the background and wondering if anyone would ever truly see him.

Everything changed in high school when he met Gwen Stacy.

Gwen was everything Peter was not. She was strong, outgoing, and fearless, stepping into his life and becoming his very first real friend. Their bond carried over all the way into university, remaining a constant anchor in his life. She gently pulled him out of his shell, showing him that the world could actually be a bright and welcoming place.

To Peter, Gwen was the definition of a special person.

He believed that special people possessed a distinct kind of light. They shone brighter than everyone else, casting warmth over the lives of those around them and effortlessly changing the room simply by existing.

Then the world watched the rise of figures like the friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman, who stood as the absolute epitome of heroism and selfless strength. Even someone like Veritas, despite his twisted and terrifying methods, commanded the absolute attention of the whole city.

They were truly special. Their presence was undeniable, their strength protected them from being pushed around, and their actions made a real, lasting impact on the world.

Peter yearned to be like them. He wanted that same inner strength, that ability to stand tall and never feel helpless again.

Deep down, Peter wanted to stand among those special people. He wanted to be noticed by the world. He wanted to make a difference in the world, to leave a mark on the lives of others, and to know that his existence genuinely counted for something.

He wanted to matter…

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“RAAAOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!”

The giant lizard threw its head back and roared, saliva dripping from its massive jaws. The deafening sound shook the auditorium, drowning out the last notes of the band’s unfinished song.

“Waaaah!”

“RUN! IT’S A MONSTER!”

“HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!”

“What the fuck?! What the FUCK?!”

The auditorium descended into chaos.

Dozens of students who had gathered to enjoy the band’s performance scattered in every direction. Some rushed toward the main entrance, while others stumbled over fallen chairs in their desperate attempts to escape. A few stood frozen in place, their minds refusing to accept what their eyes were seeing.

A giant, monstrous lizard had just smashed its way into their university.

And judging by the way it bared its teeth, it hadn’t come to enjoy the music.

After its deafening roar, the creature slowly lowered its head, as if satisfied with its announcement.

Then it charged.

Its massive body thundered across the auditorium. Students scattered from its path, but many weren’t fast enough. The beast swept its thick arms through the air, knocking people aside with the backs of its hands. Others were caught by its long, deadly claws and tossed across the floor like discarded toys.

Chairs shattered and tables flipped over as students scrambled to escape. Someone let out a sharp scream when a heavy speaker crashed onto the floor nearby.

The creature paid no attention to the chaos around it.

It pressed forward with single-minded focus, its cold yellow eyes sweeping across the sea of screaming students.

Then, a single unfortunate student stumbled over a stray cable, failing to clear the path before the beast closed the distance.

The lizard lunged forward and caught the boy in its massive hand. Before he could even scream properly, the creature swung its arm and slammed him against the wall.

“AAAGH!”

The impact knocked the air out of the boy’s lungs. He crumpled to the floor, clutching his side as pain shot through his body.

The lizard turned toward him.

“Grrrr…”

A low growl rumbled from its snout as it approached, its claws scraping against the floor with every step.

The boy… Ned Leeds looked up.

Every bit of color drained from his face.

“N-No. No, no, no, please!” He scrambled backward, pushing himself along the floor with trembling hands. “Please don’t hurt me! I didn’t do anything!”

The creature kept coming.

“Somebody help me!” he screamed, his voice cracking. “SOMEBODY SAVE ME!”

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The nightmare never stopped for Peter.

It followed him even to university.

Bullies always found new targets, no matter the setting. And Peter Parker had the absolute worst luck.

Across campus, almost everyone was aware of his deep fascination with Spider-Woman and superheroes in general. Fascination was okay… but obsession was not.

That intense obsession made him an easy outcast among his peers. They found him strange and easily pushed him to the edges of their social circles.

However, one specific person held a dark and bitter hatred for him.

Ned Leeds.

Ned had a crush on Gwen Stacy that he never found the courage to act on. He watched her from across rooms and never said a word. But he had no trouble turning that frustration into cruelty toward Peter. He made sure Peter felt small every chance he got.

Yet Peter never uttered a single word about the abuse to anyone. He hid the bruises from his aunt and uncle, and he kept completely silent around Gwen.

She would occasionally notice that something felt wrong, but Peter always managed to smile and reassure her that he could handle his own problems.

Gwen trusted his words.

That was her mistake.

About six weeks ago, things got worse.

The group had visited a water and adventure park. Gwen wasn’t on social media, but her friends were. A group selfie made its way online. In it, Gwen looked beautiful, surrounded by her friends, a couple of guys Ned didn’t recognize, and of course, Peter Parker.

Jealousy burned through Ned as he stared at the screen. He could not understand why Gwen would completely ignore him while this skinny, worthless nerd got to hang out with her and her attractive friends.

Driven by bitter envy, Ned confronted Peter on campus the very next day.

He spewed crude, mean comments about Gwen and cursed out the two new friends who had dared to include Peter in their group.

“Take that back!”

It was the first time in his life he had ever stood up to a bully. He didn’t know if it was because of what his new friend Luke had said in the car about fighting back. Or maybe he was just tired. Tired of being everyone’s punching bag.

He gathered the courage to stand up for himself.

But courage alone could not win a physical fight. Peter was weak and entirely unprepared for the violence. Ned and his friends outnumbered him completely.

They beat him to the ground without a shred of mercy. Peter could not land a single punch or defend himself at all. And bullies never hurt where others could see.

The physical and emotional abuse grew much worse.

The nightmare never stopped for Peter.

For a long time, the thought of revenge had been quietly consuming Peter’s mind.

It sat heavily in his chest every time he woke up with a fresh bruise or had to look in the mirror and face the person staring back at him. He hated feeling so helpless, and he hated the endless cycle of cruelty that seemed to follow him no matter where he went or how quiet he tried to be

When Luke and Manny left to get the replacement adapter, Peter had excused himself to use the washroom.

But Ned Leeds and his friends were already waiting for him. They ambushed him before he could even turn around, dragging him into the stalls.

Twenty minutes later, Peter was left lying on the wet, filthy floor, stripped completely bare, battered and bruised, covered in piss and waste.

They had laughed the entire time.

They had taken pictures.

They had left him there like garbage.

Peter did not know how long he stayed on that floor. Minutes felt like hours. The smell was suffocating, but the shame was worse.

And somewhere in that darkness, something inside him shifted.

The restraints on Peter broke.