The next morning I ran to the Maximoff house: I wanted to take the train with Wanda and talk a bit about what had happened. Only, when I knocked on the door, no one answered. I thought that Mrs. Maximoff had taken Wanda to school, so I didn't think too much of it. I took the train and spent the whole time wondering what I was going to say to her when I got there.

As soon as I arrived at my destination, I searched the corridors, the classroom...but there was no sign of Wanda, where could she have gone? Was it my fault? And without telling me anything...that's not like her, something must have happened to her.

As interesting as the topic of the lesson was, I couldn't stop thinking about Wanda and Pietro: both of them hadn't told me anything about their departure, but why? I mean, we even told each other how many times we had been in the bathroom and they didn't even think to say a few words to me before leaving for who knows where? Maybe her father wanted to meet her, but why on the very day she had discovered her quirk? Why not before?

While I was asking myself all these questions the professor said

"Ah, I remind you that tomorrow is field trip day, so come to class on time and be good, or we will send you home."

That's right, the field trip to Farley Stillwell's and Curt Connors' lab! At least I would have something else to think about tomorrow.

Back home I went to check to see if Wanda and Pietro had returned, but nothing. I entered the house and that night I went to bed, hoping they would be back tomorrow.

I was awakened by a familiar voice the next morning, but it wasn't aunt May.

"Hey Wall-crawler!"

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that in front of me was Wanda. Without wasting any time I got up and hugged her.

"Wanda! You're here! Where the heck have you been? Why didn't you tell me anything? You had me worried sick!"

"Hey calm down, if you ask all these questions your brain will burst! I've been at my dad's, he finally wanted to meet me!"

"That's great, but why didn't you tell me?"

"See, it was a spur of the moment thing and the phone wasn't getting reception there. I was worried that Flash would take advantage of my absence to hurt you, that didn't happen did it?"

"No, it's okay. Hey wait...the field trip to the lab! WE NEED TO GET MOVING!"

"You're right, where is my head?!"

I quickly washed up and put on the first clothes I could get my hands on, I was so excited!

"Hey Wanda, what about Pietro?"

As soon as I said it a gust of wind hit me full in the face, I looked up and....

"Hey there, Wall-crawler, what's up?"

"Pietro!"

I ran to hug him, but there was no time: we would have missed the train, so I had to hurry. I told him he would tell me all about it on the way, but he said

"Wait, WE take the train?"

"Um...yeah, why?" asked I puzzled.

"Oh Pete, we don't need the train..." then Wanda said.

"Hey, I have an idea!" resumed Pietro "Let's have a race! Whoever gets to school last buys everyone lunch!"

"I'm in!" said Wanda

"A race? But guys I don't have any quirk, and besides only Pietro is fast here."

"No more Wall-crawler!" said Wanda, who with a few moves with her hands, began to float in the air

"Come on Pete," said Pietro, "pick your mode of transportation: flight or superspeed?"

My brain kept repeating that this was a bad idea, but I couldn't resist

"Flight!"

"Good choice!" said Wanda.

Wanda began to float me and then said to Pietro.

"See you at school little brother!"

Then we darted out the window, with Pietro behind us saying

"I'm twelve minutes older than you!"

Wanda was amazing: she had her quirk for one day and already had learned to fly and transport others with her! I asked her

"Who taught you how to do that?"

"It was a friend, Agatha."

"Man, she must be so cool!"

"You have no idea!"

Incredibly Pietro was struggling to keep up with us, we were winning but, all of a sudden, Wanda began to lose her strength

"Wanda...WANDA!

We began to fall, but Pietro saw us and caught us at the last second. She had gotten strong, but she had tried too hard, she should have taken it easy. Once again my brain was right.

Pietro walked us to school, Wanda regained her senses and he scolded her for being so careless and she, in response, said

"You're right Pietro. I got caught up in the competition and forgot I had exceeded my flight limit."

"How much is the limit?" asked I, intrigued.

"8 to 10 minutes, depending on whether I'm alone or have a passenger."

"Gee, I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything, Pete: I should have been more careful, I'm better now though, let's move or we'll miss the trip!"

We started running and finally made it into the classroom. They were already taking roll call, needless to say the teacher looked at us sternly and the whole class started laughing. The teacher didn't say anything: he just pointed his finger at our seats and we took the hint. Once the roll call was over the prof put us on the bus and we headed to A.A., Avengers Academy, the high school I was aiming to enroll in once I finished middle school.

Once we arrived I realized how big A.A. was, I wished I could visit and take note of everything, but that was not the time. Plus, right then, I was more interested in Farley Stillwell and Curt Connors' neogenics demonstration! I was sure that would've been an unforgettable day, and it was.

"Geez guys, can you believe this?" I said to Pietro and Wanda "The discoveries made by professor Stillwell and Dr. Connors could change our perception of the world around us, open doors we never knew existed in the fields of physics, biology and genetics!"

"Pete," Pietro began, "no offense, but right now I'm too hungry to listen. Do you know if they will give us anything to eat?"

"Oh Pietro, you're always the same!" said Wanda "We're about to attend a very important demonstration and you're thinking about food!"

"Hey, running normally consumes a lot of calories, think about super speed!"

I didn't understand how they were arguing on such an occasion. As soon as we got off the bus we were escorted to professor Stillwell and Connors' lab and....

"...oh mama...OH MAMA! But this place is incredible! And that...nooo...that's an authentic neogenic recombinator!"

"Mr. Parker, be quiet!"

"Excuse me prof."

After my public humiliation professor Stillwell began his presentation

"Hello eager young minds, today you will witness a great step forward in the field of science. This laboratory has as its purpose the study of isotopes and particular substances on the planet for the purpose of helping heroes around the world as much as possible. One of the substances we study at this time has to do with gamma radiation. Unfortunately, Dr. Banner will not be with us today, so what you will see concerns radiation that is not harmful to humans. We will use this machine for our demonstration."

He pulled down a sheet and showed us the complex machine.

Curious, I raised my hand.

"Ah yes, please young man."

"Excuse me professor, but can you actually harness radioactivity for genetic experiments with this device?"

"Of course lad, what's your name?"

"Peter, Peter Parker sir."

"Well Peter, you're a science buff aren't you?"

"Oh yes professor!"

"Then enjoy the presentation."

I couldn't believe that he liked me.

The professor turned on the machine and a light green beam was released in the center, between the two white spheres, it was so fascinating...all of a sudden I thought I saw something go through the beam, but maybe it was just my imagination. I was listening to the professor's presentation when...

"OW!"

Something stung my hand! I looked and saw that it was a huge spider! With a slap I sent it away and, as it died, I looked at the bite: it was red and swollen; my head was spinning, my hands were tingling, I had to get out, but before I got to the door I passed out with a thud. I could hear the muffled voices of my professor, of Pietro, of Wanda...I saw everything in a blur, I felt like I was dying.

I still didn't know that that was the day everything changed forever....