Even though the world is still covered in a layer of water from the rain earlier today, I sit on the black emergency staircase leading up to my bedroom from down below. From up here, New York almost seems brighter than it is loud. Really, it's just an obnoxious rush of stimuli. However, I am too.

"I brought you a birthday present," Anthony calls over my shoulder.

I turn to see him walk in my room. He raises an arm as a kind hello, a box in his hand. It's done up all nice, with a pretty purple bow and everything. In response, I roll my eyes. My birthday is a week from today.

Sometimes, I hate that my best friend is the son of Mama's best friend. Far too often do I wake up to Anthony sitting around in my room. Although, I can't really complain because I sneak in his window.

"I didn't see you back at school," he begins to crawl through the window, struggling with the box in his hand. There is a bit of a chuckle in his voice.

"You didn't see me in the afternoon," I correct him. "I was at school in the morning, unfortunately. God, I hate English."

Anthony shrugs. He sits down next to me on the black emergency staircase. Unlike me, he doesn't dare hang his feet over the edge. Instead, he places the box carefully in his lap.

"Find Spider-man during your time off?" Anthony pesters. He knows how to push my buttons. "Are you still on that mission, anyway? I'm sure if someone was going to figure him out, they would have done it by now."

"It's been like, two weeks," I point out. Well, it will be in a few hours; I've been counting. Two weeks isn't enough time to catch someone like him.

Anthony shakes his head. He grips the railing tighter, trying not to look down. Anthony won't admit that he's afraid of heights. If he saw me climbing on to rooftops, I think he might keel over and have a heart attack. "You've got what, three weeks left before Barty gives your job back?"

"Unfortunately," I've actually lost track of how long it has been since I worked for Barty, even though my bank account hasn't forgiven me yet.

"Oh, I almost forgot," he hands me the gift and waits for me to open it.

"Can't I wait until my birthday?"

He doesn't answer, which I take as a resounding no. So, I quickly rip off the wrapping paper. Inside is a shoebox that I bust open.

My eyes widen, digging out the boots. They are leather, with thick and harsh laces. Dantae has scratched out the price tag with a marker, so that I can't see how much he spent on them, but it seems like a lot.

"I figured if you're going to be stalking down Spider-man, you should have proper footwear."

These are way better than my last pair. I mean, infinitely better.

"You hate them?" He jokes, looking at my face. "I thought you might enjoy some robot parts more. You missed the meeting tonight. Peter asked where you were."

"These are amazing!" I shout, ignoring his teases. I'm beyond ecstatic. I need to remember to buy him something nice for his birthday. Something expensive and computer-related should do the trick. I also gently kick his foot. "You suck, also. I can't believe that you texted Peter for me."

"I was channelling my inner Damien," he shrugs.

I pause, holding the shoebox tightly in my lap. Tonight is the perfect night to go find Spider-man. I have new shoes, the March rain has finally cleared up, and Mama and Papa are working late again. Maybe tonight will be the night I catch Spider-man.

I'll wait for at least an hour. By then, Anthony will be going home, so I'll be good to go crawl the streets of New York.

"Are you going to talk to your Mama?" I ask although I know he probably doesn't even know the answer himself. Changing the subject is the best way to avoid Anthony begging me to join robotics. I'm not going to join, and he definitely can't make me.

"He's getting deployed next week."

So that's a no. His Dad is normally gone for four years at a time, with the exception of this trip home. Hopefully, Anthony can move out before his Dad moves back in. It doesn't save his Mama, but from the pursing of Anthony's lips, and the way his eyes cast down, I think he's abandoned that route.

I don't have a response for him, and he doesn't have a response for me. While I tend to be good at deciphering what people want, I've never been as good with their feelings. I can't tell if Anthony wants to be touched or not, even though I've known him forever.

So, I rest my head up against his shoulder, feeling myself relax into him. His chest seems to deflate, so hopefully, I haven't upset him. We sit like this, staring out into the night, while I think about the last two crazy weeks. About Anthony, and his Mama and father, and about Spider-man, and about my brother, and Peter Parker. I think about the kind gift I just got from my best friend.

Anthony is very handsome. He's got the beginnings of a scratchy beard. Underneath his beanie, which he reserves for after school, he hides his curly hair that he does his best to gel into place. If you'd see him on the weekend, you'd think he was a skater boy given how he dresses. During the week, though, he always looks like he is working on Wall Street.

That, among a thousand other things, is why Anthony and I would never work out. He's going big places. I'm lucky if I go anywhere. He's all tight button-ups and firm handshakes, and I won't wear dresses unless my Mama makes me (skirts are at least a bit more mobile).

Still, I don't need to let the comfort of silence grow when I'm with Anthony. It's there, and it has always been.

"What have your brothers been up to, anyway?" When he speaks, his chest vibrates against mine. I always feel at home with him, and I hope he feels like that with me.

Even though we are practically siblings, Anthony has always wanted a real brother. Like, a blood one, I mean. There hasn't been a day that goes by that I am jealous of Anthony's status as an only child. My brothers are more than a handful, and I would sell them to Anthony for pennies.

"Mama still thinks that Damien is an angel, even though he nearly got suspended for snapping some girl's bra strap," I shake my head back and forth. You couldn't pay me a million dollars to go back to middle school. Two million, maybe. It was kids like Damien who became boys like Harry. "And Dantae and the crew are back in action."

"Manu's out?" Anthony asks.

I nearly pull myself off of his chest to get a better look at him, and figure out why he is asking. Then, I remember that Manu lived in Anthony's building for a brief stint. Not that they'd know each other because of that, but it makes sense that they might've crossed paths a few times. It's not like I talk about Manu a lot.

Sergio, on the other hand, has a lot of conversation devoted to him.

"Unfortunately," I tell him. "And Sergio is back on his bullshit."

"I bet Dantae likes that," Anthony jokes.

Obviously, he doesn't. I scratch the back of my neck, narrowly avoiding my hoops. It is anything but easy to have an older brother like Dantae. He calls anybody sweeter than him gay, and he won't let me around any of his friends anymore.

This close to my birthday, I'm done focusing on him.

It seems Anthony isn't though. He waits expectantly for an answer.

"Dantae can suck an egg," I say, pulling myself upright and off of Anthony.

Once again, silence falls back on us. It's not as warm anymore, mostly because of the cool air. Soon enough, I'll be running on the rooftops chasing around spider-boy. I'm so close to cracking him.

As we sit, I begin to run over everything I know about spider-man. He goes to Mid-town. It's barely anything since our school is so massive. No, I need more, and I-

"Are you going to answer that?" Anthony asks.

I turn around, looking at my phone. It's vibrating off the table. I groan but peel myself up anyway. After crawling through the window, I pick it up on my desk. The number is unknown. I answer, hoping it isn't Peter.

"Sorry, who is this?"

"Hey, um, Darcy?" It's Liz Allen on the other end. I didn't even know she had my number. "I've been calling you. I'm worried about Dantae."