chapter ten:
❛ gweny! ❜

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Gwen had missed the entire academic decathlon championship-and she still wasn't over it. Peter had also mysteriously vanished, leaving their absence glaringly obvious. She could feel the weight of it as she walked with her team towards the Washington Monument. Her mind was buzzing with excuses, each one sounding worse than the last.

"Whoo-hoo! We won!" Flash's voice broke through her thoughts, his obnoxious cheer echoing off the marble buildings as he strutted ahead of the group.

"You guys, I am so proud of you," Liz said, glowing with pride as she caught up to the rest of them. Her smile was wide, but there was a subtle curiosity in her eyes that Gwen knew would eventually lead to questions.

"Told you we didn't need Peter or Gwendolyn," Flash added, flashing Gwen an all-too-satisfied grin. He'd been waiting for an opportunity to gloat.

Gwen shot him a look, her eyes narrowing in irritation. She couldn't believe she had to deal with this now. "Yeah, where were you?" Liz asked, looking over her shoulder at Gwen, her smile faltering slightly as the question hung in the air.

Gwen felt her face flush, heat crawling up her neck. She needed a lie. Something simple and believable. "I, uh, overslept," Gwen said, her voice uneven as she forced a chuckle, trying to sound casual. "And MJ didn't wake me up because she knows how I get." It was a lame excuse, but it was all she had.

Liz's gaze shifted to MJ, who was walking a few steps behind the group with her hands in her pockets. The nonchalant shrug MJ gave was almost too perfect, like she was silently confirming Gwen's story, but not really caring if anyone believed it.

"Bullshit," Flash muttered under his breath, his smirk widening. He loved calling people out, especially Gwen.

"For the record, Flash," Ned chimed in, adjusting the straps on his backpack, "you didn't answer a single question during the final round, so let's not pretend you carried the team."

Flash turned to him, his smirk dropping, but Gwen was already tuning them out. Her attention drifted when she noticed MJ had stopped walking. She frowned and slowed her pace, turning to look at her friend. "MJ, are you not coming in?" Gwen asked, genuinely curious. The rest of the group was still making their way toward the monument, but MJ had paused a few steps back.

MJ stood there, arms crossed, staring up at the towering structure with an unreadable expression. "I just don't want to celebrate something that was built by slaves," MJ said, her voice even and calm, like she had already made peace with her decision.

Gwen blinked, caught off guard by MJ's bluntness, but then again, it was so... MJ. The way she could say something that immediately made you rethink everything. Gwen scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. "Fair..." she mumbled, nodding slowly. "I'm just going in because, well... Flash would be up my ass if I didn't." She threw a thumb over her shoulder towards Flash, who was now arguing with Ned a few feet ahead.

MJ's lips curled into a small smile. "Yeah, I get it," she said, her tone softening slightly.

"I'll see you in a few, kay?" Gwen added, offering MJ a quick grin before turning back to follow the others.

"See you soon," MJ replied, leaning against a nearby bench as the rest of the group moved on without her.

Gwen entered the building, stepping through the metal detector. The monotonous beep echoed in her ears as the guard gave her a quick nod, waving her through. The excitement from her teammates filled the air as they gathered near the elevator. Gwen felt a strange weight settle in her chest, a mix of guilt and frustration over missing the championship-and over whatever was happening with Peter. But she pushed it aside, knowing she couldn't dwell on it now.

The doors of the elevator slid open with a soft hiss, and Gwen, along with her teammates, piled in. The small space was crowded, and she found herself standing next to Liz and Ned as the elevator began its slow ascent to the top of the monument.

"I can't believe we're finally doing this," Liz said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She turned to Gwen with a grin. "Even if you did oversleep, I'm glad you're here now."

Gwen smiled back weakly, feeling that pang of guilt again. She hated lying, especially to Liz. But what could she say? That she had been stuck in a storage unit with Spider-man? That she was dealing with a double life she couldn't even begin to explain?

Gwen had barely registered the tour guide's monotonous explanations about the history of the Washington Monument. Instead, her mind was racing with thoughts of her last conversation with Spider-Man. The shocking revelation that her mom had been taken by the Vulture replayed in her head. Why? It didn't make any sense. Her mom was just a regular person; there was no way she could have been involved in anything illicit. But then again, the Vulture was a criminal, and criminals didn't just kidnap people for no reason. Did they?

Gwen shook her head, trying to dispel the unease gnawing at her insides. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story-something she was missing. She clenched her fists, hoping that by focusing on the physical sensation, she could drown out the growing panic. But the deeper she dug, the darker the possibilities became. What if her mom was involved in something dangerous? What if her dad-who had just gotten out of prison-was somehow connected to it? Did he have something to do with her mother's abduction?

Gwen felt her stomach churn as dread settled in. The elevator continued its ascent, and she was pulled from her spiraling thoughts by a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye. A soft glow emanated from the top of Ned's backpack. Curiosity piqued, she shifted her focus and watched as the glow intensified, a strange energy seeming to seep out. Suddenly, the entire elevator shook violently, jolting Gwen out of her thoughts.

She quickly grabbed the railing for support, her heart racing. The noise echoed around her, drowning out the tour guide's voice. "What the hell was that?" she murmured under her breath, her eyes darting to Ned. He looked just as surprised as she felt. Panic bubbled inside her as she noticed a significant gap forming in the ceiling of the elevator.

"Gwen!" Ned shouted, noticing her wide-eyed expression. "What's going on?"

The gap revealed the glowing object, and as realization dawned on her, Gwen's heart plummeted. This was it-the thing Spider-Man had been mumbling about. The object was tied to everything, and now it was clear: Peter was Spider-Man. The weight of that knowledge crashed down on her, intertwining with her anxiety.

Her mind raced. Her ex-best friend, the one she had grown to resent for everything that had happened, was secretly Spider-Man. She had just spent the night with him in a storage unit-how had she not seen it before? And then it hit her like a freight train: she remembered the things he had said, the hurtful words he had used when they were 12 years old. "Your dad deserves to be in prison." Could her mom's abduction be connected to her dad's past? What if he was somehow involved with the Vulture?

Her heart raced even faster as she thought about her dad's silence. He had just gotten out of prison, and she hadn't heard from him in ages. Was it possible? Did he kidnap her mom? The implications sent chills down her spine, and she barely noticed the others around her starting to panic. "This is freakin' insane!" she shouted, her voice ringing out amidst the chaos.

The tour guide, clearly flustered, attempted to maintain calm. "Okay, I know that was scary, but our safety systems are working. We're very safe in here," she reassured them, but Gwen's instincts told her otherwise. The elevator trembled again, and Gwen's unease deepened.

Then came the unmistakable sound of clattering from above. Gwen looked up and saw the cables fraying, breaking one by one. "The cables are breaking, lady!" she yelled, her voice rising in panic.

Screams erupted around her as the realization hit everyone at once. "Why did you have to say that!? I don't wanna die!" Flash shouted, his face ashen. Gwen rolled her eyes despite the growing chaos.

In the corner of her eye, she spotted a latch. That was it. "Everyone, get out! Help each other out!" she exclaimed, her adrenaline spiking. She sprang into action, taking charge as the elevator lurched dangerously. "Liz, come on! Help me!"

Gwen and Liz quickly began guiding their classmates toward the opening, pulling them through one by one. They worked frantically, the elevator shaking beneath them as the panic escalated. She could feel the tension in the air-fear mixed with the urgency of survival.

With every person who climbed out, the remaining weight in the elevator increased, and Gwen's heart raced as they tried to hurry. They finally helped Mr. Harrington and Liz escape, and it was just her left now. The elevator rattled ominously, and Gwen's breath quickened as she tried to assess her situation.

"Gwen!" Ned yelled, his voice full of terror. She turned to see him reaching out for her, but the elevator was trembling violently, and Gwen knew she needed to act quickly.

Gwen grasped the edge of the floor, her hands slipping slightly as she fought to pull herself through the gap. But just as she felt the adrenaline surging within her, another cable snapped. Time slowed as she felt herself losing her grip.

"Oh God, no!" she screamed, watching the elevator drop. Just as the ground rushed up to meet her, Spider-Man crashed through the window above, swinging into action. "Gweny, grab it!" he shouted, tossing a web her way.

Her heart raced. Gweny. Only one person ever called her that. It was Peter. Her mind raced as she reached out, gripping the web tightly just as he yanked her upward. The rush of the fall faded as she was pulled to safety, her body colliding with his in a tight embrace.

"Oh my God," she gasped, trembling as she looked down and saw the elevator crashing below them. Relief washed over her, but it was quickly overshadowed by a wave of emotions. She clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder, every fear and anxiety spilling out of her.

When she finally pulled back, she looked into his mask-covered face, her heart pounding with gratitude and disbelief. "T- Thank you for saving me," she stammered, the words barely escaping her lips.

In a moment of reckless bravery, Gwen reached forward and pulled up part of his mask, revealing just his lips. She kissed him, a burst of raw emotion fueling her. It was impulsive and passionate, her heart racing as she pressed her lips against his, feeling a connection she couldn't deny.

Spider-Man hung upside down, the world around them fading away as they shared that kiss. Her teammates stood frozen, eyes wide in disbelief, even Ned, whose jaw dropped in shock. Gwen pulled away, a shy smile creeping onto her face as she wiped away her tears.

"I forgive you," she said softly, finally ready to let go of the hurt from their past. In that moment, she knew. She knew he was Peter, and he couldn't deny it anymore.

"Gweny..." he began, his voice a mix of surprise and something deeper, but his words were cut off by another rumble, shaking the building violently.

Ned grabbed her arm, pulling her back away from the elevator entrance just as Spider-Man's web broke, sending him tumbling down into the elevator shaft. Gwen gasped, a wave of fear washing over her as she rushed forward, instinctively knowing he would be okay.

She turned back to Ned, her expression intense. "You and Peter cannot lie to me anymore. I know who Peter is now. I just kissed him," she said, her voice firm and resolute, cutting through the lingering shock in the air.

Ned gaped at her, utterly stunned. "You... what?" he stammered, struggling to process the whirlwind of events.

Before he could respond, Flash bounded over, his eyes wide with excitement. "Holy shit! You kissed Spider-Man!" he exclaimed, dragging Gwen away from the tension, his enthusiasm palpable.

Gwen felt her heart racing, but beneath the surface of exhilaration was an undercurrent of confusion and urgency. She had just kissed Spider-Man-Peter Parker-and everything had changed in an instant. The weight of the situation hung heavy in the air as they all began to comprehend the danger they were still in. But for now, amidst the chaos, one thing was clear: everything was different now.

ASH SPEAKS!

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

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