chapter twenty-nine:
❛ rejections ❜

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Gwen pulled into the school parking lot, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as she caught sight of the crowd gathered near the entrance. Reporters-dozens of them. Their cameras, microphones, and relentless energy created a wall of chaos that seemed impossible to avoid. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, but the second she stepped out of her car, the wave hit her.

"Gwen! Gwen Stacy! Is it true you and Peter Parker broke up?"
"Gwen, is Peter still Spider-Man?"
"Do you know who Spider-Woman is? Is it you?"

The questions came fast and furious, overlapping each other, their words piercing through the cool morning air. Gwen kept her head down, her jaw clenched, as she tried to push through them.

"Leave me alone!" she snapped, her voice sharp, but the reporters only pressed closer.

"Gwen, just one comment-"
"Are you Spider-Woman?!"
"Did Peter's double life ruin your relationship?"

"I SAID BACK OFF!" Gwen shouted, shoving a microphone away with more force than she intended. The reporter stumbled back, startled, and Gwen's face burned with frustration. She pushed past the throng, ignoring their protests and cameras flashing in her face.

By the time she made it into the school building, the noise outside had become a muffled hum behind the closed doors. Gwen stopped in the hallway, leaning against the wall to catch her breath. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she forced herself to push the nerves aside.

Students in the hallway stared as she walked past, their murmurs and whispers unmistakable. She could hear snippets-her name, Peter's name, Spider-Woman-all blending into an annoying buzz. Then she saw him.

Peter stood near the lockers, shifting awkwardly as if trying to shrink into the background. His head was down, but the moment he felt her gaze, he looked up. Their eyes locked.

Gwen walked toward him, her heart hammering in her chest. This was the first time she'd seen him since... since everything.

"Hey," she said, her voice more casual than she felt.

"Hey," Peter replied, his tone just as awkward. He scratched the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze for a moment. "How's it going?"

"Oh, you know. Great," Gwen said dryly, gesturing toward the windows where the reporters were still gathered outside. "You?"

Peter sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Not good. The reporters have been following me all morning. It's... a lot."

Gwen nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Yeah. Tell me about it." She paused, glancing around at the curious onlookers in the hallway. "Can we talk?"

Peter hesitated, his brows furrowing slightly. "Uh-"

Before he could finish, Gwen grabbed his arm and pulled him into the nearest empty classroom. She shut the door firmly behind them and leaned against it, crossing her arms.

"My family knows," she said, the words dropping like a bomb.

Peter blinked, his confusion evident. "Knows what?"

"That I'm Spider-Woman," Gwen said, her tone flat.

Peter's eyes widened, and he stepped closer, his voice rising. "What?! How?"

Gwen let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "When I got home after... after you broke up with me, they were waiting for me. My mom and stepdad saw me in my suit. They freaked out. Melina saw it too, and Max-he knew. He'd known for a while and didn't say anything, so he got dragged into the mess too."

Peter ran a hand through his hair, looking both stunned and guilty. "Oh man. Gwen, I... I'm so sorry. What did they do?"

"They grounded me," Gwen said, pacing the room now. "Actually, no. They put me on house arrest. There are cameras everywhere in the apartment now, monitoring my every move. I can't even go to the bathroom without them knowing. And they made it very clear-I'm not allowed to be Spider-Woman anymore."

Peter's stomach churned with guilt. "Gwen, I didn't... I didn't mean for this to happen. I thought breaking up would protect you."

Gwen stopped pacing and turned to face him, her eyes blazing. "Well, it didn't, Peter! It just made everything worse! I was distracted, upset, and I slipped up. Now my life is a nightmare, and I can't even do the one thing that makes me feel like myself."

Peter flinched at her words, guilt etched into his face. "I thought I was doing the right thing," he said quietly.

"Well, congratulations," Gwen said bitterly. "Because now my mom doesn't trust me, my stepdad won't stop breathing down my neck, and my little brother probably hates me for dragging him into this mess."

Peter looked down, his fists clenching at his sides. "I'm sorry, Gwen. I didn't want this for you. I... I just didn't want you to get hurt because of me."

Gwen's shoulders sagged, the fire in her eyes dimming slightly. "I know," she said softly. "But now I'm stuck, Peter. I'm stuck, and I don't know how to fix it."

Peter stepped closer, his voice low and steady. "You fight. You prove to them that you're still you. That they can trust you."

Gwen laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "That's easy for you to say. You're not the one with cameras in your bedroom."

Peter gave her a small, rueful smile. "No, but I've had people tell me I couldn't be Spider-Man. And every time, I've had to show them why they were wrong."

Gwen stared at him, her anger giving way to a deep sadness. Despite everything, he still had a way of making her feel like she wasn't completely alone.

"Thanks, Peter," she said quietly.

He nodded, his lips twitching into a faint smile. "Anytime."

For a moment, they just stood there, the weight of their complicated lives pressing down on them. But in that quiet classroom, they found a small sliver of understanding. It wasn't much, but for now, it was enough.

Gwen trudged up the stairs to her apartment, her body heavy with the weight of the day. School had been exhausting-endless whispers about her and Peter, more questions from classmates trying to poke holes in her carefully constructed poker face. She let out a sigh, ready to collapse onto the couch and maybe zone out to a random TV show.

But the moment she opened the door, Melina was there, practically bouncing on her toes, holding an envelope in her hand. The logo on the front sent a jolt of electricity through Gwen.

"Look what came for you!" Melina crowed, waving the envelope in Gwen's face like it was a prize. "From Penn State! Aren't you gonna open it?"

Gwen froze, her heart racing. "Give it to me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Melina grinned mischievously, holding it just out of reach. "Say 'please.'"

"Melina, I swear-"

"Okay, okay!" Melina relented, finally handing over the envelope.

Gwen stared at it, her hands trembling as she traced the crisp edges. Her name and address were printed neatly on the front, alongside the familiar UPenn State logo. She felt like the entire world had funneled into this tiny rectangle of paper.

"Well?" Melina prompted, crossing her arms. "Open it already!"

"Not here," Gwen muttered, clutching the envelope to her chest.

Melina frowned, her brow furrowing. "What? Why not? You've been talking about Penn State for like, forever. Don't you wanna know?"

"I said not here," Gwen snapped, her voice sharper than she intended.

Melina's eyes widened for a moment before she rolled them. "Fine. Drama much?" she said, spinning on her heel and walking off. "Let me know if you got in so I can tell Mom how much smarter I am than you."

Gwen ignored her, her mind too consumed with the letter in her hands. It was heavier than she expected, as if the weight of her future was pressing against her fingertips.

She couldn't open it here. Not with the cameras. Not with her mom and stepdad scrutinizing her every move. She needed space-and someone to talk to. Her mind immediately went to MJ. They'd both applied at the same time, and if there was anyone who'd understand the nerves, it was her.

Decision made, Gwen grabbed her coat and slung it over her shoulders. She reached for the door, but the second she touched the handle, her mom's voice blared through the intercom.

"Gwendolyn Stacy!"

Gwen flinched, her eyes darting to the camera mounted in the corner of the living room. She glared at it, wishing she could rip it off the wall.

"Where do you think you're going?" her mom demanded, her tone sharp.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Out."

"For what?"

"For MIT stuff," Gwen said, holding up the envelope. "I need to talk to someone about it."

"Who? Peter Parker?" her mom shot back, her voice dripping with suspicion.

"No!" Gwen snapped. "MJ, okay? You know, my friend? She applied too, and I just-" She took a breath, trying to steady her tone. "I need her advice."

There was a long pause, and Gwen swore she could feel her mom's eyes burning through the camera lens.

"Be back in an hour," her mom finally said, her voice begrudgingly resigned. "No detours. I'll be watching."

Gwen clenched her fists, biting back a sarcastic remark. "Sure. Thanks," she muttered, pulling open the door and stepping out before her mom could say anything else.

As she descended the stairs, her thoughts swirled like a storm. The Penn State letter burned against her side, every step out the door making her chest feel tighter. What if she got in? What if she didn't? She wasn't sure which idea was scarier.

She turned toward Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop, hoping MJ would be there. Gwen needed her calm, rational presence-someone who could make sense of the chaos in her mind. But deep down, she couldn't help but wonder: even if she got into Penn State, what did it mean for her now? For Spider-Woman? For everything she'd been fighting for?

One thing was certain: opening that letter would change everything. She just didn't know how yet.

Gwen's shoes clicked sharply on the pavement as she approached Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop, the familiar smell of frying dough and sugar-filled air that usually calmed her nerves doing nothing to soothe the storm inside her. Her fingers tightened around the straps of her backpack as she pushed open the door, the little bell overhead chiming. The warmth of the shop contrasted with the chill gnawing at her insides.

She spotted Peter, MJ, and Ned sitting around a table, all holding envelopes-each of them looking nervous, but still hopeful. She could see it in their eyes as they sat with their backs straight, trying to appear more confident than they felt. Her stomach churned as she stepped closer, unsure of whether she was even ready to face what was about to happen.

"You guys got one too?" Gwen asked, her voice a little shaky as she looked between the trio, trying to pretend like her own fear didn't already spill out in the form of a rising lump in her throat.

They all nodded solemnly, each of them looking equally strained.

Gwen made her way over to the table, pulling out the chair beside Peter and sitting down, her body instinctively seeking the comfort of his proximity, but it wasn't enough to stop her mind from racing. A wave of déjà vu washed over her as she glanced down at the letter she already knew would be waiting for her. She could feel her hands trembling slightly as she grabbed the edge of the envelope and began to peel it open.

"Okay. Ready?" MJ asked, her voice a little higher than usual, attempting to mask the nerves she had managed to keep at bay up until that point. The air around them felt tense, like the calm before a storm.

But before they could do anything else, MJ's boss's voice rang out from behind the counter, shattering the fragile quiet in the room. "Don't. I told you to take down the Halloween decorations."

Gwen shot a glance at MJ, who looked ready to shoot back but was silenced by the unyielding tone of her boss. "Actually, that was Sasha so..." MJ trailed off, but her tone was dripping with sarcasm, clearly done with the endless demands.

"Enough attitude," her boss snapped, walking toward the back of the shop. "Just do it."

Gwen could see MJ biting her tongue to keep herself from retorting. She had been on the receiving end of this treatment countless times, and it was clear that her patience was running thin.

That's when Gwen had had enough. With a smirk on her face, she shot a web out toward the boss's chair, yanking it out from under him before he could sit down. The chair tipped backward, and MJ's boss was sent sprawling to the ground with a loud thud, his arms flailing as he let out a startled yelp.

For a split second, everything was silent, and then the tension in the room cracked. MJ shot Gwen a grateful, amused look, though her face was still tight with nerves.

"Okay, now for the letters," Gwen said, trying to lighten the mood, but even her own voice didn't sound convincing. Her heart was pounding in her chest, the anticipation and dread coiling tighter inside her with each passing second.

Ned, who had been unusually quiet up until that point, was looking positively pale. His lips were tight, and his eyes looked glazed over. "I feel like I'm gonna puke," he muttered, clutching his stomach as if trying to will away the sick feeling crawling up his throat.

"Well, don't," Gwen and MJ said in unison, the shared words coming out instinctively. MJ's eyes flicked to Ned, her expression a mix of concern and annoyance, knowing exactly how much this meant to him. "If you do, he'll just make me clean it."

Ned managed a small, humorless laugh, but Gwen saw the terror still written across his face.

"This is our only shot," Ned said, his voice so quiet that Gwen almost didn't catch it. "Either we get into MIT, or we're nowhere."

Peter shot him a warning look, trying to keep the situation from getting too heavy, though even he was clearly struggling to remain upbeat. "Hey, come on," he said, but the effort was lost on Gwen. She could see how much they all wanted this.

Gwen, not wanting to prolong the agony any longer, forced herself to smile as best as she could. "Okay, you guys ready?"

They all nodded, their faces a mix of dread and hope as they tore into their envelopes. The room went utterly still. She could feel the air thickening as they all read the letters-she could see Peter's face fall as he read his, his eyes flicking up to meet hers. His expression was one of disappointment, but there was something else behind his eyes-guilt.

Gwen could barely breathe as she turned her own letter over in her hands, the weight of it almost suffocating. She opened it slowly, cautiously, but before she even had the chance to read it, she saw the same reaction in MJ's eyes-biting back tears-and in Ned's, where his face had gone ashen, his lips trembling.

"In light of recent controversy, we will not be able to consider your application at this time," Ned read aloud, his voice barely above a whisper.

The words were like a slap across the face. Gwen's stomach dropped, a burst of heat rising to her chest as everything seemed to tilt. For a moment, all she could do was stare at the paper in her hands.

"Fucking hate these people," Gwen muttered under her breath, feeling her pulse race as she stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. She felt a sharp pang in her chest, and before she could stop herself, the frustration exploded. "I want to be a detective, I- I- Goddamn it! You guys got rejected for MIT! And for me? Penn State!"

The words felt like they were burning her throat as she kicked a chair aside, the loud crash echoing around the room. "I'm so done with this fucking shit! My parents are on my ass-now this?" She threw her hands up in the air, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

Peter stepped toward her, his hand reaching out as though to stop her, but he didn't know how. "This is so not fair. I'm so sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. You guys didn't do anything wrong."

Gwen shook her head, her voice cutting through the silence. "They didn't..." She motioned toward MJ and Ned, her voice quivering with frustration before her hand dropped and she turned it toward herself and Peter. "But we did."

Peter blinked, his eyes wide with confusion. "What do you mean?"

Gwen met his gaze, her own eyes red-rimmed. "Peter, everyone knows you're Spider-Man. People are already talking about me possibly being Spider-Woman."

MJ's voice rang out, quoting something she'd said in the past, though her words sounded bitter now. "Except to be disappointed, then you won't be disappointed."

The door to the shop suddenly swung open with a loud jingle, and Gwen's gaze flicked toward it, expecting to see a new customer. Instead, Flash Thompson walked in, singing obnoxiously and doing some ridiculous little dance. Gwen was already too angry to care about him. She stormed up to him, shoving him out of the way with all her strength, and without a second glance, she headed toward the door, ignoring the calls behind her.

Before anyone could stop her, she was outside, the cold air slapping her face, making her blood boil even more. Flash's voice faded behind her as she stormed off, determined to do something incredibly stupid.

Gwen stormed into the apartment, slamming the door behind her so forcefully that the walls of the small apartment seemed to tremble. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She felt the weight of everything pressing down on her-her parents' anger, the constant surveillance, her failed college application. The only thing that felt right in this moment was the sound of her footsteps echoing through the quiet halls of the apartment.

She walked straight to her room, pulling the door closed behind her and locking it. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't care if anyone saw her. She didn't care about the rules or the expectations or the lies. All she wanted was to escape.

Her eyes fell on her suit hanging in the corner of her room, tucked away beneath a pile of clothes, hidden but still there. The one thing that made her feel like herself. The one thing that gave her control.

She grabbed the suit and began pulling it on, the fabric cool against her skin. Each movement felt like a small act of rebellion, the tightness of the suit grounding her in something real, something she could control. She was just about to finish zipping it up when she heard the unmistakable sound of her mom's voice, followed by the heavy footsteps of her stepdad, Enzo, marching down the hallway.

"Gwen! What the hell are you doing?" Linda's voice was sharp, filled with panic and confusion.

Gwen didn't even look up as she slid the final piece of the suit into place. Her fingers trembled, not from fear, but from the rage bubbling up inside her. She could feel her mom and Enzo's presence in the doorway, the tension radiating from them.

"Gwen! Look at me!" Linda shouted, stepping fully into the room now. Enzo followed closely behind, his face twisted with anger.

"I said, what are you doing?" Enzo demanded, his voice low and furious.

Gwen finally turned to face them, her eyes hard, a cold fire burning behind them. She could see the shock in their faces, the disbelief. But she didn't care anymore. Not about their disappointment. Not about their rules.

"You don't get to tell me what to do anymore," Gwen said, her voice steady, even as the rage threatened to break through. She wasn't the scared girl who had come home defeated anymore. She was Spider-Woman. She was Gwen Stacy.

"Don't you dare walk out of this apartment, Gwen," Linda snapped, her eyes narrowing. "If you do, don't you dare think you'll have a place to come back to."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut, but Gwen didn't flinch. She wasn't going to let them control her anymore.

Without a word, she turned toward the door.

"Gwen, stop!" Linda called again, but her voice didn't carry the same power it once did.

Max, her fourteen-year-old brother, appeared in the hallway, his wide eyes full of confusion and fear. He was caught between his parents' anger and his sister's determination. Gwen could see the hurt in his eyes, but it was too late for apologies.

"Don't follow me, Max," she warned, her voice softening slightly but firm.

Max stood still, watching her with a mixture of sadness and disbelief, but Gwen didn't look back. She couldn't.

As she made her way through the living room, she caught sight of Melina, her nine-year-old stepsister, sitting on the couch, her face streaked with tears. Melina was the only one who had ever truly looked up to Gwen, and it broke her heart to see her so upset.

Gwen froze, her heart aching for her.

"Melina..." she started, her voice faltering for just a second, but she shook it off.

Melina cried harder, clutching her knees to her chest. "Don't go, Gwen! Please don't go!" she sobbed.

Gwen's chest tightened, but she knew what she had to do. She had to do this for herself, even if it meant leaving everything behind.

"I'm sorry, kiddo," Gwen said softly, but the words felt hollow in the face of Melina's sobs. "This place... it doesn't feel like home anymore."

With one last look at her crying stepsister, Gwen turned on her heel and walked out the door.

The cold air hit her like a slap to the face, and for the first time, she felt like she could breathe again. The weight on her shoulders was unbearable, but it was nothing compared to what she had just left behind. She walked down the street, trying to shake off the emotions swirling inside her.

But then, something caught her eye-a group of reporters standing outside, their cameras trained on the street. They were gathered around a few pedestrians, asking questions, snapping pictures. A flash of a familiar figure caught Gwen's attention, and she realized they were already talking about her.

Without a second thought, she walked straight toward the crowd of reporters. As she neared, the buzz around her grew louder. Her heart raced, but this time, it wasn't from fear. It was from something else-something raw, something freeing.

One of the reporters noticed her first and approached with a microphone. "Hey! Are you the girl who's rumored to be Spider-Woman?" he asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

Gwen stopped in front of them, her hands trembling, but she refused to let them see her fear.

"Yeah, you want to know who I am?" she asked, her voice clear and unwavering.

The reporters' faces lit up, cameras flashing as they leaned in, eager to get a shot.

Gwen's hand reached up to her mask, and without another thought, she pulled it off, letting her blonde hair fall loose around her shoulders. The air felt cold against her skin, but she was done hiding. She was done being scared.

"I am Gwendolyn Stacy," she said, her voice loud and defiant, her eyes meeting the cameras with the full weight of her truth.

The reporters erupted into chaos, cameras flashing and questions flying, but Gwen didn't care. She didn't care if they were shocked, if they were surprised. This was her truth.

She had nothing to hide anymore.

ASH SPEAKS!!!

GWEN IS DONE TAKING PEOPLES SHITTT!!!

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE! IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:)