"We're covering the first day of senior year for Midtown High's most famous students, Peter Parker and Elizabeth Pandora" Betty chipped voice rang through the camera. She smiled at us like we were some celebrities on a red carpet instead of two kids walking into a war zone.

"Go get them tiger! Or should I say...spider?" She said

The crowd outside the school was massive. 
"The crowd has continued to grow here all morning long at the Midtown School of Science"a reporter says. The crowd seems evenly decided between supporters of Spider-Man sapphire and protestors."

Peter squeezed my hand ad we pushed through the noise. Ned and MJ stayed close behind, trying to act casual while people screamed from both sides of the barricades.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! We love you!" a man shouted, waving a sign with my face on it. I didn't even want to look.

"Are you gonna have his spider-babies?" Another yelled.

My jaw tightened, but I kept walking, eyes forward, hand still locked in Peter's

Then came the other side.
"You guys don't belong here!" Someone screams.
"Murderers! Mysterio forever!"
"Do a flip!"
"Hey, let's see you and Elizabeth kiss!"

"Back off!" Ned snapped.

"Just leave them alone!" MJ shouted.

"Who are you?" Someone taunted.

"Ned Leeds and MJ- Spider-Man's and sapphire's guy and girl in the cha-" Ned started, before someone else interrupted.

"I'm Peter Parker and Elizabeth pandoras best friends" Flash announced proudly, stepping forward.

"You come at my friends, you come at Flash Thompson. If you wanna read about our inspiring friendship, you can now in my new book Flashpoint. One spider, one jewel, three hearts, and million crazy-ass memories." He said

MJ and Ned just glared daggers at him, but flash didn't care. Cameras clicked.

By the time we reached the school steps, two guards stood waiting. One scanned Peter, then me.

"Go ahead"
"You're clear" they said.

"No shit, Sherlock" I muttered under my breath, earning a quiet laugh from Peter.

At the top of the stairs, three familiar faces waited-  Mr. Dell, Mr. Harrington, and Coach Wilson.

"Peter, Elizabeth, we would love to welcome you back at Midtown High, where we shape heroes."
Mr. Harrington said

"Or murderers" Coach Wilson added flatly.

"Stop it." Mr. Dell hissed.

"It's an honor to serve you, sir and miss" Mr. Harrington continued.

"It's not. Mysterio was right." Coach Wilson muttered.

"Stop. That's enough." Mr. Harrington smiled nervously and gestured to a small display behind him.
"Some students put this together for you." He said

"No, you did that" Coach Wilson said.

"I helped a little bit." He said.

"And I tried to stop you so many times, but you powered through. He did all of that" Coach Wilson said.

"I hope you have time to stop and check it out" Mr. Harrington said, ignoring him.

"Feel free to walk or crawl on the ceiling to avoid everybody. Or fly. We all know you can do it" Mr. Harrington added awkwardly, still smiling.

"Okay...." I said, forcing a smile.

Peter nodded.
"We're just gonna..." he said

"I know what you did." Coach Wilson muttered as we walked off.

"Stop it. You're embarrassing yourself." Mr. Harrington said

We stepped into the hall. Phones came up instantly. Cameras flashed. Every head turned to follow us.

It was suffocating.

By lunch, Peter and I escaped to the roof. The sun was blinding, the air was finally quiet. I was flipping through a magazine, trying to distract myself, while Peter laid back staring at the sky.

"Can we just stay up here all day? It is so crazy down there." Peter sighed.

I hummed in agreement, trying not to laugh at what I was reading.

"Wait- listen to this. Some suggest that Parker's powers include the male spider's ability to hypnotize females which he used to put Pandora under his spell and into his cult of personality.'' I said

"Stop. Stop" peter groaned, laughing.

"Yes, my Spider-Lord." I said in a deep, dramatic voice, making him laugh harder.

"Here's another one. Others believe that
Pandora used her mind control on Parker to make him to fall in love with her- or that's how she got him to....murder Mysterio" I said

The words stuck in my throat.

"Hey, it's okay, Liz. Crazy people say crazy things. I don't believe it- and a lot of people don't either" he said softly.

He smiled gently, and when I looked at him, the noise of the world faded away.

"It'll be okay, don't worry" he said

We both leaned in-

"Finally some privacy" Ned said as he climbed up onto the roof.

"You ruined their moment" MJ said, right behind him.

Ned ignored her.
"It is so crazy down there." He said, dropping his backpack beside Peter. MJ followed, sitting next to me.

"So I was thinking. When we get into MIT, we should live together" ned said.

"Yeah, for sure" Peter said immediately.

"I'd love that" MJ added.

"Sounds great" I smiled, though the word when made my chest tighten.

"This is gonna be us." Ned said, showing us a picture on the magazine- college kids laughing and tossing a frisbee on a sunny quad.

"Yeah, but take out the Frisbee" I said.

"Maybe the smiling too" MJ muttered.

Peter chuckled.
"MIT's obviously the dream, but if we watch up our backup schools, then either way, we'll all be together in Boston. New school, new town. Elizabeth and I can do our superhero duties. I mean they have crime in Boston right?" Peter said

"Yeah, wicked crime." Ned said.

"It'll be like a fresh start" peter smiled.

For some reason, those two words made my stomach twist.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked.

"I-I don't know. I just...I don't want to get my hopes up. Don't get your hopes up and you'll never get them disappointed" I said

"It's gonna be okay." He said, reaching for my hand.
"A fresh start, where we're all together" he said

"Yeah. You're right. Fresh start" I said softly, forcing a smile.

We all stacked our hands together.

"Fresh start." We said in unison.

The week dragged on. Every college rejection felt heavier than the last. Until finally-

"Last one" May said, rushing in with two envelopes.

"MIT?" Peter asked, eyes wide.

We ran straight to MJ's work, the small coffee shop, buzzing with zero customers.

As soon as we walked in, MJ and Ned held up their envelopes.

"Okay" MJ said, taking a breath.

"Jones! I thought I told you to take down the Halloween decorations." Her boss yells.

"Actually, that was Sasha so-" MJ started.

"Enough attitude. Just do it." He said.

"On it." MJ sighed

Ned groaned.
"I feel like I'm gonna puke" he said

"Don't because he will just make me clean it" MJ said.

"This is our only shot. It's here or nowhere." Ned said.

"Hey. Come on" peter said, his voice steady but his hand shaking.

"You guys ready?" I asked.

They all nodded.

"Okay. Three..two...one."

We tore open the envelopes. Silence followed.

MJ'd face fell first.
"No." She said

"No. You?" Peter looked at Ned.

"No." Neds voice cracked.

They all looked at me.

"In light of recent controversy, we are unable to consider your application and endanger the lives of other students in our campus" I read

"This is so not fair. I mean this is so not fair. I didn't do anything wrong. You guys definitely didn't do anything wrong." Peter said.

"Don't get your hopes up and you'll never get them disappointed" I murmured, repeating my own warning from before. It sounded emptier this time.

"No sleep till Boston!" Flash barged through the doors, grinning- until he saw our faces.
"You guys didn't get in?" He asked.

"No, because we're actually friends with Spider-Man and sapphire" Ned said flatly.

"Uh- yeah. I better get going. There's a mixer for new admissions and-Sorry guys." He hurried out.

"Jones, what are you doing?" MJ's boss yelled again.
"Get back to work." He added.

"Yeah, I'm coming." MJ paused, looked at her rejection letter,then tore it in half.
"You know what? I wouldn't change a thing" she said

"Me neither" Ned said, ripping his too- then awkwardly picked up the pieces.
"Although I do need to show this letter to my parents." He said

I let out a soft sigh.
"Well, that's that then. Time to move on" I said.

"Lizzie, it's okay to be hurt" Peter said, his voice gentle.
"They just don't understand" he said

"Yeah, well" I said, shoving the letter into my bag.
"Shit happens." I said

I took a deep breath, forcing my voice to stay steady.
"Im gonna take a walk. I'll see you back at the apartment" I said

Before he could stop me, I turned and walked out into the cold air- where, for the first time, I didn't know where to go next.