Peter, the same person Matt Murdock had accused of "liking to play games with people," was flipping through a biology book, completely unaware of the Night Devil's exaggerations.
As he studied a diagram of a biological embryo, he found himself lost in thought.
"Hey, Peter."
A familiar voice interrupted him. Gwen had suddenly appeared behind him, giving him a light pat on the back.
At that moment, they were both in the classroom, waiting for class to begin. The bell hadn't rung yet.
"You're not late today?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Maybe because there weren't as many accidents today," Gwen replied with a shrug. "Life is unpredictable. Some days are faster, some days slower. It's just fate."
"True," Peter nodded.
"If I was late for every class, Miss Fish would definitely have a talk with me," Gwen continued. "And trust me, no one wants to sit through her endless lectures."
Peter chuckled in agreement. He understood that even as Spider-Woman, Gwen didn't run into people who needed saving every single day. It seemed she had adjusted to her double life rather quickly.
"By the way, did Liz invite you to her party?" Gwen asked curiously.
"She did, but I declined," Peter replied.
"Why?"
"I'm just not interested in that kind of thing."
"Honestly, I'm not really into parties either," Gwen admitted with a sigh. "The last one I attended was the spring graduation dance."
She leaned against Peter's desk, reminiscing.
"I remember putting on a corsage that had been sitting in the fridge all afternoon, wearing a white evening gown with a wide belt, black pants, and shoes… then standing on stage while everyone below took pictures with their Kodaks and Polaroids. It felt like I was being forced into a TV audition while everyone stared at me."
She paused before adding, "And... I always have this feeling that something bad is going to happen."
Peter set down his book and looked at her seriously. "What do you mean, Gwen?"
"I don't know... just a weird feeling," she admitted.
After a moment of thought, she explained, "It seems like every school party ends with something bad happening. Remember the Museum of Natural History incident? We nearly got hit by the subway. And before that, Frank's disaster on the football field."
She propped her chin on her hand. "And do you remember the last big game against Stadler?"
Peter hesitated. "Not really."
Gwen sighed. "There was this guy, Bruce Trevor. The week before the championship game, he was cut from the team because someone found a kilo of marijuana in the back of his civics textbook. He swore he was framed.
We ended up losing the game—114 to 56. Our championship hopes were crushed.
But that wasn't what stuck with people. What everyone remembers is the riot that broke out in the fourth quarter. Bruce got into a fight, and things escalated. Four people were injured—one of them was a coach who got knocked out when a first-aid kit was thrown at his head."
Gwen's eyes sparkled with excitement as she recounted the school gossip.
"Ahem… Anyway, that's the same feeling I have now."
She wanted to say she had a bad premonition, but she stopped herself from talking about death. She remembered telling Peter before, "Death always favors Gwen Stacy," and she didn't want to sound so grim again.
"Right," Gwen suddenly remembered something and leaned in. "Our biology teacher changed."
"Changed?"
"Yeah. Miss Susan is on maternity leave," she whispered.
Before she could say more, the bell rang. With a sigh, Gwen returned to her seat.
A sharp click-clack echoed through the hallway as high heels struck the floor.
A moment later, the classroom door swung open.
A tall woman stepped in, immediately capturing the attention of every student.
She wore burgundy velvet shorts and a white silk blouse, highlighting her striking figure. As she walked confidently to the front of the room, her gaze swept over the students.
Excited whistles came from a few of the boys, including Flash Thompson.
The woman, however, remained unfazed. She simply smiled and turned to the board, writing her name in smooth strokes:
Helen Nolan.
"It's nice to see such a warm welcome," she said, her voice carrying a light, teasing tone.
"Miss Nolan, do you have a boyfriend?" Flash blurted out with a smirk.
"Yes, I do," she answered without hesitation, then looked directly at him. "I can introduce him to you."
Flash grinned—until she continued.
"He's a pampered, wealthy, and spoiled 'mommy's boy.' Drives his own Volkswagen or Dodge Charger, wears a high school fraternity windbreaker in the fall and a flashy striped sleeveless vest in the summer. At first, he acts all high and mighty, but soon enough, he's trailing after some pretty girl, hanging on her every word.
People say he's… not exactly a good guy."
The classroom burst into laughter.
Flash's smirk faded as he realized—was she talking about him?
Peter, sitting in the back, frowned. Something felt... off.
At that moment, the alien symbiote inside him reacted.
His heartbeat quickened. A strange heat spread through his chest.
The symbiote had been dormant for a while, but now it stirred.
Was this a warning?
Or had it sensed something—prey, or a predator?
Peter's gaze locked onto the woman at the front of the room.
There was something about her.
She carried a presence that felt eerily similar to Frank's… but even stronger.
His instincts screamed at him to be cautious.
"Alright, class," Miss Nolan said, flipping open her book. "Today, we'll be discussing the relationship between parasitic fungi and their hosts. I think you'll find it… quite interesting."
Her eyes scanned the room, briefly landing on Peter.
His body tensed.
The symbiote's warning pulsed through him.
Who was this woman?
And why did she feel so… dangerous?
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