Am I (Not) a Hero?

[Peter Parker's POV]

"I hate it when she acts like that."

"I can agree with that…" 

I nodded.

"She does it on purpose. She thinks annoying and provoking people will help her in journalism. Her mom, Bethany Brant, works for J. Jonah Jameson, who is just unbearable at work. He's her idol. I doubt a rising journalist should behave like that."

However, what do I know? People do love a little shock news and all that.

"So both she and her mom are nicknamed "Betty"? That's funny… Anyway, let's forget about Elizabeth. So, what was she saying about you staring at me?" 

I couldn't help teasing her.

The classroom was pretty noisy, and many people from other classes had gathered around Flash's table as always happened during recess. 

Nobody was paying attention to us, but Jessica spoke so quietly that I had to listen intently with my enhanced senses.

"It's not what you think, um…"

She mumbled, unsure where to look.

"It's just… how do I put this… when you're writing in your notebook or reading a book, you have this... inspiration, interested look on your face that makes me want to study too… It's become sort of a habit… I'm not a stalker or a freak. You don't think I'm weird now, do you?" 

She asked softly, with sadness and anxiety in her eyes.

"Please tell me I'm not weird."

Honestly, it was a pretty awkward confession because I wouldn't know how to respond to that. 

How should I react? 

"No, not really." 

I waved it off. 

"It's a bit awkward to hear but mostly flattering. To be honest, I just can't see myself through your eyes. Not at all."

I pointed my thumb behind me.

"I have a guy who has been bullying me for nine years straight for no reason at all. Hearing that I motivate someone… honestly, it raises my self-esteem to an unprecedented level." 

I smiled at her.

"So… if something makes you happy and inspires you, keep doing it. Friends don't mind doing little things for each other. At this point, we're at least friends."

She blushed and covered her face with her hands, resting her head on the desk.

"Thank you… But, oh God, why did I have to say something so embarrassing to you?" 

She whispered.

"Well, it's my fault for asking. Since we're in the moment of unexpected confessions, what about those dreamy sighs?"

I grinned playfully to distract her.

Still covering her face with one hand, she hit me on the shoulder.

"Oh, come on, she made it all up."

"Alright, alright. I'll take your word for it." 

I leaned closer to her ear and whispered.

"You can take my picture and put it on your desk if you want. I don't know where all this confidence is coming from today, but please, someone stop me already."

The feeling of danger slowed time again, and her elbow shot toward my solar plexus, but I caught it gently with my hand.

"If I had known you would tease me, I would never have told you anything." 

She said, sounding offended.

"Sorry, sorry, but when will I get a chance to tease a girl who blushes so easily again? I won't do it anymore." 

I promised her. 

Naturally, I crossed my fingers behind my back. 

Who do you think I am?

The bell rang, and the students dispersed to their classrooms and desks.

The school was the same familiar school where nothing unusual happened. 

I felt nauseous a few times from the heightened reactions when I concentrated too much on something, but overall, everything was good.

Even Flash was still ignoring me.

The last bell of the day rang, and the students began to head home. 

I had been waiting for this for so long. God, thank you.

"Peter, maybe it's better not to?" 

Jessica held my wrist, trying to dissuade me from going to the showdown.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing." 

I smiled confidently.

"You saw how I took down Kong this morning? As Ozborn Jr. says: everything will be alright."

"You know Flash; he won't hold back. He's definitely going to leave you crippled." 

Jessica said nervously.

"First of all, no, he wouldn't go to jail even for me. And secondly, just come with me and watch how I wipe the floor with him."

I took her hand and dragged her toward the parking lot.

"Alright, alright, let go of my hand, please." 

She asked.

We arrived at a not-so-clean spot where a crowd had already formed a decent-sized arena.

"Why are there so many people? This is a fight, not a rap battle." 

I asked as I stepped into the ring.

"Everyone's waiting to see how I'm going to pull your underwear over your head and make you cry, Pete." 

Someone in the crowd whistled in support of Flash.

"Or how I'm suddenly going to make you pick your teeth off the ground."

I spread my arms.

One of his buddies shouted.

"Hit him, Flash!" 

I ducked to avoid a punch aimed at my head and stepped left, now right, twisting my body a little. 

It was so easy that I couldn't help but laugh.

"How are you doing this, damn it? Are you on drugs?"

"That's secret." 

I smiled, continuing to dodge.

"Stop dodging and let me knock the crap out of you."

"Stop being such a fucking asshole and leave me alone." 

I shot back.

"No? Is it too humiliating that you can't even hit pathetic Parker?"

Gradually, he was getting tired, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. 

I glanced at his right fist as it came rushing toward my face. 

Stepping left again, I delivered a swift kick to his backside, sending him crashing to the ground. 

That must have been hurt, probably.

"That was a demo version of how I'm going to hit you. Don't you want to just give up?.

The crowd was cheering for Flash, but there were also a few brave souls shouting. 

"Come on, Parker!"

Flash got back on his feet, breathing like a horse at a race.

"H-ha… that was just a "demo version"… h-ha… your life just ended, Parker…" 

Flash panted heavily, pointing a finger at me.

"Get ready to eat through a straw for the next month, Pity."

"Alright, that sounded cool. I'll remember that line."

He lunged at me again, but I decided to end the show by hitting him in the stomach. 

In slow motion, it was freaking epic, lifting him a couple of centimeters off the ground. 

Of course, the punch was as weak as possible, and I didn't want to actually kill him. 

Well, I wanted to, but not badly enough to go through with it. 

I didn't need any problems, nor did I want any noticeable injuries that he couldn't hide from his parents especially from his dad. 

It would not be necessary to suspend and compensate him for causing too much damage. 

Ugh, not that school, not that neighborhood.

He gasped for air, folding over and dropping to the ground, gasping and clutching his injured spot. 

I hope I didn't rupture anything important.

The crowd fell silent, and the performance reached its climax.

"Y-you bastard, Parker." 

He gasped in pain.

"Just don't crap yourself, Flash, I sincerely beg you." 

I chuckled as I slowly approached him.

"Nine years… Seriously, we've known each other since first grade! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

I pressed my foot down on his chest, pinning him to the ground so hard his eyes bulged.

"If you don't leave me and my friends alone, I'll leave you a cripple for the rest of your days. You'll only be able to touch your beloved basketball in your wet dreams. Do you understand me?"

He nodded weakly, and I released him. He struggled to roll onto his stomach to get up while his friends rushed around, trying to help.

I turned to the crowd and tried to disperse them.

"Move along. This isn't a circus or an MMA fight." 

Flash's fans moaned in disappointment and began to disperse.

"If anyone has a problem with that, I can take you on too."

The threat worked, and people actually started to clear out faster. 

A small group of nerds, geeks, and just unfortunate souls stood apart from the rest of the crowd and roared in my honor. 

There were some simply stunned and clapped while others whistled and shouted something joyful.

I approached Jessica, who was looking at me with a confused expression. 

She was mindlessly shifting her gaze from the fallen Flash to me.

"How did you like the show?"

The adrenaline was definitely starting to mess with my head, but I thought I was controlling myself well. 

It's nothing too out of the ordinary.

Flash had nothing broken, he wasn't vomiting blood, and he could move on his own. 

I did great, even if I was a bit too merciful.

'Not my bully, but Peter's. I need to keep that distinction, even if I'm him now.'

"Just… how did you do that?" 

She asked.

"A hundred push-ups, hundred sit-ups, hundred squats, and a ten-kilometer run with proper nutrition strictly three times a day. But the most important thing is discipline… and anime."

I spread my arms and laughed, looking at her who was almost convinced by my words.

She furrowed her brow comically and hit me on the arm again. If I had felt anything this morning, now her hits felt no different from simple taps.

"I'm serious, how? Are you on some drugs?" 

She frowned.

"If I had drugs that could help me beat Flash, I'd sell them to every loser in our school." 

She continued to frown.

"Just kidding, selling drugs to kids is bad."

"Normally, I would agree, but I'd buy those drugs myself." 

A chubby kid with a double chin and a red cap approached me.

"How did you manage to take him down? What's the secret?"

"There's no secret, just a little training on my reflexes, years of bullying, and a sea of hopelessness." 

I sighed.

"You ask me as if I lifted him into the air and choked him with telekinesis. Just a bit of agility, luck, and most importantly." 

I put on a serious face.

"A confident look."

"Training, huh? I wish I could just snap his neck with telekinesis." 

He shook his head.

"We can only dream." 

I shrugged and extended my hand.

"Peter Parker, by the way."

"Ned Leeds. Nice to meet you, the hero of the day." 

He shook my hand with a smirk.

"You're aiming too low. I'm at least the hero of this life, and today, my nine-year character development has reached its climax and ended in a brilliant pinnacle."

"I humbly ask to be accepted into the party, hero. Although I'm not physically impressive, in terms of intellect, I'm an OP character."

"Oh, here we go… The nerds are getting into their groove." 

Jessica rolled her eyes. 

"Go rent a room and collect LEGO."

"Come on, admit it, that was epic." 

I replied.

"Yeah, especially when you stepped on him at the end, with your hands in your pockets. Were you trying to act like someone?" 

He asked with sparkling eyes.

"Of course not; I'm not some pathetic chunibyo." 

I smirked, and I understood his nod.

The only respected representatives of that condition were Okabe Rintarou and Fischl; everyone else was not worth mentioning.

"Alright, let's call it a day with the heroics. Heading home?"

We said our goodbyes and parted ways, but I hadn't planned to go home yet. 

I needed to test my abilities and stop by the shops. 

...

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