Capítulo 13: 13. The calling.
Gwen Stacy's Point of View
The past few months had been... strange. Peter had always been a puzzle to me, one that I'd known my whole life but still couldn't quite piece together. And now, with the subtle but noticeable changes in him, he felt like a whole new puzzle, one with jagged edges and missing pieces. Something about him was... different. At first, I thought it was just his usual resilience, maybe just an attempt to keep his head above water, but as weeks passed, it became clear that it was much more than that.
Maybe it had started with Flash Thompson disappearing. No one really knew where Flash had gone, but I could tell that Peter seemed almost relieved. As if a weight had finally lifted off his shoulders, one he'd been carrying for years. He didn't seem haunted anymore, and in place of that haunted look was a new confidence. It wasn't the timid, careful Peter I'd known since middle school—it was a Peter who knew how to stand his ground.
He'd started working out, apparently, and it showed. No longer the scrawny kid who shied away from gym class, Peter could actually keep pace with some of the more athletic students. I remember one day in gym, watching him keep up during laps. A few of the jocks tried to knock him off his game, muttering under their breaths and giving him those dirty looks. But Peter... he either ignored them or, when they pushed, he pushed back. And he did it without fear. He stood up for himself, more articulate and assertive than ever. I'd even heard he'd been sent to the principal's office a few times, but for once, he wasn't the one in trouble.
Principal Morita had started to catch on. Peter was smart—he made sure he presented his side clearly, leaving the other guys fumbling with excuses. And since these weren't the rich kids, like Flash had been, they actually faced consequences. Detention, suspension. Somehow, Peter always got off scot-free. Even with all these changes, though, he still kept to himself. He was always in a corner with his laptop, barely engaging with anyone else.
And yet, sometimes, when I invited him to see my band play, he actually showed up. He'd wave from the back of the room, staying just long enough for me to know he was there, then disappearing before I even had a chance to talk to him. It was like he wanted to be involved, but from a distance.
So it surprised me when he asked me to a Coldplay concert. It was so... out of character. For a moment, I hesitated. But looking at him, with that faintly awkward yet hopeful expression, I couldn't say no.
The concert was incredible. Peter seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself, his face lit up in a way I hadn't seen in so long. As the crowd around us sang along, swaying and cheering, I glanced over at him. He was laughing, his face open, relaxed. This was Peter as I remembered him, before the bitterness and isolation, and seeing him like that... it made me feel things I hadn't felt in a long time.
On the way home, we took the bus, the sounds of the concert still ringing in my ears. We sat quietly for a while, both lost in thought, until I turned to him and blurted out something I'd been holding onto for ages.
"Peter, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for how things have been... between us."
He looked at me, his eyes softening. "It's okay, Gwen. I get it. Everyone has their own stuff to deal with."
"It's just... it all happened around the same time," I continued, my voice almost a whisper. "Your parents, and... my dad and mom splitting up. My mom left, and I just... I didn't know how to handle it. I was too focused on my own mess to notice yours."
Peter nodded, his expression unreadable. "Life's messy like that. But I'm... I'm figuring things out."
In that moment, something shifted between us. I looked at him, really looked at him, and saw a strength I'd never noticed before. He wasn't the fragile, broken kid I'd thought he was. He'd been through so much, but he was standing taller now, more assured. Without thinking, I leaned closer, and our lips met in a soft, tentative kiss.
When we pulled apart, I felt the faintest blush on my cheeks, and it made me smile. He got off with me at my stop, and we held hands as he walked me home. Everything felt simple, natural, like we'd finally found some kind of peace in the chaos of our lives.
As we approached my house, I spotted my dad standing out front, his face lighting up as he saw us. Immediately, I let go of Peter's hand, and my dad raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Did you two have a good time?" he asked, giving Peter a knowing look.
Peter scratched the back of his neck, his usual shyness returning. "Yeah, Mr. Stacy. The concert was... pretty awesome."
Dad nodded, glancing between the two of us. "Good. It's nice to see you two spending time together again. Hope you're keeping up in school, Peter?"
"I am, sir," Peter replied, and I could see the genuine respect in his eyes.
But something shifted, and I felt an uneasy tension in the air. I hadn't noticed it at first, but I sensed... something. It was a prickling at the back of my mind, a feeling of danger, something dark and intense coming from downtown. Dad's phone rang, and I watched as his face darkened, his voice low and serious as he answered.
"Yeah, I'm on my way to the precinct now," he said, his eyes meeting mine, worry etched across his face. "Gwen, it's an emergency. Get inside, lock the doors. I'll explain later."
He glanced at Peter. "You should get home too, Peter. It's not safe tonight."
I swallowed, nodding as my dad hurried to his car and drove off, the sound of sirens echoing from somewhere in the distance. Peter turned to me, his face troubled.
"I'll call you later, okay?" he said softly.
"Yeah... be safe," I replied, watching him as he turned and walked down the street.
As soon as he was out of sight, I rushed inside, my hands shaking as I turned on the TV. The news was already covering the incident downtown—a massive explosion, and what looked like utter chaos in the streets. My breath caught as the camera zoomed in on the rubble, capturing a massive, green creature tearing through the debris, people screaming and running in every direction.
A memory jolted through me—flashes of my childhood, of that terrible September day, and I felt a wave of nausea. My stomach twisted as I remembered my own helplessness back then, the feeling that I was too small to do anything to help.
But now... things were different. Ever since I'd saved that old man, realizing I could have captured that thug if I'd truly used my abilities. I'd been training, pushing myself in secret. My powers, these strange, exhilarating gifts—I needed to understand my limits. I needed to know what I was truly capable of, so that if I was ever in a situation like this... I wouldn't be caught off guard.
Without another thought, I threw on a black hoodie and pulled a ski mask over my face. I climbed out my window, my hands gripping the wall as I scaled it easily, moving swiftly across the rooftops. The explosions and roars were still in the distance, but I could sense the chaos drawing closer.
When I finally reached the scene, I crouched on a rooftop, staring down at the battlefield below. There were two of them now—two monstrous green figures, each one towering and powerful. They were locked in a brutal, destructive battle, and around them, the city was falling apart.
People were trapped, pinned under debris, or injured in the chaos. I felt my senses sharpen, every instinct pushing me forward. I leaped down, moving through the chaos with a newfound agility, dodging falling rubble, sidestepping panicked civilians, and dragging injured people to safety whenever I could. What I now called my spider-sense flared constantly, guiding me, keeping me alert to every piece of danger around me.
A woman lay trapped under a fallen lamppost, her face pale with fear. I dashed over, gripping the edge of the lamppost and lifting it just enough for her to scramble free. She looked up at me, wide-eyed with gratitude, and I nodded before moving on, disappearing into the shadows.
As I darted through the chaos, my senses heightened and my body moving on instinct alone, I felt... alive. This was what I'd been training for, what I'd been preparing myself to do. My powers were no longer a mystery— they were a part of me, a tool I could use to protect, to save.
But I wasn't alone. As I vaulted between buildings, leaping from wall to wall and evading the monstrous fight below, I felt a chill run down my spine. Someone was watching me. I glanced up, scanning the rooftops, and caught sight of a figure standing in the shadows, their gaze fixed intently on me.
For a brief moment, our eyes met. I couldn't see their face, hidden in the darkness, but I felt their presence, felt the weight of their gaze as they observed my every move with unsettling interest.
And then, as quickly as they had appeared, they vanished into the night, leaving me alone in the chaos, the sounds
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder