âWe're never beating the allegationsâ â Megan Skiendiel
[ Tangled Webs & Netballs â Megan Skiendiel ]
chapter one || Masterlist || chapter two
â #Synopsis :: She carries your netball bag like it weighs nothing. You notice how tall sheâs gotten. A peek into her double life â shy nerd by day, masked hero by night. You bring Megan to your netball scrimmage.
Sheâs sitting courtside, trying not to stare too long when you tie your hair. Meganâs out patrolling rooftops, whispering your name into the night sky, wondering if sheâll ever have the courage to tell you the truth.
â #Paring :: G!P Megan Skiendiel x Fem!Reader
â #warning :: Jealousy, light angst, emotional vulnerability.
â #A/N :: First chap, how do yâall think this is going?? ( leave ur comment down below~ đđ¶ )
â#Taglist :: @riris-heart @wtfisthisnoclueman @urm0onagedaydream @bookkeepersnook @levilash @dreamingst99 @sofaiscomfy @ironpenguinwombat @love-manon @sp1derbutch @kristalag @love-manon @vivilvr @tehesamueltehe @kimmeiy
The whistle blows across the court, sharp and echoing against the metal rafters of the gym. Sweat slides down your temples, and your sneakers squeak as you skid to a stop, chest heaving from the final play. The coach claps, calling out scores and praise, but your focus drifts toward the edge of the bleachers where she always waits.
Megan Skiendiel â your best friend since before either of you could tie your shoelaces â is leaning against the wall, bag slung lazily over one shoulder, glasses slipping down her nose. Her hoodieâs too big, sleeves swallowing her hands, and her hairâs a wild golden-brown mess like she just rolled out of bed. Sheâs smiling, of course. She always smiles when she sees you, that easy grin that never quite reaches her eyes until you wave.
âHey, superstar,â she calls out, voice carrying through the half-empty court. âStill undefeated, huh?â
You roll your eyes, snatching your water bottle and tossing her a grin. âYou make it sound like Iâm on a world tour, not a high school netball team.â
âSame thing,â she shoots back. âCrowds, sweat, people screaming your name. Only difference is you donât get paid for it.â
Her teasingâs effortless, but thereâs something in her tone that softens when you step close. She shifts, adjusting her glasses, and you catch how her gaze lingers a second too long on the curve of your smile before she looks away. Itâs subtle â the kind of thing youâve learned to ignore, chalked up to your imagination or Megan just being her usual awkward self.
You toss your bag at her feet. âHere, strongwoman. Carry that for me?â
She groans dramatically but lifts it anyway like itâs made of feathers. Her forearms flex under her hoodie, and for some reason, that small detail makes your throat tighten. You blink it away. Meganâs been helping you since forever â walking you home, carrying your stuff, defending you from the occasional jerk. Thatâs what friends do. Right?
âSee? I knew you were built for servitude,â you tease.
âOr maybe youâre just spoiled,â she retorts, nudging your shoulder as you leave the gym. âYouâve got everyone wrapped around your finger.â
She snorts. âYeah, right.â
But her voice dips, quiet, like it means more than she wants to admit.
The late afternoon air smells like cut grass and asphalt. You walk side by side, sneakers scuffing the pavement in sync. The sun sits low, painting the street gold. You pass familiar corners â the convenience store you used to raid for snacks, the cracked sidewalk where she fell off her skateboard in Year Seven. She still has the faint scar on her chin, though youâre the only one who ever notices it.
âYou spaced out again,â Megan murmurs.
You blink. âDid not.â
She laughs softly, shaking her head. âYou always do that when youâre thinking too hard.â
You narrow your eyes. âYou watching me that closely?â
âMaybe,â she says, and for once, she doesnât try to make it a joke.
Her honesty throws you off balance. You look away, focusing on the rhythm of your steps, on the hum of the city around you â cars in the distance, wind in the trees. She always walks a little slower than you, matching your pace, as if making sure you never have to catch up. Itâs something sheâs done since childhood â unnoticed, but constant.
You reach a crossing light, waiting for the signal. A group of classmates passes by, giggling. You catch snippets of their whispers:
âTheyâre always together.â
âHonestly, they look good.â
You roll your eyes and whisper to Megan, âWeâre not beating the allegations.â
Megan nearly chokes on air. âAâallegations?â
You grin, watching her cheeks turn red. âOf us being together.â
Her mouth opens, then closes again. âLet them think what they want.â
âOh?â you tease, leaning in. âNot denying it this time?â
She looks at you â really looks. The fading sunlight catches her eyes, turning them molten honey behind her glasses. âMaybe Iâm tired of pretending Iâd mind.â
You freeze, heartbeat stumbling. She laughs it off before you can reply, brushing hair from her face. âKidding, kidding. You know me â professional comedian.â
You exhale slowly. âYouâre terrible at it.â
âYeah,â she says softly. âI know.â
By the time you reach the park near your neighborhood, the airâs cooling down. You stop at the swings out of habit â itâs where youâve always paused, ever since you were kids. Megan sits on the one beside you, bag still slung on her lap. The chains creak as you both sway gently back and forth.
You glance over. Sheâs staring at the sunset, but her fingers are fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. Youâve seen her do that before big tests, before she lied to her parents about bruises that looked a little too suspicious for someone as gentle as her. Youâve never asked. You figured if it mattered, sheâd tell you.
âYou okay?â you ask quietly.
She nods. âYeah. Just tired.â
âYouâve been tired a lot lately.â
âGuess Iâm not built for socializing,â she jokes.
âYou literally only hang out with me.â
The words hang between you. You let them, too aware of the warmth spreading across your chest.
Then, without thinking, you reach over to flick a leaf from her hair. She flinches slightly â not from fear, but surprise â and your fingers graze her temple. Itâs such a small touch, but it feels like an electrical spark. Her breath catches. Your eyes meet.
Sheâs the one who breaks it. âYouâve got⊠really small hands,â she murmurs, instantly regretting it as your eyebrows shoot up.
âWow. Smooth recovery.â
âI was trying to say delicate! But that sounded worse.â
You laugh, bright and uncontrollable, and she hides her face in her hoodie, groaning. âI swear, Iâm better with words when youâre not around.â
âThatâs not saying much.â
She chuckles, her shoulders relaxing. The awkwardness fades into something softer â something like safety. This is what itâs always been like: teasing that never hurts, silences that never feel empty.
As you stand to leave, Megan automatically takes your bag again. You donât even ask this time.
âYou donât have to carry it,â you say.
âI know,â she answers simply, like itâs the most natural thing in the world.
And you realize â for her, it is.
The walk home grows quieter as the sky deepens into twilight. Streetlights hum to life. You talk about your next match, about how Daniela missed half her shots, about how your sneakers need replacing. Megan listens, nodding, offering her occasional âmhmsâ and soft laughs. She doesnât fill silence for the sake of it â she never has â but when she speaks, itâs always to make you smile.
When you reach your house, she stops at the gate, handing back your bag. Her fingers brush yours again. This time, you both notice.
You think sheâs about to say something â her mouth opens, her chest rising like sheâs catching courage. But then she spots your momâs silhouette at the window and takes a half-step back.
âSee you tomorrow?â she says instead.
You nod, forcing a smile. âYeah. Same walk home.â
âSame walk home,â she repeats, softer this time, almost like a promise.
She lingers a second too long before turning away. You watch her go â tall, slouched, hoodie pulled up. From the back, she looks every bit the harmless nerd people think she is. But something about her stride tonight feels different â heavier, maybe, like sheâs carrying more than just your netball bag.
Inside, you drop your gear and collapse onto your bed. You should be thinking about training drills or your upcoming match, but your mind keeps circling back to her â to her laugh, to the look she gave you at the swing, to that stupid line about your hands.
You cover your face with a pillow and groan.
Why did it feel like more?
You and Megan have always been close. Too close, according to others. Youâve brushed off every rumor, every raised eyebrow, but now⊠youâre not sure why your pulse had jumped when she said she didnât mind the dating rumors.
And you donât want to admit how right that might feel.
Across the street, Megan sits in her room, hoodie still damp with your perfume. She stares at the window facing yours, watching your shadow move. Her chest tightens.
She shouldnât want this. She shouldnât think about you like that. Youâre her best friend â the one constant in a life full of secrets, bruises, and rooftop chases. Sheâs supposed to protect you, not crave the way your hand felt against her skin.
She sighs, lifting her glasses to rub her eyes. A faint red mark sits on her wrist â a burn from earlier, hidden beneath her sleeve. The memory flashes: the crack of impact, the sting of web fluid still drying as she swung across town after a last-minute rescue.
No one can know. Especially you.
If you ever found out she was Spider-Man⊠she doesnât know if youâd still look at her the same.
The next morning, sheâs at your door before sunrise, same hoodie, same nervous grin. You blink at her from behind the half-open door, still in your pajamas.
âMegan⊠itâs 6:30.â
âYeah, but I brought breakfast.â She holds up two paper bags like an offering. âBribery for forgiveness?â
You sigh but smile anyway. âYouâre insane.â
âCorrect. But a thoughtful kind of insane.â
You pull her inside. The smell of fresh croissants fills the air. You sit cross-legged on the floor, sharing bites, laughing over crumbs. Her glasses fog slightly from the heat of your tea. She looks⊠happy. Genuinely.
You realize she doesnât look tired this morning â not the way she usually does. Maybe she actually slept. Or maybe, you think, sheâs just good at pretending.
After breakfast, you walk to school together again. The streets are still quiet, sunlight soft on the pavement. When you reach the crosswalk, she glances down at you. You look up at the same time, eyes locking â both of you caught mid-smile.
You should say something â a joke, anything â but words feel too fragile.
Megan clears her throat. âYou, uh, have jam on your lip.â
You roll your eyes, wiping it off, but she stops you with a thumb across your lower lip, gentle and quick. Your heart trips.
She pulls back instantly, stammering, âSorryâjustâreflex.â
You blink, feeling your face flush. âYouâre weird.â
âYeah,â she says quietly. âOnly around you.â
That night, lying in bed, you replay it all. Her voice, her grin, that fleeting touch.
Outside your window, the city hums. Somewhere out there, a web cuts through the night sky, swinging between rooftops â unseen, untouchable, familiar.
And you have no idea that the same girl you just canât stop thinking about is the one saving strangers in the dark, heart pounding not from danger, but from how close she came to confessing today.
The next day, youâll walk home together again. Same steps, same laughs. Same warmth sheâll never quite be able to hide.
And for now â neither of you says a word.
Because this is how itâs always been.
Because neither of you wants to risk changing it.
The city never really sleeps. It just humsâsoft and electricâunder the weight of everything unspoken.
Megan Skiendiel sits cross-legged on her floor, half-dismantled gadgets scattered around her like metallic confetti. The single desk lamp paints the room in gold and shadow, glinting off the cracked lenses of her spare glasses. Outside, the streetlights blink against the fog. Inside, the only sounds are the quiet whirr of a soldering pen and the low rhythm of her own breathing.
To anyone else, her room is just the lair of a socially awkward genius: physics posters, a broken gaming console, a pile of comic books, and the unmistakable scent of solder and coffee. But beneath the clutter hides something extraordinary.
A pair of web-shooters rests open on the floorâsilver, elegant, patched with wiring she scavenged from an old drone. Beside them sits her mask: red fabric, lenses smudged from too many late nights.
Megan adjusts a tiny valve, wipes the sweat from her brow, and mutters, âPlease donât explode again.â
The valve hisses, catches, and stabilizes with a soft click.
âThank you,â she whispers, as if the device itself deserves gratitude.
She used to count them like trophies. Now they just feel like reminders.
She leans back against the wall and exhales. Her hoodie rides up slightly, revealing faint bruises that paint her ribs in shades of blue and violet. Each one tells a story: a rescue gone wrong, a missed web, a night where she wasnât fast enough.
Megan smiles before she can stop herself. Her fingers hover over the keyboard, then type back,
Another message pops up almost instantly.
Her heart squeezes. You always text like thisâsharp, funny, effortless. She saves every message without meaning to.
She stares at the screen until it goes dark, your name reflected faintly in her glasses. âGreat,â she murmurs. âNow Iâm smiling at pixels. Totally normal.â
She puts the phone down and pulls the mask onto her lap. Itâs lighter than it looks. Sometimes she wishes it were heavierâsomething solid enough to ground her, to keep her from drifting into feelings sheâs not supposed to have.
Because being Spider-Man is dangerous enough.
But loving you? Thatâs the real risk.
She thinks about your hand brushing hers after practice, the way you said her name like it meant something. Meganâs fought thieves, stopped car crashes, survived skyscraper fallsâbut nothing makes her chest ache like remembering that moment.
She laughs softly to herself, then stands. The cityâs waiting.
By the time she reaches the rooftop, the world below is a mosaic of headlights and noise. Wind whips through her hair as she pulls the mask over her face and breathes in the familiar scent of sweat and latex.
The transformation is instant.
The nervous, mumbling Megan disappears.
Spider-Man takes her place.
She tests the web-shooters, flicking her wrist. The web fluid arcs across the rooftop with a satisfying thwip, catching a billboard support. She tugs; it holds. Perfect.
For a heartbeat sheâs weightlessânothing but motion and sky. The city opens beneath her, glittering like a sea of stars. Every swing cuts through the wind, slicing silence into ribbons.
Itâs freedom. The only place she can exist without stuttering, without worrying if she said too much or looked too long.
Down below, she spots a blur of motion: a mugger, a terrified pedestrian, a spilled purse scattering across the pavement. She dives, web shooting out with precision. The muggerâs legs snap together mid-stride, and he hits the ground with a startled yell.
âFriendly neighborhood loser,â she quips as she lands, voice distorted through the mask. âTry harder next time.â
The rescued woman stares in awe. âT-thank you! Who are you?â
âJust a fan of justice and cheap hoodies,â she replies before swinging away.
She doesnât stay for thanks. She never does. Heroism feels hollow when her mind keeps drifting back to you, wondering if youâre already asleep, if youâre dreaming, if your pillow still smells faintly like that peach shampoo you use.
Itâs past midnight when she finally returns home. Her muscles ache, and her palms are raw from friction burns. She lands silently on her balcony and slips through the window, pulling the mask off as the world shrinks back down to four cramped walls.
Her reflection in the mirror is a contradiction: tangled hair, tired eyes, and a faint smile she canât explain. She looks like two people trying to exist in the same body.
She peels off the suit, tosses it in a laundry basket already overflowing with secrets, and stares at herself. The bruises, the scratches, the faint red line along her jawâall reminders that the city needs Spider-Man.
But sheâs starting to realize she needs someone too.
She picks up a photo from her deskâan old one from when you were both ten. Youâre wearing a netball bib thatâs way too big for you; sheâs in a hoodie two sizes too small, pretending to look serious. Youâre laughing so hard your eyes are half-closed. She can still hear that sound, bright and unfiltered, echoing in her head every time sheâs close to giving up.
âYouâd kill me if you knew,â she whispers to the photo. âAnd Iâd still tell you everything just to see you smile.â
Morning arrives like it always doesâtoo soon, too bright.
Megan wakes to her alarm vibrating under a pillow. Her arms feel heavy, but she forces herself up. Glasses on. Hoodie over. Spider-Man to student in under ten seconds.
She checks her phone. Thereâs a text from you:
Her breath catches. Three words, harmless to anyone else, but to her they mean everything.
A reason to get through the day.
She types back, always. Then deletes it. Too much. Too honest.
When she steps outside, the morning light hits her face, and for a second she lets herself imagine what it would be like to walk beside you without secrets. To reach out, take your hand, and not flinch at the thought of what youâd say if you knew the truth.
But thatâs not her world. Her world is split between rooftops and classrooms, between courage and fear.
As she starts her walk to school, she hums under her breathâsomething to fill the silence, something that sounds like your laugh when you say her name.
The court smells like resin, sweat, and echoing noise. Sneakers scrape against polished wood, whistles shriek, and someone calls your name just as the ball arcs through the air. You jumpâmuscles taut, hands closing around it with practiced ease. The familiar rhythm of netball pulses through you, grounding you in the moment. Pass, pivot, shoot. Itâs all instinct now.
You hear the satisfying swish of the goal, the burst of applause from your teammatesâand then your eyes find her.
Megan Skiendiel, sitting awkwardly courtside, hoodie hood half-up, glasses slipping down her nose, pretending to scroll through her phone while clearly watching you.
She doesnât belong in this noisy, bright space. Not because she couldnâtâsheâs built like someone who could dominate any sport she wantedâbut because sheâs so quiet about it, so understated, that she just fades into the edges. Yet you spot her instantly every time.
You call for a time-out and jog to the sidelines, panting. âYouâre supposed to be cheering, loser.â
She looks up, startled, caught in the act of staring. âIâI was! Quietly. Internal cheering.â
You smirk, wiping sweat from your forehead. âYeah? That why your mouthâs been hanging open for the last five minutes?â
Her face explodes into color. âIâitâs concentration! I was watching your form.â
âMmhmm,â you hum, grabbing your water bottle. âProud dad energy. Youâve got it bad.â
Megan chokes on air. âWhatâno! Donât say thatâwait, what does that even mean?!â
You shrug, grinning as you take a sip. âYou just⊠look at me like you built me in a lab or something.â
She rubs the back of her neck, mumbling, âYeah, well. Guess Iâm just proud of myâuhâbest friend.â
You roll your eyes. âRight. Thatâs all.â
But the teasing loses some of its edge when you catch how sheâs still looking at youâfond, slightly dazed, like sheâs memorizing every move.
When practice resumes, you steal glances at her between plays. Sheâs sitting cross-legged now, elbows on her knees, watching the ball fly across the court. Every time you score, she smilesânot big, not showy, just a small upturn that feels private. Youâd almost miss it if you didnât already know her so well.
Your teammate Lara elbows you during a break. âYour little fanâs still staring.â
âSheâs notââ you start, but Laraâs smirk is impossible to fight.
âSure. And Iâm the Queen of England.â
You snort, shaking your head, but thereâs a warmth crawling up your neck you canât quite control.
When the final whistle blows, the scrimmage dissolves into laughter, stretching, and the shuffling of shoes. Megan stands awkwardly near the exit, as if unsure if sheâs supposed to approach. You wave her over.
âCome on, mascot. You survived two hours of boredom, you deserve a medal.â
She walks up, grinning. âYou think this is boring? Watching you annihilate a bunch of people? Please. Thatâs entertainment.â
You arch a brow. âYou were watching.â
âOf course I was.â She hesitates, then adds, âYouâre⊠good.â
You catch her toneâlow, sincere, almost reverent. It knocks something loose inside your chest. You clear your throat, shoving her shoulder lightly. âStop being weird.â
âNot weird! Just factual!â
But when you look up at her, her grin softens, like she knows exactly what sheâs doing to you.
By the time youâve showered and packed up, the sky outside has turned a moody grey. Clouds gather thickly over the school gates, the scent of rain sharp in the air. You and Megan walk side by side under the flickering streetlights, your bag slung over her shoulder as always.
âHey,â you say, glancing up. âYou didnât have to carry that.â
âI know,â she replies. âI wanted to.â
âStill gonna call you my pack mule.â
âBetter than being called a proud dad.â
You grin. âThat one fits though.â
She groans. âYouâre never letting that go, are you?â
Thunder grumbles in the distance, a low vibration in the air. You both pause at the crossing, staring up at the clouds like they might change their minds.
Megan glances at you. âYou didnât bring an umbrella, did you?â
You blink. âDid you?â
She sighs, rummaging through her bag. ââŠNo.â
The first drops fallâgentle at first, then harder, heavier, until the streetâs shimmering under silver rain. You both squeal and sprint toward the nearest awning, laughing breathlessly. Water splashes against your legs, dampens your hair. Meganâs hoodie darkens instantly, plastering against her arms.
You duck under the small shelter of a bus stop, clutching your sides from laughing. âOh my god, weâre idiots.â
âCorrection: youâre the idiot. Iâm just the unfortunate bystander.â
You nudge her with your shoulder. âYou mean the heroic carrier of bags?â
She grins. âThat too.â
You stand there, dripping, shivering slightly, and she doesnât hesitate before tugging her hoodie over your head too, pulling you close under its canopy.
Itâs warm. The air between you humsâquiet, charged, soft.
You can hear her breathing. Slow, steady, like sheâs afraid to move. Her armâs around you now, tentative at first, then firmer when you donât pull away. Your head rests against her shoulder, and for a moment, neither of you are sure what to do with how right it feels.
The city fades out around youâthe sound of rain muffled, the world distant. Just the warmth of her body, the faint scent of soap and fabric softener, the quiet rhythm of her pulse where your cheek touches her.
You tilt your head slightly, catching her profile. Her jawâs tight, her eyes forward, like sheâs trying to act normal.
âYou okay?â you whisper.
She nods, voice low. âYeah. Justâtrying not to move too fast.â
You laugh softly. âWhy?â
âBecause then youâll realize how close we are and shove me into traffic.â
You smile, your voice teasing but faintly breathless. âI wouldnât shove you.â
You look up at her, eyes catching hers under the hoodieâs shadow. âNah. Youâd just deserve it.â
Her lips twitch. âFair.â
But she doesnât move away. And you donât either.
The rain eventually slows, the clouds thinning to mist. Youâre still standing there, pressed together beneath the oversized hoodie, your bag at her feet, your fingers brushing her sleeve.
When the silence stretches too long, she clears her throat. âYou know, if anyone saw us right nowââ
âTheyâd think we were dating?â you finish for her.
She swallows hard. âYeah.â
You smirk. âWeâre really not beating the allegations.â
Her laughâs quiet, nervous, but genuine. âGuess not.â
You meet her eyes again, and for a secondâjust one heartbeatâyou think she might lean closer. But then a bus splashes past, spraying both of you with cold water. You squeal, she curses, and just like that, the spell breaks. You shove her lightly, and she laughs so hard it makes you laugh too.
âCome on,â she says, still grinning. âIâll walk you the rest of the way.â
âStill gonna share the hoodie?â you tease.
âOnly if you promise not to call me your dad again.â
You roll your eyes but tuck yourself back under her arm anyway.
The two of you walk home like that, warm against the cold, laughing through the rainâtwo silhouettes that look far too much like a couple for either of you to deny it anymore.
Megan keeps her head turned slightly away, hoping you donât see the flush creeping up her neck, the small, private smile she canât hold back.
And for the first time, you donât pretend not to notice.
By the time you both reach your street, the rainâs more drizzle than storm. Your hairâs damp, your shoes squelch faintly with every step, and Meganâs hoodieâstill slung over both your headsâsmells like her. Soap, paper, faint metalâsomething oddly electric that clings to her skin after late nights working on âprojectsâ she never talks about.
She keeps your bag hoisted over one shoulder, your arm looped under hers like itâs second nature. You can tell sheâs fighting not to make it weird.
You, meanwhile, are fighting not to think about how warm she feels.
âYou couldâve just waited for the bus,â she says, tone too casual.
You shrug. âAnd let my chauffeur walk home alone? Please.â
âIâm not your chauffeur.â
âYou literally are. You carry my stuff, walk me home, buy me snacks, and now youâre my rain shelter. Megan, thatâs a full job description.â
She exhales, half a laugh, half a sigh. âYeah, well, guess Iâm justââ
She cuts herself off, words sticking in her throat. You donât push. You just nudge her side lightly.
âGuess youâre just what?â
Her eyes flick toward you, searching, unsure. âJust⊠used to it.â
Thereâs a softness in her tone that makes your chest tighten. You look away first, pretending to focus on the puddles catching the streetlight. âUsed to taking care of me?â
âUsed to being with you,â she murmurs, so quietly itâs almost lost to the rain.
You pretend you didnât hear. But your pulse betrays you.
When you reach your house, the lights are offâyour parents are away for the weekend, which means the house is empty. You donât realize until youâre standing on the porch that Megan hasnât left your side once.
She hesitates, glancing at the windows. âYou, uh⊠alone tonight?â
âYeah,â you say, unlocking the door. âWhy?â
âNo reason. Justâmaking sure youâre not gonna get murdered by a lightning bolt or something.â
You grin. âYou offering to protect me?â
She raises a brow. âWouldnât be the first time.â
You squint at her, playful. âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
She freezes, realizing what sheâs said, then backtracks instantly. âNothing! I meanâmetaphorically! Like, you knowâblocking you from a flying netball or something.â
You toss her a towel once youâre inside. She stands awkwardly by the door, dripping onto the mat, her hoodie clinging to her frame. The fabric outlines her shoulders, her arms, the kind of definition thatâs easy to miss when sheâs in loose clothes. For a supposed nerd, sheâs built.
âSit,â you say, grabbing two mugs. âIâm making tea.â
She obeys, perching at the edge of your couch like itâs a crime scene. You chuckle, shaking your head. âYou look terrified.â
âIâm not terrified,â she insists, pushing her glasses up. âJust⊠cautious.â
You hand her a mug. âCautious of what?â
âYeah.â Her mouth curves, a small smile. âYouâre dangerous.â
You laugh, setting your cup down. âYouâre so dramatic.â
âTell that to everyone who thinks weâre dating.â
You roll your eyes but hide your smile behind your mug. âWeâre really not beating the allegations tonight.â
âNope,â she says softly, voice warm with something unspoken.
Hours later, the rain starts againâharder this time. Thunder rolls over the rooftops, and the living room fills with the faint flicker of lightning. Youâre both sitting on the couch now, shoulders brushing, a blanket tossed carelessly over your laps.
Youâve been watching old highlight reels of your games on your phone. Meganâs half-asleep beside you, head tilted toward the back of the couch. When the next thunderclap rattles the windows, she startlesâand you end up laughing.
âWow,â you tease. âSpider-sense not working?â
Her eyes flick toward youâfast, almost sharpâand for half a second, she freezes.
You laugh again, oblivious. âI mean, your sixth sense, Miss Overthinker.â
She relaxes instantly, chuckling weakly. âRight. My sixth sense.â
If only you knew how close you were.
You lean into her side a little more, scrolling absently. âYou really donât have to stay, you know. I can handle a storm.â
She shakes her head. âNah. Iâll crash on the couch. Just in case.â
âIn case you get scared.â
You snort. âYouâd like that, huh? Me clinging to you for dear life?â
Her grin fades, replaced by something softer. âYeah,â she says quietly. âI think I would.â
Your breath catches, the air thickening between you. You open your mouth to joke it awayâbut the words die on your tongue.
Itâs past midnight when the movie you werenât really watching ends. The room glows faintly from the TVâs screensaver, blue light painting soft shadows across Meganâs face. Her glasses are off now, her hair messy from where sheâs run her hands through it too many times. Without the glasses, her eyes are clearerâsharper, greener than you remember.
She glances at you. âYou tired?â
You shrug, curling deeper into the blanket. âA little.â
âGo to bed,â she murmurs. âIâll clean up.â
You hesitate. âYouâll actually stay?â
You smile, small but real. âOkay.â
But you donât move. You just sit there, both of you silent for a long moment. The only sound is the rain tapping against the windows and your heart hammering in your ears.
You whisper, âYou ever think about it?â
âHow weird itâd be if people were right. About us.â
Meganâs head tilts slightly. âYou mean⊠dating?â
She studies you for a long, long second. Her throat bobs as she swallows. âYeah,â she says finally, voice barely a whisper. âI think about it a lot.â
The words hang in the air like static. You look at her, trying to read her faceâbut sheâs already turning away, pretending to stretch, changing the subject.
âGo get some sleep,â she says. âYouâve got practice tomorrow.â
You want to say somethingâask her what she meantâbut your courage dissolves when you see the flicker of panic in her eyes. So you just nod and stand up, your chest tight, your mind spinning.
âNight,â she says softly.
And as you walk upstairs, she sits there alone, staring at the empty mug in her handsâheart pounding, secrets locked behind her steady breathing.
You wake up once in the middle of the night to the sound of thunder and footsteps. The clock reads 2:47 a.m.
Downstairs, you glimpse a shadow through the half-open doorâMegan, standing near the window, her phone in hand, the light from it casting strange reflections over her face. Sheâs muttering something under her breath, low and urgent.
Before you can speak, you see it: a faint shimmer near her wrist, a flick of silver web-thread disappearing into her palm.
She freezes, as if she felt your eyes on her, but doesnât turn around. Then she steps out into the rain, hoodie pulled up, vanishing into the dark street like a phantom.
You stand there, staring at the door she just slipped through, your heart pounding with confusion and adrenaline.
When she returns an hour later, soaked to the bone, she finds you asleep on the couch where she left youâblanket pulled around your shoulders, the faintest crease between your brows.
She kneels beside you, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face. Her hand trembles. Her whisper is barely audible under the fading storm.
âYou canât ever find out,â she murmurs. âNot yet.â
And neither of you will ever be the same after tonight.
The court smells like sunscreen and summer again. Practice runs late, the sky a hazy watercolor of gold and violet as the sun dips behind the gym roof. Youâre leaning against the fence, gulping from your water bottle when Daniela strolls up, twirling the ball in one hand.
âSo,â she starts casually, âyou and Megan â whenâs the wedding?â
You snort. âShut up.â
âIâm serious.â Daniela smirks, squinting into the fading light. âShe carries your bag, brings you snacks, waits after every practice, walks you home. Thatâs girlfriend behavior.â
You roll your eyes. âSheâs just being nice.â
âUh-huh. And I just show up for cardio voluntarily.â
You toss the towel at her. âYouâre delusional.â
She catches it, laughing. âYouâre the one in denial, babe. Half the school thinks you two are together. Might as well make it official before someone else claims her.â
You freeze, heartbeat stuttering just a little. Danielaâs joking, you know that, but the idea â Megan with someone else â hits sharper than you expect.
You force a smirk. âSheâs a big girl. She can date whoever she wants.â
âSure,â Daniela says, grinning. âBut youâd hate it.â
You donât answer. You just turn toward the sky, letting the wind cool the heat rising in your cheeks.
That night, sleep finds you slow. You toss, turn, think of everything and nothing â the laughter at practice, Meganâs hoodie still hanging over your chair from the rainstorm, the way she smiled when she said goodnight last time.
When you finally drift off, itâs not peaceful. Itâs vivid.
You dream of her â standing behind you, her hand settling at your waist, the touch light but deliberate. You can feel the warmth of her palm, the way her breath grazes your neck.
Her voice â soft, lower than usual â whispers your name like itâs something fragile. You turn, and sheâs looking at you like you hung the moon. No glasses, no shy smile â just that quiet intensity that makes your chest hurt.
âMegan,â you murmur in the dream. âYouâre not supposed to look at me like that.â
She smiles faintly. âThen stop being so easy to look at.â
The dream fades before she kisses you, leaving you awake, staring at the ceiling, heart hammering like youâd just run sprints. The air feels heavy, charged, almost electric.
You tell yourself itâs just the weather.
But deep down, you know itâs not.
Across town, Megan perches on the edge of a rooftop, knees drawn up, hood flapping in the wind. The city hums beneath her â sirens, laughter, the occasional hiss of rain on hot concrete.
Her web-shooters glint faintly under the moonlight as she stares out over the skyline. Patrolâs quiet tonight. It should be calming. It isnât.
She keeps thinking about the way you laughed at practice, the way your ponytail brushed your neck, the way your eyes crinkled when Daniela made that joke.
âBasically your boyfriend.â
The words loop in her head until she almost laughs â except itâs not funny.
She whispers your name into the wind, like saying it out loud might steady her heartbeat. âYou have no idea,â she says softly, almost to herself.
Then, movement catches her eye â a mugging in progress two blocks over. She shoots a line of web and launches into the air, heart pounding. Fighting is easier than feeling.
The next day, something shifts.
A boy from class â Thomas â keeps showing up at your locker, making small talk, offering to carry your books. Heâs got easy charm, neat hair, and the kind of grin that probably works on other girls.
But you just smile politely, answering his questions without giving much back. You can feel Meganâs gaze from down the hall every time.
After practice, Thomas appears again, holding out your water bottle you left behind. âYou forgot this,â he says, grinning.
You blink. âOh â thanks.â
He hesitates, scratching the back of his neck. âYou, uh, want to grab a smoothie or something? After next practice?â
Before you can reply, Meganâs voice cuts in, casual but cool. âSheâs already got plans.â
Thomas turns, startled. Megan stands there in her usual hoodie, hands in pockets, expression unreadable. You swear the temperature drops a degree.
You give her a look â Seriously? â but she just shrugs.
Thomas blinks. âOh. Uh, right. Maybe another time.â
He walks off, clearly confused, and you cross your arms. âMegan.â
âYou didnât have to do that.â
She meets your eyes, pretending nonchalance, but thereâs tension in her jaw. âDidnât realize you liked him.â
You stare at her. âYouâre impossible.â
âProbably,â she says, brushing past you. âBut Iâm still walking you home.â
The sun dips below the rooftops as you walk side by side. The air smells of wet asphalt, the faint sweetness of the bakery two streets over.
Neither of you speak for a while. Then, quietly, you say, âYou donât have to be jealous, you know.â
Her head snaps toward you. âJealous?â
âYeah.â You glance up at her, smirking faintly. âYou practically growled at him.â
She exhales a shaky laugh. âI didnâtâ I donâtââ
âRelax,â you interrupt softly. âHeâs not my type anyway.â
She looks at you, and something fragile flickers in her expression. âNo?â
âNo,â you whisper. âHeâs too⊠ordinary.â
The words hang between you like smoke. You donât explain what you mean â that the only person who makes your chest ache, who fills your dreams, who makes you feel seen, is standing right next to you.
You reach her street corner. She stops, looking like she wants to say something but canât.
âSee you tomorrow?â you ask.
She nods, then hesitates. âYeah. Night.â
You smile, stepping backward. âNight, loser.â
Megan watches you go until you disappear around the bend. Then she exhales, hands trembling slightly as she lifts her mask from her pocket.
Thereâs something in the air tonight â electric, aching, inevitable.
And when she leaps into the night sky, she swears she can still feel the ghost of your voice saying her name in her dream.