Amelia Lancaster

We got to the studio and our instructor immediately hopped into teaching us all about the proportions of the body and face. I already knew all of it so I just nodded along, doodling on the cover of my sketchbook. She asked us to practice by trying to do a simple contour drawing of the person next to us.

Thankfully I had Peter, and he was easy. As I began to draw him I was able to concentrate on every little detail on his face. I started with his jaw, working my way up to his hairline. I marked the places where I need to draw his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. As I started an eye, I noticed how beautifully dark his toffee-colored eyes were.

"Chocolate eyes" I mumbled.

Why did I just verbally say that?

"What?" He asked.

I shot my head up and felt myself go red.

"Uh-um sorry. Your eyes are just-" I said, my cheeks burning with embarrassment, "your eyes are really pretty." I answered honestly, getting goosebumps all over.

"Oh, thanks," He said, blushing himself a little.

I worked my way down to his nose and mouth, then getting to his hair. As I was beginning to get lost in my drawing, I looked over to see Peter completely struggling with his drawing. His proportions were okay but could be better. It honestly just looked like he didn't know where to start, which is a common struggle.

He just kind of sat there and stared at the paper thinking it would magically do something.

"Here," I said, scooting my stool next to his. I took his sketchbook and began to explain to him the basics.

"Okay, so proportions are pretty easy. The eyes are strangely towards the middle of people's heads, unlike towards the top where everyone thinks they are. The nose goes down around here, and then the lips. The ears usually start where the eyes are and the hairline is up here." I explain, pointing my pencil to different areas of his paper, lightly sketching guidelines for him.

" Woah," Peter said looking awe-struck.

"Does that make any sense? I have no idea if I give good explanations," I laugh, praying that it didn't sound confusing.

"Sort of. Eyes go here, the nose goes here, lips, etcetera,"

"Yeah, you're getting it. Now, do you know how to draw any of it?"

"No clue."

"Well, the eyes are where I always start and are the easiest. You want to draw the basic shape, add the lid, waterline, and then begin to draw the iris. Once you have that you add the highlight and pupil. Then you color and add detailing, and finally the eyebrow. Then before you know it you have an eye done."

"How do you know all of this?" He invited.

"My mother taught me some of this stuff, but I'm mostly learned by myself, finding my own style of art,"

"Wow," He said looking like his eyes might pop out of his head.

"Here, I'll hold still so you can practice."

I watched him start to draw the basic shape, doing all of the steps I just told him to. Though, unlike me, his hand was very shaky. After watching for a few more moments, I gently placed my hand on top of his and helped him glide the pencil across the page. I saw him glance up at me, blushing like crazy, but hey, I was too.

"Thanks," He said. He looked like he was finally started to trust me, and relaxed a little.

"No problem. Relax when you draw, you don't have to be super tense. It's actually better if you're loose."

"Okay, I'll work on that."

I went back to staying still, occasionally adding a little bit to mine.

"Holy crap, is that me?" He asked once again looking awe-struck.

"Y-yeah, do you not like it, is it bad? I'm sorry, I always seem to screw up my friends." I threw my face in my hands in frustration.

"You really think that's bad? That's incredible Amelia! That's me!"

I looked up straight into his eyes, feeling relieved.

"Thanks. I wouldn't say it's incredible, but it is nice knowing you like it."

I stayed still for almost the rest of the class, being as I was pretty much done with my drawing and Peter had a ways to go. I helped Peter now and then, taking notice of him trying to pay close attention to detail. It was nice, this little connection between us.

~~~

The day finally ended and I said goodbye to Peter and Ned and walked home. Science was a bore but I got to watch Peter be Peter and got ahead on homework.

My dad got home around 8:30 with Chinese take-out. Even though we had it all the time, it was one of my favorites. Anyone could win my heart with orange chicken.

As I crawled into bed I recapped everything that had happened today. I became a lot closer to Peter and met someone new named Michelle.

She seemed nice.

I taught Peter a lot about art and I bet he only retained half of the information, but I really don't care, he let me ramble about art crap and that's saying a lot.

Before I knew it, my overthinking and over-analytical brain slowed down, and I fell into sleep.

~~~

I liked going on walks when I couldn't sleep. They always calmed me down and it was a good way to get some fresh air, and when I get home they usually cure the restless sleep from earlier.

Plus, New York is absolutely beautiful at night.

I was walking down the street, staring at the tall buildings and their brilliant lights that kept the entire city alive all night, not thinking about anything. I wasn't thinking about my mom and family, or drawing, or Peter, or even taking a picture, I just wanted to be there in the moment. I continued walking down the street, in the pure state of bliss I was in until I heard a familiar voice from above.

"Hey there," they said.

I whirled around looking all about, but I couldn't see anyone.

"What are you doing out so late?" He asked. Stepping out of the shadows, or might say hanging

"I can't sleep. What about you?" I asked, staring up at the figure in the red and blue suit, hanging upside down off a street light.

"Me neither, when I can't sleep I just come out here. It's a good way to calm down."

"You're lucky though, you can swing around and look at the whole city from above. I'm stuck down here." I complained.

"I mean, I can change that." He responded quickly.

"What are you suggesting?" I smirk.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Do I trust you?" I repeat.

"Yes, do you trust me?"

"Well, I dunno. I've only spoken to you once and that was because you assumed I was something I'm not so, I'm not saying I don't but I'm not saying I do either. Why?"

"Oh, nothing important."

"Okay, let's say I did trust you. What would you do?"

"This," He said.

I watched him go away into the shadows again. I didn't know where he was going or what he was doing. I felt a growth of nervousness surround my body, the pit of my stomach felt colder, yet also had a small flock of butterflies. I was looking all around trying to find him, the red and blue lights from other places in the city deceiving me for a flash of his suit.

Suddenly I was lifted off the ground and was soaring through the air. He had retreated away to gain momentum and flew down to pick me up, and here we were flying through the night. I had my arms tightly wrapped around his neck, and his arm hooked around my waist.

The breeze against my face came to an abrupt pause and my feet were met with the ground. He brought me to the top of a building, and I could see all of the city.

I sat down towards the edge, letting my feet dangle over it, and gaped at the city that could be considered a sea of twinkling lights, an industrialized version of the "lake of shining waters" as Anne Shirley once said. He sat right next to me, this mysterious masked man.

"I hope you know by kidnapping me you're not really being a superhero," I smirk.

" Well, I was trying to do a nice deed. I'm your friendly neighborhood Spiderman, notice the keyword 'Friendly'." He retorts.

"Oh okay, I guess I must trust you now, Mr. friendly-neighborhood-Spiderman."

"If that doesn't make you trust me, I don't know what will." He laughs.

"Why did you bring me up here?" I ask.

"I thought you'd like it,"

"And how would you know that?"

"I've seen you take pictures of me and buildings and stuff. I figured you either liked architecture or just the energy of the city," he said, glancing at me, "either way, from up here, you can see both."

"Well, thanks for grabbing me." I smile.

"Anytime," he paused for a quick minute before clearing his throat and adding, "so, how long have you been in New York?" He asked.

"Oh um, almost two months."

"Cool. Do you like it here?"

"For the most part, I like my school, and I'm no real stranger to the city life since I lived in Chicago. It's still a learning process though- you've made it a bit easier to navigate since I've followed you around," I laugh at myself sounding like a stalker.

"Well, I'm glad I had an impact," he said. I could tell he was smiling under his mask seeing his cheeks move.

"Can we be friends? Even if I never really know who you are, your company isn't that unbearable," I tease.

"Well when you put it that way, you're no piece of cake either, but I guess I can make an exception."

We both laughed and smiled at this, falling into a comfortable silence. I didn't mind, the night was too beautiful to focus on anything else.

Growing tired of sitting still though, I figured I could take advantage of the pretty landscape and take some photos. I got my camera out and walked around the roof, taking pictures of different spots. I could feel S's eyes on me, watching every step I took.

I turned around when I sensed he had come up behind me, catching him backing away from trying to see the screen with the pictures.

"You, know, you can just ask to see the pictures." I joked.

"Okay, when can I see the pictures?" He said back quickly.

"Here you go, don't drop my camera."

He took the camera and looked at the pictures closely, zooming in and out on each frame.

"These are really cool. You have a good eye."

"Thank you!" I grin.

I looked at the time on my phone while he continued to scroll through the camera, and it was almost 1:30 in the morning.

I needed to get home.

"Hey, are you able to get me down? I have to head home." I sighed, wishing that the night hadn't gone by so quickly.

"No, I brought you up here and am going to leave you stranded," he said sarcastically.

"I should've seen it coming! You've done it before." I huff.

"Wait I did? When?" He asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Yesterday dummy! You webbed my feet and then we talked, but you took off without un-webbing my feet. I stood there for almost three hours!" I exclaim, playfully slapping his chest,

His eyes went wide and I could tell it hit him.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry, did you yell for me? I would've come back," He said, biting his lip in anticipation.

"Yup, but you were long gone." I chuckle at his awkwardness.

"Shit, I'm so sorry, it won't happen again." He apologizes.

"Hey it's okay, I'm just messing with you," I say, brushing my hand against his arm, "although, you leave me stranded again and I'll have your head." I threat playfully.

"Okay okay, noted." He said, waving his hands in surrender.

"Alright, give me my camera and take me home."

"What's the magic word?" He says, slowly backing away like he did last time.

"Si vous plait? [please?]" I ask.

"Oui, merci. [yes, thank you.]" he accepts.

I let one of my arms out, ready to grab onto him. As I waited, I closed my eyes until I heard a loud WOOOO HOOOO and knew I was about to be in the air.

Within seconds I was in the air, tightly attached to him like last time. 

"Where to?" He asked.

"Summer Street in Queens, don't stalk me"

"I can't make any promises." He grins mischievously.

"Don't try me bug-boy." I look at him with menacing eyes, fully knowing he could drop me at any moment.

"What did you call me?" He said, loosening his grip around my waist.

"HEY!" I say, grasping onto his torso with my legs and holding his neck tighter.

He laughed and pulled me close to him once more. I let my head to his shoulder and felt him tense, but then relax as he shot another web. I don't want this feeling to end.

As we landed on my fire escape, the brisk wind against my face was gone and I no longer felt magical anymore. I think I might start to crave that feeling if I'm not getting daily Spiderman swings.

"Thanks for the ride, or swing," I offer.

"Thanks for hanging out with me," he replies.

"Alright, well, goodnight Spiderman," I say, smiling and lightly pushing his chest away.

"Goodnight Amelia."

Oop- who told him her name?
Bye besties ;)