chapter two. blueberry muffins

Tryouts were a personal hell for Kacey, she liked to cheer, don't get her wrong, but oh boy, how she hated the process of her new cheer squad. Maybe it was that she hated telling girls that they didn't make it to the squad or maybe she hated seeing the same routine over and over again for the past two years.

"Again," Kacey shouted out, the music stopped playing and a few groans from the girls were heard on the basketball court. "Do that groaning again and let's see if you guys qualify for the state championship in five months." Kacey shouted again, her hands clapping two times indicating the girls to take their positions again, a small nod towards one of the cheerleaders and the music was playing again from their portable speaker.

Three claps and the cheer squad started their routine, Kacey studied each of the girls, bouncing her head to the rhythm of times they had to hit a specific movement, she carefully looked at the flyers get free from the grip of their bases, only to see them back down in a basket safely in the other girls' arms. There was something wrong, she could sense it, she just couldn't see it.

"Stop." Just that word no one moved and silence overpowered the gym. "You, on the back, Megan right?" A shy brunette walked toward head down and no visual contact. "You need to be quicker, you're about two seconds behind everyone on the dance, you are also smashing with others trying to get to your spot, work in that or you are out."

Girls whispered when Kacey said those words, she didn't like saying them but they had to know that they could easily be replaced and that they should work hard. She didn't like to be the bad guy of the story but as captain, she had to be.

"Practice is over, I'll see you on Thursday, and all of you better be prepared, the final list will be ready by Monday morning." Sighs, groans, and some thanks were given to Kacey as the girls walked out of the gym and headed to their homes. As for Kacey, she had to look for Peter Parker.

Midtown High corridors were almost clean from students. Kacey's sneakers only could be heard against the marble floor as she walked out the building, hoping that he was out there in plain sight, in that moment Kacey regretted not asking for his number to call him now.

"Kacey." The familiar voice of Peter Parker was heard behind her, the dark-haired girl turned to notice him leaning against the pillar with his camera in hand. "I was thinking if I should've waited at the gym but I didn't know how the cheer squad would react to me being there." Awkwardly he walked over to her, his eyes constantly looking from her to the sides.

"Well in the near future if we hang out again, you can definitely wait for me at the gym, it will be nice to see a familiar kind face." Kacey chuckled as she finished speaking. "I know a place we could go, it is a bit far from here if you don't mind taking the subway."

"Not at all, I usually take the subway to get home." Peter picked his skateboard up from the floor, setting it safely inside his backpack. "I am ready to go." He added as he walked next to Kacey leaving Midtown to the busy streets of New York again, and to the familiar disgusting scent of the subway, heading their way to Manhattan.

"So you do live in Manhattan." Peter said when they entered the station that would take them there, the comment had Kacey intrigued and her heart picking its pace.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked giggly, trying to hide the fear. She did live in Manhattan, but not the beautiful area of it, and she was scared someone had already said something about it.

"Oh, I just heard rumors that you live somewhere else richer and you come every week in a private jet and leave back home. But now that I said it out loud, it doesn't make sense." Peter bit the inside of his lip, Kacey looked at him and smiled, looking down she nodded her head.

"Well that is a creative rumor, I will give it to them, but no, I do live in Manhattan." Kacey hoped no further questions about her living state would be thrown out there. "And you do live in Queens right?" Kacey asked, nudging Peter's arm.

"Yeah, I live there with my Aunt and Uncle, just us three." He said nodding his head, his hands playing with the strings of his jacket. "How do you know that?"

"I did my research Parker, I had to know who saved my life and asked out as a thank you." Kacey explained. "Who knows, maybe you are some type of creep that might do something to me, I have to be careful."

"Yeah you are right, I am not a creep though, at least I don't think I am." A chuckle escaped the dark-haired girl, seeing the subway make the stop for them.

"You are not a creep so far Parker, come on, this is our stop." Kacey stood up and walked past the crowd coming into the subway, followed by Peter looking around making sure that Kacey was on his radar and no one was coming near to them for trouble.

Kacey walked a few blocks beside Peter, there was a faint uncomfortable sensation in her stomach, but it could be for many reasons, maybe it was the silence that they shared, or maybe it was the reason Kacey was taking him to the place she worked at and no one knew, or maybe it was the fear that Gretchen might say something and ruin the "perfect" image of Kacey.

"Here we are." Kacey said opening the door to the coffee shop, the impact smell of coffee beans and newly made bread and desserts were welcoming into Kacey's smell sensory, she smiled at the sight of people in the place. "Come, I know where we can sit." Kacey walked over to the staircase, the second floor had also been accommodated to have people enjoy the coffee and food, and taking a spot next to the windows was perfect.

"This looks nice, anything you recommend?" Peter asked sitting down across from Kacey, his back to the window, completely ignoring the view behind him of the city, his fingers tapped the tables as he looked around, his brown eyes scanning every poster and pictures that were hung on the wall, Kacey tried to hold her smile at she noticed this.

"I do recommend the crepes, they are very good, but if you aren't hungry and want something to drink, the homemade lemonade is to die for and the cinnamon coffee too." Kacey's options had the teenager sitting in front of her listening to every word she said, he hadn't taken notice of it probably, but his eyes were noticing the movements of Kacey's lips as she spoke. But Kacey noticed, she looked away, being greeted by her familiar face.

"Hello, welcome to Silk Coffee, what can I get for you two?" Gretchen's voice was sweet, her smile was tender and Kacey could see her eyes widened for a second when she saw Peter.

"I'll get the cinnamon coffee and do you have any muffins?" Peter glanced at the older woman writing down his order.

"Yes, we have chocolate chip, walnut, cinnamon, blueberry and carrot muffins." Gretchen answered and looked over at Kacey "I bet you're taking the Blueberry muffins right?" Kacey panicked a bit when the question was thrown and she could see a hint of confusion on Peter's face. "Loyal costumer of ours, comes every week for blueberry muffins." Quickly, the older woman explained.

"I'll get the carrot muffin." Peter added and returned his attention to the string of his jacket. "Thank you miss."

"Blueberry muffin and a pink lemonade please." Kacey gave her order, a smile on Gretchen when she excused herself leaving the pair to talk. "This is my favorite spot, away from the guys from school, or away from every other responsibility, it is sort of vintage if we can call it like that."

"This is a nice place Kacey, it is nice to escape from the reality of New York, a breather right? And you do come here often, as what the miss said, loyal costumer."

"Yeah, too many responsibilities to handle that I just need a time for myself."

"And why do you have all of those responsibilities Kacey? You are, if I'm correct, the only person with too many things in her hand, even more than Gwen Stacy, and that's saying that you have too much." Peter leaned forward, his eyes studying her movements.

"Can I tell you something personal and promise you won't tell, even if they threaten you or anything like that?" This could be difficult, Kacey could've shut her mouth, but her heart was telling her that Peter could be trusted in a way. "I can't be in my home, the more I am away, the better, my parents aren't perfect or even rich, I can't be home." Her heart beating fast was making her question what she said and why, even though she had that feeling of trust, she didn't actually know if Peter was trustworthy, and here she was opening her heart to him.

"Here we go, blueberry muffin and pink lemonade." The glass and dish was set in front of her, just like Peter's order was. "If you need anything else, you can call me Gretchen, I'll be behind the counter."

Silence, Peter only saw her, and Kacey could feel the uncomfortable feeling again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I don't know why I even —"

"So are they the reason why you were at the bridge?"

Big mistake, Kacey regretted this conversation, she just opened the Pandora box. With a small and slow nod, Kacey looked down, picking on her blueberry muffin, trying her best to avoid Peter's eyes.

"Please don't tell anyone."

A warm touch over her hand, the feeling of protection was welcomed into Kacey's body again, daring to take a glance, all she could see was Peter's face softening.

"I promise to not tell, even if they threaten me."