Chapter Text
a few months later . . .
The air in Queens smelled entirely different from Virginia.
Virginia smelled of crushed pine needles, damp earth after an autumn rain, and the faint vanilla scent of the baked goods cooling on the Covey kitchen counter. Queens smelled like hot asphalt, exhaust fumes, stale rain on concrete, and the overwhelming salty grease of a dozen halogen lit delis operating on every single corner.
She pressed her forehead against the cool glass of her dad’s station wagon, watching the blur of red brick apartment buildings and tangled telephone wires zip past. It had been two months since Dr. Covey announced his new research contract at Columbia. So what she had been doing for almost a month now was filling up cardboard boxes, packing tape, and tearful goodbyes with Margot. Now, here she was. A high school rewrite. A total change of scenery.
“You’re going to love Midtown High, LJ,” her dad said from the driver’s seat, adjusting his glasses as he navigated the chaotic grid of New York traffic. They had already dropped off Kitty at her school, which her younger sister excitedly quoted that she might find the man of her dreams in that school.
“Their science program is world class. Dr. Miller on the administrative board said their department gets direct lab grants from places like Oscorp. It’s a great launching pad for college.”
“Mmhmm,” Lara Jean hummed, tugging at the strap of her favorite vintage leather satchel.
She wanted to be supportive, really. Her dad was so excited about this research position, and Kitty was already talking about taking the subway by herself like a real New Yorker. Inside Lara Jean’s chest, there was a strange, nervous flutter. The quiet terror of being the new girl in a city that moved far too fast.
New city, new school, new Lara Jean, she told herself firmly, smoothing down the front of her pleated plaid skirt.
When the car finally pulled up to the curb of Midtown School of Science and Technology, Lara Jean’s breath hitched.
The building was massive, imposing, and humming with an energy that felt entirely alien to her. Students were pouring up the front steps in clusters. There were possibly tons of teenagers carrying bulky robotics cases, some were debating amongst each other, and girls in bright yellow jackets were laughing near the entrance. It was crisp, fast, and intensely intellectual.
“Call me if you need anything, okay?” Dr. Covey said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “You've got this, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she murmured, giving him her best brave smile before stepping out onto the pavement.
The morning air nipped at her knees. She took a deep breath, adjusted her collar, and began the climb up the stone steps. Every step felt like walking into a completely different universe. She was Lara Jean Covey, the lover of historical romance novels, curator of stationery, writer of unsent love letters. A science magnet school in the heart of New York was the absolute last place she ever pictured herself.
She pushed through the heavy double doors into the bustling hallway. The noise hit her like a tidal wave. Slamming locker doors, the echo of footsteps, the sharp chime of the morning bell. She pulled her class schedule out of her pocket, her eyes scanning the room numbers while trying desperately not to trip over anyone’s backpack.
She rounded the corner, clutching her binder tightly against her chest while scanning the brass plaques beside the doorways. She was so focused on reading the signs that she didn't see the student stepping out from around a row of lockers, carrying a stack of books and a camera.
They collided hard.
Lara Jean gasped as her binder flew out of her hands, loose papers scattering across the linoleum like a burst of autumn leaves. Her satchel slipped off her shoulder, thumping onto the floor right beside someone’s sneakers.
‘Lara Jean, you absolute disaster,’ she scolded herself instantly, her face burning hot with intense humiliation. ‘First day at a new school and you are already bowling people over like a runaway train. Margot would have walked in here with grace. Margot would not be on her knees scraping paper off the ground within five minutes.’
“Oh, no, I— am so, so sorry!” a voice blurted out.
“No, it's totally my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going,” Lara Jean stammered, dropping down to her knees immediately to scramble for her scattered class notes. Why must I be like this? Why can’t I just have normal, graceful human depth perception?
“Here, let me help,” the boy said quickly, dropping down beside her to grab a stray sheet of notebook paper. His hands moved fast, gathering her fallen schedule. But as he handed it back to her, Lara Jean paused, her fingers hovering just above the paper.
She glanced up, kneeling right in front of her was a boy with messy brown hair, a worn thrifted jacket, and a camera slung around his neck. A sharp ping of recognition went off in Lara Jean’s head, making her forget her inner lecture entirely.
She knew that face. It was the exact same boy she had bumped into near the bio labs during her tour at Oscorp which was months ago. He had been so nervous that day, fumbling with a notepad and constantly pushing a pair of thick, dark rimmed glasses up his nose.
Except today, his face was completely bare. Without the heavy frames, his dark eyes looked surprisingly bright and clear, giving him a totally different, striking look.
The boy blinked at her, staring at her face for a second before a slow, hesitant smile broke across his features.
“Wait...” he said softly, holding out her schedule. “Lara Jean, right? From the Oscorp tour?”
Lara Jean took the paper, her cheeks still warm, though the embarrassment was quickly melting into quiet relief. “Yeah. Hi. You're uh... Peter?”
“Yeah, Peter. Peter Parker,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a small grin as he stood up and offered her a hand. “Sorry uh— about the crash.”
“You look different,” Lara Jean then realized that she had blurted it out loud. Her eyes widened as her round cheeks turned into a hue of red. “I- I— not in a bad way! More like in a good way.”
Peter Parker blinked for a moment before letting out a small shy smile and chuckled, “Yeah, I decided to switch up some things.” He said.
Lara Jean took his hand, letting him pull her up to her feet. “What I was really going to say,” she admitted softly, adjusting her satchel strap as she brushed off her skirt. “It threw me off for a second.”
Peter shifted his books to one arm, looking at her with a sweet, slightly awkward kind of curiosity. “So... you're new here?”
“Yeah, I just moved in last Monday,” Lara Jean smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Oh, cool! I hope you like the city,” he said, his smile widening into something genuinely warm.
“It's a new change, but I guess it's not that bad,” she murmured, looking down at the crumpled paper in her hand. She smoothed out the edge of her printed schedule with her thumb, suddenly remembering her current crisis. “Oh, uh... do you know where this room is?” she sputtered out, holding up the paper so he could see. “Sorry, I haven't exactly gotten a tour yet.”
Peter leaned in slightly to glance at the bold letters printed near the top. “Oh? Advanced Physics? You got lucky, since my first class is that one.” He smiled, his dark eyes lighting up with an easy, friendly spark. “If you want, I can help you with your schedule today.”
“That would be great!” She sighed in relief, the knot in her stomach loosening completely.
“Awesome,” Peter said, gesturing down the crowded hallway with a tilt of his chin. “Room 204 is just past the main lab lockers. Follow me, I know a shortcut.”
Lara Jean fell into step beside him, her satchel bumping gently against her hip as they walked side by side. He adjusted the camera strap on his shoulder, keeping his pace comfortably slow so she wouldn't have to hurry to keep up.
“So, you’re from Virginia, right?” Peter asked, turning his head toward her as they navigated past a group of teenagers adjusting a robotics display. “I remember mentioning someone that back at Oscorp with your school and all.”
“Yeah, born and raised,” Lara Jean said, a soft pang of nostalgia brushing past her heart. “It's a lot quieter than this. No subway trains rattling under your bedroom, no honking at six in the morning.”
“Hey, the honking is part of the New York charm,” Peter joked, a crooked little grin playing on his lips. “Give it two weeks. Soon you'll be complaining that it's too quiet whenever you go back to visit.”
Lara Jean couldn't help but laugh, the sound light and clear amidst the chaotic background noise of Midtown High. “I highly doubt that, Peter Parker.”
Peter looked at her for a second, his expression softening as if her laugh had caught him off guard. He cleared his throat lightly, turning back to point toward a set of double doors at the end of the hall.
“Right through here,” he said, pushing one of the heavy doors open for her and holding it with his shoulder. “Welcome to Advanced Physics. Try not to let Mr. Harrington scare you, he's actually harmless.”
Lara Jean stepped through the doorway into the bright classroom, feeling an unexpected sense of comfort settle over her. At the front of the room, a slightly disheveled man with round glasses and a cardigan was frantically trying to organize a stack of color coded syllabus.
Lara Jean instantly stiffened when the majority of the students in the class had glanced at their way, immediately assessing the newcomer.
“Ah, Peter! Perfect timing,” Mr. Harrington called out, looking up from his desk. Then, his eyes landed on Lara Jean standing just half a step behind him. He blinked, his face lighting up with instant, enthusiastic teacher energy. “And... oh! A new face! Welcome, welcome!”
Lara Jean felt a quick flush of heat touch her cheeks, but as her eyes swept over the high tech lab setups, her nervousness quickly turned into a spark of genuine excitement.
‘Okay, Lara Jean,’ she instructed herself internally, standing up straight. ‘Just be cool, and possibly don't try to nerd out too hard on minute one.’
“Class, listen up for just a moment before we dive into kinetic energy and vector math,” Mr. Harrington announced, clapping his hands together. He gestured for Lara Jean to step up toward the podium. “We have a new transfer student joining us today all the way from... well, I'll let her tell you!”
Peter gave her a subtle, encouraging nod as he slipped into an open stool at a nearby lab bench, leaning back with a quiet grin.
Lara Jean took two steps forward, tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear. She offered the class a warm, dimpled smile that instantly disarmed the room.
“Hi, everyone,” she said, her voice carrying a sweet, clear cadence. “I'm Lara Jean Song-Covey, you can me Lara or Lara Jean, but if it’s long LJ is fine with me. My family just moved here from Virginia and yep that’s all from me.”
A couple of girls in the front row took note of her vintage pearl headband and pink cardigan, surprised by the sweet, retro style at a high powered science magnet.
“Virginia!” Mr. Harrington beamed. “Wonderful! We are thrilled to have you at Midtown, Ms. Covey. Your file mentioned you were taking honors STEM electives back home?”
“Yes,” Lara Jean said, her eyes lighting up with a quiet, genuine enthusiasm. “I've always been fascinated by cellular biology and organic chemistry, especially how molecular structures interact under stress. But honestly, I'm really excited to get into Advanced Physics here, especially with access to Midtown's practical lab equipment. The wave particle duality unit on your syllabus looks incredible.”
A few students in the front row exchanged impressed looks. The serious looking boy with a Rubik's cube stopped twisting it, raising his eyebrows in respect. However, Mr. Harrington looked positively delighted at the girl’s words, practically glowing behind his round glasses. “A scholar after my own heart! Well, Ms. Covey, you are going to fit right in here. Why don't you take the open seat right next to Peter? He's one of our sharpest students when he isn't distracted by his camera.”
“He actually saved me from getting completely lost in the hallway five minutes ago,” Lara Jean mentioned, glancing toward Peter with a playful, grateful smile. “So he's already doing a great job.”
Peter’s cheeks flushed a light pink, rubbing the back of his neck as a few kids turned to grin at him.
From the second row, Flash Thompson leaned back in his chair, letting out a loud, obnoxious scoff. “Yeah, doing a great job at being a tour guide, Penis Parker,” Flash muttered just loud enough for the surrounding tables to hear, rolling his eyes as he spun a expensive pen between his fingers.
Peter didn't even turn his head towards Flash. He casually let the insult roll right off him, maintaining his easy smile and keeping his eyes fixed entirely on Lara Jean as if Flash didn't even exist.
“Alright, settle in, everyone,” Mr. Harrington said, oblivious to Flash's comment as he turned to the blackboard with a piece of chalk. “Open your manuals to page fourteen!”
Lara Jean walked over to the empty stool beside Peter, pulling her skirt neat as she sat down. She lets out a shaky sigh as she glanced around the room with wonder in her eyes.
Peter leaned over slightly, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “Wave particle duality, huh?” he whispered, his dark eyes dancing with amused admiration. “That was pretty smooth, Covey. You had Harrington eating out of the palm of your hand.”
Lara Jean turned her head, offering him a sweet, quiet tilt of her chin. “I told you I was excited about the science program here, Parker. I don't play around when it comes to physics.”
Peter’s grin widened, a soft spark settling in his eyes. “Well, looks like I'm going to have to work extra hard to keep up with my new lab partner.”