1530-1532

Chapter 1530: Hero’s Struggles 

Deep breath. Another deep breath. Nicholas tried to calm himself down. 

Easier said than done. After a premiere that grand and overwhelming, a storm still raged in his mind. Even now, seated in Radio City Music Hall, his heart wouldn’t stop pounding, thudding in his throat. 

No way to settle down. 

Luckily, he wasn’t alone. All around him, people buzzed with excitement, barely containing their boiling emotions. 

Looking around, every one of the 6,200 seats in Radio City Music Hall was packed—standing room only. The place hummed with energy, every corner stuffed. Even crazier? People had claimed spots in the aisles early, desperate to get up close to the summer’s biggest blockbuster. 

No need to worry about filling the hall anymore. The real concern? Even this place wasn’t big enough. 

The rustling chatter swelled. Someone whistled, sparking applause that swept the room in seconds. 

Nicholas turned and saw Anson leading the cast onstage. No special announcement, but the entire hall shot to its feet. Thunderous claps mixed with whistles, cheers, and screams—a full-on worship session. Some even dropped to their knees in mock reverence. 

The reaction said it all. 

The crew was about to sit, but the scene forced Anson to grab a mic from a staffer. 

“Hey, thanks—thanks for coming to the premiere!” 

AAAAH! AAAAAH! 

The crowd’s roar detonated. 

“But the director’s probably not happy.” 

Everyone: ??? 

“Because this is a really sad movie. Really sad. So, I’m hoping you can cool it a bit. If Peter Parker’s crying and you accidentally burst out laughing, those picky critics’ll say Anson Wood can’t act.” 

Haha! Hahaha! 

Laughter erupted like thunder. 

Anson stayed dead serious. “Shh, calm down, calm down. Let’s get through these tough two hours. After that, you can curse the movie all you want—I won’t stop you.” 

HAHAHA! 

The laughs wouldn’t quit. 

But thanks to Anson’s distraction, reality sank in. The premiere’s wild party was over—they were about to watch Spider-Man 2. 

Wait! Was this real? The summer’s most hyped, most awaited event was about to unfold right here! 

And they’d be watching with over 6,000—maybe 7,000—people. A rare experience worldwide, like a grand live show. Would Radio City Music Hall’s setup even do the film justice, let them feel its full impact? 

Focus finally shifted to the movie. 

No fluff—the lights dimmed. The rustling exploded as the opening credits rolled, cheers and claps rising and falling. They couldn’t hold back their hype, dying to reunite with Peter Parker. But once it started, they hushed. 

Breath held. 

It opened with a pair of eyes—a portrait’s eyes. 

“She looks at me every day. Mary Jane Watson.” 

“I wish she knew how much I love her. But I can’t let her know. I’ve chosen a life dedicated to justice—I can’t put her in danger.” 

“Who am I?” 

“I’m Spider-Man, with a sacred mission. I’m also Peter Parker, with a great job…” 

The frame pulled back. 

It was a GG billboard—Mary Jane, now a GG model, plastered on a giant ad across New York. And Peter Parker? 

Peter rode a dinky scooter, staring at her poster, so distracted he nearly crashed into someone ahead. 

“Parker! Parker!” 

The guy stopped him just in time. Peter slammed the brakes, flipping forward like a circus act, rear wheel lifting high. Disaster averted—barely. 

Turns out, it was the pizza shop boss. And Peter? He was… a delivery guy. 

This was Peter Parker’s life now— 

On one hand, he kept up the Spider-Man gig, New York’s friendly neighbor, solving problems for the city. On the other, to hide his identity, he’d moved out on his own. Rent pressure forced him into part-time jobs, but his superhero duties kept screwing those up. 

Spread too thin. 

“Twenty-one minutes ago, someone ordered a pizza—eight extra-large thick-crust supremes. If it’s not there in eight minutes, it breaks our 29-minute guarantee. I don’t get paid, and we might lose this big client to the competition.” 

“It’s on you now. You’ve got to deliver on time. You’re a good kid, but you’re unreliable. This is your last shot.” 

“You’ve got seven and a half minutes, or you’re fired.” 

“Go!” 

Amid the boss’s snarling rant, the camera soared through New York’s traffic-packed streets. But where was Peter? 

The lens showed nothing but cars—rows and rows of them, packed tight—until the background music kicked in. 

“Hey, hey, hey… woo-woo-woo…” 

Huh? 

That melody? 

Not everyone caught the song at the premiere’s start. But by the second eight-count, it clicked—familiar and electric. The blood that hadn’t fully cooled from earlier boiled again. The whole hall perked up. 

At the traffic jam’s end, Peter Parker rolled in on his scooter, riding the beat! 

It was the second song from earlier—the one the cast and crowd had gone wild for! 

Seeing Peter swoop in with the melody now, a goofy joy hit hard. The screening room, briefly heavy with Peter’s rough life, lightened up. Soft chuckles rustled through. 

In New York’s chaotic traffic, Peter dodged and weaved, swinging between buildings in a mad dash against time. 

But clearly, he wasn’t making it. Time ticked down. He ditched the scooter on the roadside, grabbed the pizzas, and bolted into an alley. In a flash, he was Spider-Man, zipping between structures— 

A bald dude saw a kid run in with pizzas and Spider-Man swing out with them. “Oh God, he stole that kid’s pizza!” 

HAHAHA! The room lost it. 

Peter zipped past Mary Jane’s GG billboard, and the song’s lyrics took on a whole new layer. 

When Spider-Man turned delivery boy, any order could arrive on time—unless his hero duties got in the way. 

Peter saved two kids from a truck, but by the time he stumbled out of a storage room to the law firm, the receptionist stared him down, chewing gum, glancing at the clock with a smug sneer: 

Three minutes late. 

“You’re late. I’m not paying.” 

The song drifted in: “…you’re a sunflower, you’re a sunflower.” 

Chapter 1531: Overwhelmed and Exhausted 

Clearly, the life of a superhero isn’t as glamorous as it seems. Peter Parker… he’s barely keeping up. 

He lost his job at the pizza place, and even his gig as a photographer for the newspaper is hanging by a thread. He’s refused to keep snapping pics of Spider-Man—the paper’s constant slander and smear campaigns have turned Spider-Man into America’s public enemy number one. Peter just wants them to value his skills as a photographer, not as a tool for their agenda. 

But a newspaper obsessed with headlines, gimmicks, and profits? Yeah, good luck with that. 

With the job slipping away and rent looming, Peter’s desperate for cash. Reluctantly, he hands over a Spider-Man photo. The loudmouthed editor doesn’t even need to think twice before slapping a headline on it: 

“Masked Menace Threatens New York.” 

A reporter pipes up, saying Spider-Man’s not the bad guy, but the editor shuts it down with threats of layoffs. He even tries to lowball Peter’s pay. In the end, Peter gets his money, but it’s still not enough to cover the advance he took last time. So, here he is—still flat broke. 

And that’s not even the half of it. 

Peter’s in college now, trying to keep up the stellar grades he had in high school. He’s been diligent about attending classes, but juggling multiple “jobs” has wrecked his schedule. He rushes to campus, only to realize he’s missed the entire lecture. 

His professor really values Peter’s talent, but lately, with late assignments and absences piling up, Peter’s falling behind. The prof warns him—if this keeps up, he’ll have no choice but to fail him. 

In all the chaos, Peter even forgets his own birthday. So when he walks into Aunt May’s place and sees Mary Jane, Harry, and party decorations, he’s totally clueless. 

It’s been forever since he last talked to Harry. 

Harry’s convinced Spider-Man killed his dad and is hell-bent on revenge. Since Peter’s the only one who can get photos of Spider-Man, Harry keeps pressuring him to spill the web-slinger’s real identity. He thinks Peter’s protecting Spider-Man, and it’s starting to strain their friendship. 

Peter, though, has no idea how to break it to Harry that Norman Osborn was the Green Goblin—and that he caused his own death, not Spider-Man. Facing Harry’s grief? That’s no easy task. 

And then there’s Mary Jane. 

Even Harry can see it—she’s still in love with Peter. She’s still waiting for him. But Peter can’t let himself return those feelings, no matter how much he wants to. 

What should’ve been a fun birthday party turns heavy. 

Harry’s aggression, fueled by hatred, twists him into someone Peter barely recognizes. Watching Harry’s veins bulge and his eyes turn bloodshot, Peter doesn’t know what to say. 

Aunt May’s loneliness hits hard too—she’s all alone at home, struggling to keep up with the mortgage, on the verge of losing the house. Peter can’t help her. Worse, she’s the one comforting him. 

And Mary Jane? Her gaze lingers on Peter, full of longing. She’s finally made it as an actress, about to star in a play, but her heart’s still with him. 

When Peter congratulates her on “making her dreams come true,” she turns it back on him: “What about your dreams?” 

He freezes. 

Those eyes, hidden in the darkness, lock onto hers. There’s no support to lean on, just a swirl of confusion and bitterness churning deep inside, settling silently into the night. He wants to say something but can’t. 

In a split second, Peter catches his own panic and forces a bright smile. “I’m good,” he says. 

Thump. Thump. Thump. 

The faint drumbeat in the background syncs with his racing heart—barely noticeable unless you strain to hear it. Even then, you might wonder if you imagined it. 

Nicholas, watching this unfold, is stunned. Who’d have thought this brief moment—this fleeting exchange of looks between Peter Parker and Mary Jane—could carry the weight of a lifetime? 

The audience sees it. Mary Jane sees it too. She invites Peter to her play, sensing the storm of emotions he’s barely holding back. She steps closer, but at the last second, Peter slams on the brakes again. 

Her eyes fill with frustration and sadness. “I can’t figure you out,” she says. 

Finally, she turns to leave but can’t resist one last glance back. Then she drops a bombshell: 

“I’m seeing someone.” 

Not just a boyfriend—maybe more. 

Even Mary Jane isn’t sure what it means. She’s trying to get a reaction out of Peter, but he retreats into his shell, even wishing her well. It drives her nuts. 

Flustered, Peter blurts out that he’ll come see her play tomorrow night. Just like that, her mood lifts. 

“Don’t let me down,” she says. 

He watches her walk away, letting the darkness swallow him whole. 

Things only get worse. Back at his rundown apartment, the landlord hounds him for last month’s rent. To top it off, the last twenty bucks in his pocket gets snatched. 

Peter stumbles into his tiny room—a space so small you can see every corner in one glance. He plops onto the mattress as a dim yellow bulb flickers overhead. 

Hugging his knees, he sits there, dazed. Loneliness and exhaustion stretch long shadows across the room. The camera just… lingers there. 

In that moment, the harsh reality of adulthood hits full force. Peter’s shoulders slump under a weight he’s never felt before—no tears, no cries, no fight left. He just sits, eyelids drooping, lashes casting shadows that hide his gaze. Silence flows through his fingertips. 

For a second, you hold your breath. 

The theater’s dead quiet. 

Nicholas never saw this coming. 

Sure, the first movie was about a kid growing up, but this sequel? It slows down, digs deeper, builds on what came before. Peter Parker isn’t just a mask or a symbol—he’s a real kid grappling with real struggles. 

And Sam Raimi takes the time to show it. This single, quiet shot—letting time slip by—is worth every second. 

But life keeps moving. 

Through Harry Osborn, Peter gets a chance to meet his idol, Dr. Octavius, who’s working on a nuclear fusion project funded by Osborn Corp. Peter’s writing a paper on it, and they end up discussing it face-to-face. 

To Peter, stabilizing the fusion is the key. Dr. Octavius, though, is brimming with confidence—decades of research can’t fail, he insists. 

Seeing the doctor and his wife so in love inspires Peter. He decides to take a chance—for himself and for Mary Jane. 

He’s going to her play. 

Mary Jane’s thrilled but nervous—even her co-stars can tell. 

Peter gets ready, dressing up nice and using his last few coins to buy some flowers. He hops on his beat-up scooter and heads to the theater. 

But this is New York—crime never sleeps. On the way, he spots a robbery, cops chasing the thief. 

He can’t just look the other way. 

Chapter 1532: The Bottleneck of Growth 

At a critical moment, with tension thick in the air, Spider-Man swings into action. 

That cool, dashing figure soars between towering skyscrapers, flipping and dodging with such flair that the spinning camera lens reignites the audience’s adrenaline. Hearts pound as they watch Spider-Man take on New York’s criminals and avert disaster—proof that a superhero is still a superhero. 

The cost? Sacrificing his little scooter and the three daisies he’d picked for Mary Jane. 

After some rooftop acrobatics, Peter Parker takes down the bad guys and rushes to the theater. But at the entrance, the usher blocks him—performances have started, and no amount of pleading, not even saying he’s a guest of the cast, gets him through. So there he stands, stuck outside, unable to get in. 

On stage, Mary Jane searches the reserved seats for Peter, but he’s nowhere to be found. Her face falls, her smile nearly crumbling. 

Radio City Music Hall sinks into a heavy silence— 

The movie feels like a rollercoaster. 

As Peter switches between his real life and his superhero identity, the audience rides along, bouncing between reality and comic-book thrills. The highs of watching a hero fight evil give way to the lows of real-life messes—Peter losing his pizza delivery job to save a kid, missing Mary Jane’s show to catch a crook. That brutal tug-of-war quiets the air. 

A bitter taste lingers on the tongue, emotions rising and falling with Peter’s figure weaving through New York’s steel jungle. Before you know it, you’re hooked. 

Peter sits outside the apartment across from the theater, waiting in the cold for hours. When the show ends and the crowd spills out, he finally spots Mary Jane. A grin starts to form—until a man steps up, wrapping her in a familiar hug. 

That’s the “boyfriend.” 

Peter freezes, struck like lightning. The light in his eyes fades, swallowed by darkness once more. 

Mary Jane senses something, glances across the street, and scans the crowd. But all she sees are strangers passing by. 

Peter’s gone— 

He bolts, sprinting through the streets, tearing off his clothes to reveal the suit underneath. Spider-Man takes flight again, swinging between buildings, chasing the storm, unleashing all his frustration and pent-up pressure in one wild burst. 

It’s only when he’s in the suit that he can escape the mess of real life. With the mask on, he’s Spider-Man, the guy who fights for justice without a second thought. 

But here’s the catch: thanks to the newspapers, people see Spider-Man as a public enemy. Worse, his superhero life is turning his real one into a total disaster. 

Everything’s a contradiction, a no-win situation. The very things he fights for, the things he pours his heart into, are becoming the darkness that engulfs him. 

So what’s he supposed to do? How does he choose? 

Inside Radio City Music Hall, it’s dead quiet, emotions churning. 

Nicholas effortlessly recalls the premiere’s hit interactive game: everyone faced a choice, forced to grapple with the ripple effects and the weight they’d have to carry—just like Peter Parker on screen. 

That experience plants a seed deep in your mind. As the movie unfolds, it takes root and grows, pulling you in until you’re living it alongside him. 

Completely, 100%, inside Peter Parker’s world. 

But Nicholas doesn’t even have time to marvel at it—his thoughts are swept up into the big screen. 

He watches that figure darting through the endless night of the concrete jungle—so free yet so desperate. Even without seeing the face beneath the mask, the pain rips through clear as day, right up until… 

He falls from the sky. 

Whoa. 

The entire hall gasps. 

Out of nowhere, mid-flight, Peter can’t shoot his webs. With no support, he tumbles awkwardly from the heights, crashing hard. 

Bam! 

He hits the ground, dust flying everywhere. 

Peter yanks off the mask, bewildered. This has never happened before. His bones feel like they’re about to give out. He tries to shoot a web again—nothing. His mind floods with question marks. 

Worse yet, peering down from the edge of a skyscraper, he feels dizzy. 

That sensation hasn’t hit him in ages. 

Peter’s forced back to basics: he takes the elevator. 

Inside, he runs into a PR guy fresh off overtime. The guy stares at Peter in his Spider-Man suit, totally thrown. 

They lock eyes. 

Even though it’s not the time, all 6,000 people in Radio City Music Hall burst out laughing— 

Bitterness fills the air. 

Especially when Peter, back in his regular clothes, drags his beat-up scooter past a wall plastered with Mary Jane posters, shoulders slumped. The absurdity, the pathos, the irony, the humor—it all peaks in that moment. 

So far, Spider-Man 2 is flawless. Bittersweet, teary laughs, hopping between joy and sorrow, hope and loss. 

Peter doesn’t know what’s happening to him. He shrugs it off, thinking the glitch is temporary. The next day, he heads to school on time— 

No tardiness this time. 

In class, the professor’s lecture jogs Peter’s memory of Dr. Octavius’s theories. He still believes the fusion stability’s off—explosion risk is high. 

But he’s just a student. How could he outsmart Dr. Octavius, a Nobel Prize contender? 

Must be his math that’s wrong. 

Peter forces his thoughts together, wondering how to apologize to Mary Jane for last night. 

At the payphone outside the school, he dials her number— 

It’s the answering machine. 

As Peter stumbles through an explanation, Mary Jane walks into her apartment. She fumbles with her stuff, about to pick up—until she hears his voice. Her hands slow. She lets the machine take it, recording Peter’s “excuse.” 

She’d hoped for a real reason, but Peter blames the usher, saying he was late and got turned away. 

It sounds like a cop-out, and it crushes her. 

Worse, the call time runs out. Peter digs through his pockets—no coins. The line cuts off. 

Mary Jane can’t even get mad. Over and over, Peter lets her down. She just blames herself for still holding out hope. 

Peter stares at the dead phone, a lump in his chest he can’t shake. Pain seeps into his eyes, bit by bit. 

“…Actually, I wanted to tell you the truth.” 

“Here it is.” 

“I—I’m Spider-Man.” 

Saying it out loud, he feels lighter. A small smile creeps back. 

“Weird, right? Heh.” 

“Now you get why I can’t be with you. If my enemies found out about you, if you got hurt because of it, I’d never forgive myself. I wish I could tell you how I really feel.”