Chapter 11: To the End! Gwen is Filled with Emotion
"That was Lee's work, not mine."
Peter was much more cheerful towards his best friend. "Ned, where did you go just now?"
"There was this girl named Cindy Moon—she was so pretty, and her skin tone matched mine." Ned spread his hands dramatically. "But she seemed to be in a bad mood and ignored me."
Peter fiddled with his camera. "Lee once taught me a Chinese phrase. How did it go? … 'We are the same.'"
"Oh, Peter, she really is an angel!" Ned sighed dreamily. "Her position in my heart is comparable to Ghost-Spider!"
"Come on, Ned. That's exactly what you said the last time you saw Betty."
As the two continued chatting, the stage curtain suddenly closed.
The lively, bustling crowd in the audience immediately quieted down, murmuring in confusion.
"What's going on?"
"Why are they pulling the curtain down? We were having fun!"
"Is this the finale?"
"Quiet, quiet."
Harry stepped onto the stage as the host, announcing, "Up next, we have a performance from the Mary Janes Band!"
Excitement rippled through the audience.
"Betty and the others are performing? That's awesome!"
"Oh wow! Come on, Mary Jane!!"
"Will Stacey show up? I didn't see her earlier. Is she not coming?"
"Jessica! Jessica!"
The Mary Janes were a well-loved band at school, and Jessica, in particular, was incredibly popular. Not only did she have a large fanbase among the guys, but many girls admired her as well.
However, when the curtain reopened, it wasn't the band that appeared on stage. Instead, a strikingly handsome man stood there, holding an electric guitar. His warm smile was enough to make the girls in the audience unable to look away.
A short-haired girl in the crowd frowned. "Who is he? Where's my Jessica?"
"He's really handsome," another mixed-race girl nearby said with a grin, then called out, "Come on, handsome guy!"
The short-haired girl crossed her arms. "Skye, I admit he's good-looking, but I still want Jessica. I refuse to be swayed!"
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
"I think I saw him earlier, heading up to the second floor with a big stick."
"Oh, I remember now! Isn't that Professor Ethan Lee?"
"He's given a few lectures at the school. He has a PhD in art at such a young age!"
"Oh my god, freshmen might not know him, but how do you seniors not recognize him?"
"Hey, he only came a few times! How was I supposed to remember?"
Backstage, Gwen, dressed in her cosplay costume, had a complicated expression. How did things end up like this?
Her emotions were tangled like a spider's web—anxiety, excitement, awkwardness, and happiness all at once. It turned out that her friends, her classmates, even Ethan, were all supporting her.
"Gwen, don't hesitate. Get ready!"
Jessica pulled a hood over Gwen's head. "My brother's out there stalling for us, buying time. They say art students are tone-deaf—I'm not sure if he'll pull it off."
Out on stage, the crowd was getting rowdy.
"Handsome, play another song!" the girls cheered.
The boys clapped enthusiastically. "That was amazing!"
Ethan made an OK gesture. "Thank you for the invitation. I'll perform another song—'To the End'!"
The audience buzzed with excitement.
As the curtain fell again, they barely had time to react before it was drawn open once more.
And this time—
Several girls stood on stage, surrounding Ethan with their instruments, exuding the confidence of seasoned rock stars.
It was none other than Jessica, Mary Jane Watson, Betty Brant, Gloria Grant, and the rest of the Mary Janes band.
"My God, he's so cool!" Ned exclaimed.
"Lee is still amazing," Peter agreed, lifting his camera to capture the moment. Then, he frowned. "Wait, where's Gwen? Wasn't she the drummer for the band?"
Jessica stepped forward as the host. "Good evening, everyone!" she said confidently. "I know you're all excited for the performance, but before we begin, I have an announcement—something really important for this party!"
Someone in the audience shouted, "Jessica! Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Hey, shut up!" another student scolded. "Let her talk!"
Jessica smirked and pointed dramatically to the side of the stage. A large poster unfurled.
"I'm officially starting a Ghost Spider Fan Club! And everyone's welcome to join!"
The audience gasped.
"A Ghost Spider fan club?! That's awesome!"
"I didn't know Jessica was a fan of Ghost Spider too!"
"This is so cool!"
Teenagers had little resistance to superheroes—especially one as stylish and graceful as Ghost Spider. The crowd erupted into cheers.
Jessica grinned. "Now, let's get this show started!"
Ethan nodded and strummed the first chord.
"It starts with one…"
"…It's so unreal (Like a dream without consciousness)"
"Didn't look out below…"
As the song built up, the stage lights shifted—
And then, beneath the glowing beams, a figure appeared at the drum set.
Ghost Spider.
The moment her drumsticks hit the surface, the beat fused perfectly with the melody, injecting soul into the music.
The audience went wild.
"Oh my god! It's Ghost Spider!"
The screams were deafening.
Gwen smiled beneath her mask, feeling a swell of emotion in her chest. The frustration over her father's disapproval seemed to fade away.
Right now, on this stage, surrounded by her friends, she was exactly where she was meant to be.