How You Get The Girl ── Peter Parker [TASM] (On Hold)

𝟎𝟎𝟏 ⎯⎯ It's Been A Long, Long Time

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     It's been a long time since Peter Parker has talked to Mary Anne.  He feels absolutely guilt-ridden for what he did, what he has been doing to her, but what she doesn't know?  He only did it to protect her.  Since day one.  Ever since he crept into Oscorp and got bitten, but since before then too.  It's been a long time since Peter Parker has talked to Mary Anne, and it's been a long time since they've planned on rekindling.

     If you had told Mary Anne three years ago that her friendship with her next-door neighbour, the ever dorky Peter, would dissipate, she would never have believed you.  Mary Anne James was completely enamoured with Peter, from following him around the playground as children to wandering the halls of their middle school together, Mary Anne would've thought this friendship she had come to cherish would never leave her side.  But since she and Peter got into a fight right before freshman year, it's been a long time since she's felt that way about anyone.

     Life without Peter Parker looks different, his presence is gone in the most mundane things she used to enjoy.  Walking home together from school, chatting over the fence while taking out the trash, her face turning red when her brother, Leo, insisted that she keep the door open (mostly doing it to get a rise out of her, seeing as he knew Mary Anne didn't see him like that).  He was gone in every aspect of her life now, no more pictures of them together strung up on her bedroom walls — the baby blue colour that used to shine on the four walls was gone now too, replaced by basic white.  There was no more wearing his tee shirts around the house (even though she still had a few in her closet).  There was no more inside jokes and secret code words followed up by giggles afterwards.  Mary Anne was growing up and growing into herself.  Just, without her childhood best friend.

     She knew her friend had asked Peter if he could take pictures of her boyfriends' car for her, probably confusing Peter as she knew Peter was still a bit awkward when it came to girls, but Mary Anne had simply looked the other way.  She has found herself less busy with her nose in a book and more interested in other things like going to the gym, picking a perfect college, and... ignoring Peter's gaze during the classes they shared together.

     Friday night used to be movie night at Mary Anne's house, she and Peter sprawled out on her bed with wondrous eyes glued to the TV that used to sit atop a bookcase in front of her twin-sized bed, forcing the two to lay close together.  As they grew up, movie nights became less and less spacious — not that they minded it, nor would have it any other way.

     Now, Friday night is reserved for self-care night in the James household (Mary Anne's even gotten Leo to do facemasks with her once or twice), even when her friends are blowing up her cell phone to come out and spend the night hanging with them.  But this week has been long enough, and Mary Anne has been looking forward to the alone time she knew tonight would bring her.  Her mom was in her room grading middle schoolers homework, her dad was still out at work, and Leo was out with his girlfriend, so Mary Anne had the whole house to herself.  Bringing herself to play Katy Perry loudly from iTunes on her iPod while she was getting out of the shower.