It All Started In A McDonald's...

we crashed the party alright

A/N - Decided to split these next two chapters up so it isn't just one super long chapter :)

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"What's so special about that hoodie that makes you want to wear it all the time anyway?" MJ asked when she reluctantly allowed me to wear it to the party. She gave me one of her denim jackets to wear over top to make it look like I wasn't just rocking up to a "dress smartly" party in jeans and a hoodie. "I barely ever see you without it."

I shrugged, slipping on the jacket. "Dunno. It's warm. New. Nicest thing I own other than my Black Sabbath tee."

"I can't even remember giving you any money to buy new stuff," Dad said from the armchair he always occupied. It was about 8pm, and MJ had been helping me coordinate an outfit for the last hour, since Dad came back from work. He was in a good mood, because business had been good lately. He didn't even question my want to go to a party when I wasn't the most sociable of people.

"Well, I found some money left in my wardrobe, and Target had a nice deal on," I made up on the spot. Actually, I'd only ever been in a Target once in my life, and that trip involved being chased out by a security guard who was convinced I was trying to nick something. I was, but I sure as hell wasn't going to admit to that. And I was thirteen at the time, I wasn't experienced in the act of stealing stuff. But I'd told neither Dad or MJ that story, so they were none the wiser. "So my moral obligations to give MJ the owed money went out the window because, y'know, I wanted to treat myself."

Unfortunately, that sounded a lot like something I'd do, so neither Dad or MJ had any trouble believing me.

"So who else is going to this party?" Dad asked after a moment. "Peter? The strange kid?"

"Ned," I corrected, because Dad had an annoying habit of calling Ned the strange kid. Or Peter's bestie. Mostly because I used to and it rubbed off on him. "And I have no idea. We don't hang out with them all the time, y'know."

"I dunno, you and Peter are getting quite close," MJ tutted. "You talk much more than you used to. I'm just hoping you don't abandon me for them. You'll be in big trouble if you do."

"As if I would. And anyway, we just have more in common now because of the Stark Internship, that's all it is," I shrugged. It wasn't entirely untrue. If I hadn't been to the Tower so often we probably wouldn't be talking as much. Not that I minded – it was quite nice to hang with different people every now and again.

"Alright," said Dad, to get our attention, then he looked between us both seriously. "I want you back before midnight, at the very latest. Don't take drugs. And don't come back too drunk, please. I know what teenage parties are like."

I felt stupid before the words even came out my mouth. "There's going to be alcohol?"

"It's a high school kid's house party," MJ said, rolling her eyes. "Of course there's gonna be alcohol."

"But... it's Wednesday."

A voice in the back of my head said, Everything always happens on a Wednesday...

"Look, ignore her," my Dad said, grinning, "just go and enjoy yourselves. Go crash that party. Do teenage stuff."

"Cool, now let's go, or we'll miss our bus," MJ said, tugging at my sleeve to spur me into action. Not that she could do a lot, seeing as I had the key. "Thanks for letting me steal your daughter, Mr Adams."

Dad winked. "So long as you bring her back by midnight, I don't mind."

"Dad," I sighed, just like an embarrassed teenager, as they both laughed. I unlocked the door and pushed MJ out. "I do love you really, but you're a piece of work."