Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 2 - All Caught Up

It was like he was back in high school and he wanted the ground to swallow him up from embarrassment.

He groaned silently and winced before he mustered up a small smile up to MJ, who stood grinning at him, enjoying his small torture.

"Hey, MJ," Peter greeted her.

"Hey yourself!" She then turned towards her assistant. "Linda, go ahead and wait for me back at the office. I'll be there in a bit."

"Yes, of course! Nice to meet you Mr. Peter Fucking Parker," Linda hooted before making her way towards the door. "I'm Linda, by the way!" She added and then disappeared outside.

"Can I sit?" MJ pointed at the seat across from him. When Peter didn't reply, she shrugged and sat down anyway, placing her cup down on the table. "Shit, it's been like what... four or five years?" She crossed her arms, like someone would do when they're cold, and stared at him.

Peter noticed that her eyelashes now looked darker and bolder, making her eyes stand out more. Her lips had a tint of gloss but he figured it could've come from a lip balm. He didn't even think about how he was head-on staring at her lips until he saw them move into a smirk.

He blinked several times and shook his head before replying, "Uh, yeah, yeah... since high school, I think?"

"Ah, Midtown High. Such weird memories I have of that place," she chuckled softly before taking a drink from her cup.

"Weird? How?" Peter asked. As far as he remembered, she always kept to herself and even when she hung out with him and Ned, she didn't speak much.

"Well you guys made it weird. How's Ned, by the way?"

"He's good. No, yeah, we work together at Columbia," Peter mentioned as he pushed down his hoodie from his head. He tried to blindly pat his hair down.

"No way, so you guys are still geeks?" She laughed.

Peter rolled his eyes but managed to let out a laugh too. "It's what we're good at, what can I say?"

"Yeah, you're right. Both of you were some of the smartest people I knew."

Peter looked at her in surprise. She rarely complimented people, much less him and Ned. What had he missed since high school?

"Not that you care but I'm a journalist now," she smiled proudly, leaning forward on her elbows.

"That doesn't surprise me at all, to be honest."

"How so?" She narrowed her eyes, doing that thing that makes Peter feel like she's trying to read his mind.

Peter shrugged, "You were always reading. Plus, you have always been into protests and stuff. You believe in informing everyone about how fucked the world is. I don't know, it fits you."

She looked like she wanted to smile but covered it up with a cough. "Didn't know you actually noticed that stuff about me."

"I can be very observant," Peter smirked.

"Whatever," she muttered, clearly understanding the inside joke. "I love it, though. Except my boss can be a pain in my ass but he respects me enough." She looked down at her cup, rotating it with her fingers.

Peter couldn't help but smile. He felt so at ease, even though he was caught looking the worst he's ever been. MJ looked great; with her loose black blouse underneath her pressed suit jacket. He always thought she was pretty but never dared tell her, in fear she might punch him.

He had a feeling MJ saw him differently but could never pinpoint as to why or how. Not to mention that after the war, he could barely focus enough to look further into it. But the war had long been over and his life has been steady so far, so now he wondered if it would hurt to get a bit closer-