Melancholy Hope {Spiderson&Irondad}

Chapter 5

"A party? Are you sure you're cool to go to a party?" Mister Stark asks, narrowing his eyes a bit. "Not in a bad way. Just that there's quite a bit on your record about alcoholism and shit."

"It's all stupid ways to make up for my bad behaviour. I'm not even planning on drinking or anything there, Mister Stark. I'm just going with Ned and MJ. It'll be fine," I say, jutting out my bottom lip a little bit. "Ned's mom is driving us there and picking us up. We'll spend the night at Ned's. We're not going to drink or do drugs or anything stupid. We're just mingling, you know?"

"Mingling? Really?" Mister Stark sighs, "Fine, fine, whatever. You can go. Just as long as you don't have any homework to do. Promise that I won't have to deal with your hungover ass in the morning, and if anything goes wrong, you call me, yeah?"

"Promise! Thank you!" I exclaim, immediately rushing off to my bedroom to get changed.

*

The music is loud and intimidating as I lead the way up the driveway to the open front door, revealing all the people inside, dancing and gyrating and yelling over the blasting DJ.

MJ grins at me, obvious excitement behind her eyes. This is the first time they've ever been to a real party before. I used to go to parties a lot. Wade took me to some, bought me alcohol at most of them, but was always kind about making sure I didn't drink too much and made sure to bring me home safe. I've never really loved parties too much. Lots of strangers, lots of drinking, lots of illegal things and there's no way I'm landing my ass in juvie again.

They don't know that though. They still know nothing about my history. They don't know I'm a foster kid that could disappear from their lives at any second. They don't know that I have nightmares and panic attacks and can barely stomach the idea of having friends in the first place. They just know me as Peter, the kid who is somehow living with Tony Stark. The one who's been to parties and seen lots of different places around the country.

MJ looks pretty. Looks like a goddess as she always does. She's wearing simple jeans and a t-shirt with a jean jacket overtop, hair down and in her messy curls that look soft and shiny beneath the lights, eyes reflecting the neon spotlights. I've never liked a girl like this before. I've only really been with Wade.

Ned has huge eyes as he stares at everything going on around us as I lead the way to the kitchen, hopeful to find unopen pop bottles. I've had my fair share of spiked drinks, and I don't want to break the promise of not drinking to Tony. I don't want him to get pissed. And despite how much calmer I've gotten around him since Natasha and I talked, it still scares me, it probably always will, how easily he could get rid of me if I did something wrong.

I find a whole stack of pop cans and I pass them out to my friends, giving careful instructions to always keep their eyes on their drinks.

"Trust me, Peter, we know. My mom wouldn't shut up about never leaving my drink unattended," MJ responds, rolling her eyes. She does that a lot. But I don't think she's really annoyed like she pretends to be.

"Just making sure. I don't want you to get into any trouble here. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of douchebags here. I mean, I've already seen Flash," I say, checking over on Ned who's watching a game of beer pong intensely.

"I'm not the one you should be worried about. Keep your eyes on yourself and on that doofus. We all know how stupid that kid can be," MJ says, glancing over my shoulder to where Ned has somehow managed to strike up a conversation with the guy playing beer bong.

I snort and pop open my drink, taking a quick sip. I open my mouth to respond when Flash walks in, all pompous and smirking.

"Didn't think you'd be here, Parker," he says, pushing past me to grab himself a beer.