NEXT LEVEL|PETER PARKER (2)

1.3

Jessie placed the solo cups onto the table next to the fruit punch and then moved back to the kitchen. She opened the bags of snacks and poured them into their individual bowls before setting them around the house. "And you're sure it's a good idea to throw a party while your parents aren't home?" Jess looked up at Liz who was on a ladder in her living room, stringing up lights.

"Of course. As long as nothing breaks, we should be fine," She told the small girl. Jessie nodded and flinched when she heard the doorbell ring. "Oh, will you get that? I think that's the pizza."

"Sure thing," Jessie walked toward the door and opened it to be greeted by Flash who had at first looked surprised to see Jessie, but then grinned. As soon as Jessie comprehended who it was, she shut the door in his face.

"Wha-Hey!" He pounded on the door and Jessie sighed before opening it up again.

"What are you doing here?" She asked the cocky boy who took it upon himself to step into the house.

"I'm the DJ," He said as if it were obvious and pointed to himself.

"That's great," She grimaced and walked off, leaving Flash to shut the door. "Liz, the weasel's here," She told the girl who had finally stepped down from the ladder.

"The what?" She smiled and then laughed when she saw Flash.

"As long as I weasel my way into your heart, babe," Flash pointed at Jessie who gagged and Flash winked at her.

After Flash set up the system, he began playing songs from his soundtrack that weren't actually that bad, but Jessie still stayed hidden in the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn. She only left to go get the pizzas from the pizza guy and pay him a tip before she laid out the food and went back to hiding.

More people started to arrive and the sky began to darken so Liz turned off the house lights and turned on the lights she'd strung up. "This is cool," Jessie looked around and Liz smiled.

"Thanks for the help," Jessie nodded and Liz ran off to greet more people. Jessie texted Michelle where to find her since she was alone. Michelle finally approached Jessie and the girl sighed in relief.

"Thank god you're here. These things are not my scene at all," Jessie told Michelle who cringed and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm not too big into parties either," She said truthfully. "Wanna eat?" She pointed to the pizza and Jessie nodded quickly.

They ate a few slices before Jessie had to use the bathroom. She walked off and two minutes later, Peter and Ned showed up.

"Okay, we're gonna have Spiderman swing in and say you guys are tight and then I get a fist bump or wanna those half bro hugs," Ned explained and Peter listened intently until Michelle realized they'd shown up.

She was buttering toast when she saw them walk in and hid the growing smirk on her face as she thought about how Jessie would react to this. "I can't believe you guys are at this lame party," She told them. Peter looked stunned while Ned couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You're here too," Ned told her and she squinted her eyes at him.

"Am I?" She took a bite of her toast and walked off. Jessie had just walked out of the bathroom when she saw the two boys and they saw her as well. She instantly turned around, but Liz caught her and took Jessie's arm in hers before pulling the girl along with her to greet the boys.

"Oh my gosh. Hey, guys!" Liz walked toward them as she held a drink in her hand. "Cool hat, Ned," She smiled at them.

"Hi, Liz," They both greeted her. "Hey, Jess," Peter said nervously toward her, unsure of how angry she still was. Jessie nodded and looked away from his intense gaze while Liz broke the awkward silence.

"I'm so happy you guys came. There's pizza and drinks," She explained. "Help yourself."

"What a great party," Peter's voice cracked and Jessie couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her lips while Liz thanked him. A crash coming from the kitchen caused Liz to twist her head toward the sound and she grew worried.

"Oh, I-My parents will kill me if anything's broken," She said nervously. "I gotta go, but Jess will keep you guy's company," She smiled apologetically. Jessie's eyes widened and became alert as she shook her head vigorously. She silently pleaded with Liz not to leave her alone with them, but Liz ignored it and walked off.

"Bye," Ned told her and then there were three. Jessie smiled awkwardly and then pointed toward another room.

"I'm gonna...uh...yeah," She walked off quickly and Ned hit Peter lightly on his shoulder.

"Dude, what are you doing? She's here. Spider it up," Ned whispered.

"No, no, no. I can't-I cannot do this. Spiderman is not a party trick, okay? Look, I'm just gonna be myself," Peter told him.

"Peter, no one wants that," Ned said honestly and Peter drew back with an offended look.

"Dude," He said in disbelief before walking away from Ned.

"Penis Parker, what's up?" The music stopped playing so Flash could expose Peter. Jessie looked up from where she was talking with Michelle to see what was happening. "So, where's your pal Spiderman? Let me guess. In Canada with your imaginary girlfriend? That's not Spiderman. That's just Ned in a red shirt," Flash joked which brought a few laughs from the crowd. Peter was obviously angry and Jessie didn't want him to act rashly.

"I'll be right back," She told Michelle who smirked.

"Go get him," She winked at Jess who rolled her eyes and ran after Peter.

"Where'd he go?" She asked Ned and he pointed to the roof. She sighed and walked through the screen door to the back yard where she saw Peter talking to himself.

"Peter. What are you doing?" She asked as she saw him in his suit. He jumped when he heard her voice and turned to her. She climbed up the ladder that Liz had used earlier to decorate and put outside while the party went on. She got to the roof and folded her arms together as Peter watched her inch toward him.

"I uh-"

"You don't have to prove anything, you know? Isn't it enough to just be you?" She asked him and he sighed.

"This is me," Peter told her and she shook her head as she got closer to him.

"Not the real you. The guy before you became Spiderman is the real you and that guy is the one who needs to be down there right now. Not this one," She pointed to his suit. Her words hit him like a pile of bricks and he stared into her eyes looking for something he wasn't sure of, but was sure he'd know when he saw it.

A small boom sounded from nearby and both Jessie and Peter furrowed their eyes in confusion as they looked in the distance. A huge cloud of blue and purple arose from the trees nearby and Peter looked toward Jessie.

"Go," She nodded him off. With a determined look in his eyes, he ran off the roof and began his descent to check out what was happening.

She sighed, missing the feeling of being capable of going head first into danger. She walked down the roof and toward the ladder. As she went to place her foot on the metal step, someone who had a bit too much to drink leaned into the ladder and it slid to the side. Her foot completely missed and she screamed as she fell backward landing in the grass in a heap.

"Oh my god, are-are you okay?" The guy asked as he approached her to see if she'd been injured.

Jessie's vision blurred as she felt her head badly pulsing. "Get..." The pain made her feel tired and she felt herself drifting off. "...help."