Spider-Man: Marvel Knight

Chapter 14-The False Truth

Gwen was sitting on her couch looking at her messages to Peter in the group chat. Why had he been so distant lately? It was almost like he completely ghosted the three of them...and not only that...just completely started ignoring them. They all connected as friends (maybe even family) when Uncle Ben died, so why was he just completely ignoring them...ignoring her? It was agreeable that he would want some space, but Peter was never a lone wolf. She knew that he adored the man that Ben was, but she wasn't distant from her friends for this long when her father, George, died in action. Harry wasn't like this when his mother died, either, and God knows how much more he loved his mother than his father.
This wasn't like Peter at all. Peter hadn't seemed the same since the day of the science fair. Maybe something happened that day? There was a lot wrong with Peter Parker now...yet she didn't know just what it was.
Gwen opened his contact and was ready to call him, but her thumb moved away from the green button. Of course she wanted to help Peter, but if he wanted to be alone, she would respect his wishes. Deep down, she still felt something for him. She knew that they had both felt something that night, but Ben's death might have erased that.
She opened her texts and started messaging MJ.

Gwen: hey bae

MJ: 😳what's the matter boo?

Gwen: why do u think somethings wrong?

MJ: cause usually u r very enthusiastic with ur messages, it's never ever just "hey" when you're talking to me... Whats wrong hon?

Gwen: has Peter text u lately? I'm really worried about him

MJ: I text him the day they buried Ben, but not since then. he always usually just texts Harry rather than me. Y u ask that?

Gwen: he hasn't been answering Harry's or my texts or calls. He was like this a little bit after Ben died, but I thought we had gotten over that before the funeral. now he won't even talk to us at school. idk what's wrong...😞 I get it if he wants space but at least he can talk to us

MJ is typing...

MJ: call me

Gwen opened her contacts and pressed MJ's name. She picked up after two rings, and her soft, soothing voice was music to Gwen's ears. "Tell me everything, Gwen," she said. "Don't spare me any details. MJ can take it."
Gwen felt relieved that she could talk to her best friend again. It was times like this that she really felt blessed to have someone like her, and she felt empty that she was in Europe and not with them. "I don't know what's going on, MJ," Gwen responded. "I don't know if he's up to something or what."
MJ turned the phone on speaker and grabbed her hairbrush from her dresser. She began to brush her hair as she talked to her friend. It helped her pay attention. "You never know about that kid, Gwen. He has never been the most normal kid around, y'know."
Gwen sighed and dove her face down on her couch cushion. "Just when you think that he couldn't get any weirder, Mj... Do you ever remember Peter being stronger than Flash Thompson?" Gwen asked.
"Peter Parker? Never," MJ replied. She paused her brushing to think about that question. "Why do you ask that, Gwen?"
"We were at school yesterday and he shoved Flash into the lockers."
MJ's small silence was enough to tell Gwen that she was surprised as well. "Didn't that always happen the other way around?" she responded while scratching her head. "Wait... didn't he and Harry just get beat by him the other day? You saved them from him!"
"My point exactly, MJ! I just don't...." Her sentence completely stopped. There was silence on her end for a couple seconds.
"Gwen?" MJ asked to see if she was still there.
"Um, MJ?"
"Yeah?"
"Listen to this."
"What?"
Gwen turned her phone on speaker mode and let MJ listen to her TV.

...igilante know as Spiderman on social media and YouTube has just saved more lives today, as he stopped the robbery of the second bank in Brooklyn. Police say that he is wanted for the apprehension of the killer of Ben Parker. More on thi...

MJ listened to the TV through the phone and thought for a second. "Spider-Man? The guy who got Ben's killer. What about hi--" She realized what Gwen was alluring to. "Gwen, you don't think that he do that, do you?"
Gwen's thoughts could only focus on her new idea. "It can only make sense, MJ. His new strength and stuff can't be a coincidence." She almost couldn't let the words come out of her mouth. "Peter is Spider-Man..."
MJ rubbed her temples while thinking about that. "Gwen, if you're right about this... you and Harry need to stop him before he really gets hurt."
Gwen opened her texts and went to Harry's contact. "He's not gonna believe this, MJ..."

~Later...elsewhere~

Norman arrived home later than he wanted, but at least he made it home. The Goblin had kept him busy, even though he was sick of every horrible thing he had done. He had to spend the night a couple times with the dead bodies. The worst thing about it was that they were beginning to smell rotten and putrid.
Welcome home, Osborn.
Shut up.
He opened the front door to his mansion and saw Harry pacing back and forth in the foyer.
"Harry, what's wrong?" he asked.
Harry looked at his father. "It's...uh..." He thought for a few seconds to try and come up with an excuse. "I got to go see Peter about something, dad. I'll be back in a little while." Harry's eyes began to swell up with tears.
Norman grabbed his son by the shoulders and calmed him down. "Harry, Harry, Harry... Calm down, son. I just got here. Is everything okay?" He was worried about his son.
What a brave boy he is, Norman...
Shut up!
Harry began to calm down. "Everything is fine, dad." he responded. "I have to go."
Harry blew past his dad and ran out the door. He got into his car and drove away from the house. Norman looked on in confusion at what just happened. "I hope Peter is okay."
Screw Peter! We need to worry about our new problem, Norman.
"What would that be, you monster?"
Spider-Man, of course...
"...and I know just how to lure him out!"