True Love

Hard Into Love

Trigger Warnings: Mention of abuse

MJ's POV

It was unusual. I had been so careless this morning, yet he had barely offered a glance. Unusual, but I was thankful. I was also frightened. The calm always comes before the storm. I made a note to be extra careful when I came home from school later that day.

The bus stopped in front of the school exactly 5 minutes and 35.5 seconds before 8:00. Counting was the only thing other than drawing that distracted me from reality. I exited the bus behind everyone else, keeping my sketchbook clutched tightly to my chest. Peter was about to go through the school doors, but when he saw me 30 yards behind him he waited.

Most of the time, I was secretly excited and relieved when I saw him, but it felt awkward this time. It was almost as if he had seen a part of me he wasn't supposed to see, and now I couldn't trust him anymore.

Cut it out me. You know Peter better than that.

But still...

I approached the door.

He smiled at me, and all my fears washed away like the sand on the seashore. Gone, and never to return. 

"Good. It looks better." 

My one wish at the moment was to stop talking about that. The thing that was the only indication of my life behind walls.

Actually, I had a lot of wishes, dreams never to come true. Now there were mostly fairy tales, stories pasted into a book for children to read before they go to bed. There was only one dream that had stayed real. 

I smiled as I looked at him. If there was anything I could have, it would be Peter. No questions asked. But of course he didn't know that. To him, I was just the girl he liked. Nothing else.

I longed to be more. Maybe I was, but it seemed so stupid and hopeless I never dared to think about it.

I smiled at him, and he gave his cheesy smile back as he opened the door for me. 

Of course, I failed every test and quiz thrown at us. Peter finished them within 5 minutes. I doubted he got one question wrong. Mr. Harrington always lectured me to study more, but I never had the time. Either I was hiding, sleeping, or... 

It wasn't worth thinking about. I couldn't think about it. Not now. Not in the middle of the hallway, walking past Peter. He would notice. And then he would ask. I didn't know if I could lie to him like I did 12 hours ago. School was almost over. I had to stay strong. 

Peter's POV

I watched MJ closely today. She was as she always was, quiet, observant, shy. I was scared she would avoid me, but she didn't. She had no idea what that meant to me. I wanted to be the person she could turn to for anything. Maybe that was a little cheesy, okay a lot cheesy, but it was true. 

In my heart I knew something was wrong, something she was trying so hard to hide. A deep pain tortured her, and that bruise had something to do with it. I wished I knew what was hurting her. At least it would be easier to comfort her. But instead, all I could do was smile at her, be there for her. If only I could be more. 

To her, I was just the guy she liked. Nothing else. It wasn't because I was Spider-Man. She wasn't like that. We just happened to like each other. 

And I happened to fall hard into love.

She lit a light inside of me I didn't know I had. When her eyes looked into mine, an overwhelming amount of joy flooded me. The first time I slipped my hand into hers, it felt like magic. And the first time we kissed? That felt like I stood under fireworks, the explosions vibrating my chest. I could have sworn my heart was going 3,000 beats a second.

Happy picked me up, his I'm-not-smiling smile still carved into his face. But despite first impression, I knew he liked me. On the inside of course. He would never admit it out loud. 

"Tony needs your help in the labs this afternoon, so we'll go straight to the tower. Unless you need to pick up something from May's?"

"Nope! I have everything I need at both places, so just drive on."

"Okay, good."

After a 30 minute ride, I walked through the doors. FRIDAY's welcoming voice faded away as Mrs. Cox greeted me from behind the front desk. Well, she was behind the front desk.

"Peter! It's so good to see you again." 

If I didn't have Spider man powers, I would have been squished. She really should have been an Avenger. Those hugs were more powerful than all the Iron man suits combined. "Well, Mrs. Cox, I was here yesterday."

"Yeah, but that was yesterday. Today is a new day, a fresh start. I'm glad it included you. And what did I say about calling me Mrs. Cox? It makes me sound like a grumpy, old librarian."

She definitely was not grumpy. Ever.

"Call me Olivia. Or, better yet, Aunt Olivia."

I laughed, partly amused, partly nervous, and partly embarrassed. "I think Ms. Romanoff and Ms. Maximoff would be jealous, and then I would have to start calling everyone Aunt and Uncle. And that would be very awkward with Mr. Stark."

"Oh, I think Tony wants more than that."

I raised my eyebrows and blushed. She laughed, her eyes dancing like wildfire. Sometimes I wondered if she was an angel from heaven. Other times I was convinced she was an angel.

"I shouldn't keep you from your work too long."

"It was nice to see you Mrs.-" 

She raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, Olivia. But I got to run."

She nodded as I ran off, trying to catch the elevator before the doors closed.