Midtown High's theatre was darkened but there was an excited chatter filling the space. I was seated next to Peter, his hand placed lightly on my knee. The stage was doused in pinkish light, the final scene coming to an end and the curtains falling down with a final thud. A round of applause set off the room, everyone getting to their feet and clapping away. It was my second night seeing Mary Jane's play and that swell of proudness still filled my chest as she stepped back on stage, taking her bow. Gwen cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting out her name again and again. Harry was already hurrying to the exit, a bouquet of flowers in his arms. As the house lights flickered back on, Peter turned to me, his camera swinging from his neck.
"You don't mind if I quickly get some pictures of the cast for the newspaper?" He asked, giving me a smile. Students and family members scattered around us, everyone getting to their feet after the play had ended. Many were headed home already since tomorrow was a school day.
I gave my head a little shake. "No, go for it. I'll meet you out front. I just want to quickly see Mary Jane before we go."
With that I watched as he headed towards one of the senior boys still in costume, chatting to his friends. I turned back to Gwen, letting her lead the way to backstage where we found Mary Jane holding her expensive flowers, a huge grin lighting up her face. She was still in costume, her red hair dangling in loose waves and her face dolled up with stage makeup. "Hey, you did great." I greeted her, stepping in for a side hug. Harry was standing on her other side, a hand wrapped around her waist. I wasn't sure when but the two of them looked cozy once again, meaning Mary Jane had spoken to him about where their relationship was heading. The very conversation I was avoiding having with Peter.
Gwen was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "Did you hear me cheering?" She blurted out. "I wanted everyone seated around us to hear just how loud your fan club can be."
"I did hear, yes." Mary Jane nodded, glancing down at her flowers again. Even from here I could smell the soft and flowery scent flooding the air. It seemed Harry didn't cheap out on the flowers. "Thanks guys, for coming again."
It was nice seeing Mary Jane really happy. For months I had known she had liked Harry but I hadn't been keen on the idea. Harry had a bad reputation for playing with girls' hearts and that was the last thing I wanted for our sweet Mary Jane Watson. But it seemed Harry had fallen for her quite kindness and heart of gold. Gwen reached forward, flickering one of the red roses from the bouquet, her expression saying it all. "It must be nice dating a rich kid."
Harry grinned, tucking his arm around her shoulder and pulling Mary Jane closer. "It has its perks, wouldn't you agree?" He asked down at her, a wink sent in her direction.
I watched as Mary Jane's cheeks turned a rosy pink. "Uh, let's drop this, yeah?" Mary Jane wasn't one to talk about her relationship in public, she was rather conservative in that regard. That only made Harry smirk again over at us. "Harry, would you mind getting my bag from the dressing room?"
He nodded, "Sure thing."
The three of us watched as he headed off down the hallway, disappearing in the crowd of cast and crew members milling around. Still holding onto her flowers, Mary Jane turned to us both, a seriousness in her eyes. "Okay, I have a plan to meet Spider-Man."
Ever since the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mary Jane had gotten rather obsessed with meeting our new spandex wearing masked hero. Gwen had jumped onboard, wanting to know who was hiding behind that mask with superhuman abilities. All week the two of them were trying to form the perfect plan to actually get an introduction with Spider-Man. I crossed my arms over my chest, already shaking my head. "Are we really bringing this up right now? I thought we agreed to drop it? We can't just form some crazy scheme to somehow get Spider-Man to come swinging just to meet three stupid girls."
Gwen elbowed me in the ribs. "We're not stupid. All we are trying to do is get to know the very hero that saved your life, remember? He cares about the little people. Do you honestly think he wouldn't come swinging if he thought we were in trouble?"
"This is insane," I started quietly, dropping my voice as one of our teachers wandered pass. "Are we seriously going to create some scheme where it looks like we're in trouble just to say a few words to him? He's going to figure it out and be pissed we wasted his time."
Mary Jane stepped in closer, a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "No, we're not going to fake being in trouble to get his attention. We're going to fake a robbery and gain his attention that way."
I was already laughing, sharp and manic. "This is the worst idea I have ever heard, Mary Jane."
"I think it's brilliant," Gwen shrugged, rolling her pretty eyes.
Mary Jane was nodding along, a little too pleased with her crazy idea. "And how do you plan on faking a robbery exactly?" I asked, giving them both a stern glare.
"Mum closes the jewellerly store on weeknights," Mary Jane explained. "All we have to do is sneak the key from her bag at home and set off the alarms at work when everyone has left. It's honestly not that complicated. Once the alarms are set off, the police are notified and clearly Spider-Man wouldn't be far away. It's a fool proof plan."
It was honestly the worst plan to fake rob the jewellerly store Mary Jane's mum worked at but it seemed my friends were pretty set on going through with it and I wasn't about to let them do it without me. As I spotted Harry coming back down the hall, I leaned in. "You two are insane but I wouldn't be your best friend if I let you do it without me."
Gwen grinned. "Great, it's a plan then."
***
It was after school the next day and Peter and were at his apartment in the middle of a study session. Our books had been pushed off the bed, scattered to the ground in a heap of paper and bent covers. Music was playing from next door, a heavy beat seeping through the thin walls of his bedroom. I was pressed down on his soft sheets, our legs tangled together as he hovered above me. My hands gripped his firm arms, holding him close. Our lips were melted together, his tongue running against my bottom lip. I wasn't sure how long we had been like this but my skin was hot like my blood was boiling in my veins. My hair was fanned around my head on his pillow, my socked feet running up and down his legs. I let my hands stray from his arms and slide under his shirt, feeling his warm skin against my fingertips. Peter didn't protest, just let his lips find my jawline, leaving tiny light kisses everywhere.
"Peter?" I breathed out, breaking the calm silence around us. I felt his hand move from my shoulder, slowly tickling my arm. He moaned against my skin in a response, his eyes closed as my hands still fanned his midsection. I closed my eyes too, feeling my stomach dip with anticipation as his hand grazed my stomach, moving slowly upwards. My head fell back against the pillow as his lips nibbled at my neck lightly, trying to distract me from where his hands were going but my eyes drifted open and I stared down at our bodies, my hands had pushed up his shirt, revealing an ugly looking bruise on his side. I wiggled underneath him, the spell breaking.
"Peter, what happened?" I muttered out, my lips feeling numb from the kissing. He heard the worry in my voice and that snapped his attention, his hands fleeing from my skin as he sat back, yanking down his shirt and leaving me sitting there hopelessly.
He shook his head quickly, clearing his throat as his eyes darted away from me. "Nothing. It's just a little--"
"I saw it," I butted in, pulling my own shirt back down over my stomach. "There is nothing little about the bruise, Peter." I crawled forward, reaching for his shirt again, wanting to see the purple bruise again.
Peter practically jumped backwards, distancing himself from me. I saw the panic flash through his eyes as he continued to back away. I shifted to the edge of the bed, watching him. Weeks ago I had found bruises that littered his skin. I had asked about them but he wouldn't tell me a thing about how he gotten them or why. I had just assumed he was fighting with boys in our grade, but that didn't scream normal Peter Parker behaviour. "What's going on?" I whispered, tucking my hair behind my ears. "Why are you covered in bruises? Are you in some sort of trouble? I don't understand--"
He shook his head again. "I'm not in trouble, it's nothing. I don't want you to worry."
"I am worried," I felt my voice cracking. "Why can't you tell me what's really going on?"
He looked across at me and I could see the struggle in his eyes. "I just can't, Florence."
I bit down on my bottom lip, tasting blood on my tongue. Without thinking I was grabbing my books and bag, hurrying to slip my shoes on. Peter stood there speechless, just watching. I heaved my bag over my shoulder, picking up my jacket and heading towards the door. "When you're ready to tell me what's going on, you know where to find me." I told him, feeling the unshed tears in my eyes. He didn't even blink, didn't even look over at me.
Then I walked away from him.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
How did we all like it? I gave a little Fleter tame fooling around for you all. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I actually got my head together and planned the next few chapters, leading towards the end of book one.
- tinkertaydust x