"Remember, be on your best behavior kids. I don't want to be interrupted in the middle of yet another meeting."
"Yes father," the twins answered obediently although neither of them were paying attention to him.
While Harry was on his phone searching for places nearby Midtown that he could ditch school to go to, Astrid was searching her mother's name on google, desperate to find any news article that could reveal the truth of her sudden death.
Norman could only roll his eyes at his children, turning to his assistant once more as they discussed work plans when the car finally came to a stop.
"Best behavior!" he warned as they started to get out of their seats, "Astrid, watch after your brother, will you?"
"Jesus dad, I'm not a fucking child," Harry scoffed as he got out of the car, Astrid faking a small smile to her father.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure he's good."
"That's my girl," Norman smiled for the first time, "Have a good day at school, sweetheart."
With that Astrid left the car and went to join Harry who was waiting for her, already fed up with the day, "That man has never smiled at me like he does you."
"Maybe if you didn't curse at him all the time or get us kicked out of every school he sends us to, he'd smile a little more."
"Or maybe if I resembled mom at all, he'd actually be nice to me every once in a while."
Astrid only rolled her eyes when a familiar face spotted them and she perked up immediately.
"Astrid! Harry!"
For the first time that day, Harry smiled as he approached Gwen, quick to sweep her off her feet and bring her into a tight hug as he spun her around.
Harry was always comfortable in crowds- he didn't struggle to find friends anywhere he went and was always considered a young Norman Osborn because of his charismatic charm.
Astrid on the other hand, was a bit shy when it came to meeting new people.
The nerves always hit her when she was forced into a new crowd- no matter how much Harry thinks she gets popular quickly and has no trouble making friends.
He didn't even know the gist of it.
That's why Astrid stood awkwardly in place looking at the group of strangers watching the pair in amusement.
When Harry finally set Gwen down, he turned to said group of strangers with a friendly smile on his face, "Hey, Harry Osborn."
"Oh we know," a blonde smiled flirtatiously at him, making Astrid roll her eyes discreetly.
She didn't think anyone would notice but someone certainly did.
Peter Parker had heard about the Osborns not only from the press but from Gwen Stacy who gushed about her best friends all the time.
Seeing them in person- seeing Astrid in person was definitely not at all what he expected.
To him, the pictures didn't do Astrid Osborn any justice.
Ned thought the same as he nudged his friend, whispering, "Astrid is hot dude!"
"Any louder Ned, I don't think she heard you," Peter glared when he noticed Astrid look over at them for a moment before returning her gaze to Gwen who was introducing the group.
"Seriously, you should totally try to get with her."
"As if she'd ever-"
"And this is Peter Parker and Ned Leeds."
"Nice to meet you all," Astrid smiled politely, hoping she'd remember everyone's name.
Harry noticed how nervous his sister got, quick to put an arm around her, "I know we're new here and all but honestly, it'd just be great to be welcomed with open arms- and with how Gwen's described everyone at Midtown..."
"We're all a friendly bunch," Liz Allan smiled politely.
Michelle scoffed quietly, hoping to go unnoticed but Harry definitely noticed her.
It was hard for him to miss the beautiful quiet girl with messy hair clutching tightly onto a book avoiding any sort of eye contact with anyone.
"So, G, I know we said you'd give me a tour of the school but I kind of really want her to give me a tour."
"Her?"
"Me?" Michelle asked wide-eyed as she looked at him for the first time.
"Yes, you," Harry chuckled, that charming smile of his appearing again as he removed his arm from around his sister and stepped closer to her, "Michelle, right?"
Michelle slowly nodded, confusion hitting her as she straightened up, not wanting to seem like a weak damsel who lost her cool over the new hot rich kid, "Michelle Jones."
"I'm gonna call you MJ," Harry smiled.
"Oh no," she winced, "I'm not really a fan of nicknames-"
"Let's go MJ- wouldn't want to be late to my first class."
Before Michelle could protest any further, Harry walked off, leaving her stunned as she stood there.
"It's best if you follow him," Astrid advised, "He'll just bother you if you don't."
"MJ!" Harry yelled loudly, catching everyone's attention.
"I'm coming!" she yelled back, "God these rich mamma boys- no offense Astrid."
"None taken," Astrid sighed as she left, feeling her mood go down all over again at the mention of her mother.
Gwen noticed this and smiled at her best friend, bumping her shoulder playfully, "That's the good thing about being best friends with twins. One dumps you but you still have the other."
Her friends chuckled slightly, neither of them knowing what to say.
Astrid now looked over at Gwen though, biting her lip nervously, "Actually..."
"Not you too!" she groaned.
As much as she wanted to stick with someone she knew, she knew that this someone would not stop until she made her feel better and she didn't need that right now.
"I just- you're not going to be here all the time, I have to not get used to you so much, you know?"
"I guess," Gwen huffed as she crossed her arms, Betty putting a comforting arm around her.
"So," Astrid began as she turned to the boys, "Ned, Peter, are you up to showing me around?"
"Us?" both boys stuttered.
Liz laughed seeing how nervous they got, motioning towards Gwen and Betty, "Let's get to class before they make even more fools of themselves."
Astrid ignored the comment and instead looked hopefully towards them, "I'm guessing you two are best friends and where one goes, so does the other so..."
"You're wrong," Ned blurt out, "I mean we're friends but we definitely separate. In fact- girls! Wait for me!"
Before Peter could stop him, Ned ran off, making him curse quietly under his breath.
Astrid felt all sorts of awkward as she brushed her hair back.
Why couldn't she be as outgoing as her brother?
"You know what? Peter, it's fine. I'll just- I'll find my own way around."
Looking away from Ned giving him a thumbs up from far away for the first time, Peter looked at Astrid wide-eyed, "No! I um- I don't mind showing you around at all. I just- cmon."
"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother."
"You are definitely not a bother."
And although he sounded confident in that moment, he was far from it.
He could barely handle himself in front of Liz Allan on a daily basis- how the hell was he supposed to do that in front of Astrid Osborn?
written: September 23, 2018
posted: October 9, 2018