2 months since the battle at Germany
"What's up, Penis Parker?" Flash smirked at Peter as he pulled up to the school in his expensive car. Peter had almost gotten hit by him when he'd crossed the parking lot and he clenched his jaw in frustration but turned away from Flash. "Hey, Jess," Flash also greeted the girl with a wide grin when he saw her walking toward the school.
"Do I know you?" She smirked and Flash chuckled uncomfortably while Michelle laughed and fist-bumped her. He drove off to park his car and the two girls continued to make their way into the school.
Michelle was one of Jessie's first friends when she started school. Jessie saw Michelle sitting alone at lunch and decided to join her. Once she got past Michelle's cold exterior and snarky comebacks, they easily became good friends. She also made friends with Liz since the principal told the doe-eyed girl to show Jessie around the school.
Jessie had a hard time getting used to to Liz's warm, milky personality, but she eventually worked through it. Jessie wanted the full high school experience so she got over her usually pessimistic ways to be better friends with Liz.
When the two girls walked through the hallway, Liz noticed and quickly started toward them. "Queen Bee alert," Michelle mumbled before quickly darting away from Jessie. Jessie watched her leave and glared back at Michelle's smirking form who winked and continued walking away.
Jessie turned back to Liz to see the smiling girl was already in her face. "Hey, are you still helping with Homecoming decorations later at lunch?"
"Oh, uh, I actually told M.J. I'd eat lunch with her today," Jessie explained to try and get out of helping.
"Who?" She laughed in confusion.
"Michelle...?" When she noticed Liz was still confused she shook her head. "Nevermind. Just-lets go to class," Jessie started walking again. Liz smiled and walked with her. Jessie and Liz both took French 2 since Liz needed to finish her last credit for a language and Jessie already knew the language.
"So, is that a yes to helping?" She asked sounding extremely hopeful. Jessie sighed and couldn't help but smile.
"Who could say no to you? I swear its your superpower," She laughed at Liz and the girl laughed along with her.
Jessie shook her head and turned her head to see Peter staring at her. She turned away with a nervous look and Liz asked her what was wrong.
"Um, nothing. I just forgot that we have a test in French so we should get to class a little earlier to study," She picked up her speed and Liz stopped walking to think about what Jessie had said.
"We don't have a test in French," She realized before jogging to catch up with Jessie.
-
In chemistry, Jessie sat beside Michelle at their table and listened to their teacher explain what they were doing for their lab. Jessie glanced over at Peter to see him stirring his overflowing web fluid in a beaker inside the drawer of his desk.
She rolled her eyes thinking back to their argument that took place a few weeks ago.
"You're obsessed!" She exclaimed and Peter furrowed his eyes in confusion.
"What?" He said through his breath. "N-No, I'm not, what?" He scoffed and Jessie folded her arms together. He heard his phone ding and quickly looked down at it to see if it was from Happy. When it wasn't, he sighed and then turned back to Jessie when he remembered she was still in the room.
"They're not going to call you with another mission," Jessie said and Peter stalked out of the living room to get away from her. Jessie followed him into his room to continue telling him the truth he didn't want to hear. "Don't you think they would've at least said something by now if they were interested?"
"They do say some things," He argued, remaining as optimistic as ever.
"Like what?"
"Like, every time I call Happy he tells me to keep up the good work," He told me and I shook my head.
"Don't you hear yourself? Every time you call Happy. The fact that he never checks in with you means he doesn't care. Which means..."
"Don't say it."
"Tony doesn't care." He turned his head away from the girl and frowned. He didn't think before saying the next few words that tumbled from his mouth.
"You're just mad you lost your powers and can't be an Avenger anymore," He said and Jessie's heart fell. It had been a while since she talked about the loss of her powers. She tried ignoring it and focusing on being a regular girl as if she always had been, but this struck a chord in her.
"Wow," She said through a laugh of disbelief as tears pricked her eyes. When he heard the crack in her voice, he turned his head to see her struggling not to cry. A single tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. "Okay."
"Jess...I'm-" He stepped toward her.
"Don't," She stepped away. "You're right. I am mad that I can't be an Avenger anymore. I spent my whole life being an agent and going on missions and now that I'm finally free from all of it, I'm still wanting to do what I was good at. Being a hero. And now I can't. And it hurts that you remind me everyday without even meaning to, but I get over it because I know how much being Spiderman means to you. Until now. I can't get over this," She shook her head and left his room.
"Wait! Jess...!" He scrambled after her, but by the time he reached her door, she'd slammed it in his face.
That was the last time Peter and Jessie had spoken more than two words to each other. Living together was still a must, but Jessie made it a point to avoid Peter at all costs.
-
Jessie and Liz were hanging up a Homecoming sign in the cafeteria while Peter and Ned sat at the table staring.
"Did Liz borrow Jess's top?" Peter asked as he examined the shirt he could've sworn he saw Jessie wear before.
"No. We've seen that before. But never with that skirt. They shop together so it wouldn't surprise me if Jess owns it too," Ned shrugged.
A girl from Jessie and Liz's class greeted them and complimented how good their sign looked. Liz thanked her while Jessie swung her hair over her shoulder and smiled down at the girl. Peter couldn't help, but ogle at the happy expression he hadn't seen in a while.
"We should probably stop staring before it gets creepy, though..."
"Too late," The two boys turned their attention to Michelle who was holding open a book at the end of the table. "You guys are losers," She said before returning to her reading. Ned huffed.
"Then why do you sit with us?" He smirked and Michelle looked up from her book again to answer.
"Because the only friend I have is on the Homecoming committee," She gestured to Jessie before going back to reading. The boys stared at her in confusion for a few more seconds before continuing to eat their food they had in front of them.
-
Michelle and Jessie sat side by side in the cafeteria as the Decathlon team practiced. Michelle talked Jessie into joining so she had someone to keep her company. Jessie was okay with it at first since her and Peter had been friends at the time, but she quickly changed her mind after their fight. Michelle wouldn't let her out that easy though and made jokes every time she tried chickening out of going.
"Let's move to the next question. What is the heaviest naturally-occurring element?" Liz, the Decathlon leader, asked the four students in front of her who sat idly behind their tables. It was two people a table and bells were placed in front of them to ring when they knew an answer and wanted to respond.
"Hydrogen's the lightest," A boy with light blue glasses rung his bell first. He sat next to Ned who looked bored. "That's not the question," He realized. "Okay."
Another boy dressed in a nice shirt and striped blue tie rung his bell. "Yeah," Liz pointed to him.
"Uranium," He said in his Ghanaian accent.
"Correct. Thank you, Abraham," Liz smiled as he grinned and cheered to himself. "Please open your books to page 10."
"Peter, it's nationals. Is there no way
you could take one weekend off?" Mr. Harrington, the head of the Decathlon team, asked. Him and Peter sat at a table not far away from everyone else.
"I can't go to Washington. If Mr. Stark
needs me, I have to make sure I'm here," Peter explained and Jessie scoffed and shook her head.
"You've never been in the same room as Tony Stark," Flash scoffed from a table behind them.
"Wait. What's happening?" Cindy Moon, who sat beside Abraham on the stage, asked.
"Peter's not going to Washington," Sally Avril announced from the floor, where she lay on her stomach, studying.
"No. No, no, no," Cindy said quickly, refusing to believe they were losing such a smart member.
"Why not?" Abraham rung his bell again as he spoke.
"Really? Right before nationals?" Liz asked.
"He already quit marching band and robotics lab," Jessie announced causing everyone to turn to look at her. Even a smirking Michelle. "What? I live with him. I'm allowed to know those things," She said in defense.
"Flash, you're in for Peter," Liz said to the boy who still sat studying.
"I don't know. I gotta check my calendar first. I got a hot date with Black Widow coming up," Flash stated before Abraham rung his bell again.
"That is false," Abraham announced.
"It will be if Jess gives me a chance," He winked over at her and she cringed at that.
"You'd have a better chance with Black Widow," She said before biting her tongue.
The Decathlon kids chuckled and Jessie returned to her studying before meeting eyes with Peter whose stare had been on her for far too long.