CHAPTER ELEVEN
"you're the spider-man"
-TWO MONTHS LATER-
Everything was back to normal life in Jade's life. She continued through school, hanging out with Michelle, Ned, and Peter. Being a superhero wasn't on Jade's to-do list anymore (for the time being), but she still kept a close eye on one super in particular.
Peter's Spider-Man duties doubled after the Germany incident, he was out almost every night being Spider-Man. She could see he didn't get much sleep because he slept through some classes but when it was last hour he would wined up acting as if he just had a five hour energy. His duties weren't much, he did the small things; helping the little guys out there and Jade admired that, but she also noticed his longing for more.
She has full control over his suit and she noticed after Tony took the suit, he added a feature in it called "The Training Wheels Protocol." It held back all capabilities of his suit, an A.I system (unnamed right now) and other features like the web-shooter combination she made. She became more pissed off with her father at that but after looking into the installment she decided it would be best to keep it installed.
She still hadn't talk to Tony and forgiven him completely for what he's done, he's tried reaching out but she ignores his calls and replies with a "sorry, I was busy," and never answers back. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss him, because she did, but her feelings got in the way to verbally say it to him.
The "Baby Monitor Protocol" she installed with the suit let's her see what Peter can see and hear. He didn't know this but it was how she kept an eye on him. They never talked about Spider-Man again after Germany, it would pop up in conversation by Ned or Michelle, but Jade ignored it and Peter would get all nervous.
Through out the past two months, the four friends have become close, Ned and Michelle always wanting to go to the movies together but never by themselves.
Jade knew Michelle wasn't a very wishy-washy person but it was obvious that her and Ned had something for each other. Jade and Peter liked to snicker behind the twos backs when they would argue because it was like they've been married for thirty years now. Michelle got onto the both and would pick on Peter about his infatuation with Decathlon captain, Liz Allan.
Peter would blush deeply and start stuttering, "I-I do no-not have a cr-crush on Liz," then everyone would laugh at him.
But Peter didn't know who he liked, his feelings were mixed. He's liked Liz since last year and she's never really noticed him before, but his feelings have started going towards his new friend Jade. It seemed stupid to only start liking her because she actually liked talking to him and hanging out but the more he started being around her the more his feelings grew.
But Peter's feelings get pushed to the side when he thinks about his Spider-Man duties and his hope for a chance at being a superhero gets brighter every day.
"Let's move to the next question. What is the heaviest naturally-occurring element?" Liz Allan asked, standing behind her podium. Jade laid on the floor beside Michelle, staring at the ceiling and listening to the teams study session.
"Hydrogen's the lightest." A kid named Charles rings the bell and miserably fails at answering the question. "That's not the question. Okay. Yeah."
"Uranium," Jade mumbled under her breath irritated. Michelle smirked behind her book at her friends response.
Jade smirked back and looked over at Peter who was talking with Mr. Harrington, the sponsor for the team.
"Peter it's nationals," Mr. Harrington said. "Is there no way you could take one weekend off?"
"I can't go to Washington because if Mr. Stark needs me, then I have to make sure that I'm here," Peter explained.
Jade understood Peter wanted to be ready, but if she knew her father (which she does) he wasn't going to bring Peter in for a mission unless he desperately needed him again.
"You've never even been in the same room as Tony Stark," Flash spoke up, sitting in the back of the auditorium.
"Wait, what's happening?" Cindy Moon asked.
Then Sally Avril, who is lying on her stomach studying her notes, answered, "Peter's not going to Washington,"
"No. No, no, no, no, no. No. No." Cindy said frantically.
"Why not?" Abe asked sitting beside her and ringing the bell.
"Really? Right before nationals?" Liz asked pouting, Jade mouthed a barfing face towards Michelle making her chuckle slightly.
"He already quit marching band and robotics lab," Michelle said, everyone looks at her suspiciously.
"I'm not obsessed with him. Just very observant," she quickly added, Jade giggling at her nervousness.
"Jade..?" Liz called. Jade sat up quickly and stared wide eyed at Liz. "Do you think you could take Peter's spot?"
Liz Allan doesn't know about Jade's disliking for her, so she always talked to her, and she's also tried to get Jade to join the decathlon team multiple times but she refuses every time.
"Im sorry," Jade said as apologetic as she possibly could, not really meaning it.
Liz sighed sadly, "Flash, you're in for Peter,"
"Ooh, I don't know. I gotta check my calendar first. I got a hot date with Black Widow coming up." Flash said not looking up from his book again.
"That is false," Abe ringed his bell again.
"What did I tell you about using the bell for comedic purposes?" Mr. Harrington asked.
Practice continued for another ten minutes and then the bell finally rang for next period. Michelle and Jade had next hour together so they stood up and walked out of the auditorium.
___________
For the rest of the day Jade couldn't stop thinking about Peter giving up everything he loved to do just for a Stark Internship. She knew she needed to say something before someone else did— someone as in Tony himself— even if Spider-Man was an awkward conversation between the two. She decided after school she would find him before he leaves for his duties and try to talk to him.
The bell rang for the day to be officially over and Jade said goodbye to Michelle and Ned and left to quickly find Peter— the only problem was Jade's last hour was rooms away from Peter's so he had a head start to the door.
She never found him in the halls and when she went outside he was gone and out of sight.
Jade groaned loudly and turned her glasses on, "Veronica, track Spider-Man's Suit."
"Yes, boss," VERONICA said and started scanning for it. "The suit is moving into an alleyway and has now stopped."
"Thanks," Jade said and used her speed to get to the alley Peter was at.
Once she got there she had just walked in on Peter taking his pants off.
"Oh, Thor!" She exclaimed and covered her eyes.
Peter quickly turned around and tripped on his pants, falling on the ground, but catching himself with his hands. Jade walked over to him and helped him up, trying to ignore the fact that he's practically naked.
"Wh-What are y-you doing here?" Peter asked trying to quickly change clothes.
"I'm just figuring out everything, my hypothesis was true, I'll have to write that down later," she smiled, chuckling at her joke. "But, what's going on with you?"
"What do you mean? Nothing's going on with me," he said out of breath.
"Well, something is because you've gotten out of all extracurricular activities and are never around anymore," Jade explained.
Peter just continued to put his suit on, "I am around, ... I'm just also making time for Mr. Stark and Spider-Man,"
"But what about colleges? You know they would all look good on your applications. And what about Ned? We were all looking forward to Decathlon Nationals."
"I'm sorry, but what if I'm gone and Mr. Stark needs me for a mission?! I wouldn't be there,"
"Pete, I hate to say this but there isn't going to be anymore missions— trust me." She said sadly knowing it's what he's been wanting for two months.
"I've already told Mr. Harrington I can't come and my spot has been taken, maybe next time," he said, tightening his suit, webbing up his backpack to the wall, and going off into the city.
"Ugh!" Jade groaned loudly. She wasn't mad at Peter, just frustrated with him— okay maybe she was mad. But shhe didn't understand how two months of nothing hasn't shown him anything.
But instead, she decided she would just go home and maybe do some homework and cool off, try and forget about it. When she got to her apartment she received a call from Ned. She answer, "Hello?"
"Jade Hogan, join me in the Parker complex and together we will build my new LEGO Death Star..." He said in a weird sounding voice.
"What's the occasion?" Jade asked, knowing she'd probably join anyways.
"Peter has somehow forgotten and I need a partner, joining?"
"How many pieces?"
"Three thousand eight hundred and three," he said.
"I'm on my way," she said and walked down to Peter's apartment, knocked and was greeted by Aunt May.
A few hours had passed and Peter still had not shown up, "I'll be right back," Jade said. "And do not let this break." they had just finished building the Death Star and she went to get something to drink.
She grabbed a water bottle from the kitchen, saying hello to May and suddenly the sound of LEGOS falling made Jade's heart drop.
"What was that?" May yelled.
"I got it," Jade said and ran to Peter's room.
"Uh..! Nothing, it's nothing!" Jade heard Peter's voice.
She ran in the room and saw him standing there with his Spider-Man suit on and a shocked Ned sat with his mouth wide open.
"You're the Spider-Man.."