Chapter 8: friend
The morning sun cut across Queens, warm but heavy on Peter's shoulders. His body was still battered from the fight with Kingpin, but thanks to his strength, agility, Spider-Sense, and accelerated healing, only the deeper wounds and bruises remained visible.
He tugged at the straps of his backpack, hoodie pulled up, trying to disappear into the crowd.
Turning the corner, he pushed open the side gate of Midtown—then froze.
There she was.
A redhead stood waiting by the gate, her smile already aimed at him. Her name was Mary Jane.
"Peter! Hey, wait up!" Mary Jane called, jogging toward him just as he was about to slip away.
"H-hi, MJ. How are you doing?" Peter asked, stammering. He hadn't expected her to talk to him—he'd been ghosting her for months now. Honestly, he thought she would've given up on him by now.
MJ, still smiling brightly, brushed it off. "I'm doing great! There's a new restaurant that just opened—it's cheap, and it's close by."
"Rain check. I've got some things to do after school," Peter muttered, already trying to edge away before she could close the distance.
"Cool, I'll go with you," MJ said, locking her arm through his, refusing to let him walk away.
"Uh—it's a guys' thing," Peter blurted, scrambling for an excuse. "Girls… aren't really allowed to come."
MJ smirked, unbothered. "It'll be fine. I'm sure they'll let me in."
Peter's patience snapped. "MJ, just leave me alone!" he shouted, his voice louder than he meant.
The smile slipped from her face. She stepped back, eyes lowering as tears welled up.
Peter froze, guilt flooding him. Flustered, he rushed forward and pulled her into a clumsy hug. "MJ—look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Please, don't cry. How about we go to the restaurant? My treat."
"I'm sorry, MJ. Really. How about we… skip school and hang out for the day?" Peter blurted, running out of ideas.
MJ laughed, wiping the last of her tears with a grin. "Hehe—you can't take it back now."
Peter froze, stunned. Why do I get the feeling I just got played?
MJ grabbed his hand and tugged him forward. "C'mon—let's hit the Chunky Cheese Pizza Café, grab a bite, then we'll go to Battery Park, check out the Statue of Liberty, and swing by Brooklyn Bridge Park."
"Okay, okay—you don't need to pull," Peter protested, trying to wiggle his arm free.
MJ tightened her grip, locking their arms together again. "Nope. Not letting you disappear the second I turn my back."
[Seven Hours Later]
After a day of goofy restaurants, ferry rides, and even spotting the Statue of Liberty, MJ and Peter were finally heading home. The sun had dipped low, painting Queens in gold and shadow.
That's when they saw it—an alley, a girl backed against the wall, and a man waving a knife.
"Le—" MJ started, but Peter clamped a hand over her mouth before she could call out.
"Stay out of sight," he whispered sharply in her ear. "Don't make a sound. If I yell, you run. Call the police. Got it?"
Her wide eyes answered for her. Peter gently pushed MJ behind cover, then stepped out into the alley.
He raised his head, voice calm but firm. "Just so you know, the cops are already on their way. Why don't you put the knife down, walk away, and we all forget this happened?"
The mugger laughed, a harsh, mocking sound.
"Hah! Who the hell do you think you are, kid? By the time the cops get here, I'll be long gone—with both your wallets." He jabbed the knife in Peter's direction, sneering.
As soon as the knife pointed his way, Peter dropped his hand and squared his stance, ready to fight.
"Okay then—come and take it, baldie," Peter shot back, baiting him into making the first move.
"You damn brat!" the mugger roared, rushing forward with the blade.
The world slowed. Peter's hand shot out, snatching the man's wrist mid-swing. He twisted, pivoting in a sharp 360 spin.
CRACK! The mugger's wrist bent at an unnatural angle, a scream ripping from his throat. Peter didn't stop—he shoved the man by the collar and slammed him face-first against the wall. The mugger slid down, groaning.
Breathing heavy, Peter turned to the girl. She stood there, silver hair falling over her shoulders, eyes sharp.
"You okay? Did he—did he get your wallet?" Peter asked, still catching his breath, unsure if he'd been fast enough.
The girl crossed her arms, unimpressed. "No. And I could've handled him myself."
Peter blinked, then scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm sure you could. But… I was taught not to let girls do the dirty jobs."
He offered her a hand, trying to smooth things over. "Name's Peter. You?"
She eyed him coolly before answering. "Felicia."
"If you want, you could hang out with me and my friend—HEY, MJ, it's safe!" Peter called politely, not wanting to just abandon the silver-haired girl.
"Hi! I'm Mary Jane, but friends call me MJ," she said warmly, walking over and offering a handshake.
"Felicia," the girl replied, shaking it briefly. Her expression softened only slightly. "But I'll have to turn down your offer. I need to get to my new school—Midtown High."
Peter blinked. "Wait—seriously? That's our school."
"Small world!" MJ chirped, suddenly beaming. She grabbed Felicia's arm and tugged. "Come on, we'll show you around!"
"Peter, hurry up or we're leaving you behind!" MJ shouted as she and Felicia started walking ahead.
[30 minutes later]
"So, what's your favorite brand of clothes? Mine's Levi's!" MJ said with bright enthusiasm, launching into yet another topic.
Felicia actually humored her, answering with her own style preferences.
Meanwhile, Peter sat slouched, arms crossed. Ugh. They've been talking about clothes for half an hour… He was dying of boredom.
And then—his entire body froze. Every hair on his neck stood on end.
Spider-Sense.
Without hesitation, Peter grabbed both MJ and Felicia, smashing the train window with his elbow. In one swift motion, he pulled them through and landed hard on a rooftop as glass scattered behind them.
A split second later BOOM!
A concussive blast ripped through the train track they had just been on, sending metal and debris spiraling into the night.
"Peter what is going on?!" MJ's voice cracked with fear. She looked at him—and froze. His whole demeanor had shifted. The friend she knew was gone. The way he stood, the coldness in his eyes
Peter yanked his sweatshirt off, pulling his mask from beneath. His voice came out low, steady, and frighteningly serious.
"You two stay here."
Neither MJ nor Felicia had ever heard him sound like that. They couldn't even respond.
And then the voice came mocking, cruel.
"Hahah… so this is where the little bug's been hiding. Saving two pretty girls, huh? Good." The villain's laugh echoed across the wrecked tracks. "I'll let you watch as I snap their little necks—before I end you first."
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