Emerald

Two.

"And this is your locker." The principal explained, stopping in the hall. "If you have any other problems or questions, just come and find me."

"Thank you." Poet smiled. "But, I think I'll be alright." The principal nodded, before leaving her in the hall. She opened up her locker, shoving some of her books from her bag inside.

"Hey." Someone said from behind her, and she turned her head, coming face to face with a boy.

"Can I help you?" She wondered.

"Yes you can." He smirked, his eyes trailing down her body before he met her eyes. "How about you and me get acquainted."

"Are you serious?" She chuckled. "We've been talking for all of five seconds and you're already hitting on me?"

"Well, I-"

"You don't even know me. What if you don't like the way I walk. The way I talk, the way I eat or chew or, or cry or write. Maybe you should just observe before you approach, mister." She shut her locker, and pushed past him to walk away, when she locked eyes on someone else. It was the back of his head, but she felt a sense of familiarity just looking at him. He turned his head, and she smiled. "Hey there, Wonder Boy."

"How did you..." She tapped the side of her nose, before continuing on. The boy, Peter Parker turned back to his friend, Ned Leeds, with a shocked expression on his face.

"What's up, man?" He asked.

"That girl... I was at war with her, she... she was with Captain America." Peter responded.

"What the hell is she doing here?"

"I don't know."

-----

The day was progressing so fast. Already, Poet found herself sitting for lunch. Of course, she expected to be alone, considering she knew no one here, but she didn't mind. She was just happy to be here. However, as she was picking at her food, someone sat down across from her.

"Hey, Crazy." She looked up, and smiled slightly.

"Hey, Wonder Boy. Can I help you?" She asked.

"I have a couple of questions for you, if, if that's okay." She nodded. "First... how did you know it was me?"

"The look in your eyes when you saw me." She shrugged. "Next."

"What are you doing here?"

"Learning."

"Okay." He nodded. "Thsi next question might sound a little... anyway. Why did you pick the other side?" She breathed a laugh.

"I didn't pick any side."

"W- you kinda did." She shook her head.

"You really don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?" He asked.

"It wasn't like I was given your profiles and the situation and then decided that I wanted you all dead. Captain America came to me for help, and he offered me a deal. When I went out onto that field, all I knew was the people I wasn't supposed to hit, and the people I was supposed to hit. It's nothing personal." She shrugged.

"It's just a real shame." He said. "You seemed real cool but I don't know if Mr Stark is gonna like us being friends."

"What is he, your dad?" She scoffed.

"What was the deal, anyways?"

"I was in a mental institution, and he promised me that he'd provide me with accommodation and education if I helped him. And he did. I have my own place now. If I didn't help him, I would still be stranded in that nut house."

"Mr Stark could've done that for you too."

"Yeah, well Mr Stark didn't offer, did he." She huffed. "If you want to play loyal little slave, be my guest. But I'm not going back there. And I won't ever jeprodise what I have now." For a reason Poet didn't quite understand, Peter suddenly took her hand.

"I'd really like it if we could be friends." She smiled.

"I'd like that too."

"Maybe I could introduce you to Mr Stark."

"Are you sure?" He nodded.

"I'll pick you up after school." It's funny how the world works out, isn't it. Mr Stark grew quite fond of Poet, and she loved that she wasn't in the middle of this war any more. She was hoping that maybe her life was gonna be normal from then on. But then came Thanos, and the blip. Peter and a lot of their class mates disappeared for five years. When Poet resurfaced, she too was still five years younger than she was supposed to be. But that was because she was struck in the first battle, and became incredibly and increasingly ill. She was almost killed. Her body wasn't strong enough to heal in its own, so they preserved her in ice until the disease was dead. But, even now, when Peter probably needed her to lean on after Tony's death, they merely passed each other in the hall. All because of something she almost said, but didn't. We'll, that and the fact that in order to kill off this disease that was growing inside her, they had to remove the part of her memories that linked the people she loved to the heros she fought beside. For example: she knows Peter, and she knows Spider-Man, but she doesn't know Peter as Spider-Man. She knows Tony, and she knows Iron Man, but she doesn't know Tony as Iron Man. Clear enough? But, back to the main reason, the most important reason. See, she and Peter had grown close in the time that they'd know each other. However, they both became suddenly shy and nervous around each other. Almost as if being friends was no longer good enough for them. Poet was never good with her feelings, and it was because she tried that they were strangers now. And it happened like this:

Poet gasped as she felt something hit her. A ball of light floating into her chest and absorbing it. She stumbled a little, her breath catching in her throat.

"Poet?" Peter breathed, the eyes of his mask expanding as she looked up at him in fear. She unexpectedly collapsed, and he rushed to her side. He took her in his arms, as panic spread through her face. "Poet, look at me. Look at me." She did as he asked. With a slow and shaky hand, she reached up and pulled his mask from his face. "What are you doing?"

"If I'm gonna die, then... I wanna do it looking at you, Wonder Boy." A slight smile pulled at her face, as she met his eyes.

"You sound different."

"I sound more American then when we first met." She said "I ne- need to tell you something. You need to know."

"Save your energy."

"No, no, you need to hear it." She insisted. "Even just once." She took a breath. "I l- I love you. I love you so much." A tear rolled down his face. "All I ever wanted... I just wanted..." He words grew quiet as her eyes drooped shut. Peter pressed a kiss to her forehead, then resting his ontop.

"I love you too, Crazy." He whispered. Someone crouched before him and he looked up.

"Let me take her." Wanda said. "Let me get her somewhere safe."

"I'm gonna fix this." He said. "I sear to god, I'm gonna fix this."

"It's okay." She said. "There might be something we can do." Poets body was suddenly surrounded by a red aura, and she floated off, and out of harms way, and Wanda followed close behind.

If only Poet was there for the second battle. She could've saved him, if only she knew.

And if you're interested to know just how they became friends again, how they went back to needing each other for every step the take, then I'll tell you. It happened because she was shot. School went into lockdown one day, after someone broke into the school armed and dangerous. She tried to protect everyone, and it alsmot cost her her life. But she did it, because she didn't care if she lost it or not. And to know why, you're gonna have to go back in time a day or two. Are you ready for that?