Do You Remember Me?

The Script

Snow was falling. The wind blew through the city as people walked along streets and sidewalks. The roads bustling with cars and buses. Christmas spirit was in the air, everyone was happy. Well, almost everyone....

Peter, in his small rundown apartment, made his finishing touches on his new suit. Slipping it on, he thought of tomorrow. Peter was still in shock by all that had happened in the past week and was conflicted and confused, but he was sure of one thing. He had to find MJ and Ned.

As he dragged himself out his window, he pulled out his phone, and a picture of him and MJ swinging through Queens greeted him. He pressed his gloved finger to the notes app and typed down six words: Hi, my name is Peter Parker.

Seriously? That's all I have? Peter thought in frustration as he shot out his first web which stuck to the opposite building. He sighed as he pushed himself upright and jumped. He swung, flipped, and jumped all over the city, looking for a threat while trying to write down a script for the next day, when he would finally see Ned and MJ again.

After a long night of patrolling he finally had come up with words to say. Written on a piece of paper, and scribbled in ink was a small paragraph: Hi, my name is Peter Parker. You don't know me, so this is going to sound pretty crazy. You do know me, we used to be very close and I was just wondering if u'd like to hang out later? Maybe go out for some coffee or something?

Okay....That's good enough right? Don't want to come on too strong. As Peter looked over his script, he heard a voice in his head. He closed his eyes to see the tear-streaked face of MJ in front of him, her lips quivering as she said, "I love you." Peter replied just as he did before, "I lov-."And just as before, MJ stopped him and stared into his eyes as she said, "Tell me when you find me." She gave him a faint smile before connecting her head with his and then, Peter's eyes opened.

His head dropped and tears formed in his eyes as he took his pen, scratched out the last sentence, and instead, wrote down three words: I love you.

🕸️🕸️🕸️

As Peter Parker trudged through the snow, he held the small crumpled up piece of paper, mouthing the words written in ink. He stopped in front of a small building, the words Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop plastered above a green-framed door, his hands shaking with nervousness. Peter ran his fingers through his hair as he took a breath and opened the glass door. His eyes immediately locked on a girl with brown curls framing her face, her hair up in a ponytail with her eyes bright, and her lips turned up in a smile. Peter's eyes switched to a boy sitting in front of the girl, his eyes brown as well as his hair that sat flat on his head. He too had a smile plastered on his face, and wore a black top that screamed "Star Wars".  Peter stared for a while at MJ and Ned, listening to their conversation about getting into MIT.

He smiled. They got in.

He continued to eavesdrop until he heard MJ's familiar voice ask what he wanted to order.

"Uh..ummm..I-...sorry," Peter struggled to speak as he clumsily pulled out the crumpled-up script from his pocket. MJ smiled as he got situated and repeated her question.

"I- sorry, ummm. Okay," Peter blushed as he heard MJ laugh under her breath.

"My name is Peter- Peter Parker and um, you don't-" all of a sudden he stopped. His eyes darted from Ned to MJ, remembering the smiles from earlier, realizing that there was no reason to intervene. They were happy. They were okay. Him interfering would put them in danger, just like the countless times before.  Maybe he was better off alone, not compromising everyone's lives.

"I'll just have a coffee."

Peter forced a smile as MJ nodded and went to work. Peter's eyes darted towards Ned and he watched him happily eat his donut and scroll on his phone.

MJ slid Peter his coffee.

"Peter Parker?"
                                                                           
Peter broke his concentration from Ned, and turned to MJ.

"Your coffee."

"Right. Thank you."              

"Mmm-hmm."

"Umm... are you excited for MIT?" Peter asked. MJ stuttered before answering,

"Yeah, actually, I am excited which is weird 'cause I don't really get excited about things. I kind of expect disappointment--,"

"'Cause then you'll never actually be disappointed. Right?"

MJ's face flickered with a sense of déjà vu but then smiled as he finished her sentence. Peter's mind flashed back to the times MJ used to say that, his smile from before slowly disappearing.

"Uh, yeah. Right. It's just, um--I dunno, it just kinda feels different this time for some reason."
                                                                          Somewhat dazed, Peter pays for the coffee, and MJ brushes back her hair. He sees a Band-Aid above her eye -- her injury from the Statue of Liberty.

"You okay?"

MJ's face scrunched up in confusion before her mouth opened slightly as she realized what Peter was talking about.

"It doesn't really hurt anymore......Is there anything else?"

Peter paused. The moment of truth, his last chance to say something... But he just shakes his head and smiles.                        

"Uh... no."

Peter tucked his note back into his pocket.
                                                                                           "Thank you."
                                                                 
"No problem."

He took his coffee, and looked over at Ned, then back at MJ.

"I'll uh... see you around."

Peter turned to leave but his eyes discovered something sitting on MJ's chest that looked familiar. It was the black dahlia necklace he gave her. Peter's lips parted slightly and water started to fill his eyes. Before anyone could see his face or ask if he was okay he rushed out of the store.

The cold wind hit Peter with a start, the water in his eyes turning to ice. It was hard, but he had to leave and move on. They were happy, and that's all that matters.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm not sure about my updating schedule as I haven't started school yet. I'll update as soon as I can. Thank you so much for reading!

- Natasha