The Amazing Spider-Man 3

Chapter Five

3 days later

MJ

MJ had figured out fairly quickly to not walk around this part of New York at night. The stories she had seen on the news were far from enough warnings.

Although, that also meant Spider-Man had more to do around here, so his mind was on other things. Like trying to not get stabbed with a small knife.

Oh how he hated small knives.

MJ thought it would be best to carry mace on her if she had to do a late night errand, in case what happened a few nights ago happened again. She wouldn't be surprised if it did, she considered herself to be pretty, and that's most likely why she had been targeted in the past.

She was hesitant to leave again just to grab some ingredients for her dinner, looking out the window to see it was getting dark.

"Shit." She muttered to herself and sighed, searching through her pantry to hope she still had ramen, though that would be her third day in a row, and sodium was bad for her skin.

Empty.

"Fan-fucking-tastic." MJ deadpanned, shutting the pantry a little harshly, turning to her keys, frowning before picking them up.

She wasn't usually the one showing fear. She had been in situations like that before, and always managed to get out of them before anything happened. She hadn't really shown fear since the night she left Michael. She had always been afraid around him.

MJ shook her head of those memories, leaving her apartment quickly so she didn't waste anymore time reminiscing in the past.

She was hoping to run into Peter, but she only ever saw him in the mornings when he was leaving for work. She usually heard him dropping things and half yelling a profanity about it, but that was usually all she'd see or hear of him.

MJ let out a soft sigh as she entered a 7-11, walking between the aisles, staring at the candy for too long before going to the back for drinks or a frozen pizza.

"Are you stalking me?"

MJ jumped with a near-silent squeak, looking to see Peter standing a bit away from her, holding a bag of chips. She let out a laugh, shaking her head.

"I'm sure I was here first. If anything, I'd think you were stalking me." She joked, taking a pizza out of the freezer.

"Well, I have been going to this 7-11 a few weeks longer than you. So technically, I was here first." The two walked down separate aisle's, MJ rolling her eyes.

"Ha ha. Smartass." She said, sarcasm clear in her voice. "Haven't seen you much. Thought you were gonna be avoiding me." She continued to joke as Peter stayed quiet for a moment.

That was what he was trying to do, anyways.

MJ grabbed a box of cereal, walking up to the counter. "And a pack of Lucky Strike, please." She smiled softly to the man behind the counter who nodded, grabbing the pack of cigarettes as Peter frowned.

"You smoke? Guess I'll have to stop wondering what that smell was." MJ shrugged as she paid for her items, taking the bag from the man.

"Well... we all deal with things differently." MJ waited for Peter to buy his chips before the two walked out together.

"Sorry that I'm not around very much. Trying to let you warm up to the area and taking time to myself, y'know?" Peter looked down at MJ and she nodded.

"Understandable. You seem more like an introvert, anyways." She smiled, earning a chuckle from Peter.

"Yeah I wasn't much of a talker when I was in high school. Kinda the weird kid, if you asked anyone I graduated with." He replied as MJ shrugged again.

"I was a theater kid, though I'm sure I said that when I was moving in." There was a long silence between the two as they made their way to their apartments.

She wanted to ask questions, maybe get to know Peter better, but she didn't feel like he wanted to open up just yet.

The two made it to their doors, turning to face one another, smiling. "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow for a coffee? Unless you work Saturday's?" She tilted her head as Peter's eyes widened slightly, and he shook his head.

"No. I Uh— no I don't work Saturday's." Peter answered, and MJ smiled a little brighter.

"Great. I Uh.. work at this place, MoonDance Diner. It's a temporary job until this other place calls me back. I can get us a discount on the coffee." She suggested and Peter nodded.

"That sounds really good. I'll um.. I'll see you tomorrow then." He hummed, and MJ nodded, her eyes barely catching the red that hid underneath Peter's jacket.

She hummed. "I'll see you at 12." The two spun around, walking into their apartments. MJ rested against her door for a moment, brows knotted together as that very faint image of the red was still in her head.

She shook her head, laughing to herself at the assumptions she had, getting her pizza ready as her phone started to ring.

She didn't look at the number, answering it quickly. "Hello?" She frowned, hoping it would be The Daily Bugle to tell her she got the job as their new investigative journalist.

There was a long silence, the only noise being heavy breathing from the other side. "Who is this?"

"I think you know." A low chuckle echoed into MJ's ear, her eyes widening.

That was not The Daily Bugle.

"How did you get this number?"

"Did you miss me?"

"Don't you ignore that fucking question! How did you get this number?!" She whisper-yelled, stopping the oven from heating up.

"You know the people I know, Mary Jane." He laughed, MJ's hand starting to tremble. She had changed her number. Gotten burner phones for that just in case. Went as far to block him on everything she could. Hell, she tried to file a restraining order, but of course the cops didn't do shit.

"I don't want to talk to you." She mumbled, pacing in her kitchen.

"Well that sucks, doesn't it? Because I really want to talk to you, love."

"I'm not your love, you psycho. I haven't been your love for months." Michael chuckled, a shiver running up MJ's spine as she rubbed her eyes.

"I want to talk. Face to face. When can I see you?"

"When Heaven has visiting hours for Hell." MJ spat, ending the call and setting her phone down on the counter, sliding against her wall and looked up, staring out her window.

She truly wondered how his friends had found her number, how he had gotten it anyways. She made sure to block anyone he was friends with so they wouldn't find her.

She hoped he hadn't found where she lived. She liked where she was right now. She had a coffee date tomorrow already, not to mention with a very cute guy her age for once.

MJ sighed quietly, wiping the tears she felt trickle down her cheek. "Shit." She laughed to herself and shook her head.

If Michael knew where she was, then she was definitely in danger.