Remember Me

It has been two years since Peter had sacrificed his identity, his name, and his so-called 'ordinary life' to make the world forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man and Peter Parker's existence.

Peter is now nineteen years old. He works at a local pizza restaurant, delivers pizzas as a part-timer, and goes to MIT by day and being Spider-Man by night.

He originally was meant to graduate last year due to his remarkable intelligence that almost rivals to Tony Stark. Peter was offered a job by Stark Industries to work there as an intern (again?). But he kindly denies the offer because he wanted to experience a 'normal life' before he graduated from MIT and become a full-time Spider-Man (of course, he will have his apartment and work as a part-timer at the pizza restaurant to get cash for food and basic needs). Being a vigilante hero requires a backup plan. If his superheroing does not end well, Peter can use his degree to find a job that he could work permanently and retire from being Spider-Man.

Peter is now older and wiser than he once was in his teen years. He had learned plenty of things and valuable life lessons as he got older. Peter learns not to trust anyone but himself after Mysterio and the Green Goblin incident. And no one deserves to know that he is Spider-Man. Ever. He also learned not to have any friends or anyone special in his life. He always let them in danger.

Although, he misses Ned and MJ very much. Life was much difficult without his guy in the chair and someone that he could love unconditionally.

He always watches them in the shadows (not in a stalking way). Knowing very well that, he could never be friends with them again.

It was his destiny to be alone forever and be forgotten by everyone.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

December 8th, 2026

Queens, New York

The first snow was falling from a gray overcast sky.

It was a chilly Tuesday afternoon, Peter thought.

Peter was walking to his flat from the station. He had his finals and now coming back to Queens from Cambridge, Massachusetts.

He planned to stop by the café that MJ works. For the first time in two years.

Peter looked down at the notes in his shaky hands that he wrote on the night before.

"Forget it; this is stupid and won't work," he thought bitterly. "MJ won't remember me anyway."

Peter is now standing tall in front of the café for the first time in two years. Butterflies were growing in his stomach, and he felt like he was about to run away from the café. He could not face MJ in two years after brainwashing everyone to forget Peter Parker's existence.

Peter sighed shakily and then pushed the door to enter the café. The bell dings to notify workers in the café that a guest has entered.

His heart ached when he saw MJ talking to Ned nonchalantly. His ex-girlfriend and his ex-best friend are here together. 

"Oh, hello there," MJ spoke as she saw Peter moving away from Ned. "How can I help you, sir?"

Peter took a great view of her appearance. Her hair was tied into a messy ponytail. She was wearing her uniform with a typical coffee stain on it. She almost looked the same when he last saw her. However, she looked more mature and older. But then he saw a scar above her eyebrow.

He stands there, stunned.

"Uhm, excuse me, sir?" MJ's uncertain tone snapped him out of the trance. "How can I help you, sir?" She repeated.

"O-Oh," Peter put the note back into his pocket. "Uhm, a large black coffee, please."

MJ nodded, "A mug or takeout, sir?"

"Uhm, a mug, please," Peter said.

"That will be two dollars and twenty-five, sir."

Peter handed over three dollars to MJ. MJ took the cash and then gave the extra changes leftover. "Alright, sir, your coffee will be right up!"

Peter nodded, and then he went to take a seat close to the windows to look at a view of a busy street of Queens. He watched MJ, who is preparing his coffee, and Ned looking at his phone.

She and Ned do not recognize him at all. He thought as his heart ached mournfully.

He spent the last two years dreaming about MJ and his best friend being back together again. He missed everything. He missed building Star Wars Legos with Ned and going on a date with MJ. He missed every single second of it.

But he knew deep in his mind that he would never be friends with Ned or be in a romantic relationship with MJ again. It was all in the past. MJ and Ned do not know him anymore.

He is simply nobody that deserves to be alone and forgotten.

Before he fell deeper into his corrupted mindset, MJ put his mug on the table. "Here is your coffee, sir," she said and then left to talk with Ned (since Peter is the only customer in the café).

"Thank you, MJ..." Peter whispered under his breath and then took a sip.

It bitter. Too bitter. Peter restrained himself from making a sour face as he swallowed the bitterness of the coffee down to his throat. Too bitter as myself, he thought bitterly, staring down at the lukewarm bitter coffee.

He felt like a fool who stupidly hoped for MJ and Ned to remember him. Which they will never will. By the power of Stephen—no, Doctor Strange's spell to erase everyone's memories about Peter Parker's existence, he could not regain what he had lost and still never recovered two years later.

Does he need to move on? Go live on his life? Forget about Ned and MJ's existence? No, he could not forget about Ned and MJ. But it might be his time to move on and live on his life. He will be the only person that ever remembers his first enthusiastic love, MJ, and his best friend for life, Ned.

Peter finished his bitter coffee with his last disheartening thoughts as he slowly accepted that he needed to move on.

Peter brings his coffee mug to the counter and then sets his now-empty coffee mug on the counter. He looked at MJ, who stopped talking with Ned with a bewildered stare. "Hold on, sir, before you go..." She trailed off and then cleared her throat. "Have we met before?"

Peter's heart thumped excitedly in his chest, and he felt his hands were shaking, "I—" But then he shook his head. No, he needs to move on. This MJ is not his MJ anymore. He gives a phony smile at MJ, "No, I do not think so..." Peter could tell Michelle is doubtful by his claims but had no choice but to accept his claims.

"Have a good afternoon, uh, Michelle," Peter said as he squinted his eyes to look at the nametag on her chest.

MJ—no, Michelle gives a courteous nod and then waves at him as a goodbye, "Have a good afternoon, sir!"

Peter nodded briefly and then left the café in silence. As he got further and further away from the café, he somehow knew that this will be his last time seeing Michelle and Ned again.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

He was walking in the hallway of his apartment building to his apartment room. He stopped as he noticed next door a red-haired woman was talking to a man who appeared to be in his late fifties.

"Alright, miss, all of your boxes are inside in your room. Have a nice day!" The man waved and then left.

The red-haired woman noticed Peter and then she came over, she smiled brightly at Peter, "Hello! Seem like you are my new neighbor! My name is Mary Jane Watson!"