INTERTWINED; TASM

one

CHAPTER ONE

LOSS

MYRA JEAN WATSON HAD LOST A LOT. When she was 8, her mother, an experimental scientist, died in a freak accident. Her mother, testing a new treatment on herself for a deadly disease, died trying it. The cure had not gone to human trials yet, and had been refused to do so. Her mother, Dr Melissa Watson, was so upset and angry, she tried it on her own body. The cure, however, didn't work. In fact, it worsened the deadly disease, killing Dr Watson almost instantly. Her body was found by her husband, rotting from the inside out, boils and blistered covered her skin and her eyes were bulging out of her skull. Dr Jack Watson, Melissa's husband, Myra Jean's father, was devastated.

Myra Jean lost her father too, not to death, to something arguably worse. He became engrossed in his work, shifting his field from trying to manipulate DNA to find cures for human disease and disfigurement to trying to cure death itself. He began researching different cultures views on death and the afterlife. He focused all his time and effort on his research. It was like Myra Jean didn't exist to him anymore, no one else but his dead wife existed to Jack Watson anymore.

Myra Jean Watson was almost always alone, at least until she got to Midtown High School and she put on her brave face. No one there knew what was she was going through at home. Since being 8, she had practically raised herself. She almost never saw her father, she prepared all his and her own meals, washed laundry, did the dishes, hoovered the house. Her father spent all his time at his office at the Oscorp headquarters where he had worked since finishing college.

Today was just the same as any other day. She's wrapped up warmer, fall was settling in. Her earphones were playing quiet indie music that most people turned their noses up at. She looks at her phone, scanning a text message from probably her closest friend- Warren. Warren was a member of the school newspaper team like her. He wrote the sports reports while Myra Jean often got stuck writing the section near the back, about the student of the month. She wasn't much of a gossiper herself, but she could pull some strings to get a scoop if she needed one. The latest article for that months Midtown High newspaper had been one about Flash Thompson and his athletic prowess.

Myra Jean walks the corridors of Midtown High School without being of particular notice. Some of the girls look her up and down, as do some of the boys. Teachers smile at her and bid her a good day. Then she see's Warren stood by their lockers, his head inside, looking for something.

Myra Jean smiles and taps his left shoulder before swiftly moving right as he turns to look left. He then glances to the right and jumps. He grips his chest dramatically and looses a harsh breath. "You bitch,"

Myra Jean laughs, putting a hand on Warren's arm, "I'm sorry, the opportunity couldn't be missed,"

"I nearly hit my head off the locker too, I could have died," Warren scowls, but quickly breaks into a smile, "How's Midtown's best journalist doing today?"

"I'm good, but you're the one who writes the articles people actually read," Myra Jean sighs, "People only pick up the school newspaper to read about the sports,"

"Apparently this months star student is Gwen Stacy," Warren smiles, "Now she is a future star if I've ever met one,"

Myra Jean frowns. Her and Gwen had been close once, but they fell apart when they decided they preferred completely opposite things. Gwen was a science nerd and Myra Jean preferred Shakespeare and finding the truth through words, rather than experiments. Perhaps Myra Jean was biased...She rather not mess around with science after what had happened to her mother.

"Watch it nerd,"

Myra Jean looks past Warren's shoulders to see Flash yelling in Peter Parker's face, once again. Give the kid a break, Myra Jean thinks, her brows furrowing. "Stay out of it,"

"What? What do you mean?" Myra Jean frowns at Warren.

"You'll only make a scene, just let Parker sort his own shit," Warren shrugs, finally slamming his locker closed, "Now are we going to history or what?"

Myra Jean adjusts her backpack strap and moves past Warren. She ignores Flash, who was now boasting to his friends that Myra Jean had interviewed him for her article. Peter Parker was picking fallen scraps of scribbled on paper from the floor. Myra Jean leans over, helping him gather them up. She stands up and he follows, she holds the papers out to him.

"Might I suggest you get a folder?" She says, smiling softly.

"That's probably a smart idea," Peter nods, he smiles back, "Thanks, by the way,"

"No bother," Myra Jean says, "You're in my English class,"

"Oh, I know who you are, Myra Jean," Peter chuckles, adjusting his glasses, "You're top of the class,"

Myra Jean's lips quirk into a wider smile, "Well, I don't like to boast,"

"Boast away, I'll all ears," Peter says back, tilting his head to look at her, "I have to get going, but thanks again, Myra Jean,"

"See you around," Myra Jean nods, turning away and finding Warren staring at her with annoyance written across his face. She walks over to him and he rolls his eyes.

"Are you done being a Good Samaritan for the day?" Warren asks, holding his books tightly as they begin walking to class.

"Sometimes its nice to be someones hero, Warren," Myra Jean replies, nudging her friend with her elbow, "And anyway, Peter Parker is a nerd like you and I, so we should be more friendly with him,"

"Myra Jean, sweetie, we're trying to move up the social ladder, not down," Warren scoffs, opening the door of the history classroom and finding his desk.

"Warren, I love you, but sometimes you're a complete asshole," Myra Jean frowns as she hovers by his desk, "Try to be nicer, please,"

Warren smiles at Myra Jean as he sits down, "I'm just trying to have more friends, Myra Jean, I know you're not in the business of being social, but you should try it,"

Myra Jean rolls her eyes and walks to the back of the class where her desk is. She dumps out her stationary and notepad and takes a seat. Warren was the closest thing Myra Jean had ever had to a best friend, but sometimes she questioned why she even liked him, especially when he acted so snobbish towards certain people. She leans her chin on her hand and watches the teacher begin the class, her mind wondering to Peter Parker, his cheeky smile and the prospect of branching out her friendships.

________________

It begins.

~cupidlies❤️