The Setup

Chapter 8: Breaking Character

Harry wouldn't take Briana's calls, he refused to even talk to her and would no longer invite her over to hang out with him and peter. Briana couldn't say she was shocked, she never intended for Harry to find out the way he did and if she were truly being honest she never intended for him to find out period. 

Norman had truly been a ghost since he had stormed out of her apartment beside the 2 thousand dollars that appeared on her counter the next day. She was going to take it up to the Osborn mansion and return it to him, he didn't owe her anything, but with Harry already mad at her Briana just kept the money, beside she really could use it. 

Being all alone gave her time to think. The night Norman came to her apartment he had on that strange green suit and at the time she was far too tired to question it or his strange behavior. 

That suit was familiar to her, she recognized it but for the longest time she couldn't place from where. Briana finally figured it out and it was enough to make her feel sick. That suit was the same one the masked attacker wore at the Unity Festival. That meant that Norman Osborn was the Green Goblin, she was involving herself with the same man who was not only a killer but hurting her best friend Peter Parker. 

Briana was the only one of their friends to know that Peter was Spider-Man and he trusted her. She felt guilty because she knew she wouldn't have the strength to reveal each others identity to one another and though that seemed like loyalty it also felt like betrayal, like she was playing both sides. 

She did her best not to contact Norman at all, she didn't speak to Peter much either, it seemed her solution was to cut everyone around her off but that was no solution at all and she knew she would have to cave in soon. 

Briana was throwing herself into her studies, focusing on school and work but that determination was short lived when she read the front page of the local paper, What she read caused a slight ache in her heart.

Norman Osborn was engaged to a younger woman named Krystal, that was the same woman he had brought to the restaurant to make her jealous. The blonde looked as stunning as ever in a sparkly silver dress that probably costs more than Briana's yearly rent, Norman's hand around her waist as they posed for the camera at one of Oscorp's charity balls. 

Briana ignored the burning in her chest and the stinging of tears in her eyes as she tried to stuff down the hurt she felt but that wouldn't work and she knew better so she wasn't entirely surprised with her behavior when she ended up at the Osborn mansion at four in the morning drunk out of her mind pacing in front of his door. 

This was insane, it was insane to take an expensive bottle of wine from her place of work and even more insane to pace in front of the door of the even more insane Norman Osborn. 

She carried on, banging on the door drunk and out of her mind, nearly falling over when the door opened to reveal a messy and tired looking Norman.

"Are you absolutely insane!? My security almost called the police on you!" Norman yelled at the red faced girl, her eyes watery like the sea. "dammit, Briana" Norman sighed. "Get inside. You shouldn't be on the streets of New York this early in the morning. You could have gotten murdered"

He warned her but Briana laughed. "says the murderer" His face grew pale. "i-i don't know what you're talking about" Briana shook her head side to side. "i know who you are, Norman. I know the awful things you've done and here i am accepting you. She could never love you like i could"

Norman blinked in confusion. "Who?" he asked, still taken aback that she figured out he was the Goblin. "krystal. i've read the paper...you're engaged now? to that slut?" Norman laughed. "What happened to the girl who didn't speak badly of other women?" Briana rolled her eyes. "Besides i'm not engaged to Krystal, it's only a tabloid, Briana. Do you believe everything you read? i would have taken you but you weren't exactly returning my calls"

Norman had a point, she hadn't spoken to him at all, she had pushed everyone away. "i'm sorry" she finally spoke up. "Can i spend the night here?" He wouldn't have it any other way. 

"of course you can, pick any room you'd like"