Rift (Spider-Man fanfic)

Chapter 10: Moving On

    Now that the Hobgoblin is in custody, it's safe enough for Peter to move back in with his Aunt. He offered for me to come back with him, but I decided to stay at Stark Tower. I don't think it would be wise for us to live in close proximity again. We could attend school again now, and there was no way for me to avoid being too close to him since our lockers are next to each other and we go to all the same classes. Thanks, Tony. Since we studied a lot together, we weren't too far behind. 

    I arrive at school, not really knowing where to go since Peter only introduced me to his own friends. I walk up to my locker, but Peter is there and I immediately feel awkward. I walk slower than before and when Peter sees me opening my locker he leaves with Ned. MJ was with them, but she stays with me.

    "Hey MJ. Don't you want to go with them?"

    "Not really, they're talking about nerd stuff and I couldn't care less." I chuckle. "Is everything okay with you and Peter? You guys were so friendly when I first met you, and something is different." She leans against one of the lockers while I close mine after getting my books out.

    I don't really want to talk about it, so I give her a short answer. "Long story short, he likes me but I don't like him back and now things are awkward between us." I tell her the half-truth. I actually do like him back, but it would be more complicated to tell her the real story and that goes against the point of 'long story short.' 

    "Are you sure that's what happened?" She asks, but I don't understand. Did Peter tell her it was the other way around?

    "Because he must have moved on really fast."

    "What are you talking about?" Just as I say that, Peter walks back into the hallway with his arm around Liz, both of them laughing and smiling. His eyes scan the crowd before landing on me. The longer he looks the sadder he seems as his smile fades. He can't look at me too long, though, because a large group of people come up to them. Some of them are Liz' friends and others are people that are just shocked to see the two of them as a couple. 

    "You okay, Diana?" MJ asks me, pulling me out of my trance. 

    "Why wouldn't I be? I'm the one that rejected him." I say, but I still feel bad, as if he did something wrong. 

    Some guy I faintly recognize walks up to MJ and I. "Hey MJ, did you see Peter? I would have never thought he'd have the guts to finally ask her out."

    "Yeah, we were just talking about it." MJ looks at me. "Diana this is Brad, we're working on a science project together." 

    Brad smiles at me. "Nice to meet you, Diana. I haven't seen you around, and I don't think I'd miss a pretty girl like you." He says, taking me by surprise.

     "And I'll leave you two alone." MJ says right after him and walks away, leaving me stranded. I wish she didn't leave me with this guy, but I'm curious to see where this will go. 

    "It's only my second day, though my first day was a few weeks ago." I say, ignoring his compliment.

    "Were you there when that scaly thing attacked that school?"

   "Yep, and depending on what you heard it was me who he tried to take." I probably shouldn't have said that, it could make him suspicious of who I am. 

    "Oh really? Are you okay?" He asks while putting his hand on my shoulder, my whole body warming up.

    "Yeah, I'm fine. Besides, it was weeks ago. That's why I was gone so long, my parents were paranoid that he did more harm than what showed." It's kind of scary how easily lying comes to me now.