Rift (Spider-Man fanfic)

Chapter 12: Not Invited

    The party has been going on for a couple hours now, and it's been getting crazier. Half of the people here are dunk, and have since been either making out, sleeping, or chaotically dancing. After my talk with Liz, we relaxed around each other and actually had fun. We eventually ran into Peter again, and I was much more relaxed around him, too. Maybe it's the beer, I have a very low tolerance. 

    After a few more cups, I knew I should take a break. I couldn't find anyone else, so I walked up to Peter and pulled his wrist. "Come on, let's dance." 

    "Are you sober?" He asks, but still follows me. I guess under normal circumstances I wouldn't do this.

    I giggle. "I'm... moderately functional." 

    "I'll take that as a no." 

    I pull him with me over to the large group of people, and he gives me a questioning look. "What, are you just going to stand there?" I start jumping to the beat of the music, and he joins in. We both smile, and I laugh because of my slightly drunk state. I immediately stop, and my whole body freezes when I see Brad come in through the door. He looks mad, and I can only imagine that he's looking for me. Peter stops as well when he sees my sudden fear. 

    "Diana? Are you okay? What happened?" His voice drips with concern, but he has no clue that Brad saw me and is coming right now.

    I paste on a fake smile, not wanting him to know the pit in my stomach. "I'm fine, just got dizzy for a second. I'll be right back." I don't want to cause a scene, and I definitely don't want Peter to be involved. 

    I approach Brad, and anger is fuming off of him even though his expression is blank. "Come with me. Now." He demands, and grabs my arm. He squeezes tightly, and I wince. I have the feeling that this is just his contained anger, who knows that will happen next. He pulls me into a closed room, and I can hear my accelerating heartbeat. He slams me against the wall, making my head fling back violently. He pushes his forearm on my chest to prevent me from moving away. He never bothered to turn on the light, so I can only see his silhouette. "Imagine my surprise when one of my friends called me asking why I wasn't at the party. Then when he told the that you said I couldn't be here." He whispers close to my face. He roughly presses his thumb on his free hand slightly above my collarbone, and it takes everything in me to not cry. "You're going to come over to my house tonight and make it up to me. Okay?" I can't talk, but I wouldn't in a million years agree to that even if I could. "I said... OKAY?" He presses harder, and I nod vigorously, just wanting the pain to stop. He pulls his hand back. "Good girl." I feel sick. What did I just agree to?  He moves is arm away from my chest, releasing me from the trap he had me in. 

    I walk out of the door before he can change his mind and corner me again. I walk down the stairs as fast as my legs will take me. Peter is watching me as tears start to stream down my face. "Diana." He says, but I ignore him and try to walk past him. "Diana!" He steps in front of me so I can't leave. He looks at my face for a few moments. When he finally talks, it sounds desperate. "What did he do to you?"

    "Chill out." Brad says as he approaches us. Peter pushes me behind him. "I just helped her realize what all girls have to do for their boyfriends, and now we're going to my house so she can make it up to me for lying about this party." He's surprisingly honest, I thought he would come up with a complete lie. Despite what both Brad and I expected, Peter doesn't move out of the way. He punches Brad square in the face. "You punk." Brad swings back at him, but Peter ducks and hits him in the stomach, knocking the air out of Brad. Brad kicks Peter in the side, and it only throws him off for a second. I back away and stand off to the side, and a sort of circle has formed around the boys with plenty of people taking videos. I can see Peter's face again, and there's pure rage in his eyes. Brad is fighting to defend himself, but Peter is fighting to defend me. Peter throws his first and hits the side of Brad's jaw, the force so strong that it knocks him off his feet.

    Peter rushes over and puts his arm around me. "Let's get you out of here before he gets back up." He goes over to Ned. "Can you find a way for you and MJ to get home?" 

    "Yeah yeah, we'll be fine. Go!" He shouts as Brad starts to stand up again. 

    We practically run to Peter's car, and he's driving off the second we get in. Perfect timing too, because we pass some police who were probably going to bust the party. I close my eyes and lean my head back, the tears escaping again. Peter's hand brushes my shoulder. "Why would you do that?"

    "What?"

    I open my eyes to look at him again. "I really appreciate you defending me, really. It's so sweet that you wanted to help me out of a tough situation, but that wasn't the solution. He's just going to keep hurting me again and again until he gets what he wants."

    "That won't happen. I won't let it. I know that we're going through something right now, but I stick to my promises."

    "What promise?" I say, having no idea what he's talking about.

    He sighs. "After the Hobgoblin attacked, I made a promise that I'll always be there for you."

    "I don't remember that." I tell him, but I do. I remember almost every moment we've ever shared. 

    "Well I do. And I couldn't just watch him leave with you after everything he said, and what I saw."

    "You should have! Now that you're involved I have to watch you get hurt."

    "You won't."

    "I already have!" I'm yelling now, and there are still a few tears falling. 

    "I can't just stand there knowing he's going to hurt you! I had to protect you!" 

    We drive in silence. After a few minutes, I rest my hand on his arm that was resting between us. "Thank you." I mean so much by that. Not just for driving me home, or for protecting me from Brad. Also for being there for me since day one, for always having my back, even when its hard. And for making a promise that means he'll never leave my side.