Rift (Spider-Man fanfic)

Chapter 14: Dates

    "I'm just so glad that it's over. I hope I never have to see him again." I tell MJ as we walk through the school halls again. I haven't run into Brad yet, but I can't seem to stop imagining all the scenarios of what could happen if I do. "Anyway, what happened after we left?"

    "Well, Brad started to run after Peter's car, but the cops got there and arrested him and a few of the kids who were so obviously drunk. They let most of us go without any issues, though." That must be why I haven't seen him yet. Though I'm not complaining.

    "That's good. I'm glad you and Ned are fine." 

    Liz comes running up to us. We're friends now, after everything that happened yesterday, but I didn't think we're this close yet. "Diana, guess what? Peter asked me to homecoming!"

    MJ vanished, I have no clue where she went. She tends to disappear when she sees someone she doesn't know very well. "That's awesome!" I fake my excitement for her. I know I rejected Peter, but it's hard. "But he's your boyfriend, why wouldn't he ask you?"

    She gets quieter, and we stand off to the side of the hall. "Well, do you remember our conversation last night? I wasn't sure he really wanted to be with me. But this basically confirms he does. Why else would he ask me to be his date?"

    "Well, yeah, but shouldn't the fact that he's your boyfriend also confirm his feelings?" I don't know why I don't just agree with her and finish this conversation. Before she could reply, a middle-age man walked up behind her with a paper bag in his hand. He goes to put his free hand on her shoulder, but I yank her arm and pull her next to me. "Who are you?" It's just a question, but it came out more as an accusation. 

    "Daddy!" Liz skips up to hug him. Oh, it's just her dad. "It's alright Diana."

    "Oh, I'm sorry sir." I didn't realize how tense I was until I could relax. It may just seem like I was being cautious because a strange old man was in a high school about to grab a girl, which is understandable, but there's some other feeling I got. My body relaxes, but something is still off. Something is weird about this guy.

    "No need to apologize, I'm glad to see she has a friend so concerned for her safety. I'm Adrian Toomes, Liz' dad." There is something familiar about his face and voice, but I don't recognize his name. Wait, her dad? Isn't that...

    "This is Diana." Liz says awkwardly, and I realize that I've been trying to figure out who he is so intensely that I've forgotten normal social interactions. 

    I notice that his hand is stuck out for me to shake, but I have no idea how long it's been there. I grab it and shake it, hastily. "Right. Sorry. Yeah, I'm Diana M--" I rarely have to say my last name, which was Marston in my old world. "Romanoff. Diana Romanoff." 

    I really hope he doesn't get the connection to Natasha. The last thing I need for this guy to remember me in any capacity. The bell rings, and I excuse myself immediately before I give him any more reason to talk with me. I turn around right before entering my classroom, and he's handing her the brown bag he was holding before walking away. Liz leaves to a different class, and Mj comes up to me.

    "Why are you just standing at the door?"

    "Can you cover for me? Tell the teacher I'm in the bathroom and will be in class in a few minutes."

    She gives me a suspicious look. "Nope. Whatever stupid thing you're about to do, I'm coming." I smile. She follows me around the corner. "What exactly are we doing, though?"

    "Liz' dad is..." I try to think of the right word to describe a villain in a movie that happens to be the movie you're living the plot of. "I'm not entirely sure what, but he's bad news." She raises one eyebrow at me. "I know I sound crazy. But based on anything Peter has told you at this point, you should trust me with this kind of stuff." She nods her head.