Welcome To New York; M. Jones¹✓

Ten.

After a couple of days of detention, and getting back into the normal swing of classes, Tess was starting to feel a lot better. She and Gwen started hanging out again, way more often than they had in weeks.

Tess, Peter, and May fell back into a somewhat normal routine, and things were honestly looking up for her.

Unfortunately, though, Tess was still worried about Peter, she knew the 'Stark internship' meant even more to him than it had for her. She knew that it all did, in the moments when she was completely okay, there was still a twinge of worry she had for the boy.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Tess turned around her eyes finding MJ, "Aren't you?" she countered.

"Maybe." MJ shrugged.

"I uh," Tess started, "Like your hair! Did you change it?" she panicked.

Tess knew she was going to panic, and she did.

MJ shook her head, "Nope, it's the same as usual. Is everything ok? You're acting strange."

Tess scoffed, with a shrug, "Nope everything is completely and utterly normal. Yup, just the same old stuff."

"Okay." MJ spoke skeptically, before turning around, "Well, I guess I'll see you next period."

"Yeah, yeah. See you then!" Tess spoke in a much to high-pitched tone, "Dio, sono un tale idiota" Tess muttered pinching the bridge of her nose.
(Translation: God, I'm such an idiot.)

MJ turned back around, "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing." Tess rushed out, "Just talking to myself. Okay. I'm going to ask you something before I talk myself out of it again. Okay, okay, here it goes. Youmehomecomingpleasesayyessoidon'tlikedieofembaresment."

"Tess, you're gonna have to repeat that slowly." MJ stated, Tess inhaled deeply, "Do you wanna maybe, just maybe go to homecoming with me?"

MJ stared at Tess with wide eyes, "I mean sure you don't like have to or anything, I mean obviously you don't have to it's not like I can force you to go against your will- I never ramble this much. I'm going to shut up now."

"You-you want to go to homecoming with me?" MJ stuttered out, "I mean, yes very much actually."

"I-, uh, yes. I would absolutely like to go to the stupid loser-y, probably boring dance with you." MJ tried to regain her composure.

"Oh- cool. Yeah, okay, see you soon, yeah. Bye!"

"Peter! Peter! Peter! Peter!" Tess practically bounced over to him, "Tess? Tess? Tess? Tess?"

"I gotta date, to homecoming! With MJ!" Tess exclaimed, "Oh my god! That's wonderful, Tess!...I also got a date to homecoming." Peter noted.

"You did?" Tess asked him skeptically, the girl obviously knew Peter had been crushing on Liz, but she also knew that Gwen was totally crushing on Peter. So really it could've gone either way.

"Yeah!" Peter exclaimed, "I asked Liz! And she like wanted to."

Tess nodded, but then nerves settled back over her again, "Peter...I have to tell Mama. You know, the thing-"

"I could help if you wanted..." Peter offered and Tess nodded.

"Mama..." Tess started, catching the woman's attention, away from her food.

Peter could always tell when Tess was panicking, she had a very clear look in her eyes, "Aunt May...do you think it's wrong to be gay? It's just-"

"No Peter." May shook her head, "The person who you love does not affect who you actually are as a person. Okay?"

"Okay." Peter smiled, and then looked at Tess trying to urge her to speak, while May was distracted, "Tell her." he mouthed, and she shook her head, "No." she mouthed back.

"Yes." he mouthed again.

Tess sighed loudly, "Mama..."

"Yes, sweetheart?" May looked up, "How would you react if say, one of us was gay?" she asked nervously shaking her leg under the table.

"Are you trying to tell me that-"

Noticing the even more panic all over Tess' face, she didn't seem ready, so he was fully willing to take the fall, "That I'm gay. She's exactly telling you that- I was just too-"

"Peter just shut up. It's okay." Tess cut him off, "Thank you, but I don't need you to take the fall for me." she breathed nervously.

"Mama, I'm gay. And there's this girl, that I like really like. Her name is Michelle, and I'm going to homecoming with her. I hope this doesn't change any of your thoughts or feelings toward me. But there's nothing I can do to change who I am attracted to."

"Thank you for telling me, sweetheart." May smiled, "And you could never do anything to change how much I love you. Neither of you could."

There was a quiet pause, Tess was so incredibly relieved, "So what are the two of you wearing to homecoming?"

"Actually we were hoping you could help with that." Peter quipped, "Well we don't really have time to find a new dress-"

"That's okay, I've got an idea."

The Parkers rushed around the house preparing for homecoming, Tess had to say the two of them came out of this looking quite good.

She wore a white button-down with a blazer, she had decided against the dress thing early on. Tess was beyond excited to see MJ and to spend homecoming with her.

"Are you off to meet MJ?" May asked, "Nope, she's on her way here."

"Okay."