spider-max; elmax au.

chapter thirty.

ONE YEAR AGO

NOVEMBER 14TH, 2014

  I hadn't seen Jane since the accident. She wouldn't answer my calls, Will told me she wouldn't even leave her room for dinner. I knew how she felt — some days I felt it too,  when I thought about Billy, at times. Two years ago, I would be glad that Billy was dead. Maybe it's different because I watched him die in my arms, or perhaps I stated I hated him...which filled me with regret afterwards.

  My mom has been M.I.A, she hasn't been answering my calls either — for someone who really wants their daughter to come home. I visited the house yesterday, it was a total shit show. It reeked. She also wasn't there, maybe she was seeing someone else, after Neil finally left.

And just as I thought there weren't anymore fish to fry, some lunatic called the green goblin was running around, and now I was determined to figure out who he was and stop him, before anymore people got hurt.

" What do you think about this so called superhero ? ", The reporter had questioned the governor. " I think she's a phony. The more things she destroys while going around saving people, the more money our city loses. We need to leave it up to the police ! Now let me - "

" Well, next time you want your ass saved, I won't be there, fucker. ", I grumbled as Dustin switched off the TV. " I don't get it. A few weeks ago they were fangirling over you, and now people despise you ? " I placed my hands on my head, stressed, " I don't know, maybe that's how the world works. " Dustin leaned back on his elbows," That's a bunch of bullshit. "

" Tell me about it. "

  I had ditched school for Jane, today marked the third day she hadn't shown up. I figured I'd go visit her. I sent a light knock to the cabin door, and after the second knock it swung open. " Max ? What are you doing here ? ", She sniffled. The trace of a solitary tear on her face made me look away, my jaw clenched. I hated to see her cry.

" I, uh — bought you a milkshake. "

       “ Oh. Thank you. “, She gently took the shake from my hands, inviting me inside. “ How have you been ? The others are worried, especially Lucas. “, I rambled. She gave a simple nod,“ I know. He came to see me yesterday. “ I plopped down on the couch, “ We can talk about it, you know ? You don’t have to if you don’t want to, of course ! “, I added on.

  She sucked in a breath, “ It’s just. Everytime I close my eyes, I see her face, and her mom crying for her daughter, and that stupid weird ass green man. “, She finished with a weak chuckle.

“ I haven't slept. “, She slurped down on her shake, “ It’s killing me, but it’s like, they're all hunting me, in my dreams. You know what I mean ? “, She took a seat next to me, “ Do you get nightmares about Billy ? “

At times, I did have vivid dreams about Billy but he was hunting me in my sleep long before he was dead. “ Yeah, sometimes. “
 
My hand out-streached towards her, getting rid of the whipped cream that sat on the tip of her buttoned nose, her eyes widened. “ Sorry, but you have whipped cream all over your face. “, My cheeks flared after realizing how close we were now. “ It’s alright. “

I pulled away, whistling into the thin air — which was suddenly filled with thick tension. I tried to ignore it by asking more questions, a question that I've been wondering for a hot minute, “ What made you think it was me ? You know, the whole spiderwoman thing. “

  “ I was looking at you for a while. “, She said with a shrug. My eyes narrowed, “ What ? “ Jane turned red, “ I mean, why else would you think I started hanging around you guys, instead of making my own friends ? “

Ouch

Those words made me realize that there was no chance that I would ever be with a girl, like Jane Hopper — she was far too good for me. “ Wait, no, Max ! “, She chased me out the front door, “ That’s not what I meant. “

I spun around, “ What did you mean, huh ? You know what, go back to hanging out with your snobby rich friends ! I was so stupid to believe that you would ever - “ I felt a hand on my hip, and once again my heart was beating like a madman — while she kissed me passionately, and I kissed her back. Her lips tasted like vanilla, with a hint of maple syrup, maybe. She mumbled in between kisses, “ You make me so mad…didn’t let me finish talking, idiot. “

Holy…I’m dreaming, I’m dreaming, I’m … I am not dreaming.

I pulled away, smiling dorkly, “ I knew you liked me. “

She leaned back in, “ Sure you did. “