Maya Stark

Chapter 151: We Can Try

I stood in the creaky apartment hoping he'd get here soon. I was buzzing. I wanted to see him again. Feel him again. Love him again. I tried to knock but there was no answer, and the lock was so easy to jiggle out of place. The door started to squeak open, and I straighten ready to turn on the only light source in this dingy place. The second he comes into view I pause for a second. He doesn't look too good.

He seems tired. His eyes sunken in. He seems exhausted, actually. Dark circles under his eyes. He seems depressed. A sad look covered his face. He moved sluggishly as he forced the door closed. He let out a long sigh and I frowned. When he froze, I knew he felt me staring. I shake my head slightly and then turn the lamp on. He turns around and shoots a web attaching my hand to the lamp. I tried not to smile as I looked at him. He stared at me his hand still extended. He almost looked like he was about to cry. I lit my hand up, dislodging it from the lamp.

'Calm down, Spidey. I'm not here to hurt you.'

'M-Maya?' He stuttered staring at me like I'm a ghost.

'We have a lot to talk about,' I said. 'You have any food around here?'

'Uh...' he continued to stare, and I smiled.

'I'm gonna take that as a no,' I said. He looked a bit skinnier anyway, if I was being honest. 'Come on. Cheeseburgers on me. We have an insane amount to talk about.'

I took my keys out and started towards the door turning back to look at where he seemed to be planted firmly.

'Come on, Parker,' I say. 'I promise I'll explain everything. I've been passed out for three days and would love a cheeseburger with you.'

He nodded and managed to move and follow me out of his small apartment. We ultimately decided to walk the spring air slowly hitting New York. We walk in dead silence, anyone passing wouldn't assume we knew each other, until we sat down at a fast-food place and got our food.

'I'm sorry, but... how do you know me?' He asked, hesitantly.

I smile. 'It's complicated.'

'I like complicated,' he said, shrugging.

'It involves witches and a multiversal traveler.'

Peter smirks. 'Don't oversell it then.'

I take a deep breath. 'So apparently I'm like this ancient witch being.'

With that I launch into the entire explanation. The headaches and the memories. How I'm some witch called the Amethyst and everything that comes with that. I talk about finding America and Wanda going devil like. I get choked up near the end it finally hitting me.

'Wanda is, um... she's gone,' I say, swallowing hard. 'Sacrificed herself to get rid of the Darkhold. I think... I think she was the one that gave me my memories back. Her last act before she died or something.'

'I'm sorry,' Peter said.

I knew he meant it. He looked so hurt by the news himself that I almost couldn't handle it. I tried to get myself together for the next part. But before I throw myself out there, I have to make sure he didn't move on. Or something along the lines. I couldn't handle it if he had.

'So, meet any new girls while I was getting my memories back?' I ask, more in a teasing matter.

'Sadly, I seemed to be attached to my last girlfriend,' he said, smiling.

I smile back. 'Oh yeah? Didn't her dad like drop a building on you?'

Peter rolled his eyes but nodded. 'I was actually talking about the girl that was with me when the building dropped.'

My face heats up slightly. 'Funny, I never remember us breaking up.'

'Well then I guess I was too attached to my girlfriend.'

'Good,' I say quietly. 'Because Strange found a way to bring you back. Before Beck. Before your identity was leaked. We could go to MIT with Ned and MJ. We could do this. I can do this.'

Peter looked almost overwhelmed at the news, and I move across the booth so I'm sitting next to him.

'You'd be Peter Parker. Not just spider-man. It won't be the same, but it would be your life. Your life.'

I could see him thinking everything over, staring at me. I knew I'd probably have to convince him that this'll actually work.

'I'm still trying to process having lunch with you again, Maya,' he finally breathed out. 'Right now, your all I really need.'

'And despite that being super sweet,' I start, 'I know you miss your old life. We'd jump right back into senior year. We'd get to go to MIT. Everything. We'd have everything.'

'We can retire,' he said, though he didn't sound like he was joking.

'We can try,' I say, nodding.

'This is real?' He said. 'You're real? You remember everything?'

I take his hand and he grip's mine back so tight I'm worried he'll break it.

'Do you remember when we were about to fight Mysterio, and we kept saying promise to each other? It became our thing?' He nods. 'I promise you, Peter Parker, that I remember every last detail about you and that I am full heartedly in love with you.'

I could see the tears spring in his eyes, and he hugged me, tight. His face buried into the crook of my neck, and I clutched onto his shirt. He was my home. And I had missed him.

'You don't know how much I wanted to just walk up to you and tell you everything,' he said, his voice muffled. 'I missed you, Maya. I missed you so damn much. I didn't know it could hurt so bad to lose a person.'

He pulled away and his hands cupped my face as he takes in my features, like he hasn't seen me in years.

'I love you,' he breathed out, as if that were the only words that he would say for the rest of his life. 'I've been in love with you since day one, honestly. It's always been you. And I love you.'

I was smiling but I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

'You can fix this?' He asks, trying to push down the hope.

'I can try,' I say. 'I promise I will try.'

He rests his forehead against mine and I close my eyes.

'I trust you,' he whispered. 'Let's do this.'

I smile and open my eyes to look into his.

'Let's do this,' I repeat.