The Amazing Spider-Man - Love, MJ

XVI

I spent weeks in the hospital, left without a spleen and one of my kidneys—sad day. Lost two good workers. But, in all those weeks, Peter never visited once. At first, I didn't know if it was because he was hurt too, dead even, but then I was told he was okay. So, what else could he be doing? Why didn't he come see me?

I called the first chance I got, which was when I was signed out and got back home. Mama kept my phone from me, for god knows what reason. He didn't answer on the first call, which was fine, he could've been out as Spider-Man. The second time was the next morning, no answer.

I tried texting too, anxiety keeping me from stopping and just accepting that maybe he didn't want me anymore. Maybe seeing me almost die showed him that it wasn't worth it. Or... I don't know. Peter always has a good explanation. There has to be a reason.

After a while of just silence, I decided if he wasn't going to tell me over the phone I'd force him to face me. Face me and tell me why he left me to rot in a hospital. To worry at my own home. To... to think he may have been hurt. He could say it to my face.

He approached the door after a minute, not meeting my eye as he opened the door. "Where have you been?" I ask after studying his face, trying to find something to excuse his flakiness.

"Hi." He whispers after a moment of looking around in silence, like he'd rather watch the rain then meet my eyes. My brows furrow and lips pull into a frown as I watch him act out this play of his.

"I almost died, and all you can say is hi?" I all but lose my voice as it cracks, I tilt my head trying to catch his eye. "I was in the hospital for weeks, Peter. My mom almost quit; you know? And mama could barely leave the room to work. Everyone sent cards... or flowers. Everyone visited, everyone but you." I choke on my words at the end.

He hesitantly lifts a hand up, bringing it close to my face, the backs of his fingers brush away a few stray tears before dropping away. I could see tears building in his eyes, like he was struggling too keep something in. His lips opening and closing, struggling to find any words to say.

"Can't do this." He shakes his head, saying it quietly before repeating himself louder. "Can't do this." He sniffles, looking away to the side. I scoff quietly, it was wet and shaky. I can't believe this.

"I'm sorry. I can't, I can't, uhm..." He stumbles over his words, I cross my arms tightly over my chest, trying to calm my pounding heart. I felt like everything was crashing down again. Except, somehow, it was worse. It was all so much worse. It hurt and I couldn't swallow, couldn't breathe.

"What... what are you saying?" I strain, I didn't know if I even wanted the answer to that. I thought coming here, to have him tell me something—anything— face to face would be better than the silence. And it wasn't. It was shattering.

"I can't see you anymore." He says firmly, clearly. "I can't." 

I stare at him, throat too tight to even get a breath out, let alone words to say to that. In the end my heart did slow down, just not for the right reason. It was a crushing weight, pressed on my body. A cold rushing through me.

"Are you—" I close my mouth before finishing, he stares at me; breathing silently but his chest rose and fell rapidly. He looked like he was in pain, but his face didn't display the same feelings. I was confused, so confused. But all he did was look at me.

I lift my umbrella and open it as I turn around. I'd let the rain pummel me if it didn't mean getting sick. I step down the porch steps quickly, it almost felt embarrassing. You fall in love with a boy, and that boy ends up changing your life and then leaving. What are you meant to do after that? How do you... what could you do?

And then it hit me, my mom keeping my phone from me, not telling me what happened to Peter until I could storm out of the hospital room. She did this, she did what she always does when she thinks something is unfit. She either scared him or made him promise her something.

I stand at the bottom of the porch, staring at the ground before turning around and looking up at Peter. "She had you promise, didn't she? To stay away from me...so I'd be safe." It finally shows on his face, the pain and struggle. But he doesn't say anything to me. 

So, I turn, and I leave him there. He'd come find me when he had something to say. He always finds me.

#

I stand in front of my locker, Gwen beside me—sticking to me like glue ever since school started again. It was sweet, sometimes annoying, but sweet. I guess a near death will make your best friend scared to leave you for more than 2 seconds.

"What's up, Parker." I hear Flashes voice, Gwen sighs from beside me.

"Hey. How's it going?" I look over instinctively when I hear Peters voice, I look him over once—checking him for injuries was a habit that was hard to break. He catches my eye before I force myself to look away.

"You coming along, man?" Flash asks and gets a nod and grin from Peter.

"That's a cool shirt." He says, leaning down to grab his bag as the bell rings.

Flash looks down at his shirt, "Yeah. Dudes— dude's crazy. But chicks dig him." He says with a big grin before turning and walking away.

Gwen gently pats my back, silently telling me that we need to head to our class. She gets mean when we're late, it's a little scary. So, I close my locker door and grab my bag as Gwen walks in front of me, no doubt giving Peter a snarky look.

Our eyes meet again for a moment, and for a moment I forget I'm meant to be ignoring him, disliking him, because all I see is his pretty pools of brown that'd entranced me not so long ago. It was hard to break away from after spending so long being able to love them.

#

"I had a professor once who liked to tell his students that there were only ten different plots in all of fiction. Well, I'm here to tell you he was wrong. There is only one. "Who am I"?" The teacher says, profoundly, leaning against her desk as Peter walks in late.

"Mr. Parker." She acknowledges him as he walks past her to go to his desk. "Tardy, again."

He passes by Gwens desk, she purposely avoids his eyes to be petty for me. And when he passes mine, I don't look up from my notebook, tapping my pen against the paper.

"Well at least we can always count on you." The teacher says,

"Sorry, Miss Ritter, won't happen again, I promise." He says, setting his bag down after he takes a seat at his desk. Which was unfortunately directly behind me in this class.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Mr. Parker." She retorts before walking around her desk to her chalkboard.

"Yeah, but those are the best kind." I hear Peter whisper behind me, God damn this boy. He won't even let me be mad at him. A small grin starts to take form, regardless of how much I fight it.

So, who was I?

I'm Mary Jane Wattson, the girl who had the misfortune of falling in love with one Peter Parker.

Or fortunately, depending on how you look at it.

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And so, we reach the end of the first Amazing Spider-Man.

Hope you enjoy this web of many feelings.

I appreciate those who read my works, so tysm.

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