STAY

#20 STAY

Chapter 20

Downers...

SHE knows it. What she saw on the sky, it's him, went to Stark Tower. But, it's shame Gwen can't do something about that.

Peter turned to downstairs on almost evening, while she somehow knowing he's nothing like half-day-sleeping person. The reason he said was just because of he's too tired of couldn't sleep last night, then when he woke up, he received invitation e-mail from Stark Industries about his internship application.

Fitzpatricks felt nothing strange. Jack—that on very beginning making Gwen thought he wouldn't get some excitement from the news, was the one showing really-supporting face to Peter. Same as him, so is Aunt Nina. They both congratulate Peter for got in to big company's internship program, same proudly face's showing from them til the end of the day.

Gwen was proud of him too. On the second day here, he done in telling her about his superb brain. But remembering her first convo with the real Mary Jean Watson, her face down. Gwen was trying to hide it til everyone got to bed. Doesn't know why, but she's unsure about saving herself here while Peter isn't around because of going to Stark Tower for late shift or something.

Obviously, she's stranger here, and her very first friend is the same girl with the one make Peter's grinning awkwardly. Gwen doesn't like her, in her deep heart. But she can't do anything instead of following this house's rules. She still want to safe in here.

Yeah, she's real clear about it: just found her calmness in those beautiful brown doe eyes..

Now, in her room, Gwen couldn't sleep again because thinking about all of those things. She's afraid, proud, happy, and said in the same time. Gwen doesn't know what to do except rubbing her head, and got to bed—trying to avoid her thought about Peter and MJ.

***

A month later...

Then, just like the dream coming true, days after days til almost a month since the announcement of Peter's internship in Stark, her life is just emptier right now. No more late hangout with Peter. He's always come home late. Not that she's not see him entered his room. She saw him, but just didnt want to bother him because she knows he's tired already. Also, not just that thing... unfortunately, her conversation with MJ is going more intense. She could see something in her eyes; that the feeling is getting clearer. Girls feeling—Gwen knew MJ like Peter and somehow she's worried, knowing MJ and Peter has one meeting or two in college.

But, even her heart and head aren't there for the same frequences, the alibi's keep going; Gwen continues her act as proffesor assistant with doing spider experiments in Roosevelt. For making Jack and Nina believes on them, they're going from home together til on train station near them, Peter swung her to Roosevelt first, then he went to his class. Shame, lately it's nothing like that anymore. Peter being busy in his business with college and Stark—whatever it is—and Gwen is busy with making herself same as Peter, like their last convo about Richard Parker's spider.

Today, on one last day of holiday in the middle of March's winter, Nina was making her more worried about Peter's late shift with saying, "Spiderman moving his ground to DC. But the news is ridicolus. Ugh, now i know Peter decided to go out of The Bugle."

She's pouting the news. Her glance on the latest Headline News this night, turned into haters. Gwen doesn't remember anything about The Bugle or those things, but from their lately news about Spiderman, she doesn't like the news either. But, Gwen just kept on silence. In corner of dining room, she's focusing herself more to her book. Lab's book.

"Gwen," Nina called her, leaving her husband changing the tv channel. "...It's late honey. You better go to sleep. Lights out soon."

"Oh, okay." She nod, decided to keep herself down—being a good girl like she used to be; according Peter's earlier story about her. While in here, she couldn't count how much she learned something from Nina; started from how to take care of flower, til how to cook Peter's favorite pancake. She has been learned those things easily, without some pressure at all from Nina or Jack.

The big pressure is just from Peter's unpresence, and MJ. That's all.

Gwen went out of dining room to hers. She turned to the window then to her journal, found words to make her stay up late.

to be continue...