Don't Jump // Peter Parker x OC ((Book One))

Twenty Seven, Innocence

I'm too short （//･_･//)

-

I walk into the new building, clutching my book bag strap securely around my shoulder.

I've done this twice before, walking into a new school I don't understand. But this time it was different. I didn't have Peter.

I look at my schedule and find my way to my new homeroom.

"New kid-o-clock over here, I see?" someone asks, running up next to me. I look at her. Straightened blond hair, dark blue eyes and light pink lips. Rather pale. Normal enough. "Hi, I'm Marcie!"

She holds out a hand for me to shake. If anything amuses me about my newfound talents, it's the lack of knowledge others have when they're anywhere near me.

"Bea." I say

"Well hello, Bea. At least, I'm assuming you're new."

"Uh, yeah. I'm new."

"What's your schedule look like?" she asks. I hand it to her. She smiles lightly as she reads it. She doesn't honestly seem that bad. Or to know who I am. Judging by her clothes and the fact she goes to a private school, she's definitely upper class, but she doesn't act like it. "We have 5 classes together! That's great. Math, science, language arts and gym."

"Oh, cool!" I say, actually kind of excited that I'm in classes with her. "I have to go to math first, so you wanna walk with me, I'm a little lost to be honest."

"Definitely! And, before you ask, yes, I know you're the talk of the presses right now, but that's not why I'm talking to you," she says, "I mean, my dad is Rodgers Gariner. Everyone jumps to conclusions and wants to be my “friend”. So from one overly popular kid to another, I don't want to be your friend because of Stark. You seem cool."

I've heard of Rodgers Gariner. He's at a lot of Tony's press conferences. Known for his twin daughter and son often following him around. Not Marcie, probably her older siblings.

"Well, thank you."

"But, is it true he's using you for publicity?"

"No, that's a huge lie. Tony adopted me because... I wasn't in the best place. He's just given me a life I guess."

"I'd love to hear that story later."

"You wanna hear about me?"

"Yeah! Like I said, you seem like a cool person, and I want to be your friend, I relate to you in a way."

"Unintentionally popular for our fathers." we say in unison.

-

"And then, next thing I know, Peter is picking me up and putting me on his back and running down the sidewalk!" I exclaim, telling Marcie a stupid story from my and Peter's childhood.

"How long have you been friends?" she asks.

"August 27th was thirteen years." I say

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. About two or so months ago we started dating." I say.

"Wow. You guys are something else."

"You have no idea." I breathe. Marcie and I were waiting out front for our respective people to pick us up.

"Hey, maybe this Friday you could come to my house and have a sleepover?" she asks excitedly, "My parents won't be home, neither will Chyna and Charles, so you could come over and we'd have the house to ourselves!"

I'm surprised by her offer. I've never had a friend before, not one that openly offers. Normally I'd just show up at Peter's with a pillow and a blanket and walk in.

"Uh, yeah, I'll ask Tony."

Her ride shows up and I smile and wave at her as she walks away.

Wait, I did it.

I made a friend.

-

"Peter!" I cry, running at him, my arms open ready for one of his warm hugs.

"Bea!" he envelops me in his hug, and I melt into his arms. "I want to hear everything."

"Are you sure? I mean I don't wanna seem like it was so much better than when I was at Midtown."

"Bea, it's perfectly okay to make friends."

"I know but I don't want you to feel like I'm replacing you."

"You think I'd let that happen? Bea, do you forget I'm your boyfriend? You literally called me at three in the morning the other day to tell me you had a good dream about a kiss we had."

I look away, smiling. A light blush on my face.

"Fine, but you asked for it." I say, we start walking and I start explaining my adventure of the day. "So this girl, Marcie, she came up to me and said she wanted to be my friend because she relates to me."

"Famous daughter I assume?"

"Kind of, you know Rodgers Gariner? His daughter."

"The twin?"

"No. Younger, a lot less stuck up looking." I explain, "Anyway, she told me that she wanted to be my friend because she said other people wanted to be her friend because her dad is famous."

"Oh, like how people only like you because you're Tony Stark's adopted daughter?"

"Yeah- wait,"

"Except me, of course. I've known you way longer than I've known Mr Stark."

"Yeah, so she said that we could be friends. And today, when I was waiting for Happy to come pick me up, she asked me if I wanted to come to her house on Friday to spend the night!"

"Bea, that's great! I'm so happy you made a friend." he says, hugging me.

"Speaking of a sleepover, I need to go ask Tony if I can go. Why don't you go up to the roof and I'll meet you there in ten with some snacks?"

"Sounds good to me," he says, starting to walk off in the direction of the elevator. I go down to Tony's lab.

"Time Witch!" he jokes

"You know what happens when you call me that, Mr Stark."

"Touche." he replies, "How can I be of assistance?"

"My friend asked me if I wanted to go to her house for a sleepover on Friday. Can I go?"

He turns around and looks at me. "Your what?"

"My friend? Her name is Marcie. Marcie Gariner."

"Rodgers Gariner?" he asks

"Yeah. Not the creepy twins that follow him though." I point out

"Yeah, that sounds fine. Just be careful? Rodgers isn't the nicest person."

"He won't be there. It'll just be me, Marcie and the staff. That's what she told me anyway."

"Rodgers and I were high school first and second place. I beat him out by 13 credits."

"It honestly sounds like you've set him up with some salty grudge forever, Tony."

"Exactly. He goes to my press conferences in spite. Rumor is the twins are robots that record every conversation he's ever had since the year after he was married. Made to look like children."

"Tony, that's crazy."

"Or is it?"

I roll my eyes and start walking away, "I'll be on the roof with Peter."

"Keep it PG for the kiddies!"

"Shut up."

"Hey, I am your superior!"

"My superior asshole!"

"I said PG!"

I hope you enjoyed this. Bea has a friend! I'm so happy for her. One more than I have.

-Danielle