Rollercoaster - Peter Parker

18. Not the Time for Memes

"Valentine's Day sucks!" Reese groaned, throwing his head down on the cafeteria table with a slam.

Couples turned their heads to look at him, teenagers placing hands over their hearts as they watched Reese with sympathetic glances. Meanwhile, the two couples at the table rolled their eyes at the boy, his usual pessimism not fazing them.

January had flashed by. Surprisingly, with little Flash seen around the school. Peter and his friends were all relieved that it seemed as though the plan to keep the two boys separate made a deep impression on Flash. Peter never had to go out of his way to avoid him or the boys that ganged up around Flash.

The cold hadn't gone away with January, though, the next month becoming even colder if it was possible. Peter figured that at least their Valentine's Day chocolate wouldn't melt.

Peter and Caden presented Ned with a box of Star Wars themed assorted chocolates. MJ and Jackie did their part, MJ tossing Reese a box of Avenger themed chocolates.

"I know you like them," Jackie teased, grinning widely when Reese picked up the box between his thumb and pointer finger like it was a dirty napkin. She rolled her eyes, nodding in satisfaction when he delicately opened the package and ate a chocolate, giving the girls a thumbs up.

Meanwhile, Ned smiled and marveled at the box of chocolates. Peter and Caden shared a look where they were basically both wondering whether the boy would actually eat the chocolates or if he'd save them like a piece of merchandise on a shelf in his room.

Peter shook his head, glancing at Ned with a smile. "So, you like them?" he asked, a teasing tone coating his voice.

"More like love them!"

"Well after you put them in a safe spot at home I better see you before May leaves for her date. It's Valentine's Day after all, I don't want to be alone in the morning thinking about how my aunt spent her evening"

Ned's eyes trailed to Caden who had his arm draped over Peter's shoulder. The smaller boy leaned against his boyfriend, watching Ned with expectant eyes.

Ned had just naturally assumed that since it was Valentine's Day maybe the two would be going on a date or something, but apparently they weren't. And, Ned honestly felt touched, thinking of all of the past Thursdays him and Peter had spent together. It would be a lie if he said that things hadn't changed when Peter and Caden started dating, but he was overjoyed that it seemed like Thursdays were still reserved for the two best friends.

"Yeah, of course I'll be there!" Ned exclaimed, trying his best to act calmly, his excitement bursting through as a wide grin never faded on his face. "Still at eight?"

"It's Valentine's Day, so... most likely six," Peter said after a long pause to think. "She'd have to change her outfit a couple million times. She doesn't trust my opinion."

"I think she'd rather want Nessa to help her. She definitely knows more about fashion than I do," Ned scoffed, bugging his eyes a bit at Peter to convey his cluelessness about the whole scenario.

"Wait, Nessa?" MJ interrupted Ned's humorous moment, the two boys turning to face her while Caden's group of three were thoroughly confused.

Ned waved his hand in the air, making an annoyed look at her. "Yeah, turns out when you get your law school boyfriend cheating you have to move back into your parent's house again. Nessa - Vanessa - is my deadbeat older sister, by the way."

"I never liked Micah anyways. He looked like Homer Simpson." MJ nodded sympathetically, offering her friend a smile. Ned almost choked on his drink, sputtering out a mix between chokes and laughs.