Superhero? •PETER PARKER•

Chapter 10

I wake up the next day with a sigh. I wasn't hungover, but somehow I still feel like shit. I check my phone I have three text messages. One from Flash just making sure I'm still going to his party tonight. The next from Harry just saying he had a great time last night. The last from Betty asking to go shopping for homecoming dresses. I reply to her that says I'll meet her in an hour. I open my laptop and check the school website for a homecoming theme. "Of course," I think to myself. "Wizard of Oz." I roll my eyes at the most clique dance theme. I'll probably still end up enjoying myself. I see a list of dress up days and see one of them is superhero day. I roll my eyes again and close my laptop. "I can't with this school."

I get to the mall an hour later. I walk and see Betty at the food court. I walk a little closer and see MJ is with her. I walk cautiously and smile at Betty when I get to them. "Hi Betty," I say.

"Hey Stella!" She says cheerfully getting up and hugging me. "Okay lets go," She says grabbing her purse and MJ gets up. Are they really gonna act like everything is normal?

"Uh, Betty," I say, linking arms with her so it's more private. "What is MJ doing here?" I whisper.

"I invited her. Last night Ned and I left the party and met up with Peter and MJ at this cute little diner on fourth and we chatted about the dance since the four of us will be spending time together a lot so I decided I should get to know her. I thought you wouldn't mind?"

"Everything okay?" MJ asks. I let go of Betty and nod. "Okay then can we go in?" She asks as we are standing outside the dress store. Betty nods and drags me inside. We look around and I gather dresses I like. "So, Stella, have you ever been to Paris?" MJ asks me as she walks the aisles with me.

"Um, no," I say. She nods. "I couldn't afford the science trip," I add.

"Peter and I got together there," she says almost in a bragging tone. Why does she think I care? I look to see if Betty is around and see she isn't. "I know you think you and Peter have something special," She says as she looks at an ugly black dress and puts it in her hands.

"I don't think I have anything with Peter," I say.

"Then why are you trying to ask him to the dance?" I stop and look at her confused.

"Where did you hear something like that?" I ask her.

"Brad Davies told me. While you two were talking on his back deck," she explains.

"Well Brad is a liar and is just upset that I don't like him like he likes me," I say.

"Well I don't want you around Peter. Okay?"

"Done, He doesn't like me anyway," I say. Betty comes out of the shadows in a sparkly blue dress.

"Well?" She asks.

"Love it!" I say with a smile. Betty laughs.

"I know right!" She squeals. I can sense MJ's dirty looks. "Michelle what do you think?" Betty asks with a smile. MJ just nods with her typical resting bitch face. I roll my eyes a bit and head to the dressing room with Betty.

I try to zip a red dress but can't reach the zipper. "Betty, can you help me zip?" I ask her. She comes out of her dressing room in a purple dress now and zips mine up. "Did you hear Brad is telling people that I want to ask Parker to the dance?" I ask as I look in the mirror. Betty rolls her eyes.

"Brad's a jerk. I'm soooo glad Ned punched him in the face. His nose will be swollen for a whole week," Betty says almost laughing. I breath out my nose as a sort of laugh in agreement. "Everyone knows you and Peter would never date. He's way too into MJ and he's sooo not your type," she explains. I'm almost offended but I'm not entirely sure if I should be.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask pulling my hair to one side as she unzips the dress for me. We go back in our separate stalls and try different dresses.

"I just mean he's way too dorky. You are more into the cool collected types. That's why you dated Max Markle for so long," Betty says.

"Max Markle was an asshole to me. He broke up with me after a week."

"Exactly! That's why he was your type," she says. Betty is so naturally sweet that I don't think she realizes she is insulting me. "Hot, but an asshole. That's what I mean."

"So Peter is too nice for me?" I question looking in the mirror at a emerald dress.

"Maybe, I just don't see you two together. He and MJ are too cute," Betty says. "I think I like the blue one better."

"Yeah I think I have a winner," I say looking at the green dress in the mirror and smiling. "Douchebag isn't always what I go for. That guy last night was super nice," I say.

"Right! They are always super nice at first. Then they break your heart in a week." I roll my eyes as I pull my jeans on. I fix my hair after throwing on my crew neck and rolling up the sleeves.

"Maybe I'll ask him to the dance," I say.

"Stella, why would you ask anyone to the dance when you know Flash is going to ask you?" Betty asks as we come out of the dressing room holding our dresses.

"Because I don't want to go with Flash," I say. Betty makes a sad face. "Betty if I wanted my entire night streamed on Facebook I'd be down, but Flash is too obnoxious for my taste," I explain.

"He's just your type though?" Betty questions.

"You know I'm starting to think you don't know my type," I snap. I pay for the dress and go to walk out. "I'll see you later at the party," I say walking passed Betty. "Bye MJ," I add. MJ was sitting in a chair by the door reading a book with her ugly black dress draped across her arm.

"Hope Peter likes dead flowers," I think to myself as I walk out of the mall.

"I don't like dead flowers," I hear Peter say in my head. I stop and look around looking for him, but he is no where in sight. I actually have been pretty good at turning off the whole mind reading thing and I've noticed I don't hear everything anymore. It's more a dull buzzing.

"Peter? You can hear me?" I ask him. He doesn't reply. I wait awhile as I get on the bus to go back home. No luck.