Spider-Man: Marvel Knight

Chapter 9-A Night to Remember

Thank God it was time for messing around. Weekend nights with his friends were always great. It was the only time he could let loose and laugh a little. He could especially do that now, since that spider had him feeling different. A lot different. He kept wondering why he was mad at his friends in the first place. They would never do that to him. He just had a rough day yesterday, and he couldn't have been sorry enough.
None of that mattered now. It was time to relax and have fun. He threw on a t-shirt, that was now a little tight because of his recent...changes, and a black blazer. He went to look at himself in the mirror and flex his, now real, muscles. Pete noticed something, too. He actually looked good looking. Peter Parker was kind of hot now? Without the glasses, you could see his crystal blue eyes and you could concentrate on every crevice on him instead of instantly judging him as a dork. He was still a nerd, but he sure didn't feel look like one. All things considered, he smiled at his new look and ran downstairs. Ben and May were dressed up for their night out. Peter wasn't the only one who was going to have fun in the Parker household.
His aunt turned to him as he walked down the stairs. "My, don't you look handsome, Peter," Aunt May said, obviously surprised at Peter's new look. "Doesn't he, Ben?"
Ben turned to look at his nephew. "Looks like a million bucks," he said smiling. "He's been working out, too, May. Getting some muscle." He winked at his nephew. That wink told Peter that their secret was safe. Pete didn't have to worry about anybody knowing. His soon-to-be new life was going to be okay.
"I thought that shirt looked a little tight on you," May said while fixing his hair. "Oh...my little boy's becoming a man," she said while giving him a hug.
"Thanks, May," Peter responded through an awkward laugh.
Ben smirked. "So, does this mean that you're finally going to try and impress Gwen tonight?" Ben said laughing. "I mean, MJ isn't here, but you might have a chance..."
Peter shook his head and chuckled uncomfortably. "Very funny, unc."
His uncle looked at his watch. "Well, just be home before midnight... And have fun," Ben replied.
"Will do," Peter responded while walking out the door. Quickly, he turned and said, "And you guys have a good time too." Pete shut the door behind him and started off to downtown. He didn't want to try swinging again tonight, nor did he want to think about his powers at all. He just wanted to have fun.
Ben helped his wife put on her coat, and she turned to her husband. "Ben?"
"Yes, dear?" he asked.
"When did Peter stop wearing his glasses?"
He thought for a second and then decided to play off her question with sarcasm. "Damned if I know."
She gave him a playful pat on the cheek. "Language, mister."
He chuckled at his wife. "Fair enough. My bad. Let's go have fun."
Peter made it to the front of the restaurant. As he approached it, he saw Gwen waiting while looking on her phone. Pete had to admit to himself: she was the prettiest girl he had ever met, next to MJ. Maybe she would be a good match for him. He then knew that he was listening to his aunt and uncle too much.
He began to walk over to her. As he moved, he could feel butterflies in his stomach. Every part of his was nervous now. He didn't see her as a friend right now, but as a girl that he was in love with...a crush. Her beautiful blond hair was in curls tonight, and she wore his favorite dress. He couldn't stop thinking about them together now...all thanks to Ben and May.
He tried to shake the thoughts out of his head. "Hey, Gwen," he greeted
Gwen looked up from her phone and turned to see Peter. She grinned a sweet smile. "Hey, Pete," she responded. "You're earlier than I thought you'd be." She pulled him into a hug, but something already felt different about him. He felt...toned...almost like he had been working out. Gwen almost wanted to keep hugging him, but she soon realized what she was doing. They pulled away and she noticed something else.
"Hey, you're not wearing your glasses," she said while pointing at his face.
Peter thought of a white lie, quickly. "Yeah, I...uh. I got contacts."
Gwen raised her eyebrow in disbelief and smiled. "Um, you hate contacts. You always have."
Peter shook his head and retaliated sarcastically. "When did I say that?"
"Uhh..." she started, " like, your whole life?" She chuckled to herself.
"Well...I changed my mind! Yeah, that's it I changed my mind," he said, clearly making it up as he went.
Gwen scoffed. "Okay, Mister 'I'll never wear contacts. Why would you ever put latex on your eye? Eww gross.' That doesn't ring a bell?"
Peter shook his head and smirked. "Nope, I do not recall."
"Yeah right, nerd," she replied with a chuckled and a playful punch to his arm. They laughed until it became awkward, because they realized that they were still in public. Inside, both of them realized that they were flirting with each other...it weirded them out, but it was something nice at the same time.
"So...um..." Peter said clearing the silence between them. "Where's Harry?"
"Oh," Gwen said snapping out of her trance. "He was over at Liz's house."
Pete shook his head and chuckled. "Ahh, those lovebirds."
Gwen laughed at Peter's comment. She felt her phone buzz and took it back out of her pocket. "Oh, Harry said that he's on his way. He said that we should go ahead and get a table."
"Sounds good," Peter said while holding the door open for Gwen. They were eating at LeAngelo's steakhouse. It was one of the most well known Italian restaurants in Brooklyn, and of course, when Harry Osborn is your friend, one of the most expensive. They got to their table and sat down. The waiter asked what they were drinking, and they said that they were waiting for someone.
It was weird sitting alone with Gwen, and it was weird sitting alone with Peter as well. Peter had never thought about Gwen as more than a friend, and the same went for her to Peter. But now, it seemed natural. They both knew that they had a lot in common, because they had been inseparable along with MJ and Harry since they were toddlers. Soon, they realized that they had been sitting in awkward silence with each other. Finally, Gwen broke the ice.
"So, how long have you been working out?" As soon as she finished the statement, she cringed. Why did she ask him that? She's supposed to be flirting, not basically drooling over him.
Peter shook his head as to act confused by her question. He then knew that she must've felt his new muscles under his shirt during their hug. "What do you mean?"
She raised her eyebrow. Since she asked the question, she might as well go through with it. "I mean," she started, "you have always been like a noodle your entire life and now, you're, like, cut? How long?"
Pete tried to think of a bullcrap answer, quickly. He didn't know how long you had to take to get ripped. He had never stepped in a gym his entire life. "About a month, give or take," he responded, hoping that she would believe him.
Gwen looked impressed at his answer. She was still wary, though. "Wow, you're making good progress."
"Thanks," he said with an awkward smile.
Her expression turned into more of a serious one. "Hey--um..." she started. "Listen... I'm really sorry that Harry and I weren't there with you at the science fair. I know about your anxiety and I just feel really bad about it."
Peter shook his head. "Gwen, it's okay. I understand. It's fine. I know you would never do anything to hurt me." He scratched his head. "I should be the one who's sorry. I was so mad at you two yesterday for leaving me, but you're my friends." Soon he found his hand resting on hers. She looked up at him and smiled. They both felt the same thing at that moment. There was more feelings than just friendship at that moment.
"Am I interrupting something?"
They both turned to see Harry standing at the table smirking with his eyebrow raised. Peter pulled his hand from hers quickly. "No, no, no, no, no," Peter quickly said in defense. "It's not what you think. We were just uh...we were just--"
"Talking," Gwen said, completing his sentence. She smiled and hid a wink from Harry. It was official: they liked each other.
"Sure," Harry said sarcastically while sitting down at the table. "'Talking' just like what me and Liz do all the time. We just 'talk'." He made air quotations when he said "talk".
"Whatever, dude," Gwen said, rolling her eyes, hiding her uncomfortableness. "Can we just eat?"
"That's what we're here for isn't it?" Harry asked with a chuckle. He called over the waiter and gave him their orders. They had a great night, too. The three laughed and told stories from the past and present. A couple of times, they thought the maitre d was going to ask them to leave, but of course, having Norman Osborn's son with them sort of protected them from that.
After they had finished, Harry paid and left the restaurant. "Oh, boy," Peter said, still laughing at the last joke that Harry had said, "that was great."
"Yeah, it was," Gwen said with a yawn. "You know what? You two boys have fun. I'm gonna call it a night."
"You sure, Gwen?" Peter asked. "Don't think that you're dragging us down."
She giggled. "I don't think that," she replied. "I just feel tired. I'm gonna go hit my bed and pass out. Bye, guys." She gave a smile at Peter and then walked off.
"Bye," they both said. Harry noticed Peter waving at her while she was walking away from them. He knew those eyes. Those were the eyes he saw when he looked in the mirror when he first met Liz. This boy is in love!
Peter caught himself biting his lip a bit and immediately quit when he saw Harry looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?" Peter asked.
"You have got to be kidding me..." Harry said. Peter played off his assumption with a sigh and started walking away.
"You're imagining things, Harry," his friend responded. Harry started following him.
"I know I'm not imagining that, pal. Admit it. Admit it!" Harry kept repeating.
"Harry, what's there to admit?"
Harry stopped him and held him from walking. "Look me in the eye right now and tell me I'm wrong." Peter just shook his head and kept on walking. "You like Gwen!" Harry exclaimed while still following him. He was smiling from ear to ear. "I actually don't believe it! Good for you, man. When are you gonna ask her out?"
Peter's eyes got wide. "Harry, are you serious?"
"Of course I am!" Harry exclaimed. "Ask her out, dude!"
Peter just kept shaking his head. "Harry, I don't need a girlfriend right now. Plus, I don't think she likes me the same way."
"Please..." Harry started. "Of course she does...have you even seen the faces she was making at you tonig--"
Harry and Peter were stopped when they saw familiar faces headed their way down the sidewalk. It was Flash and his gang of no-gooders. The jock smiled when he saw the two. "Well, well, well," he said. "Look who it is: Parker and his rich little boyfriend." He and his gang moved closer to them. "You know, that thing that happened Friday got me and my friends suspended? Huh?"
"You brought that on yourself, Flash," Harry said while putting an arm in front of Peter, ready to defend his friend in a second. Flash pushed both Peter and Harry to the ground and stood over them.
"Well," Flash said while gathering his friends around him, "I guess you brought on round two yourself. Karma sucks..." Peter felt the same cold shiver down his spine that he had felt yesterday. He looked around and saw someone shout and come out of the alley that they were nearby. The man who stepped out had a gun. He was wearing a black beanie and a hoodie. He pointed the gun at Flash and his friends.
"Don't you know not to pick on kids that are smaller than you?" he asked the jock. Flash and his friends put their hands up.
"No-- no sir. Of course not, sir. We wouldn't do that," Flash stuttered, obviously scared for his life.
"Good," the man said, moving closer. "Now give me your wallets."
"What?" Flash asked, beginning to wimper.
The man cocked his pistol. "Your money...give it to me...all of it!" Flash and his friends emptied their pockets and threw all their cash at him. He picked it all up and began to walk away from them. "Good, good." He walked by Peter and Harry, and then ran down the street.
Flash looked like he was in a state of horror and surprise. "What the hell are you two doing?" he yelled at Harry and Peter. "Stop him!"
Pete helped his friend up and said, "You brought this on yourself. Karma sucks," Flash was about to say something, but he was so horrified at the moment that he and his friends just ran off. Harry looked at Peter and began laughing nervously.
"Well that just happened..." he said through his laughter.
"Yeah," Peter said, laughing as well. They stood there and calmed themselves down after a while. "Hey, man, I think we should call it a night after all of that," he said.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I'll uh-- I'll see you Monday."
"Yeah." They did their secret handshake and Harry went on his way. He kept looking behind him to see of anyone was following him, but Peter didn't have to; he had that weird sixth sense that shivered his spine.
He had a lot to think about on his way towards his neighborhood. What an eventful night. He realized that he has a thing for Gwen and Flash got a taste of his own medicine all in one night. He was just feeling good about himself, until another cold tingle went down his spine. Suddenly he heard a gunshot and a scream a couple blocks away. That scream sounded familiar. Way. Too. Familiar.
"AUNT MAY!" he exclaimed.
He ran as fast as he could to the next block. The place that his tingle took him to was the restaurant that Ben and May were eating at. Peter looked around and saw a man lying on the floor, blood all around him. He looked again, and saw his worst fears imagined: It was Ben.
May had her hand gripping his. Tears were streaming down her face. She saw Peter and was so hoarse from crying, she tried to say his name, but it just came out as a weak whisper. Peter knelt down and tried to stop the bleeding. Tears began pouring from his eyes as he saw his uncle dying before him.
"Uncle Ben..." He cried. "Hey, unc-- unc... you're gonna be okay. You're...gonna...you're gonna be..." He couldn't stop the tears flowing from his eyes.
Ben calmly placed his hand on Peter's and squeezed May's. He nodded and a single tear flowed from his eye. "Don't...give up, Peter. Don't...don't be sacred..."
"Unc..."
"Be...who you...who you were...meant..to.....be." With those words, Ben drew his last breath. His eyes closed and his expression went peaceful.
"Uncle Ben?" Peter asked sobbing.
"Ben? Ben?! Ben....don't you dare leave us!" May shouted while sobbing. "Don't you...don't you dare....don't you...." It was too late. He was already gone.

...

Hours went by. The ambulance came and picked up Ben's lifeless body. Peter sat at a table and held his face in his hands. Police were talking to May, who was still trying to compose herself from her emotional state. Pete listened to the police's questions.
"Did your husband have any enemies, you know about. Anybody who would want him gone?"
"No....He was...he was such a loving man. There wasn't...there wasn't a kinder man I knew."
"Have you ever seen the man before?"
"No. No...I had never seen him in my life."
"Can you describe him for us, ma'am? It's important for us to know who what he looks like so we can bring him in."
"Yes...yes of course...he um...He was white. Uh...he had brown hair."
"What was he wearing?"
Peter almost fainted from hearing the next words from his aunt's mouth.
"He...He wore a black beanie and a hoodie."