When Lightning Strikes (Ultimate Spiderman x Villain!OC)

Chapter 3

The week goes on and I start hanging out with the gang more. Harry and Mj are always right behind Peter every time so I get to know them as well. My grades aren't amazing though. I got a D on the math test that me and Ava had studied so hard for. I'm sure she got an A+, she's so smart. Even so, with all my new friends, this is the happiest I've been in a long time.

But of course it doesn't last. I turn the corner of the hallway to see Flash shoving Peter into a locker. He's yelling for his lunch money or something. I wasn't going to stand for this. Peter was my new friend and I don't want anybody hurting my friends. I march right up to them, "Leave him alone Flash."

Flash sneered at me, "Why do you care so much you loser. No one cares about you."

Peter struggles against Flash, "hey! Pick on someone your own size, Flash. Come on, leave her out of this."

My temper flares. "Put him down Flash or I go to Principal Coulson," I stare Flash down letting him know I mean it.

He scoffs, "Oh no I'm so scared." He drops Peter which relieves me. But then he grabs me by the hair, looks me dead in the eyes and says, "Listen here you little low life. My business is my business and if I want to take Parker's lunch money everyday, I will. So don't get in my way because next time I'll show everyone how pathetic you really are." He lets go of my hair and walks past me, shoving me into the lockers as he walks past. I grunt and cross my arms protectively over my body, feeling vulnerable.

Peter looks at me, "Grace are you alright? Why on earth did you do that? You should've left him to me!"

"You have to stand up to bullies Peter or else they never learn!" I snapped back.

He looks exasperated like he knows better than me, "When that person is Flash, it's best to leave it to me. You can't handle him."

"Well sorry I didn't want to see my new friend getting hurt," I scowl and leave to go to class. I'd hit my funny bone on the locker and it still stings. I rub my elbow to ease the pain. I sit in science class next to Danny, trying to calm myself down. How dare Peter say that? I stick my neck out for him and he gets mad at me for it? Bullies don't just go away, I was trying to help. I felt something in me start to stir. Then a hand sets down on my shoulder. I turn and see Danny looking at me with worrying eyes. "Grace you look quite angry, are you alright?"

I try calming down but as I talk I only get angrier, "I was trying to do something nice for someone and they got mad at me. I don't understand why when I was just trying to help a friend, it blew up in my face." I feel abuzz with energy and Danny pulls his hand away quickly.

"Ow, you shocked me . . . Sometimes it is best to remember that other people have stories we don't understand. Maybe you could try talking to your friend instead of simmering in your anger."

I take a deep breath. The peacemaker at it again. "As always Danny, you're right. I shouldn't let my anger get the better of me. Sorry for shocking you." He smiles and the bell rings, signally for class to start.

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Lunchtime rolls around and I sit with the group but on opposite ends of the table as Peter. I still don't feel like talking to him even after my talk with Danny. I check my phone and see a call from none other than my dreaded Aunt.

After the incident when I was ten, I ran on my own for about a year before I found my way to Aunt Margaret's house. She had always been nice to me when I was smaller but when I showed up out of the blue on her front doorstep, after she had attended my father's funeral, she wasn't too happy to see me. It was then I found out she had taken up the nasty habit of drinking to deal with the loss of her brother. I didn't dare tell her about my powers or what happened that night, I knew she would only blame and take it out on me. Not that I didn't already blame myself. She reminded me of the way you would imagine an old Victorian lady to act if she was drunk. Margaret spoke in old fancy drawl like she thought she was something special. Around the age of fifteen I asked her if I could live on my own instead. (I had tried to run away before but she had called the cops for "her missing daughter.") She said she would let me, if I paid her when she needed it. I knew it was a stupid offer, I would never know when she would need my money, or how much. I took the offer anyway. I would do anything to get away from her drunken rants.