UNTIL THEN IF NOT BEFORE (II) ↳ Tony Stark's daughter

06

"How are the speakers not busted yet?" I yell, covering my ears as I enter through the front door. Peter laughs before getting recognized by MJ, "You're here! Good thing too, because the party is just getting started." she says, grabbing Peter's hand and dragging him into the crowd, I follow behind unsure where to be.

MJ has her arms around Peter's neck and she moves her hips to the loud hiphop music playing, Peter's obviously a little unsure, but doesn't hesitate to start dancing with her. "Looks like fun, huh?" Ned says, coming up next to me with a cup in his hand, "Yeah, it does." I reply awkwardly. "You need a partner or something?" He asks, getting ready to set his cup down at my reply, "No, just taking it all in." I reply, Ned obviously a little disappointed. I look back to find MJ and Peter but they've left where they were dancing. I wander into the kitchen to find a table full of different kinds of juices and alcohol, with no real knowledge of how to make a drink, I pour a couple of juices into a solo cup half filled with vodka and take a sip. I make my way back to where the majority of the crowd is, finding a seat on a couch with about three other strangers.

Sipping my drink I watch as MJ and Peter are talking with a group of people across the room, I always knew Peter was friendly with almost everyone, but I never knew how many people actually knew him. "You look somewhat interesting, what are we starting at?" a girl I've never seen before says, plopping down next to me, " I-uh, nothing- staring into space." I reply, unsure of her presence. "I'm Grace, you smoke?" she asks holding out a box of Camels to me, " Uh-I, sure." I answer, I take one and hold it between my fingers. " Hang on, I've gotcha." she says, before digging in her bag to pull out a lighter. She lights mine first, then her own. Copying her, I inhale, holding in the smoke before exhaling. For the first time Grace is quiet, just looking over the group of people in boredom,"So you must know MJ right?" I say awkwardly trying to be somewhat interesting. "Who Mary Jane? Wow she goes by MJ now? That's lame." she replies taking another drag of her cigarette. " Oh, she didn't always use to be MJ?" I ask, desperately trying to spark up a conversation. " Yeah, it use to just be Mary Jane, I guess she's changed it." Grace says getting up, "I'm getting a drink.". I nod as she walks off, shaking off the weird encounter. "Hey there you are, cmon MJ is making a total fool of herself!" Peter says smiling, coming from the kitchen, Ned's coming behind him still laughing from something.

I follow the two back into the kitchen and MJ is on the counter dancing, I'd never seen MJ wasted but I'm pretty sure thats what I was looking at. "P-Peter, come up - dance with me!" she calls, picking up a half drunk beer and taking a sip, "Nah, I'm good down here MJ, I'm sure Carson would love too though." he says, giving the red head next to him a pat on the back to get him up there. Carson crawls up and MJ puts her arms around him like she did with Peter earlier, and the two are dancing and laughing. Carson isn't half as intoxicated as MJ but he seems to be having an equally great time with her on top of the counter anyway. The small group that was originally around the counter has now double and people are dancing along with the two. Peter and Ned start dancing, I sway awkwardly along. Peter grabs my wrist and pulls me closer to the two, creating a little circle with the three of us. We're all dancing, looking like idiots but everyones far too drunk to care. At one point MJ gets bored of Carson and comes to join our little group, slowly more of Peter and her friends join in till we've got our own little crowd going.

"Shit, it's almost 12, May should be here soon right?" MJ asks, putting down the trash bag full of empty red solo cups. " Yeah, better get my coat." Peter answers, disappearing upstairs. Ned's been gone for an hour now, he left with everyone else. MJ suckered me and Peter to help her clean up a bit afterwards. Peter comes back down with his things, my phone buzzes, Its Steve saying he's waiting out front. "Great party MJ, see ya guys at school." I say as I walk back out the front door.

" Have you been smoking?" Steve asks appalled, as I climb next to him in the front seat. "No." I responded confused, he must not have bought the act completely but doesn't go any further. " Happy Birthday by the way, well... late birthday." he says pointing to the time, "thanks" I answer clipping in my seat belt. He starts the car again and we pull out of MJ's drive, "Anyone awake at home? I ask as we drive back, "Possible Tony, but thats about it." He answers.

We pull into the garage and make our way up in the elevator. Everything is dark when we walk in, I can see the sliver of light coming from Tony's lab but thats it. "I'm heading to bed kiddo." Steve says, setting down his wallet and keys on the counter, once Steve has gone to his room I gently push the door of Tony's lab open. He's hunched over a desk fiddling with something under a singular lamp, "Knock, knock" I say, getting his attention. "Hey kid, how was your thing with Peter?" he asks setting down his things. "Fun." I respond, finding my way to an old bean bag he has in the corner, and kicking off my shoes. "Well, you're officially becoming old now." He says chuckling, watching as I struggle to keep my eyes open, "Yeah well its hard being 17." I scoff. "Why don't you get in bed, I'll be down here for a couple more hours." Tony says, returning to whatever he was doing, "No I'm okay to chill with you down here, I promise you won't even know I'm here." I response drowsily. "Alright, but I'm not carrying you to bed later, thats Steve's job" he laughs. For the rest of the night I fall asleep to the sound of small metal parts clinking together and pencils scribbles on the bean bag.