Outside POV
Peta Parker was in no way a classic beauty. Her long chestnut hair was streaked with various shades of blues and reds. Her clothing while, well made and very well kept, didn't look it at all. According to her mother, she smelled "like a chain-smoking French whore". That was due to her duel love for cigars and Axe/Lynx Chocolate. The cigars were truly for her personal enjoyment and really only for special occasions. She was, after all, an athlete. At least, she was an athlete when she wasn't holed up in her room reading whatever she could get her hands on.
Over the years many of her trainers and coaches, she could have been a star. Football, rugby, ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern, gymnastics, tennis, table tennis, jujitsu, kung Fu, karate, and speed skating to name a few of the countless sports and teams she had been a part of.
Much to all her coaches' disappointment, she only ever did one or two seasons of any of the sports at most. When asked why she always answered: there was something missing. It seemed no matter how many flips, slides, fakes, and spins she did, nothing ever brought out her fire... so, she quit. She quit all of these things pretty quickly. Not that there was ever any lag in her physical fitness. Her workout regimes were always the very definition of intensity.
As for all the reading she did, aside from simply hating stereotypes about "jocks" and their general intellect, Peta never really had friends. She had family members, but her mother was never home from work, her father was never allowed to see her and her grandparents pretty much despised her as did her aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings. She had teammates but she never really hung around enough to make good friends. She had the guy she bought cigars and booze from, but he was a convicted felon's front man. All that were left were the butlers and the maids, but forming a friendship with "the help" was not proper.
So, what was left for her to do is watch telly or read, and, by some miracle of God, she chose books as a child. However that was probably due to the fact that, all the household fights and arguments happened in front of the telly. Nobody wants to actively deal with all that mess, and that is how the she-dork was born.
In her earliest memories Peta lived with her father and his wife, May Parker. Those were the good days before her mother insisted she move to London for proper schooling. After that she visited her father and May as much as possible. It was when her cousin, Peter, moved in that she fell to the wayside a little bit in that family unit. It really wasn't on purpose. There was no conscious effort to shut her out, but then precious Petey wasn't born of forced infidelity. Though neither her father nor May ever treated her poorly, they didn't have a malicious bone in their bodies, Peta knew the truth was an ugly one. The Parkers had just assumed that she could take care of herself. Apparently, her had independent streak ran deep even in her childhood.
Peter on the other hand was very sad when he was younger. He was prone to fits of ranging from mild melancholy to chronic depression. Peta had tried to be there as much as possible but the boy never got over his parents' abandonment. Despite the family drama the cousins got on well with one another. They even formed tight knit friendships with some others in the neighborhood, Eddie Brock and Gwen Stacy.
Eddie being a big brother/role model for the both Parker kids and Gwen being the absolute bestest best friend ever. Eddie was the one to spark Peta's love for sports and looked out for Peter if he was bullied. Eddie could have made a killing as a comedian and could almost always make Peter laugh during his sad spells.
Gwen used to keeping Peter company when the other two were on the courts or fields getting sweaty with all the other local kids. Gwen was the only female companion who understood many of Peta's ideas, always encouraging and offering support.
To Peta her life was perfect. It was like pure torture when she was scooped up to live with her mother and her new husband(s). She had been planning on keeping in touch with Peter, Gwen, and Eddie but just never got the chance. Her mother may have fought for her in court but she didn't really want Peta. It was up to her family who basically had to threaten her with disinheritance to even agree to go to court. So she just put Peta in a ton of extra curricular activities. From the moment their plane touched down in London, Peta could have written a book about being ignored in one's parent's presence. That was her life - sports, reading, school, smoking (sometimes), and the odd family dinner where she was expected to chew quietly, breath silently, and never, under pain of grounding, utter a single word. So it went on until she was about thirteen. She was pretty much a mature, hard-working human being by then. If she wasn't coaching/refereeing countless matches and teams for younger kids and could bare to pull her nose from a book, she was doing homework. Her life was literally this flavorless, friendless family-free sodding pile of mush. So when she turned thirteen and the courts gave her the choice of parenting she jumped at the chance and declared her father her primary guardian and packed to be off in New York by the end of the school year. Her mother gave her grief but in the end relented, starting a bank account for her to use for school, clothing, food, and "culture". She arrived in New York to see her father, May, and Peter waiting for her with smiles on their faces and in their eyes.
Even from a glance it was clear that they were all related. Peter and Peta could have been twins except for their hair, their noses and their eyes. While Peter had light brown hair, warm brown eyes and a slightly fatter nose, Peta had dark hair color of a raven in the night sky. Ben used to have hair that color before it all turned an intelligent, thoughtful grey. Ben's eyes were about the same as Peter's though. Peta on the other hand had her mother's piercing ice blue eyes. The only difference between them was the dark blue flecks that seemed to flash whenever the girl felt some strong emotion. The whole of the Parker Clan stayed in a group hug for about twenty minutes before some random old man started shouting about her bags cluttering the belt. There were, however, many photos, many tears and more hugs than could be counted between their initial greeting and when they made it to the car. And the twenty-minute ride from JFK airport was spent singing loudly and boisterously as they reconnected their tight-knit, little family again.
Peta's POV
That night after I had unpacked into the attic with Dad and Peter, I was called down to dinner. I admit it wasn't really a workout, but we all got our sweat on, especially Peter! Poor boy needed to beef up. I took my sweet time just admiring every inch of everything I saw. Some things I could place, things from my childhood, like the little drawing that Pete and I drew of the two of us as super spies, which was on the wall right next to my bed. However, the paint was a different color - no longer was it the puke green I remember but a cheerful yellow that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. The trimming had transformed from Barbie pink to a soft cream. I felt a tear slide down my face when I realized there were so many stories I had missed out on. From down stairs, I heard Peter thundering up the steps. The boy came skidding around the corner and crashed right into me.
He would have would have sent us both tumbling over if it hadn't been for my reflexes. Quickly I grabbed both his rather atrocious shirt and the banister, bracing my feet on the floor. "Watch yourself there." I teased and he blushed and mumbled out a sheepish apology. Suddenly it seemed a light clicked on in his head and his eyes sparkled with happiness. Forgetting his previous embarrassment, Peter, gently grabbed my arm and pulled me down the stairs.
"Come on slow poke, let's go!" The chipper voice of my happy-go-lucky cousin put a large toothy grin on my face and I let myself be pulled along to the dining room. When we finally came thundering down the stairs, the first thing I heard was May saying, "It would be too much to ask for a little peace and quiet from two teenagers wouldn't it?" Blushing I had walked forward intending to apologize when I saw a feast had been set. Behind me I vaguely heard Peter say "Pretty much aunt May." I was frozen in place as the unshed tears blurring my vision. I couldn't move, couldn't really breath. Before me was perhaps the most awe inspiring sight I had ever seen. I just walked into a party. Best of all, according to the banner hanging over the table, I had just walked into my welcome home party. At the table sat Gwen Stacey, Eddie Brock, and Pete's newest friend, Harry Osborne.
Peter pulled me over to the table where everybody stood and greeted me. I got a hug and kiss on both cheeks from Gwen. She was warm and soft. Her hugs were like heaven. She does this thing where she hugs with her whole body and just wraps you up in her warmth. She smelled like lavender and sandalwood. I loved every minute of the hug and wanted to stay in her arms forever, not that she needed to any know that. Then came the bone crushing bear hug from Eddie. He was not on the varsity football team for no reason. He is strong and his bear hug showed it. Like me he smelled of Axe, Phoenix if I am not mistaken. I introduced myself myself, Harry, who reeked of expensive cologne and a faint smell of chemicals, gave me a tight smile and awkwardly shook my hand. The smell of chemicals was not strong as if he had been working in a lab, but of being around them or near someone who did work with them. We sat down and May said a lovely grace. We used to say grace back at my mother's but it was never really sincere. We would say grace for the food and our prosperity but it never touched me. May spoke of the hungry, the thirsty, the beaten, and the brave. She was honest about the all of the suffering in the world and yet hopeful and faithful that with God's grace and our will the world could become a better place. We tucked in after the "Amen," and let me tell you everything was perfect, no joke! I mean, not only was the food great, but also I was allowed to breathe and chew normally. Best of all, I was expected to talk to everyone. It was so surreal to be surround by real functioning human beings and then actually interact with them.
With my mother, we ignored each other, never spoke a word to each other unless absolutely necessary. With my teammates, it was all about sports. It was all we really knew about each other. To be honest I really didn't have the confidence and they seemed to think I was super-mysterious and unapproachable even of I really tried to be nice to them all. Really the only ones I was rude to were the Asses who assumed things about me. If I got a position, they questioned my abilities and if I earned or bought the position granted to me. If I won and award they plainly and loudly said I paid people off. If I sat alone I was an emotional wreck. If I sat with others I was a poser. If I helped somebody I was a show off. If I asked for help I was a useless dumbass. I was pretty much judged in every negative context. Nobody really cared about the truth even if the judgments were contradictory.
With my classmates it was project assignments and work. Other than those few neutral topics, I wasn't allowed to really do anything with people my age. At the different parties I was forced to with my mother all we talked was politics domestic or otherwise. I was nothing to everyone
Never before had I been in the midst of such warm, organized, chaos. Harry got me on the rich over baring parent front; we spent a lot of time trading stories and tips over split pea soup and salad. While Gwen and Pete got me on the nerd front; Pete and I debated the importance of different polymers in advancing technologies through most of main course.
I was rather intimidated when steak, pork ribs, potatoes, cornbread, asparagus, green beans, Mac and Cheese, and homemade chocolate milk were heaped on my plate. I can pack away food like a champ but with this much food I was afraid I wouldn't finish. Plus it was more than a little impressive that May when served food nothing touched, absolutely nothing. She gave me giant spoonfuls of everything yet none of the food came close to touching. I concluded that the plate had to be some or of optical illusion!
Anyway, the food was wonderful. It was rich but not over overbearingly. I enjoyed each mouth full to the fullest. Sometimes I found I was sad to have to sallow the scrumptious food. Part of me believes it was the fact I was so busy reveling in the dinner I didn't notice that I had eaten everything on my plate. I seriously blame all of them for me stuffing my self that night. Everybody was just wonderful. Like Gwen was a very good student and was on of the few competing with Peter for the top spot in science class. However it turned out she was actually more into literature and over desert we spoke of different aspects of the epic poems. And Eddie was every bit of the sports man I could have been if I had has as much passion for sports as he did. After dinner we ended up wrestling along with the T.V., which both amused and worried the rest of the people in the room.
Pretty soon I had Eddie pinned flat on his stomach and with my knee in his back to restrict movement. I got cheers from my father May and Gwen while Pete and Harry just stared at me with a mix of awe and glee. I could tell from the general unkemptness of Harry and rather anal appearance of Peter neither boy popular. Just seeing the difference in how Eddie held himself compared to how Peter and Harry held themselves was the biggest hint.
Eddie had his shoulders back chin up and as pretty much dressed-to impress: casual edition. He had on sexy, ass lifting, jeans, a tight grey t-shirt that showed off his muscles, high tops, and letterman. Peter looked like he belonged in a sixties movie or something. And Harry looked like he belonged in a British Prep school. They were not exactly the dreamiest pair around. Surprisingly I thought as I helped her clear the table, Gwen found a very happy medium between Geek and Sheek. Clear skin, clean and nice clothing, and well-kept hair. Yeah, she's nerdy but you can't be disillusioned to her charms. She's stunning in her own right.
I could tell that Gwen stood by Harry and Peter not out of obligation to her fellow nerds but out of a deep love for the boys. It was in Eddie too but he was about to graduate and I had a feeling he was literally all of their muscle. As I watched the three begin to get ready to leave all I could think was, get ready Midtown Manhattan Magnet high school here I come! Better watch out losers shit is gonna get real!
These were big words from a newbie but hey I had no doubt that I possessed all of the awesomeness of Peter and Harry's harassers in my pinkie. It was ten when the fun came to a close. We were all rather disappointment, but dutifully I went over kissed each one of them good night.
Harry turned a funny shade of purple when I gave him a hug. He mumbled out something like "Gish fingle notch." before hopping in the cab Peter hailed. It was amusing but I knew I had to straighten him out, no pun intended. We walked Gwen and Eddie part way before saying goodnight. Eddie took my hug and kiss a lot better than Harry. I mean he returned the gesture but nearly killed me with his bear hug. Gwen bless soul acted like a normal human being and hugged me back. The problem was the unmistakable butterflies that girl gave me.
As Pete and I walked back to the house I made a mental note to test the waters with Gwen. I had a feeling that tree would bare sweet rich voluptuous fruit. When we finally got home I walked up the front porch and into the kitchen. After waving May away from the sink, I started cleaning up. Peter soon joined me and in ten minuets the dishes were done, the food was and we were ready to pass out. Kissing May and dad good night I quickly climbed the steps with Peter. We gave each other a fist bump and a hug before he went into his room and I made my way up to my attic. I set my alarm twenty minutes earlier than usual so I would have time to set everything up. I pulled out one of my special Cuban cigars to celebrate my spectacular return home and smoked all the way down to the last breath. Afterwards I got ready for bed brushed my teeth, laid out tomorrows clothes, updated my Facebook status to: In NY and ready to party with the Parker Clan!, and then changed into my favorite sleep wear: wife beater and boxers. Soon I was passed out, the jet lag having finally caught up with me.
Peter's POV
I was woken up at the ungodly hour of 5:15 by the sound of rattling chains. At first I thought I was just going crazy. My barely existent muscles were screaming in pain thanks to being forced to move countless boxes and things to and around the attic with my crazy cousin and uncle. Peta has way too many trophies, and they're all, like, a thousand pounds, I thought my back throbbing painfully. The sound of the chains drew me away from my thoughts. I debated whether to get up and check it out or just roll over and pray for a snow-day. Curiosity won the day though, as I forced my soar body out of bed and half crawled up stairs to find Aunt May and Uncle Ben both seemingly transfixed with something inside Peta's room. And what a spectacle it was! Peta was in the middle of her room beating the not-so-living shit out of a well-worn punching bag. In the corner she had set up what looked like a mini gym. An exercise bike and weights stood proudly next to sturdy looking pull up bar. After about five more minutes of pure ferocity Peta went over to the bar to do a few sets of pull-ups. When she was done with that, she dropped to the floor and did a ton of push-ups sit-ups and up downs. I got tired just watching her. By the time my first alarm went off she had been holding a handstand for thirteen minuets and counting. We hadn't moved a muscle except maybe our jaws, which where on the floor somewhere. Hell, I think I stopped breathing at one point. By the time my second alarm went of the insane child noticed she had an audience. We all fawned over her and just checked out her more than impressive muscles. I was a little jealous that my younger cousin was more ripped than me but I figured her father was a construction worker and mine was a scientist, so she an unfair advantage.
The weirdest part of the whole surreal experience was how she was so full of life when she came sprinting down the stair at like 5:50 in the morning. I don't know how she managed to work out, shower, get dressed, and cook breakfast. All I did was basically moped around from one task to another. I love learning but I hate school. Aunt May has to practically drag me out of bed every morning but Peta acts like a chipmunk on speed as soon as she wakes up.
Peta was down cooking breakfast before Uncle Ben and he was the early riser of the family. By the time I trudged down stairs Aunt May and Uncle Ben were sitting at the table munching happily on breakfast, drinking some coffee, and reading the morning paper. Aunt May never really cooks more than toast on the week days so when I saw heaping plates of eggs bacon and waffles sitting in front of them I knew Peta had gone all out. I looked at my watch and saw Aunt May had managed to buy me 20 minuets before the bus would usually show up. Wandering into the kitchen I was hoping there was a little extra food for me what I got was a steaming much of coffee and a full plate. As soon as Peta was sure I wasn't going drop anything I was literally placed into the chair next to Aunt May with orders not to move until it was finished. By the freaking time I sat down my crazy cousin had passed me on the left with her own three full plates and two mugs of coffee. I am not kidding when I say it was a little scary and mystifying watching Peta as she ate. Each of her plates looked like some very fat aunts and formed an ostentatious colony on her plates. Her mugs of coffee steamed tantalizingly as a single drop of whipped cream slide down the left one's yellow body.
I watched with absolute shock as she managed to eat both daintily and quickly. She seemed to savor every bite chew thirty times yet still finished way before me. I looked down to see waffles and an omelet staring back at me. The waffles were shining with maple syrup and butter. And the omelet was bloated with its contents. When I took the first bites and sip I could understand why she ate three plates worth of her own food and two coffees, it was an explosion of flavor rich with spices and garlic and everything that made it both healthy yet delicious. The waffles were light and fluffy. "Golden" describing their color and the feelings they invoked when consumed. The coffee was rich with the cream and sugar balanced so it was only to enhance the taste of the black substance. I was in an embarrassing ecstasy for a long time just eating and enjoying every second of eating the food then suddenly I was yanked out of my chair my backpack thrown unceremoniously into my arms and was forcibly pushed out the door Peta shouting goodbyes to Aunt May and Uncle Ben before tugging my stupefied self along. We raced to the bus stop Peta literally throwing herself into the door to make it and to give me enough time to trundle stupidly in the bus.
Surprisingly we made it to two open seats without any problems. That about the time I stepped out of my daze and back into reality. I shoved my glasses farther up my nose running made them slide down my nose and if it weren't for the scotch tape I used to fix my glasses they would once again be broken. Thank you Flash Thompson your ape like aggression actually helped me out for once if I join the track team I'll have owed you so much I thought bitterly checking through my bag to make sure I didn't leave anything during my trip into idiocy in the morning. I was so focused on my task I jumped when Peta's arm shot out in front of my face. I looked up and was shocked to see Flash looking down into my glaring cousin's eyes with the same amount of shock. He had obviously been going to punch me, or something, but was just deflected by Peta. The whole bus watched with baited breath as the two squared off but than one of his lackeys pointed out he really couldn't beat up a girl. Flash had to push buttons and say, "that's a girl where's her rack she's got less bounce than puny Parker here!"
At that both of our faces changed colors. Mine paled at the thought of my cousin's breast or lack thereof and that anyone had looked at them. Her went beet red with anger and she stood up to go after the idiot who had moved on to sit with his football buddies at the back of the bus. I couldn't let her go, I had faith in her skills, kinda, but if she tried to get flash than the unholy force of the entire football team was gonna rain down on her and she didn't need the heat being my cousin would be enough. I grabbed on to her waist and pulled her back into our seat. She struggled a bit but eventually relented.
At the next stop we were gonna pick up Gwen and I was super excited which must of showed because soon I heard the famously accented voice ask, "what's got you bouncing in your seat?" I grinned at her stupidly and replied, "Usually I have to chase the bus down to Gwen's stop cause she gets on super slow so the prick up front won't leave me to run to school. I serious he will do, and has done, that to me. I don't get why he doesn't like. Anyway, this is the first time I have ever been on the bus before Gwen." I saw anger once again and she slouched in her seat huffing angrily.
When Gwen came on she was so surprised to see me waving happily at her, she let out a very unladylike like bark of laughter. Not that I minded I thought it was cute but bus driver and several of the useless lemmings glared at her receiving an icy glare from both Peta and I though hers was slightly more intimidating. When our blonde buddy got to us she sat down next to Sleepy he was a tall lean kid who never seemed to be awake...or was always high. All I can say is, he always reeks like teenage sweat and weed. He was so out of it he basically just drooled loudly while Gwen was chatted up by my hyper active cousin. I swear all they were doing was flirting! Shamelessly! It went sort of like this,
"Whoa Peter did this fine piece off womanly goodness really whip your butt into shape." As soon as the words left her lips I could see my own panic reflected in her eyes. Now I knew Gwen was bi she had come out to me a few weeks into eighth grade. I was cool with it but I really didn't know about Peta. In fact that was one of the things Uncle Ben had told me we needed to clear up, as we become a family again. Judging by the relative ease Peta integrated herself into our lives it wouldn't be hard to a family. But his was a defining moment. I knew if she was a 'phobe I would stand with Gwen, I had to. The response that my friend's comment was met with a playful,
"This shapely ass is for more than just staring at sweet cheeks." and then she winked. I was so relieved by the lack of homophobia that I leaned over and kissed both of them on the cheek. At that point, I kind of wished I were as oblivious and drool boy. It was mortifying for all of us when the whispering on the bus became like the unintelligible noise on a honey farm. All the incessant chatter was followed by a shrill, "Oh shit did you see that puny Parker isn't just with the nerd-alina but with that fine piece of ass Stacey!?" from all the way from Flash. The guy was sitting in the back of the bus and I could hear every word he was say, every lie he was spreading. I swear to God I felt the bile rise in my throat. I turned to a pale Peta looking back at me with horror disgust reflected in her amazing blue eyes. Poor Gwen on the other hand was bright red to the point where she looked like she was glow in the dark tomato.
There wasn't much we could do until we got to school. In the end we just did what any street-smart social outcast would do: ignored their shit and talked about schoolwork. You know I am really glad my cousin decided to get back to her roots.