You didn't know what a grilled cheese sandwich was supposed to taste like until today. A row behind you, Ned Leeds rambles on to one of his friends as he has been for most of the lecture. "The bread should be just between crisp levels 3 and 4! And the cheese? Only medium rare. Obviously." You don't understand the fuss. It's just a sandwich. Still, you listen on because between the laws of thermodynamics going on at the front of the room and Ned's own little discussion at the back, the latter seems the lesser of two boring evils.
The lecture ends and everyone races outside the room. MJ is waiting for you by the door, scrolling mindlessly on her phone. She looks more tired than usual with puffy eyes and hair wildly sticking every which way like she just rolled out of bed.
"I hope you took down notes 'cause I slept through the whole thing," she says.
Ah.
The two of you walk out of the class and you start to talk about Ned and the sandwich and the existence of medium rare cheeses and different crisp levels. MJ nods in agreement. "Such a cultured man, that Leeds."
"Hey MJ!"
Ned is walking towards you—MJ, to be more accurate—with a number of books cradled in his arms, threatening to topple over. Still, he manages to wave. Trailing behind him is his best friend, Peter Parker, who is completely on the opposite end of the spectrum. Where Ned Leeds was loud and chatty, Peter Parker was shy and only really talked when asked a question.
"What's up?" MJ leans on the gray lockers lining the hallway. You busy yourself with yours, replacing and taking textbooks that you and MJ planned to read over the weekend.
"Are you going to Liz's tonight?"
"Sorry, Ned. Y/N and I are studying. Midterms are next week." She looks at you for a moment and adds, "But tell Liz I said hey."
"That's next week!" Ned whines. "Hey, you know what? You should bring Y/N, actually."
Ned's mention of your name was your cue to join in on their conversation. "Who's Liz?"
"We went to high school with her. She's taking up business—I think—in Green?" MJ looks to Ned for confirmation. He nods. Green is a much larger university than yours and is a 20 minute ride away. "Today's her birthday."
"Then you should definitely go! I'll be fine, MJ. Really."
"Only if you're coming with me!"
You shake your head and laugh. "Seriously? I don't even know the girl! Besides, I've already conditioned myself for a night of Netflix."
"Fine." MJ sighs and you and Ned share the feeling of pride people get only when they win against the Michelle Jones. For the first time since the two boys arrived, she finally acknowledges Peter Parker... with a sly wink. "He'll need me to wingman, anyway."
"Oh shut up, MJ." Peter turns a shade of red. Ned lets out a laugh and waves you both a goodbye, dragging Peter along with him.
As you walk to your shared apartment, MJ tells you an unsolicited overview on Liz Toomes. From what you gather, this Liz was captain of the decathlon team who had to leave high school suddenly after an incident. "Tragic, really. I think she and Peter would have gotten somewhere if things turned out differently."
"Peter Parker?" It was hard to imagine the socially-awkward boy having close relationships with anyone other than Ned, let alone a girl who MJ described as 'your typical popular bitch, except she was smart and not really a bitch'.
"Yeah," she continues. "Had a crush on her all of high school."
oOoOo
You decide to retire for the night after finishing season 3 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. After texting MJ to be quiet when she gets back, you do your nightly ritual of scrolling through all your social media accounts. On Instagram, Ned has a photoset up. Your curiosity about Liz has you swiping through the pictures: two selfies of Ned holding up a red solo cup; a group photo of MJ, Ned, and a tall brunette who you're assuming is Liz; and a photo of Peter Parker laughing and holding up two bottles of Grey Goose in each hand.
What?
Peter Parker never struck you as the type to get wild at parties, or wild at all. Then again, you've never talked to him enough to get a solid impression. You lock your phone, dive deep into your sheets, and wait for sleep to come.
It's around two-thirty in the morning when you hear it. The sound of heavy feet dragging across the wooden floorboards of the living room. The doorknob shakes loudly and your bedroom door flies open.
"...MJ?"
"Oh—! Um, h-hi, Y/N. Sorry if I woke you... erm... This isn't MJ's room, is it?"
Peter Parker is standing in your doorway.
The boy just keeps surprising you today.
You flick on your bedside lamp. In the dimness of the room, you see MJ has an arm around Peter and is limply hanging onto him like a ragged doll.
"What happened?" you ask, walking past him and over to MJ's room. "Follow me, her room's over here."
"She's uh... really, really w-wasted—sorry—yeah, you knew that already...," he laughs weakly. "Well, put simply, I saw her slumped near a lamp post." Peter drags MJ to the bed and gently drops her. She lets out a noise you can't comprehend and burrows herself in the covers.
"Jesus. That is just sad, even for her," you say, rummaging around for an Advil and a water bottle, which you place on her bedside table. "Thanks for taking her, Parker. Sorry you had to leave the party."
"N-Not at all! I left hours ago... I was on my way home and just happened to see her."
"So you were just casually 'out' at two in the morning...?" you tease, an effort to lighten the air. Peter's eyes widen as he stammers, struggling to form words. Immediately, you feel conscious about asking. You aren't even friends so he shouldn't have to explain anything to you. In the end, the atmosphere is dripping heavily with awkwardness. "Um, never mind. Do you want anything to drink before you go?"
"I-I'm good... thanks, Y/N." You can tell he's uncomfortable, looking everywhere in the room but at you. "Should I go now?—I mean—I should go now."
You hold the door open for him and he scurries out. The last thing you see are his ears, which are burning red. Shutting the door behind you, you giggle as you recall the events that just transpired. In addition to, he was wearing a blue Midtown High sweater which-based on Ned's photo-you knew he wore to Liz's house party, too. Awkward and dorky as he is, Peter Parker is almost adorable.
On your way back to your room, you walk past the television which right now is a black mirror reflecting your own image back at you.
Your jaw drops.
Peter looking uncomfortable the entire time. Peter seemingly afraid to look at you. Peter's ears.
To think that just a moment ago, you were studying his outfit closely but hadn't even bothered to think of what you were wearing: a loose white shirt and a pair of black lace underwear.