Chapter 1:  Oh, bite me! (to be said sarcastically)

Isn't everyone here supposed to have the perfect little family? Isn't life supposed to always be made up in the end, and big family group hugs are at the end of every day? At least that's what I thought. Until my life changed, and I realized that my sitcom fantasy was horribly wrong.

I am, or should say was, Rachael Webber. My name is just dripping with irony, but I'll tell you about that little bit of my life later. I lived with my parental units, in what was publicly, the most perfect family on the block. But behind the stucco walls, we were a detached, uncivilized, group of beings, who had no common interests what so ever. And who attempted communication every dinner, with my mother and father's sorry excuse for a conversation. My father, gone all the time working for the multibillion dollar company called OSCORP. And my mother a house wife, who took advantage of every paycheck, however meek, that came home, to fulfill her every material need.

I'd like to tell you that this story is a joyous one, one with a happy ending, and friendship and love is spread around for all. But the thing is, if I did, I'd be lying.

I love science. Always have. My friend on the other hand, could definitely stand to live without it. Cass, well, how does one describe Cassandra? Well, she's kind of shallow, and she uses the work "like" too much. But still, she is the closest thing I have to a friend, and although were not completely into the same stuff, we can relate to each other.

We were walking side by side through the science exhibit. And as usual, were jokingly quarreling about our differences in taste.

"I can't believe you wore pink…and baby blue." I said in fake disgust. I knew that those were here favorite colors, but I still liked to joke around with her about it.

"And I can't believe you wore red and black today." She smirked at me. She knew my obsession with the absence of color, but she tested me also.

"Hey what's wrong with black?" I put on my most innocent smile.

We both laughed, but were interrupted by our science teacher. "Ladies, if you choose to continue talking, you chose an "F" in my class, I kid you not."

We were still chuckling in our minds, but obeyed and followed the rest of the class to the next exhibit. I parted from Cass, and walked to the front of the gathering of students. Spiders are also one of my favorite things in the world, especially the poisonous ones. I just love the idea of something so small having the power to kill prey as big as a human.

But this time, spiders were not the thing on my mind. I couldn't keep my eyes off of Harry Osborn. I'd known him practically my whole life, because our fathers worked together. Ever since I was in seventh grade I'd had a crush on him. He never really seemed to notice me, and besides, Cass always said that I wasn't his type.

I found myself staring at him, like I often did in science classes. I shook my head, and looked back at the spiders. I had promised myself that I wouldn't think about him anymore. We would never be, and I knew that, but I couldn't help but look back and gawk.

Cass pushed her way to the front and elbowed me. I jerked and grimaced at her, but she just smiled and looked at the spiders.

"Can I hold one?" She asked the lady.

The lady paused but reluctantly agreed.

"I don't see why not." She shrugged, and opened the back of a little clear box. When her hand emerged, a blue and red spider was perched on the base of her thumb.

                I wanted to protest letting Cass go anywhere near something with more than two legs. Her experience in the past with animals isn't well, one where any of the animals came out of her possession unharmed. I don't want to sound mean or anything, it's just that animals just aren't one of her specialties.

Despite my uneasiness, I decided to keep feelings to myself. I instead decided to use my signature verbality, sarcasm, and note the blue and red coloring."

"How patriotic." I said, letting the innuendo drip from every letter.

                She glanced at me, shooting a look that screamed an exuberantly unenthusiastic, "ha, ha." I shot back a grin of the utmost wit, and playfulness. My attention was driven away from Cass, when someone bumped me hard in the side, knocking me off balance, which was barely regained in time to avoid the spider cases. I turned to see who it was, and was ready to slap an insult across their face, but my mouth was stuck in a half open position when I saw that it was Harry Osborn.

"I'm so sorry-Oh it's you!" He looked surprised to see me.

"Well, the last time I checked." I raised an eyebrow.

                I heard Cass's faint voice in the background, she was exclaiming something about a stupid spider, but none of the other class mattered now. They all cleared away, to see the next exhibit, and it was just me and Harry.

"Oh, I just meant, well, I didn't know you were in my science class."

"Well, yeah. I have been for the whole year."

"I'm sorry. I guess I just forgot about you when our dad's stopped being friends."

"Yeah, they still work together, but their not on friendly terms anymore. My dad says that your father's been acting weird lately. That he's become more bossy, and arrogant, because of the upcoming inspection."

Harry looked hurt, and I regretted opening my mouth about what I had been told. His face flashed a hint of anger, and I became nervous.

"Don't you talk about my father like that! And the next time you're thinking of it, remember what kind of person your father is."

I didn't expect an insult out of him, and I decided to end the conversation, hoping that making it stop before truly ending would get it out of his mind faster, keeping the door, however small it was in the first place, open for a friendship between him and me.

"I'm sorry." I said, not allowing him to answer back before I darted towards the safety of Cass, and the rest of the students.

I turned back to see Harry talking to Peter Parker, a fellow science club member, and partner in most of the science fairs. They were looking at Marry Jane, and I immediately knew that my chances with Harry had been extinguished, when he walked up to her and started a conversation. I always had the feeling that he liked her, but I had also always been in denial, until this moment, when I decided to take my emotional shield off, and face the facts.

"He's probably asking her out right this moment." I whispered to myself glumly.

Cass looked at me strangely,

"Huh? What happened?"

I avoided her question by pretending that I didn't hear it. I just kept walking, lazy feet dragging, and with a posture that made me seem at least two inches shorter than I really was. I was glad to find that the field trip was finally over. Not that I didn't enjoy watching the spiders…..or Harry….. just that I really wanted to get away from all these people I'm forced to call, classmates.

                I was finally outside, actually glad that Cass was leaving me. I watched as students got into various cars, and drove away. No doubt, a hot dinner and kind family awaiting them when they got home.

"Bye Rachael!" Cass yelled as she got on a city bus. "See you at school tomorrow!" She added.

It was a cliché statement, but I acknowledged it anyway.

"Yeah, school! Tomorrow! I'll be there!" I gave her one last wave and she disappeared behind the tinted windows of the smog stained bus.

I didn't spot my moms car, but she would come. Wouldn't she? I contemplated just taking the bus home, but I decided to try and trust my mother for once.

If she did forget me, it wouldn't be the first time. I remember distinctly when she left me at the Natural History Museum all those years ago. The museum staff pulled me around the whole place asking for a Mrs. Donna Webber. Of course a Mrs. Webber wasn't even at the museum, because she had already gone home, probably in a rush, so she wouldn't miss an episode of some bogus game show. My dad had to come pick me up, and he was furious at ME for letting my mom forget I was with her.

I didn't want that to happen again, but I also wanted to prove my mothers failure as a maternal figure wrong. So I waited, and waited, and waited. Not knowing, or trusting myself to believe that she was even coming for me. All of the Students had filtered away by now, and I was the only one left.

"I wonder what Cass is doing right now." I whispered to myself.

"Probably eating dinner with her father, watching TV on the couch, and laughing at whatever comedy show is on right now." I answered to myself.

"God, I wish I was doing that," I sighed. And I prepared myself for a long night of inactivity and neglect.