Author's Note: So sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I've just been a bit distracted with the holidays and I was also working on another fanfiction. Hopefully this chapter makes up for all the time missed. It just took me forever to write this chapter and I was stuck for a while.
Can I just express my excitement for The Last Jedi? Friday cannot come sooner and I'm so excited to see it! I've waited two years to find out who Rey's parents actually are and I'll be pissed if I have to wait another two years. I'm kind of hoping that she's not Luke's daughter because I am a fan of the Kylo Ren/Rey ship which would automatically be weird if they were actually cousins.
BabyPinkPuppy: Thank you for the note on the grammar. I think you're right about the periods. I didn't even realize I was doing that until you mentioned it.
writeremma: Emma might not run away after all but just stay tuned and you'll see. Everything becomes a lot clearer in the next chapter.
cabrera1234: Emma is still very much a part of Homecoming. Just stay tuned and you'll get it.
infinityneverlasts: Emma finally admitting that she has feelings for Peter is incredibly difficult for her. She's used to having complete control so it scares her that she has an attachment to Peter that may cause her emotions to rule her actions. It scares her that Peter might have power over her because she doesn't like feeling powerless. Peter's not the kind of guy who would hold anything over her but Rumlow really messed her up.
Spawn Hades: I'll just tell you to stay tuned since I don't really want to give anything away. The fight with the Vulture will stay pretty close to the movie with a couple of exceptions but you 'll see.
Ariel-Sarina-Jen: Yeah, Emma's not going to react the right way to having those feelings. Most girls would probably be giddy about that sort of thing but Emma's just feels terrified at the thought of becoming so close to a person that they could easily hurt her.
ShyStars: Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm glad you're liking the story so much. I know the adults are kind of suffocating in this story but I think it's makes a lot of sense. In a lot of stories the Avengers are totally cool with letting underage kids fight crime alongside them which isn't realistic. In their eyes Emma and Peter are still children which is why they get treated like children. Tony will probably treat them more like adults after the Homecoming storyline but it's going to be really hard for Steve to do that. I feel like Bucky might also treat Emma as an equal since they've fought alongside each other for so long.
Emma and Tony will definitely make amends within the next two or three chapters so just stay tuned.
Tumblr-O-Trash: Deadpool and Emma might work well together. Emma does have a sense of humor but nothing to the extent of Deadpool's craziness. Another person she would probably work well with would more than likely be Jessica Jones and Punisher. Jessica Jones because they both have the same sense of humor and are victims of sexual abuse. They'd have a common understanding. The Punisher because Emma would be a fan of his work and she probably gets why he does what he does. Wiping clean of the evil for good is easier than just throwing those same people in prison.
Strike Faster Than Starlight: I don't really think Emma steals the spotlight. If I leave anything out about Peter during fight scenes it's only because we've already seen that in the movie and I want to focus on Emma in the story. I think a major point in the film was how new Peter is to the superhero game. He's inexperienced but I think Emma helps him a lot. The fight against the Vulture is Peter's battle and his alone and that's not going to change in this story.
Sorry for not answering all of the reviews but I figured you'd want the chapter more. Thanks for all the reviews and let me know what you think of the new chapter.
The plan she had to run away was simple. She wasn't going to tell anyone where she was going let alone the fact that she was leaving in the first place. It would probably be better that way so she didn't have to make any awkward goodbyes. The only question was when would be the right time to leave? Emma figured maybe some time next week would be best or maybe even as soon as the weekend. It's not like Emma needed much to run away. All she really needed was some personal items that included her beloved photographs, sketchbook, and her iPod. The rest of everything else was just materialistic. In all honesty she probably needed to get rid of her Stark phone in case Stark decided to track her. What Emma considered her most useful super power was her survival instinct. With her survival instinct she didn't need anything because she'd be able to find a way to survive.
She always found a way to survive.
It was finally Friday and Emma was surprised that the week passed by so fast. Emma felt a little awkward seeing Peter in Spanish class second period because she didn't really know how she was supposed to act around him. Instead she just avoided looking at him which was easy to do since he sat behind her. Michelle didn't waste anytime taking notice of Emma's even stranger behavior. Emma seemed unusually tense but thankfully Michelle didn't question Emma about her weird behavior. She told herself that she was going to be fine because it wasn't like she was going to stick around long enough to be around Peter anymore. No, pretty soon she'd be far away from there and wouldn't have to worry about her feelings pertaining to a certain brown eyed boy. Emma would be gone from Queens and on a new adventure as she started tracking down Steve and the other Avengers. That was going to be her main priority for now and the only thing that deserved her attention. This attachment that she had to Peter would only serve to ruin her if she stayed. Her time was best served tracking down the others.
After discovering her feelings towards Peter, Emma decided that it would be best to avoid him even more than before. She didn't even spend lunch in the cafeteria this time around and instead ate her lunch in the library as she read one of her books. In all honesty she wasn't really reading the book but instead putting together a very thorough and thought out plan. Emma had to devise a plan in order for her to have a head start against Stark and the others. She'd need several hours before she could get out of the country. Once she was out of the country than it would become very difficult for Stark to locate her. Emma just needed to find a way to buy enough time for herself to leave before Stark could catch up. If he even cared enough to try and locate her, that is. Emma was suddenly interrupted from her thoughts as she noticed someone sit across from her as they plopped their lunch tray down on the table. She glanced up from her book and was surprised to see Ned of all people sitting there.
Well…this was interesting.
"Do you need something, Leeds?" Emma questioned as she narrowed her eyes at him. Ned gulped once he saw those blue eyes give him a cold and calculating look. Okay, he could do this. Emma wasn't that scary. Well…that was sort of a lie. As cool and badass as Emma was, Ned didn't know how Peter could hang out with her so much. She was very terrifying.
"I just thought I'd have lunch with you today. Michelle told me I could find you here." Ned told her and Emma just gave him a suspicious look, not really knowing why he was there.
"Why aren't you sitting with Parker? I thought you were his sidekick." Emma said snarkily and Ned ignored her rude comment before answering her. Peter wasn't kidding when he said she was being bitchier than usual. Well…Peter hadn't said bitchier but Ned was just paraphrasing his words.
"Peter's actually sitting with Liz and her friends today. They're kind of annoying so I thought I'd sit with you instead." Ned explained and Emma felt that familiar feeling of jealousy wash over her as she visibly remained uncaring about Ned's statement. This was why she had to leave. She was becoming emotionally compromised the more time she spent there.
"Aren't you breaking some kind of code by sitting here with me?" Emma questioned, her voice patronizing. Ned shrugged.
"Peter doesn't really know that I'm here." Ned admitted as he played with his food nervously. Emma raised an eyebrow at him.
"Lying? That's no grounds for a friendship." Emma said mockingly and Ned scoffed.
"Like you know anything about friendships. Peter told me everything you said to him." Ned told her and Emma just watched him with mild interest, unused to someone other than Peter standing up to her. "I'm sorry but what you said to him was heartless and mean. It-it was a-a really bitchy thing to do."
Ned almost couldn't believe he actually said something like that to Emma. She had probably killed people for less but he was a bit upset with her for ruining the good thing she had going with Peter. Ned had honestly wanted Peter to date Emma rather than Liz but not just because it would be the coolest thing ever since two superheroes dating was entirely awesome. No, it was because Ned thought Peter needed someone like Emma. Emma who was the center of many of his best friend's complaints but also Emma who was all Peter could talk about most of the time. Liz was nice but if Peter dated her than she would always be in danger and he'd have to worry about saving her all the time. Emma didn't need to be saved. She'd be there right next to him, fighting all the bad guys because she wasn't a damsel in distress. Emma was exactly the person his best friend needed. She pushed him and challenged him in ways that Peter had never faced before. Ned gulped as he saw Emma looking back at him with a stoic expression on her face. She scared him at times because he never knew what she was thinking. Ned was pretty much convinced that Emma was a sociopath.
"I'm impressed, Leeds. I didn't know you had the balls to stand up to anyone let alone me." Emma told him after a moment of silence and Ned was able to regain some more confidence.
"Well, it's true. He really likes you, Emma, and it really hurt him when you said those things to him." Ned sighed heavily before continuing. "Look, I've been his best friend since kindergarten but I know that there's things he can't talk to me about. Things that have to do with super people. I think in these past couple weeks he's come to think of you as a best friend too." A million things went through Emma's mind when Ned told her that. She immediately felt guilty for hurting Peter because that was last thing she ever wanted. However, snipping their attachment to each other was what was best for the both of them. Emma didn't let any of these conflicting emotions show in her face as she maintained the same stoic expression as before.
"Well, that sounds more like his problem than mine. We worked together to achieve a common goal and now, with everything that happened with Stark, that common goal is over." Emma replied coldly and Ned glared at her.
"Peter might be too hurt to realize this by now but I know you're lying. You hide behind the Viper Assassin because you think that's who you really are but you're not…you're Emma Rogers." Ned said in a more hushed tone before he continued. "You want everyone to be scared of you and to think you're this cold, unfeeling person but none of it's true."
"I know Peter has feelings for you." Ned told her suddenly which caused Emma to look at him in bewilderment. It was the first reaction he had been able to get out of her since he first sat at the table. "He's never admitted it but I've known him long enough to be able to tell. It goes beyond anything he's ever felt for Liz. Liz is everyone's crush at Midtown but you're more important to Peter than she is. He really cares about what you think…what you think of him even."
"So?" Emma said shortly. She didn't really think she believed Ned when he talked about Peter having feelings for her. In all the time she had known Peter he had only been able to talk about Liz. It was always Liz this and Liz that. No, Emma was buying it at all.
"So…he has a huge crush on you which is why it hurt him when you said those things." Ned told her as he glared at the blonde who appeared to be aloof about the whole thing. Why did she have to act that way? Like she didn't care at all? "The only reason he asked Liz to the dance is because you basically rejected him. He was probably going to ask you instead." It was then that Emma finally had enough of Ned lecturing her. She immediately leaned forward across the table with a dark look in her eyes. Ned quickly pressed himself against the back of his seat to put as much distance between them as he could. The look in her eyes scared him.
"Who Peter dates bears little consequence to me. He's not a possession of mine…I don't own him." Emma told Ned darkly as she glared down at him. Okay…so maybe getting on Emma's bad side wasn't a good idea, Ned thought to himself. "I'm no one's property either so we're both free to do whatever we want. I didn't reject him because we were never in a relationship to begin with. He could fuck all the girls at Midtown and I could care less."
"Why do you seem so bitter then?" Ned asked despite himself. Emma's vulgar language always made him flinch but he chose to ignore in this instance. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Excuse me?" She asked him, her voice was low and dangerous. It became obvious to Ned that he was entering very dangerous waters. However, he tried not to think about it too much as he stood up to Emma.
"I don't know why you're so bitter if you don't care. But it's not that, is it? You do care and that's why you're pushing Peter away." Ned told her and Emma just stared at him with an unreadable expression on her face. Ned thought he might've gone too far but he felt relieved when he saw her relax back in her seat. She avoided his gaze for a moment as she tried to put her thoughts together before she glanced back at him.
"You look like an idiot but you're much more perceptive than what people give you credit for. You would've done well in Hydra." Emma told Ned and he gave her a slightly flabbergasted look.
"Uh…thanks?" Ned said, sounding unsure.
"It's a compliment." Emma told him and Ned wasn't sure how he felt about what she deemed a compliment. He supposed that was what Emma being nice looked like.
"Great. So I'm guessing you don't want to discuss this anymore." Ned said to Emma and she looked at him like he was stupid.
"You guessed right." Ned just sighed as he shook his head.
"So I assume you're not going to the dance then?" Ned asked her nonchalantly and Emma just continued looking at him like he was stupid.
"Why do you ask stupid questions? Do I seem like someone who goes to high school dances?" Emma questioned sarcastically.
"I don't know. I thought you'd bring a date and make Peter jealous or something. Isn't that what girls usually do?" Ned said and Emma glared at him. He's just a defenseless and average human, Emma reminded herself. She'd never hear the end of it if she ended up murdering or severely injuring Ned.
"Do you want to keep that tongue of yours, Leeds? Why would I waste my own time and dignity trying to make Parker jealous? I have more important things to worry about." Emma told him and Ned just smirked at Emma which only served to piss her off more. He was getting much too comfortable around her for Emma's liking.
"Because you love him." Ned sang teasingly and Emma glowered at him. "I know you love him and don't you dare deny it. Peter and Emma sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-" Emma interrupted him as she chucked her book at his head, applying enough force to not severely maim but just enough for it to hurt. Ned groaned in pain as he rubbed his head where Emma had thrown the book. He looked back at the blonde who's face was void of all emotion. Okay, maybe he went a little too far that time.
"Love is for children. Like I said before…There's more important things I have to worry about." Emma said to him and Ned stared at her, wondering if she would ever admit to herself that she had feelings for Peter. If she had already admitted it to herself pride probably stopped Emma from admitting it aloud. "Besides…why are you sitting here nagging me about the stupid dance. Shouldn't you be preparing yourself for tonight?" A saddened look then came over Ned's face at Emma's question.
"I don't actually have a date so I'm not sure if I'll even go." Ned said quietly and Emma didn't know but she felt a tugging at her heart at the sadness in Ned's voice. Emma bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to forget the feeling.
"Maybe you could go with Michelle." Emma suggested to him. She was just glad that Ned had finally forgotten the topic of her and Peter but she couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic towards Ned. Although she thought the whole social hierarchy of High School was stupid and a waste of time, Ned clearly wanted to be more liked. Emma didn't really understand that since she spent her whole life not caring what others thought of her. Still…she could somewhat see why it was important to him just like it was important to Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall in literally every movie of the eighties.
"Michelle's going with Abraham." Ned replied before giving her a confused look. Emma was just stunned that Michelle was actually going to the dance. That was odd. "Shouldn't you know that? Aren't you guys friends?"
"I haven't really been around the past couple days." Emma told him, shrugging, before she tried making another suggestion to him. "Maybe you could just go by yourself."
"Are you kidding me?" Ned said, giving Emma a look of disbelief. "I know you're a former assassin and all but don't you know anything about high school? I can't show up without a date. I'll literally be the only one there without a date. That's social suicide."
"Okay…I think you're being a little dramatic." Emma told him as she rolled her eyes. "Who gives a fuck whether or not you have a date. Most of the kids at the dance will probably ditch homecoming to go lose their virginities in some cheap motel downtown."
"I know!" Ned exclaimed suddenly as he had a revelation and ignored another vulgar comment Emma made. Ned looked at Emma with a goofy look on his face, apparently not listening to a word Emma just said. "We can go to the dance together."
"What?" Emma questioned, feeling bewildered at Ned's sudden statement. Ned eagerly nodded.
"Yes, we can go together. You're not going with Peter so you can go with me." Ned told her and Emma shook her head furiously.
"I'm not going." Emma replied. "We already talked about this. Remember?" The excited look on Ned's face didn't seem to falter as he continued to stare at her, looking at the blonde in a new light.
"I know a ton of boys already asked you to Homecoming and you said no but it's still not too late." Ned said. Other than Flash, a lot of boys hadn't even had the opportunity to ask Emma to the dance. The moment she saw a hopeful idiot with a stupid grin on his face, Emma immediately sent him the death glare. That seemed to terrify any boy who tried gaining the courage to ask her to the dance. They would do a u-turn and go back to where ever the hell they came from.
"Why would I want to go to a dance with a bunch of horny teenagers grinding all over each other. I'd rather spend my time pouring bleach into my eyes." Emma deadpanned but Ned just pouted as he gave her a hopeful look.
"Please, Emma… you'd be my favorite Avenger in the world if you did." He continued to plead.
"I'm not an Avenger." She said shortly.
"I'll do all your chemistry homework for the rest of the year." Ned begged and Emma raised an eyebrow.
"I don't need help in chemistry. I'm not an idiot." Emma retorted.
"Fine! I'll pay you." Ned finally said which caused Emma to glare at him.
"What am I? A Prostitute? You're lucky I don't clock you just for suggesting that." Emma told him and in all fairness Ned probably hadn't completely thought that suggestion out very well. Ned threw his hands up in frustration.
"Fine! I give up. But when you're an old lady and you've taken over the world, you're going to look back at this moment." Ned told Emma seriously as he returned her glare. "You'll think…gee, I'm sure glad I didn't go to that stupid dance with Ned because it probably would've sucked. Only you'll never know for sure because you never went. You'll always wonder if the dance really would've sucked if you had gone and that will haunt you forever." There was a brief pause of silence as Emma watched him silently, processing his dramatic proclamation. It was about a minute before Emma finally broke the silence and responded.
"I'm sure if I've taken over the world some stupid high school dance will be the last thing on my mind. I'd also like to think I'd be in my late twenties when I take over the world…it wouldn't take me that long." Emma quipped, breaking the silence. Ned groaned in frustration before he slid his chair back, preparing to leave.
"Whatever. I'll just leave then. I totally get why Tony Stark kicked you out of the Avenger's facility by the way. You're the worst." Ned told her heatedly before he got up from his seat and Emma raised an eyebrow at him. She wasn't really angry at him for saying that but actually a bit amused in a weird way. If it had been a couple months ago, Emma would probably let him storm off in a huff and not even give him a second thought. However, a lot had changed in the time she had been attending school. Emma couldn't just let Ned leave like that. She internally cursed Peter for making her this way. He was softening her heart and Emma partially hated him for doing that. Another part of her adored him for doing that although she was barely able to admit that to herself. Yes, it was probably best that she left while she still could but for now she had something else to do.
"Wait." Emma said, stopping Ned in his tracks before he left. The dark haired boy slowly turned around to look at the blonde in confusion. She had a look of disdain on her face as she looked at him, not actually believing that she was going to do this. "If we're going to do this than I want you to go all out."
"Really?" Ned asked, the hopeful look returning to his face and Emma glared at him.
"Don't get too excited, Leeds." Emma told him before continuing. "I want a corsage and dinner before the dance."
"Of course. A corsage and dinner." Ned said as he nodded furiously and Emma gave him a pointed look.
"You'll also keep your hands to yourself unless I tell you otherwise. If you grope me I won't hesitate in breaking your hand." Emma warned him and Ned gulped at the sincerity in those blue eyes. He believed her when she said that.
"I'd never do that, Emma, I'm a total gentlemen. My mom taught me to respect women." Ned promised her and Emma just rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. Just keep your hands to yourself." Emma told Ned before she made one last demand. "I'll have Darcy drop us off at the restaurant you choose and it better be good. She'll drop us off at the lame ass dance later."
"Sounds good. I can be at your house at seven?" Ned suggested and Emma gave him a brief nod.
"Don't be late. I hate tardiness." Emma replied and Ned nodded, an excited grin coming over his face as he came closer to Emma.
"Thank you so much, Emma. You won't regret this one bit." He assured her and Emma scoffed.
"Too late. I already do." Emma told him before Ned held his arms out in front of him and Emma eyed him suspiciously. "What are you doing?"
"I want to give you a hug." Ned answered and Emma immediately glared at him.
"What did I tell you about keeping your hands to yourself, Leeds?" Emma snapped at him but Ned didn't look hurt. He still had that stupid, happy look on his face. Not even Emma's grumpy demeanor could get him down. He was going to the dance with one of the prettiest girls at school who also happened to be a secret badass former assassin. His life couldn't get any better. "Now get the hell out of here and don't bother me again until tonight. You've annoyed me enough already."
Ned only grinned and nodded like an idiot before he happily left the library, practically skipping as he did so. Emma only shook her head in amusement at the teenager as he ran off. She couldn't help it as a small smile came over her face although she quickly tried her hardest to rid herself of the smile. Emma couldn't believe she actually agreed to go to a dance she swore she'd never go to. She guessed that settled it then. The dance would be her send off because Emma was almost completely positive that she wouldn't return to school after the dance. She'd run away after the night was over. Once Ned had his fun at the dance, she'd leave and never return. The least she could do before she left, however, was to give Ned the time of his life. She owed everyone at school that much at least. Tonight would be the night…Emma just dreaded the look on Darcy's face when she told her that she was going to the dance.
Darcy was never going to let her live this down.
It was easy enough to tell that there was a certain awkwardness between Emma, Peter, and Ned after lunch. Emma figured that Ned must've told Peter that he was taking her to the dance because there was tension between the two boys during fourth period. The tension wasn't something Emma could ignore since Peter sat in between both her and Ned. She knew he was probably still angry at her given the way he glared straight ahead at the white board and clenched his jaw…not that Emma could blame him. She regretted saying the things she had the moment she said them but Emma knew that it was best to just leave him be. It's not like she was going to stick around for much longer anyways.
When Emma arrived back at the townhouse a little while later she walked into the living room with an expression that was somewhere between shock and disdain. Darcy and Jane were in living room binge watching a show on Netflix when they saw the blonde slowly walk into the room. She seemed somewhat unsure of herself as she did so…as if she had something on her mind that was bothering her. Darcy had noticed that Emma was acting a lot stranger ever since the fight she had with Tony. Every day the blonde seemed to retreat more and more into herself. Not even making the usual snide comments she did whenever Jane said something that Emma deemed stupid. Darcy just wished that Emma would talk to her more because she knew it wasn't just the fight with Tony that was making her act weird. No, there was probably more going on with her than she was letting on.
"What's going on with you? You seem more unpleasant than normal." Darcy said to Emma and the blonde looked up at her as if she just noticed them for the first time. Darcy and Jane exchanged a look.
"Emma? Is something wrong?" Jane asked her out of concern and Emma swallowed nervously before answering.
"I'm going to the Homecoming dance." Emma finally said, sounding somewhat unsure of herself. Both Darcy and Jane's eyes widened in surprise as they stared at the teenager.
"Wait…what?" Darcy questioned in disbelief.
"It's sort of a favor I'm doing for someone, I guess." Emma explained even though she didn't really seem to know why she was doing this either. Darcy still couldn't believe what Emma was telling them. Wasn't it just a week ago that Emma swore that she wasn't going to go to any sort of dance or school event?
"Are you going with Peter?" Darcy asked and Emma's gaze immediately hardened as she glared at the brunette.
"No, of course not. Why do you always ask me about Parker?" Emma questioned defensively and both Darcy and Jane smirked at her. It was so obvious to them that Emma had something akin to a crush on the nerdy teenage boy. They both thought the two teenagers would make an adorable couple. Jane thought they were adorable in the same way Sam and Suzy from Moonrise Kingdom were adorable. The two women didn't know Peter that well but they heard a lot about him from Emma and that proved to them that he must've meant a great deal to Emma. Emma never talked about anyone else that much.
"Because he's your boyfriend." Darcy teased but the smirk immediately fell off her face as an unreadable look came over Emma's face. Usually Emma would become frustrated or annoyed whenever Darcy teased her about Peter but this time she just seemed…blank. Darcy couldn't seem to get a good read on her.
"Well, I'm not going with him. He's going with Liz." Emma said coldly while both Darcy and Jane exchanged confused looks. Darcy didn't really understand that. Anyone with eyes could see the way the teenage boy practically stared in both awe and adoration at Emma. It was enough to make even Darcy swoon.
"What do you mean Liz?" Jane asked as both her and Darcy continued to stare at Emma in confusion. "Do you mean to say he's going to the dance with Liz who's the captain of the decathlon team?" Emma shrugged nonchalantly as if she didn't really care but Darcy knew her better than that. When everything wasn't okay that's when Emma pretended like it was or at least pretended like she didn't care. She didn't know why Emma always acted like she didn't care about anyone or anything. Everyone knew that Emma wasn't that type of person but she seemed to want people to think of her that way.
"That's what I just said, wasn't it?" Emma said snarkily. Jane resisted the urge to roll her eyes but it wasn't Emma she was feeling frustrated with. It was so typical of a teenage boy to go to the dance with the most popular girl in school. How cliché. The nerd getting the popular girl…like there wasn't a hundred movies from the eighties based on that.
"What's wrong with that kid? Just tell me when and I'll go kick that little nerd's ass, Emma." Darcy said as she went into protective older sister mode and Jane completely agreed with Darcy.
"I can't believe he's not taking you to the dance. What a jerk." Jane told her before giving Emma a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Emma, this really sucks." Emma just rolled her eyes at the both of them. She couldn't believe they were so concerned about Peter not taking her to the dance.
"Why are you making such a big deal? It's not like I care who Parker goes to the dance with." Emma said emotionlessly but Darcy and Jane still didn't believe her. Darcy remembered high school enough to know how much it hurt when the boy you liked was interested in another girl. High school was a shit show…that was for sure. "We're not even friends."
"What do you mean? You hang out with him all the time." Darcy asked with a confused expression on her face.
"I don't have friends." Emma said shortly and Darcy rolled her eyes. Of course Emma would say that. It was just the usual bullshit the blonde spouted out to anyone who would listen. Darcy was a little sick of hearing it.
"So who are you going to the dance with then?" Jane asked her and Darcy was curious to know as well. They both wondered why Emma was going to the dance when she was so against it earlier. Darcy supposed no one really understood completely what went on inside Emma's mind.
"I'm going with Ned." Both Jane and Darcy widened their eyes at Emma's nonchalant reply. Darcy knew that she remembered Emma mentioning Ned, once or twice, who was apparently Peter's best friend. This was certainly a twist in Emma's dramatic high school love story.
"Ned?" Darcy asked in disbelief. "Ned as in Peter's best friend?"
"So?" Emma retorted and Darcy just smirked as she looked at the blonde.
"Wow, Em, I didn't know you were that cruel. Going after Peter's best friend to make him jealous? You sure know how to break hearts." Darcy teased and Emma rolled her eyes.
"Don't be ridiculous. He annoyed me into going because he doesn't have a date so I decided to just give in so he'd quit bothering me." Emma explained while both Darcy and Jane gave her small smiles.
"You do have a heart." Jane told her and Emma glared at her.
"Shut up." She then turned to leave, deciding to go upstairs until she had to get ready for the stupid dance but the two older women stopped her.
"Where are you going?" Darcy asked and Emma turned around to look at them as if they were both stupid.
"I'm going to my room so I can try and not think about spending the night surrounded by a bunch of teenage idiots." Emma answered. Emma was actually going to be packing a bag full of essentials for after the dance so she'd be already to go once she got back. Darcy just shook her head furiously because she honestly couldn't believe Emma thought she was going to lock herself up inside her room until she had to come down. No, that was definitely going to happen. They had a lot of work to do if Emma was going to go to the dance tonight.
"Uh…no you're not. You're going to the dance in a few hours and you don't have a dress or shoes. We'll also need time for hair and make-up." Darcy informed her and Jane nodded her head in agreement. Emma groaned as she glared at the annoying pair of women. They always seemed to get on her nerves in the least convenient of times.
"I already have a dress and shoes. The dress and flats from that stupid party Ultron crashed at the tower." Emma explained but Darcy and Jane seemed appalled that she even made the suggestion.
"That was over a year ago!" Darcy exclaimed. "You're totally not getting the big picture here, Emma. This is your first Homecoming dance ever…well, it's your first dance ever. Shopping for your dress is half the fun and I'll be damned if you miss out on that." Emma rolled her eyes.
"What if I told you that I didn't care whether or not I missed out on anything?" Emma said snarkily and Darcy met her gaze, not wavering one bit as she locked eyes with the intimidating blonde.
"I'd tell you that I don't give a shit what you think." Darcy retorted. "Now put down your backpack because we're going to make a quick trip to the mall before Ned picks you up. There's still time." Emma sighed heavily as she reluctantly took her backpack off and dropped it on the floor.
"What? Are you and Jane going to give me a makeover? Is this some new pitch for a teen rom-com? A teenage assassin gets a makeover for her first ever school dance." Emma quipped before scoffing. "I can already see the terrible reviews on Rotten Tomatoes."
"You're damn right you're getting a makeover. Peter will see just what he's missing and he'll regret ever asking this Liz chick to the dance. He'll come crawling right back to you." Darcy confirmed as if it were a genius plan and Emma couldn't believe Jane was nodding in agreement. Didn't that woman have a PhD or something? They didn't even know the half of it.
Darcy and Jane seemed to think that Peter had deliberately gone out and messed with Emma's feelings by asking Liz to the dance but it wasn't like that. He had no idea how she felt and that was for the best. Did she selfishly want him for herself? Yes…and that was something that wasn't easy for her to admit to herself. Usually she'd claim that she didn't form attachments but that wasn't true. Ever since Steve and the others rescued her from the Hydra base she had become more and more soft. Was it actually Steve's fault then? Was he the one that caused her to become so soft that she started having feelings for a kind and compassionate teenage boy who sat next to her in history? Was it Steve's fault that she allowed herself to become close and vulnerable with this very same boy? She had even become so soft that she found herself caring about silly little things like school and not to mention the compassion she felt for Ned.
Emma knew now that this was why she had to leave. She was becoming too comfortable and she was letting her guard down. This wasn't her. This wasn't the assassin that Hydra raised…the Viper Assassin was all she had for the longest time and it was all she knew. Everyone was foolish to think that she could just go to high school with normal kids and pretend like the Viper Assassin was only a part of her. No, the Viper Assassin was who she was and nothing would ever change that. She could pretend to be a normal fifteen year old girl all she wanted but at the end of the day she still had to look at her reflection in the mirror and acknowledge all the horror she inflicted on others in the past. She was a lost cause and the only person who could ever understand that about her was her father. Emma only needed to find him first.
"Fine, Alicia Silverstone. We'll go dress shopping." Emma said sarcastically as she pretended like nothing was wrong. This time, however, Darcy and Jane seemed to believe her or maybe they were just too distracted by the excitement of taking Emma dress shopping for Homecoming.
"Let's go then. The sooner the better." Jane said with a determined look in her eyes. Emma somehow knew she was going to regret agreeing to go to Homecoming with Ned but she didn't know she'd regret it this much. It was going to be a longer day than she originally thought.
"God, that sure took forever." Emma said as she glared at Darcy in the mirror. Darcy was currently working on Emma's hair and the blonde was clearly not enjoying it. They had gotten back from the mall not that long ago and Darcy was nearly done working on her hair. The brunette seemed to think it was a good idea to put Emma's hair up half way with a crown braid while the rest of her hair hung loose in curls down her back. Emma would never admit it but Darcy had done a pretty good job on her hair. It wasn't that Emma didn't like hair and make-up because the perfectionist in her actually liked looking her best and having control over that part of herself. No, Emma just hated being fussed over by other people.
"Well, you look amazing so you're welcome." Darcy told her as she finished with the curling iron. Emma just rolled her eyes before quickly assessing the make-up that Jane had applied to her face. She was probably wearing the most make-up that she had ever worn before. Smokey eye shadow with winged eyeliner and heavy mascara. Her make-up was topped off with a dark red shade of lipstick that contrasted against her pale skin and blonde hair. Darcy thought Emma looked something like her grandmother with the dark red lipstick. Peggy Carter was famously known for her dark red lips back in her younger years.
"We're all done with your hair and make-up so we'll leave you to put on your dress. Don't take too long…wouldn't want to keep your date waiting." Emma glared at her.
"Go do something useful before I break Steve's promise and decide to do something more homicidal with my time." Emma threatened but Darcy wasn't intimidated. The older woman just snickered as she looked at the blonde.
"I love you too, Emma." Darcy teased before leaving the room and Emma was left to glare at the mirror. Relax, she told herself. You're just going to willful Ned's obligation and then leave this place forever. Soon she'd be reunited with Steve and the others so she'd never have to worry about silly, insignificant things like school dances and a stupid crush on a teenage boy. She'd be back to her old life which was more than fine with Emma.
Emma immediately walked over to her bed which her dress was currently resting on. It had taken a good hour at a store in the mall for Emma to find the right dress. She was okay with just settling for anything but Darcy and Jane said she needed to find the perfect dress for her first Homecoming. Emma thought that they were being silly and ridiculous but she did happen to quickly become attached to one dress in particular and with good reason.
It was truly a lovely dress.
The bodice of the dress was white with a sheer fabric that went over the bodice and also served as off the shoulder long sleeves that ended at her wrist. The sheer fabric was covered in emerald green beads that stood out against the otherwise plain color. The emerald green a-line skirt, which matched the beading, of the dress flounced out from the waist and ended just above her knees. Emma didn't waste any time putting the dress on, leaving it unzipped as did so. Darcy could help her with the dress in a little while but Emma wanted to make sure she had everything ready for after the dance.
Emma checked her backpack for what must've been the tenth time to make sure she was set to go. It wasn't filled with much except for a couple changes of clothes, the usual essentials, her sketchbook, and some personal items. She made sure to take the photos of her father, grandmother, parents, and Steve to keep herself going. This was the first time she was going to be truly alone in almost three years. Not even Darcy or Stark would be around. Not that Emma wanted anything to do with Stark anyways. Not now and not ever. Emma also made sure to take one of her fake passports and a wad of cash that she had kept hidden inside her bedroom wall. Her passport said that she was nineteen years old and Emma knew that if she wore enough make-up no one would question her otherwise.
Emma zipped the backpack up before setting it on the floor as if it were the carelessly discarded backpack of a normal teenager. She was sure Darcy and Jane wouldn't pay the backpack any attention and it wasn't like she would be gone for long anyways. The blonde then sat on the edge of her bed as she put on her platform pumps that matched the emerald green of her dress. The pumps gave her another four inches of height which Emma liked. She sighed as she got up from the bed and looked at herself in the mirror. She felt a little ridiculous going to a school dance when there was much more important things on her mind but Emma knew that a couple hours at a dance wasn't going to kill her. Ned was right. When she looked back at this moment when she was older, she didn't want to wonder what would've happened if she had gone to the dance. She wanted to try being a normal teenager one last time before she cut loose ends. There was also the fact that she would get to see Peter one last time before she left forever…even if he was with Liz.
"Are you ready yet? Ned's here." Darcy said as both her and Jane walked into the room before her eyes immediately widened at the sight of Emma. Jane also stared at the blonde in surprise. It was no secret that Emma was a fan of fashion and liked to look her best, being the perfectionist she was, but they had never seen her look so grown-up before. "Oh my god, Em. Look at you!"
"You look so beautiful." Jane said in agreement as tears welled up in both her and Darcy's eyes. Emma glared at them both. She didn't know why they acted like a couple of old ladies all the time. Emma was convinced that those two would still live together in their old age surrounded by a twenty cats and without any perspective husbands.
"You two are ugly criers. Did you know that?" Emma replied. "Now do something useful and zip me up." Darcy just shook her head before going over and zipping up the back of Emma's dress.
"I hope you save some of that charming personality for your date." Darcy snarked as she backed off. "Jane, hand me the tablet." Emma raised an eyebrow as Jane wordlessly handed her friend the Stark tablet. She had a feeling what Darcy was going to do but she really hoped that she was wrong.
"Please tell me you're not going to take pictures with that thing." Emma deadpanned and Darcy grinned at her.
"Come on, Emma. This is you're first Homecoming dance. Of course I'm going to document it." Darcy explained. "Steve would never want to miss this."
"As if this wasn't bad enough." Emma muttered under her breath. Darcy ignored her as she hit the record button on the tablet and held it up to Emma's face. Emma glared at the tablet but Darcy and Jane didn't look phased by the blonde's demeanor.
"Hey Steve! So remember how Emma said that she was never going to a Homecoming dance?" Darcy announced gleefully as she pissed Emma off beyond belief. "Well, it looks like she was a liar because guess where she's going? Homecoming!" Darcy then moved the camera up and down as she made sure she got a full shot of Emma's dress and pumps.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Emma questioned as she continued to glare at Darcy.
"Language! Sorry you had to hear that, Steve. We all know how much you hate vulgar language." Darcy quipped as she smirked at Emma from behind the tablet. Jane just snickered at the pair. "Shame on you, Emma."
"Are you surprised that I haven't killed her yet, Steve? Well, that makes two of us." Emma said as she gave Darcy a dirty look. The blonde immediately grabbed her new clutch purse that matched her dress. Inside the clutch purse was her wallet, phone, iPod, along with the compass and dogtags her grandfather had given her. The wallet and phone she'd probably ditch in the Hudson river so that Stark wouldn't be able to track her through credit cards or her Stark phone. Her compass and dogtags, however, were much more important to her. Emma was hoping that they might give her some luck and she'd need all the luck she could get. She was never a believer in luck but Steve was so that had to be worth something.
"Emma's actually not going to the dance with Peter believe it or not. I guess Emma and him are having some kind of lover's quarrel." Darcy said as she rambled on and Emma told herself to not let Darcy annoy her too much. "You and Emma's DILF of a dad should totally kick that kid's bony ass when you get back."
"Can you ever shut up?" Emma asked as she glared at Darcy once more. Darcy really knew how get under Emma's skin sometimes and this was not how she wanted to part ways with the brunette.
"Come on, Emma, don't let Darcy ruin your night." Jane piped in. "You should smile…you look really pretty when you smile." It was true. When Emma smiled and laughed she did in fact look pretty and her actual age. Years of being trained in a secret Hydra base hardened Emma's heart and made even the slightest form of a genuine smile a rare sight. Emma gave the pair a fake smile that didn't reach her eyes in the least bit.
"Happy?" Emma asked them and Darcy scoffed.
"No. You better act pleasant around Ned." Darcy told her sternly before returning her attention to the tablet. "You've kind of missed a lot, Steve. Emma's now going to Homecoming with Ned who happens to be Peter's best friend. It's the teenage girl way of making a guy jealous. I did the same thing freshman year of college."
"I already told you. This has nothing to do with Parker. Can you guys back off so I can just leave already?" Emma said in an annoyed tone as she walked past them to leave the room. Darcy and Jane just laughed at the blonde's expense before following her as Emma walked down the stairs. They had left Ned in the living room of the townhouse and he immediately looked up as he saw Emma walk down the stairs. His eyes widened as he saw Emma come down the stairs, looking more like the part of a Homecoming date than a former assassin.
"Wow, Emma, you look amazing." Ned said and Emma just shrugged as she barely glanced at Ned. Jane glared at the blonde before harshly elbowing her in the ribs. Emma forced a smile in Ned's direction as she assessed his appearance. He was wearing a white sport's coat over a blue button down shirt. Ned was an array of colors as he also wore a pink plaid bow tie that clashed against his brown fedora hat. She admired his confidence in wearing an outfit that she didn't personally approve of but there was little Emma ever approved of. The assassin could usually find something wrong with everything.
"You look nice." Emma said and then grimaced. It was difficult for her to give people compliments but she was told that it was the normal and nice thing to do.
"Smile, Ned, you're on camera." Darcy said cheerfully which took the teenager's attention from each other. Ned gave Darcy a confused look as he glanced at the tablet in her hand.
"What?" He asked in a confused state and Emma just rolled her eyes.
"Darcy's just trying to document my life to show my grandfather when he gets back from overseas." Emma said vaguely. She gave Ned a look that indicated that he didn't need to ask anything else about the topic. Emma didn't need Darcy and Jane to know that Ned knew about her true identity and her connection to Captain America. If they found out about that then they'd probably want to know why he knew about that and she'd have to explain that Peter and Spider-Man were the same person. It was just a whole mess of a situation that Emma didn't need to get into right before she left.
"Your grandfather?" Ned asked with wide eyes as he tried to process what Emma just told him. Did this mean that Captain America would know who he was? He had to admit that was kind of cool and exciting but it was also terrifying at the same time. Ned wasn't interested in Emma romantically but he was sure any boy that dated Emma was in for a world of trouble since Emma basically had more than half the Avengers backing her up. That was fairly intimidating but Ned was sure that Emma would be the scariest one if a boy ever pissed her off. He had seen Emma annoyed and that was scary enough.
"Look, Steve, it's Emma's date." Darcy said as she practically shoved the tablet in Ned's face. Ned awkwardly smiled and waved.
"Hi, Emma's grandpa." Ned greeted hesitantly as he looked into the camera, knowing that he was addressing Captain America which was already weird enough. "I promise to be very respectful of Emma and treat her right. Your granddaughter is a very kind and wonderful girl." Emma scoffed as she shook her head at his statement.
"Great. Now he'll know you're bullshitting him. No one's ever described me as kind and wonderful in my life." Emma deadpanned and the others collectively rolled their eyes at the blonde. None of them were unused to her cynical and rude nature.
"As you can see Emma's just being her usual pleasant self but she's going to be even more pleasant at the dance. Isn't that right, Emma?" Darcy added in and Emma nodded before sighing.
"Yes, I promise to be the perfect example of a polite and courteous young lady." Emma replied, sarcasm evident in her tone. Darcy decided to just accept the blonde's answer before realizing that was the best response she was going to get.
"I got you a corsage." Ned said suddenly as he remembered the corsage he was still carrying in his hand which was placed inside a small plastic box. Emma eyed the corsage which displayed a small bouquet of yellow flowers that matched the yellow flower Ned had pinned to his sport's coat. "I wasn't sure what color your dress was so I hope yellow's fine."
Emma stared at his hand cautiously as he carefully placed the corsage around her wrist. She had never seen one in real life before…only in movies. It was actually quite pretty, surprisingly enough. She then wondered if Steve and her father ever went to a Homecoming dance. It never even occurred to her to ask and now she wished she had. This was just another reminder of how much she took them both for granted. She should've asked more questions instead of spending all her time arguing with Steve about joining him for missions. Now all that precious time had been wasted.
"It's fine. Thank you." Emma said shortly and she even gave Ned a tight lipped smile.
"Isn't Emma's corsage pretty, Steve?" Darcy said as she smiled at the two teenagers. "Well, I guess that's all you need to see this time. Stay tuned for Emma's sweet sixteen." Emma rolled her eyes at the older woman as Darcy stopped recording.
"Fat chance of that ever happening." Emma muttered under her breath but Darcy heard her anyways.
"That's what you said about Homecoming but look at you now." Darcy told her as she smirked at the blonde. "Now stand real close next to each other. I need to take some pictures." Emma gave Darcy a look of disbelief.
"You just got ten minutes worth of footage. Isn't that good enough?" Emma asked her but Darcy just shook her head.
"No, it's not. Smile for the camera, Em." Darcy retorted. Emma sighed heavily as she stood closer to Ned so that they could pose for the camera. Ned gave her a nervous smile as he looked at her, asking a question with his eyes.
"It's fine." Emma told him, quietly assuring him that it was okay to touch her. He placed his hand on the small of her back. Emma stiffened slightly, her instinct telling her to push him away, but she remained calm and smiled for the camera. She could be good immensely good at smiling when she wanted to. A lot of people bought into her kind smiles and mistook her for an innocent fifteen year old girl. It was what made her staple in Hydra's agenda.
"Okay, I think we're finished here." Darcy said as she finished taking the pictures. Darcy then sat the tablet on the table and went to go grab the car keys. Jane also went to go grab her purse so the two teenagers were left alone in the living room. Ned glanced around the house curiously as they stood in silence while Emma watched him. He blushed at being under Emma's close, unashamed scrutiny. Sometimes he didn't understand how Peter handled Emma because she was truly an intense person to be around.
"You have a nice home." Ned told her.
"It's nice for a rich, entitled family who has family game night two times a week. As I'm sure you know, that's not really my scene." Emma replied and Ned just nodded, pretending to understand her. He didn't really get Emma's strange sense of humor or her odd choice of words.
"Right…well, it's still really nice. Tony Stark's really generous." Ned instantly regretted saying that as he noticed the cold look that came over Emma's face. It was an annoyed and pinched look as she looked away from him.
"Stark isn't generous. Everything you see here is just a physical representation of his guilt. I don't need his money…I never needed it before and I can survive just fine without it." Emma said bitterly and Ned swallowed nervously.
"Of course. That's not what I meant at all." Ned responded but Emma just shook her head.
"I know what you meant." Emma said shortly. Ned decided not to mention Tony Stark anymore. Peter had told him about the falling out that both him and Emma had with the famous billionaire. It was obvious to anyone who would listen that Emma held a vast amount of disdain for Tony Stark but that disdain seemed to only be increased since the other day.
"Listen, Emma, I don't know what's going on with you. I don't think anyone does but I know you'd rather go to the dance with Peter." Ned informed her but Emma's stoic expression was unchanging.
"I'd actually prefer not to go the dance at all. Parker has nothing to do with it." Ned just groaned as he rolled his eyes at her.
"You're impossible. You know that?" Ned commented before continuing. "Why are you even going to the dance if you're so opposed to it? Is it pity? Do you feel sorry for me?" Emma scoffed.
"I don't pity anyone, Leeds." She stated before her expression then softened. "I just figured that you might've had a point earlier."
"What point?" He asked in confusion, not understanding what Emma was getting at.
"It's just…I…well, I just want to make sure that I'm not going to miss out on anything. Even if it's something as stupid and trivial as a high school dance." Emma said honestly, her ocean blue eyes locked onto his. "I guess I want to satisfy that curiosity and move on."
"Gee, thanks. I feel really special." Ned said sarcastically and Emma sighed.
"Look, I'm sorry. If you want me to express my undying love for you that's never going to happen. I don't love and I don't get all touchy feely." Emma said honestly. "I agreed to go with you to the dance because I'm somewhat fond of you and you're a nice guy. I know you wouldn't make me want to kill you if we went to the dance together."
"Your compliments are a little misguided but I'll take what I can get." Ned finally said and Emma didn't say anything else because Darcy and Jane returned to the room. It seemed like the night was already here and she would have to leave soon…leave New York and leave for good. A small amount of dread filled her at the aspect of leaving everyone behind without so much as a goodbye but it was easier this way. At least Emma would be reunited with the others soon enough.
"You look so handsome, Peter." May Parker gushed as she looked over at her nephew from the driver's side of the car. Peter blushed as he looked down at his hands, embarrassed at the fact that his aunt was being a typical affectionate maternal figure. May was driving Peter to Liz's house while giving Peter tips every now and then on what to do during the date.
"Thanks." Peter mumbled as he looked out the window. He watched the street lights while a million things went through his mind but none of those things had anything to do with Liz or Homecoming. All of his thoughts seemed to circulate around a certain blonde and blue eyed teenage girl. As much as he tried not to think about her it was nearly impossible to think of anyone else even if he happened to be taking the most popular girl at school to Homecoming.
A part of Peter might've blamed Mr. Stark for Emma's coldness and withdrawn behavior but he knew that wasn't right. Emma was the one who shut him out after all. Mr. Stark didn't force her to do that. Maybe Emma was really never his friend after all…maybe all those meaningful and heartfelt moments between them had all been a lie or a ruse. It was possible that it was all an act because Emma had been trained to lie and manipulate. That explanation made the most sense of all but Peter hated to think that the Emma he had become so attached to was all just a lie.
It was then that Peter's phone vibrated in his pocket, interrupting his thoughts as he took his phone from out of his pocket. It was a Facebook notification and when he unlocked his screen, to see what the notification was about, he immediately clenched his jaw in anger. There was a picture Ned posted that showed the grinning teenager with his arm wrapped around an unsmiling but still beautiful Emma Rogers. Peter focused on her appearance and marveled at how gorgeous she looked in that emerald green dress she was wearing. The green almost matched the small flecks of green that could sometimes be seen in her otherwise blue eyes. She looked far older than she was with all the make-up she was wearing and that took him by surprise. Emma normally wore make-up but never that much. She never needed to wear make-up because she was more than beautiful without it.
It was when his eyes lingered on Ned's arm wrapped around her that he was reminded why he was angry at his best friend. He was angry with Ned because Ned asked Emma to the dance without even giving him any notice. Peter didn't understand his anger because why should he be angry that Ned and Emma were going to Homecoming together? Why did he feel so betrayed? Peter could pretend all he wanted that he didn't really know the answer to the question but deep down he did.
He had feelings for Emma which was something he had known for a while now. Which was why it hurt him beyond belief to know that Emma was going to the dance with someone who wasn't him. The irony of the situation suddenly occurred to Peter. For the past couple years he had dreamed of finally going on a date with Liz Allan, the girl of his dreams, but here he was about to go on a date with Liz and it suddenly didn't mean as much to him. It didn't mean as much to him because the crush he had on Liz was just a silly school crush. What he felt for Emma was far more than a school crush. His feelings for the blonde former assassin ran far deeper than anything he had ever felt for anyone before. It hurt knowing that she couldn't feel that same way about him.
"What's the matter, Peter?" May asked him as she looked at him in concern. Peter immediately snapped out of his thoughts. He just shook his head as he continued to look out the window.
"Nothing." He said quietly but May didn't look convinced. She knew her nephew well enough to know that he was acting off these past few days. May had assumed that he was only acting weird because he lost the Stark internship but something told her that it must've been something else.
"Really? Because you seem pretty sad which is strange since I thought you'd be more excited to go to the dance with the Liz. Wasn't Liz your first crush?" May asked him and Peter shook his head furiously.
"Of course I'm excited to go to the dance with Liz. Liz is perfect." Peter replied but it sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself rather than his aunt. May gave him a doubtful look.
"And this has nothing to do with the Stark internship?" May continued to pry but Peter seemed even more guarded at her constant questioning.
"It's over. Mr. Stark made that clear and I know I should focus more on school now." May stared at him for a moment, contemplating whether or not she should believe him. She had the very distinct feeling that whatever was going on with Peter went beyond Tony Stark. It was then that it occurred to her why Peter was acting so strange...why he was acting so flustered and defensive lately. It had to be a girl and if it wasn't Liz than it could only be...
"What about Emma? You haven't talked about her for a couple days…it's so strange. You usually can't shut up about her." May said as she continued to push Peter to tell her what was wrong with him. Peter immediately stiffened and May knew what was wrong. Peter really was growing up fast. Fifteen and already having girl problems.
"I'm actually surprised that she's not the one you're taking to the dance." May added but Peter just glared out the window and shrugged.
"Well, I was never going to go with Emma to the dance. Apparently we're not even friends." Peter muttered darkly and May frowned. She certainly hadn't expected to hear that. The older woman gave her nephew a sad look after hearing his admission about Emma.
"I'm sure that's not true, Peter." May said as she tried to comfort him. "I know she likes you as much as you like her. Teenage girls are complicated and confusing…I would know since I used to be one."
"I don't like Emma." Peter lied as he avoided eye contact with his aunt. May didn't believe him but she knew better than to continue to badger Peter about his obvious issues with Emma. He'd only become more withdrawn if she continued to push him. "Liz is the one that I like. I'm taking her to the dance, aren't I?"
"I know that, Peter. I don't doubt that you really like Liz…she's a nice and pretty girl." May responded before she reached over to rub Peter's shoulder soothingly. She had that understanding look on her face that always seemed to make Peter feel more at ease. "Your uncle and I raised a gentlemen so I don't doubt you would ask her to the dance unless you really liked her."
Peter didn't say anything else as May continued to drive to Liz's house. He didn't really want to think about Emma anymore since he was supposed to be taking Liz to the dance. Wasn't it wrong to think about Emma when he was supposed to go on a date with a different girl? Peter didn't really know anymore…he was so confused. This made him even more frustrated with Emma for confusing him like this. He was never this confused before she came into his life. A part of him wished that he had never met her but another part hated the idea of never meeting Emma.
Emma made life interesting and left him excited to get up each day just so he could see what adventure she would bring him next. Before she came along his life was filled with the boredom that school brought him, Star Wars marathons with Ned, daydreaming about Liz, and fighting crime as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. When Emma came into the picture she brought all the chaos with her…chaos that was normal for her but not for Peter. She was unpredictable…a wild card and he was never quite sure what went on in her mind but Peter liked that about her. It was what made her different from anyone he had ever known before. Emma may be insane, cold, and at times even a bit smug but she was also intriguing, highly intelligent, and he knew that she cared and even loved people more passionately than regular people did. Emma was an incredibly intense human being. It was then that a sudden feeling of sadness came over him as he remembered the fight they had a couple days prior. All of it was true…Emma was capable of love which was something she would deny if anyone would ask her. She loved and cared about a selected number of individuals which probably only included the Winter Soldier and her grandfather.
Peter just supposed that he wasn't one of the people she cared about.