The Month Peter Parker Learned Humility

Chapter 14: Friday September 14th

"Randy, I knew you were an eloquent speaker, but I didn't realize you could mix as well!", gleefully noticed Ms Deodato. "If it wasn't for your excellent teaching capabilities, I couldn't possibly begin to fathom—" "Alright, now you're entering teacher's pet territory. Just say thank you", she muttered in a gruff manner, walking over to the next table of students. "Ya could've just said it was Peter's texts that got you mixing like a pro", slyly whispered MJ, sitting next to Randy. "Yeah, but your ex-boyfriend is suspended for what again?" "Being a big ol' dummy. We're back on, though, just needed some talks." "Ah, so you're not gonna give Flash one last chance?" "Maybe, maybe not. He's nice enough, but something feels off about him being so nice." "Not gonna lie, he was always the biggest asshole in school, no matter what school he was in. It's like if you made a Gremlin turn into a Mogwai with water." "Nerd."

"Takes one to know one." "I guess, but you're the bigger nerd." "How many math camps did you go to again?" "Randy, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" "N-no, Ms Deodato." "Then pay attention, please." "I smell a detention slip being written as we speak", MJ texted Randy, silently snickering in her chair as she sends a judge emoji, hammer emoji and pencil writing on paper emoji.

As the final bell rings, Randy leaves with MJ to her place, as the two of them have a study group with Peter. "Hey, MJ!", calls Flash, jogging in between Randy and MJ. "Oh, hey, Randy. Guys, I was wondering if you could help me out a bit today." "What do you mean 'help you out', Flash?", asks MJ. "So, you two remember Emily, right? The tiny sophomore girl that helped me out in math?" "Who's Emily?", Randy asks in confusion. "Me and Peter do. She's your tutor, right?" "Yeah, she's my tutor. I'd be on my to her place if she wasn't sick today."

"Oh, that sucks. You want me to tutor you today, don't you?", replied MJ, already putting the mental pieces together. "If you don't mind, yeah. I can run 5 miles in half an hour and beat anyone in chess, but numbers fuck me up every time!" "…that's interesting, and impressive, but I don't know if Peter would be cool with another person coming into the study group." "Peter's there? In your study group?" "Yeah." "Oh cool, I can ask him about his arm day workout. He's almost as strong as Spider-Man!" "Wait, what?! How do you know how strong Spider-Man is?" "As a Spider-Man Web Spinners Fan Club member, I know just about everything there is to know on New York's greatest hero since Captain America!", Flash bellows in a triumphant, prideful manner.

"Ok then, just be a bit careful with your choice of words around him." "Oh for sure, I don't wanna feel that uppercut again. Reminds me too much of Dad." "Was he a boxer or something?", asks a concerned Randy. "Not exactly, dude." "So then what—" "Randy, I think we should just focus on getting ready for that test on Tuesday", MJ interrupts, saving Flash a horrible explanation.

"Mom, I'm home! Brought some study group boys with me", MJ proclaims, walking in her house on 3pm exactly. "But Peter's in the garden, fixing up the petunias, Mary Jane", Anna sternly replies, walking into the living room hallway. "Who's the new boy you're bringing in?" "Flash Thompson, m'am. My regular tutor is sick today, so I'm joining this study group as a one-time thing", he replies, standing with his back straight as he shakes Anna's hand. "Wait, didn't Peter get suspended because of you?" "Mom, he's fine—" "Too young for me, but I see what you mean." "No, not like that! He's not gonna fight Peter."

"Oh, my bad. You know the rules for bringing in boys." "Yeah, living room only, phones on kitchen counter and no touching unless someone's hurt bad." "That's right. Why don't you and your study friends set up ya textbooks on the table, I'll make Peter bring some snacks", Anna replied. "Your mom thinks I'm cute?", Flash whispers to MJ. "She thinks roadkill is cute in a cosmic sense, don't let it get to your head."

Soon after, this new trio begins reviewing algebra and calculus at the same time in the living room, with papers and formulas scattered all around. "You think you can handle being around him, Peter, without fucking him up again?", Anna asks politely, lounging on the garden doorframe. "Yeah, I'm free of that—" "Monster goo, I was right there at that doorstep too, ya know. I saw ya crawl in before she did, actually." "Oh, yeah, right. I wasn't very subtle, was I?" "Just barely enough that the hounds at the Bugle or the Bulletin didn't put 2 and 2 together. Thank God they're idiots." "Yep. Let's get this over with", Peter sighs, reaching for the snack tray to give to his study group.

"Flash, you ain't allergic of triple chocolate chip cookies, are ya?", Peter sassily asks, putting the tray on a folding table next to the notes. "Wait, you guys have triple? That's like restaurant status, dude!", he replies. "Also, hi. You're ok after Tuesday, and all of that?" "I'm fine now. It's been a weird time this month, and I went way too hard on you. I'm sorry, Flash." "Sorry for…?" "I'm sorry for knocking you out cold." "All is forgiven, my fellow swole bro", Flash says, extending his left hand for a solid handshake. "Great. Now, lemme guess, your main tutor's sick and you thought MJ could help you study." "How'd you guess?" "MJ's texts", Peter replies while grabbing a pencil and helping Flash understand algebra.

Long after a studious afternoon and care-free dinner, MJ heads off to her room for the night as Peter wall-crawls back to May's. "Peter, remember, 11am, no excuses; May says you still owe me a couple more days of work from that little church incident!", Anna shouts as he disappears into the night. "What a day", MJ contemplates as she jumps onto her bed back first. "Who would've thought Flash Thompson would be in MY living room, actually working nicely with Peter for once in our lives? Sure, he needs to get a formula told to him a hundred times to actually know it, but it could've gone way worse. He's not a dummy, but needs to be taught like one. At least he can understand it, though."

"Out of everything today, I'm glad that Peter proved that goo is gone for good! It was pretty hot, but he can't handle anything like that at all! Now if I got it, maybe then I could control that attitude. If I can handle Terry, I can handle some discount black Flubber. I could even swing around the city with Peter, without him having to carry me everywhere. We could fight crime together, too! Spinneret and Spider-Man, saving New York one web at a time. Now that's a duo right there, although I'd still be my own hero, of course." As Mary Jane thinks to herself a possible future, that future crawls into her open window and hides inside her book bag; waiting for her to fall asleep to bond and make Peter Parker realize he made a mistake in abandoning his special goo.

END OF CHAPTER 14