**::drumroll:: And now, folks. The moment you've all been waiting for. On
the edge of your seats, waiting in line for hours to get your
tickets....okay, just kidding. But, for those of you extremely attached to
this fic (if there are any of you), you have probably been anticipating
this part at least, a tiny, tiny bit......if not, well, never
mind.....anywayz, here you go!!**
"Okay, I'm ready," said Gwen, with a last look in the mirror. I looked up from the mystery book I was reading.
"Guinivere, it's only five o' clock," I said, glancing at my old fashioned alarm clock. She grinned.
"I know," she said hastily. "I'm still ready though. You can have your bathroom back." I resumed my reading.
"That's okay," I said, focusing on the book. I was almost finished and the case almost solved. Sue Grafton had this reader anticipation thing down to an art. "I'm all ready too." Suddenly, the book was snatched from my vision, replaced by two green eyes widened to their potential.
"What do you mean, you're all ready?" she asked incredulously. My cheeks turned slightly pink as she took in my jeans, sneakers, and t-shirt with a horrified look on her face. "A date with your lover-boy of two years, and your wearing 'around-the-house' clothes? I think not." She marked my place carefully, yanked me off the bed, and thrust me into the bathroom. I tried to get out, like a cat thrown into a bathtub.
"Ah, ah, ah," she said, wagging a finger like an old schoolmarm. "You are not leaving this room until I am finished with you."
We spent the better part of an hour and a half making me into Britney Spears. Well, maybe not the face, but I certainly had the stomach.
"I still can't figure out when you turned into Miss Abs of Steel," she said, poking me.
"Ow!" I squeaked. "Stop it. I told you, I woke up the other day and it was like that." She shook her head, but didn't say anything. When she was finished with me, I refused to look in the mirror.
"C'mon, Jess," she said, trying to coax my eyelids open. "I swear, I didn't use blue shadow, and only clear lip gloss. It looks great!" When I finally opened them, I was actually pleased with the results. She had used a sort of golden brown shadow, the tiniest hint of eyeliner, and mascara on both upper and lower lashes. My cheeks held a rosy tint that looked almost natural, and she had been telling the truth about the lip-gloss. I surveyed myself in the mirror, then turned to Gwen. She smirked at me.
"Okay, okay," I admitted. "It looks good, or, as good as it can with my face. Thank you," I told her. And, for the first time voluntarily, I gave her a huge hug.
"I think more than your abs have changed Jessi," she said jokingly. But it was true. I knew the bodily changes had to do with the spider bite, but what of the personality? I was about to go on a, basically, double date with the guy of my dreams, because I had asked him. I would never have done that normally. Maybe it was just cause and effect. My actions, which were due to the new spider powers, had caused me to mingle with people I wouldn't have normally mingled with. I let go of Gwen.
"Now, let's see what you have in your closet," she said, and skipped out of the room.
"Gwen, you are so perky tonight," I teased her. She looked insulted.
"I am NOT perky," she said indignantly, rummaging through my closet. I came out with a black skirt that came just above my knees. She held it up to me, but I shook my head and shoved it back to her.
"We can look in my mom's closet for a blouse or something," I told her, hanging the skirt back up. "But I am wearing jeans. And that is FINAL," I said. She gave me a Look, but grabbed me by the elbow and led me into my parents' room. My mom was sitting on her bed, feet propped up, Elvis playing on the radio, reading TIME magazine. She looked up inquiringly when we entered.
"Can I help you ladies?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, we-," Gwen began, but I cut her off. I seemed to be getting pretty good at interrupting people.
"We're going out tonight, remember?" I said quickly. Gwen shot me a dirty look, which I pointedly ignored. "Gwen wants me to wear a nice shirt. Can I borrow one?" She started to get up.
"No, ma, stay there, I can get it," I said hastily. This may sound ridiculous, but I really didn't want Gwen to whisper our plans for the evening into my mother's ear as she was passing. Though she was my best friend, she was the kind of person to get a kick out of my mom teasing me for the next five years. I dragged open the huge closet doors and looked at all the items. Gwen came up beside me.
"How 'bout this?" she said, taking out a black sequined halter-top that my mom surely hadn't worn since the eighties. I glanced at her. She was snorting into her pillow, and I narrowed my eyes.
"Or, how about THIS one," I said. Actually, it was perfect; a nice collared cotton button-up, three quarter sleeves, dark navy blue. Gwen looked at me skeptically, but thought a moment, then nodded.
"Okay," she said reluctantly. I shrugged out of my jacket and buttoned the shirt over the tank top I was wearing. I could tell she wanted me to wear something more vibrant, but this was as good as it was going to get. At least she was getting me out of a sweat jacket, right? That reminded me of something.
"Um, do you have a coat, mom?" I asked her. I slid the door close and the opposite one open, where her and my dad's jackets were kept. "It's September, in New York, and I am definitely not willing to sacrifice warmth for beauty."
"Try that suede one," she said, pointing. I grabbed a sleeve, looking at her for confirmation. "No, no, yes, that one." I pulled the coat off the hanger and tried it on. Perfect. It was light tan suede, with sheep's wool or something covering the inside. I grinned.
"Thank you mommy," I said sweetly. I led Gwen out of the room and back to mine. I took off the coat, as the heater was on, and did a little fashion model twirl.
"Well?" I said. She thought for a moment, scrutinizing me, then crossed the room to my closet. She took out a pair of black boots and tossed them to me.
"Jeans, I can handle," she said, smiling. "But sneakers? Absolutely not." I slipped my Nikes off with a sigh and shoved my feet into the boots. After I had laced them, I stood up. Gwen nodded.
"The boots are very sophisticated," she said, provokingly. I smiled, with sarcasm.
"They keep my feet warmer anyway," I told her stubbornly. The doorbell rang and my heart leapt. I heard Gwen take in a shaky breath, and we exchanged glances. She gave me an encouraging smile. Gwen Fortunato was not one to be deterred by shyness, unlike her best friend Jessica Parker.
"Here goes nothing," she told me, and walked out the door, head held high.
I followed her into the living room, where my dad was, to my horror, shaking hands with Nick. When they caught sight of me, they both grinned. I ran my tongue along the inside of my cheek, trying not to scream. Unjustifiably, I was extremely embarrassed. And it wasn't even my date, supposedly.
"Hey, Jessi, can I talk to you for a sec?" said my dad, raising an eyebrow. I nodded and followed him to the hall, leaving the three staring after me.
"Could I get a news brief, please?" he said, folding his arms. I exhaled.
"Gwen likes a guy," I said, in a tone someone would have used in telling an alibi to a prosecutor. "I'm sort of friends with the guy's best friend. He's doing me a favor, and I'm doing her one. That's all," I finished, trying for a nonchalant shrug. I examined my dad's face and was surprised to find amusement on it.
"What?" I said, feeling slightly irritated. "Is the interrogation over now? They're waiting."
"They can wait a few seconds longer, Jessica," he said. I raised an eyebrow. He was going to tell me something. He paused. "Jess, have you told Gwen about....you know?" I shook my head. "Good. You can't tell anyone. Not even Gwen. It's vital. Not only would they probably not believe you, but they might take it to the papers. It wouldn't lead to anything good, trust me," he ended. I didn't know why, but I felt depressed. Something good happens to me, and I can't even tell my best friend?
"Why can't I tell Gwen?" I asked. "I mean, she would believe me, and she's my best friend. She wouldn't rat on me or anything." He shook his head.
"Harry Osbourn was my best friend," he said sadly. "Look what happened." I glanced away.
"We can talk about this another time, dad," I said, starting toward the living room. "See you around eleven." I felt my spirits lighten when I saw everyone at the door again. Gwen stole a shy look at Jay, who was pretending to examine the molding around the doorframe with interest. Nick looked back and forth between them amusedly. I caught his eye and we grinned at each other.
"Let's go then," I announced. They filed out the door and I closed it behind us. Gwen, tired of the normal teenage girl behavior that was apparently taking over her, boldly stepped ahead with Jay in her wake. He trotted up beside her and smiled down. She grinned back up and clasped his big hand in her slender one. They seemed to be having a conversation, but we were too far behind to hear. I grinned at Nick.
"They seem to be doing all right so far," I remarked. He nodded.
"Yeah, Jay seems like a dumb jock when you meet him, but he's actually really smart," he said. His hands were shoved in his pockets. "He gets mediocre grades, but only cuz he doesn't care."
"Sounds a bit familiar," I murmured. He chuckled.
"Ah, leave me alone," he joked. There was a silence as we observed Gwen and Jay, walking hand in hand and laughing at something. We reached the elevator a few moments after they did, but stood apart from them to give a little privacy. Suddenly I was aware of Nick looking at me.
"You look really nice," he said absently. I felt my ears turn red.
"Thanks," I muttered. He smiled.
"I like how you don't wear a lot of make-up usually," he said. "It looks special when you do wear it. Kate wears way too much every day. She looks the same on formal occasions as she does at school." He was blabbering now, just to fill the silence. Yikes, man, said a critical voice. That was real smooth. Talk about the girlfriend. Not exactly the best small talk, is it? Am I right Jessi? I rolled my eyes mentally. Great. Voices in my head, with their own minds, giving me advice. Do I get a prize or something for being certifiably crazy? Shut up, I told the voice. Well, that's polite, it said indignantly. That was just one difference between Nick and I. He talked, I thought.
"Yeah, that was the right thing to say," he said under his breath. I looked at him for a moment, then started to laugh. It began with a tiny giggle. He looked at me, surprised. I snorted, then bit my lip. He chuckled uncertainly, and I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. When I was finished, still hiccuping slightly, he grinned and shook his head.
"What?" I asked, stuffing down the laughter rising to the surface again.
"I think you are probably the only girl in the world that would laugh instead of slapping me," he said appreciatively. I snorted again, then took a deep breath. I noticed Gwen and Jay staring at us. I wiggled my fingers at them and shifted my weight so that Nick was blocking their gaze. I bit my lip again.
"Well, why would I slap you?" I asked, belatedly realizing that this wasn't the best way to start a conversation. The elevator doors opened, showing an old couple. We graciously let them out.
"Well, talking about my ex isn't exactly the best thing to do when-," he blurted, then stopped short. I looked at him curiously.
"When what?" I asked. He stepped into the elevator after Gwen and Jay. I dimly noticed that they were in another heated conversation, but I was more interested in the reason Nick had just cut himself off.
"Nothing," he muttered. He pressed the button for the lobby repeatedly. I noted the change in color and grinned.
"No, you've gotta tell me," I pried. He repressed a grin.
"Maybe later," he said secretively. I wrinkled my nose at him.
"That's just mean," I told him, crossing my arms. There was a silence, and then I realized what he had said.
"Wait, 'ex'?" I said, staring at him. He shuffled his feet as we walked down the street.
"Yeah, I broke up with Kate," he muttered. He looked at me curiously. "I would figure you'd have heard it by now." I shook my head silently. I had consoled myself in the one solid fact that this was not a date because he had a girlfriend. Had I been wrong? I didn't know if I wanted to be. I kicked an empty Coke can into a gutter.
"Yeah, that's a wonderful way to start off the evening," he muttered to himself. I chuckled.
"No, no," I said, smiling. "It's fine. I mean, well..." I trailed off. "Change the subject," I said firmly. He nodded dutifully.
"What movie do you want to go see?" he said promptly. I thought for a moment.
"Why don't we ask the lovely couple?" I said, grinning. He smiled back.
"Yo, Romiette, Julio," he called. They turned around, and I giggled. They let us catch up.
"I think you've got your Shakespeare mixed up," I told him. He grinned.
"What?" asked Jay. He looked slightly annoyed at his date being interrupted.
"Which movie do you guys wanna see?" asked Nick, grinning maliciously at Jay. Jay scowled at him. Gwen replied, but I didn't catch what she said. In a blinding flash, I saw the memory thing again. This time, I saw Gwen hitch her purse higher onto her shoulder. Another flash. Gwen was against a brick wall, an old worn movie poster behind her. A man in black grabbed her purse and ran away. Another flash. Gwen was crying into Jay's collar. Another flash, and I could hear and see again.
"Jessica!" said Nick, concerned. He gave me a little shake. I blinked stupidly at him. "Are you okay?" I nodded, feeling a bit paranoid. I looked around for a few moments, then back at Nick. He looked at me strangely.
"Let's go then," said Gwen, frowning at me. I nodded again. I felt like a rag doll, but I could tell I was coming back to my senses. I was worried now. This had happened twice before, and both times the dream (or premonition, as I was starting to think they were) came true. I tried to recall everything about the images. Gwen was standing in front of something colorful......a poster. I remember thinking it was a movie poster. And the man was wearing.....black? That was no help, everyone in New York wore black. Which way did he run? I shut my eyes; the memory was fading. He grabbed Gwen's purse and pushed Nick out of the way....Nick was standing on her....right...so he ran to my left. My head was starting to pound, and I opened my eyes. Nick was looking at me warily.
"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked. I nodded, forcing a smile. But I was extremely paranoid. I had barely avoided the last two times.
"Maybe we shouldn't go to a movie," I said absently, staring over my shoulder. I looked back just in time to avoid a lamppost. Nick frowned at my strange behavior.
"Why?" he asked. "The theater is just up there." I followed his glance and saw it was true. I peered at the brick wall near the entrance and a bolt of terror coursed through my limbs. It was the poster, for the movie 'Just Married.' I looked around wildly.
"Jessi, what's wrong?" demanded Nick, grabbing my arm. I looked at him, trying to quell the panic. This was not a big deal. Nothing was going to happen. Suddenly, I remembered the mugger. The image of his pain-stricken face went through my brain. I had fought him off. Well, sort off. Some how, I had kicked his arm hard enough to break it, and that was enough to let me get away. If necessary, I knew I could do it again. I took a deep breath and smiled at him.
"Nothing," I told him firmly. "Let's go in." I jumped back a half a second before Gwen crashed into me. I caught her arm before she fell on the ground. My head snapped to see what had happened. There was a man leering at us with green teeth. Wearing a black trench coat.
"Cash, babycakes," he said to us. His smile widened, showing rotting teeth most likely due to alcohol. "Just the cash. I know you've got some," he said warningly, as though I'd protested. I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder, and looked up at Nick. He looked scared.
"Just give him money, Jess," he whispered. I noticed he wasn't looking at my face, but beyond. I followed the direction of his eyes and was shocked to see a gun peering out of his coat. I gulped. Oddly enough, I wasn't scared. I should have been terrified. But, like Gwen, I was shaking. From rage. I shrugged Nick's hand off my shoulder and stepped forward half an inch.
"No," I whispered. The man raised an eyebrow.
"No?" he said. He laughed a low grumbling laugh. "You're choice babe-" I kicked the gun out of his hand and it flew across the street, into a second story window. He grimaced at me, shaking his hand out.
"That was a mistake," he said, and lunged at me. I moved sideways.
"Get out of the way!" I shouted. Nick grabbed Jay and Gwen and yanked them the rest of the way to the theater. I bent my legs slightly. This guy was huge, maybe 6"4, but some pride deep inside me swore I could take him. He roared and leaped again, trying to punch me. I hopped out of the way again. But I lost my balance, treading on an untied shoelace. I slammed into the wall, wincing. I cursed the boots, but was distracted long enough for the man to grab me by the collar. I let out a yelp as he shoved me first into a dark alley. I whipped around, getting back into a fighting stance. I heard Nick yelling, but ignored it. I was concentrating. This guy was pissing me off.
"Oh yeah, tough guy?" I yelled as he came at me again. I jumped and instinctively grabbed hold of the brick. My hand stuck to it. I leaped down over his head and glared. He looked surprised, but still determined to teach me a lesson. He made a swipe at me, and I moved out of the way, up against the wall. I kicked him in the stomach. He grunted, but whipped out a knife. I hesitated and barely missed having my guts spill out onto the sidewalk. I ran to the end of the alley and was panicked to find that it was a dead end. The man was close on my heels though, so I increased my speed. I reached the end and jumped up feet first, kicked off the wall, and flipped back over. Where the hell did THAT come from? The man clumsily stopped himself from slamming into the wall. I kicked him, near his knee because that's how tall I was, and he yelped. I wasn't finished though. I pulled my arm back and swung as hard as I could. My hand collided, slightly painful, with his jaw, making a loud cracking noise, and he slumped against the wall. I stood there for a moment, frozen, cradling my hand.
"Oh my GOD!" Gwen shrieked, coming up next to me. I turned to her slowly, and dragged her out of the alleyway, along with Nick and Jay. Jay put a comforting arm around her, but I knew he was shaken too. Once we were out of the alley, I took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. I folded my arms and hugged myself fiercely. I could've been killed. I pushed away from the wall and started to walk toward the theater.
"Come on, you guys," I said. I smiled mechanically. "Let's not let this ruin the night, huh?" I felt a wave of sickness come over me, and stumbled against the wall. I made my way, with blurred vision, over to a bench and sat down, head between my knees. I heard creaky noises and knew everyone else had done the same. I thought dimly that I should probably be having an asthma attack, but my nausea was freshened when I remembered the reason I was breathing normally. I stood up, restless, thinking of my dad. He had been Spiderman. He had done this on a daily (or nightly, I reminded myself) basis. Was this my doom? Was this what I was going to be doing the rest of my life. I paced around on the sidewalk, extremely upset. I felt a tickle on my face and put a hand up to brush it away. I stared blankly at the clear water on my fingertips. Crying? I thought stupidly. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried. I couldn't let anyone see me. I started to walk toward the theater, but someone caught my arm. Nick. He didn't say anything, just pulled me in and held me. I knew if I wanted to, I could have pushed him away. But I just stood there, tears streaming down my face. I had never known how good it felt to cry. After a few minutes, I did push away. I looked at Gwen, who was receiving similar treatment from Jay. She felt my gaze and stepped away from him.
"Let's go to the movie now," I said dully. I wiped my face and sniffed. "Just Married sound good to you guys?" Everyone nodded. We walked up to the window and paid for our tickets. Once inside the theater, Gwen pulled me aside. She seemed to be coming back to herself.
"Jessi and I are going to the ladies' room," she said. "Will you guys go save seats?" They nodded, and we parted.
Gwen was silent in the restroom. She yanked a few paper towels out of the dispenser and wet them under the faucet. She wiped away the mascara and eye make-up and tossed it in the trash. A minute and a half later, she looked good as new. She turned to me.
"Your turn," she said sharply. She looked a bit dangerous, so I sat down on the little couch, hands folded in my lap like a little girl. She wiped off the make-up with a paper towel, like she had done for herself, and took out the things she needed to re-do my face.
"What's going on," she said, applying eyeliner to my lower lashes. "Tell me now."
"Nothing," I said blandly, thinking of my dad again. She shoved the pencil back into her purse.
"Don't give me that, dammit!" she said harshly. Her lower lip was trembling with emotion, and she bit it stubbornly. "I know there's something wrong. And on our friendship, Jessica Parker, tell me what it is." She looked at me sharply, and I sighed, looking away.
"I can't tell you," I said wearily. "And even if I could, you wouldn't believe me." She shook her head, attacking my upper lid with shadow.
"That's a load of crap, Jess," she said. She snapped the container shut and put it back in her bag. She turned and started on the mascara. "And you know it. You know I'll believe what you tell me. You've never lied to me before. You are my best friend, through anything, no matter how dramatic I can be," she paused, mouth quirking, "or how stupidly stubborn you can be." I couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah, I know you're right," I said. "I think you'd believe me. But that still leaves the fact that, I'm not allowed to tell you. I have been specifically warned, -" She cut me off.
"I would tell you," she said quietly. "I would trust you." She stood up, closing her purse. I pushed myself off the couch and paced across the room. Then, I turned to her.
"Dammit!" I said, frustrated. I walked back over to Gwen, who was obviously stifling a smile. I made her sit down on the couch, and paced back and forth in front of her, frowning.
"I don't know how to tell you anyway," I told her pointedly. She waved her hand at me.
"Just say it," she said breezily. "I think I can handle it." I glared at her. How could she be so calm? She doesn't know, remember? said that stupid little voice again.
"Right, well," I stated, scratching my head. Then, in ten minutes time, I told her everything, starting with the spider bite in my room, through the spoon sticking to my hand, breaking the lock, fighting off the mugger, climbing the rope, and ending with what my dad had told me about his past. She stared at me, mouth hanging open unbecomingly. I looked at her helplessly.
"See, you don't believe me," I said. I closed my eyes and flopped down on the couch next to her. There was a silence.
"You're telling me the absolute truth?" came her voice. I looked at her and nodded. Her mouth became a firm line.
"Then I believe you," she said. I stood up, looking at her incredulously.
"For real?" I asked, a smile growing on my face despite the recent occurrences. She nodded and got up to face me. I threw my arms around her for the second time that night.
"This is so great," I told her. She looked at me skeptically.
"Your dad was really Spiderman?" she said, arching an eyebrow. She shook her head. "I never would have guessed."
"Well, would you have guessed it about me?" I pointed out. She grinned.
"No," she agreed. She paused. Then, "You shot a web out of your hand? Can I see?" She looked at me like a little puppy, and I thought if she had a tail, it would be wagging. I looked around, then locked the door.
"Okay," I said. I stuck my arm out and pressed toward my wrist with my middle and ring fingers. A white stringy substance flew out of my wrist and landed in the corner where the wall and roof met. Gwen made a sound of disbelief.
"NOW I believe you," she said. She unlocked the door and started to leave.
"Oh, yeah, I SO knew you didn't believe me!" I accused. She grinned.
"Well, now I do, so you can stop yelling at me," she said. "We'd better get to the theater, the guys'll be wondering what the hell we've been doing all this time."
"Okay, I'm ready," said Gwen, with a last look in the mirror. I looked up from the mystery book I was reading.
"Guinivere, it's only five o' clock," I said, glancing at my old fashioned alarm clock. She grinned.
"I know," she said hastily. "I'm still ready though. You can have your bathroom back." I resumed my reading.
"That's okay," I said, focusing on the book. I was almost finished and the case almost solved. Sue Grafton had this reader anticipation thing down to an art. "I'm all ready too." Suddenly, the book was snatched from my vision, replaced by two green eyes widened to their potential.
"What do you mean, you're all ready?" she asked incredulously. My cheeks turned slightly pink as she took in my jeans, sneakers, and t-shirt with a horrified look on her face. "A date with your lover-boy of two years, and your wearing 'around-the-house' clothes? I think not." She marked my place carefully, yanked me off the bed, and thrust me into the bathroom. I tried to get out, like a cat thrown into a bathtub.
"Ah, ah, ah," she said, wagging a finger like an old schoolmarm. "You are not leaving this room until I am finished with you."
We spent the better part of an hour and a half making me into Britney Spears. Well, maybe not the face, but I certainly had the stomach.
"I still can't figure out when you turned into Miss Abs of Steel," she said, poking me.
"Ow!" I squeaked. "Stop it. I told you, I woke up the other day and it was like that." She shook her head, but didn't say anything. When she was finished with me, I refused to look in the mirror.
"C'mon, Jess," she said, trying to coax my eyelids open. "I swear, I didn't use blue shadow, and only clear lip gloss. It looks great!" When I finally opened them, I was actually pleased with the results. She had used a sort of golden brown shadow, the tiniest hint of eyeliner, and mascara on both upper and lower lashes. My cheeks held a rosy tint that looked almost natural, and she had been telling the truth about the lip-gloss. I surveyed myself in the mirror, then turned to Gwen. She smirked at me.
"Okay, okay," I admitted. "It looks good, or, as good as it can with my face. Thank you," I told her. And, for the first time voluntarily, I gave her a huge hug.
"I think more than your abs have changed Jessi," she said jokingly. But it was true. I knew the bodily changes had to do with the spider bite, but what of the personality? I was about to go on a, basically, double date with the guy of my dreams, because I had asked him. I would never have done that normally. Maybe it was just cause and effect. My actions, which were due to the new spider powers, had caused me to mingle with people I wouldn't have normally mingled with. I let go of Gwen.
"Now, let's see what you have in your closet," she said, and skipped out of the room.
"Gwen, you are so perky tonight," I teased her. She looked insulted.
"I am NOT perky," she said indignantly, rummaging through my closet. I came out with a black skirt that came just above my knees. She held it up to me, but I shook my head and shoved it back to her.
"We can look in my mom's closet for a blouse or something," I told her, hanging the skirt back up. "But I am wearing jeans. And that is FINAL," I said. She gave me a Look, but grabbed me by the elbow and led me into my parents' room. My mom was sitting on her bed, feet propped up, Elvis playing on the radio, reading TIME magazine. She looked up inquiringly when we entered.
"Can I help you ladies?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, we-," Gwen began, but I cut her off. I seemed to be getting pretty good at interrupting people.
"We're going out tonight, remember?" I said quickly. Gwen shot me a dirty look, which I pointedly ignored. "Gwen wants me to wear a nice shirt. Can I borrow one?" She started to get up.
"No, ma, stay there, I can get it," I said hastily. This may sound ridiculous, but I really didn't want Gwen to whisper our plans for the evening into my mother's ear as she was passing. Though she was my best friend, she was the kind of person to get a kick out of my mom teasing me for the next five years. I dragged open the huge closet doors and looked at all the items. Gwen came up beside me.
"How 'bout this?" she said, taking out a black sequined halter-top that my mom surely hadn't worn since the eighties. I glanced at her. She was snorting into her pillow, and I narrowed my eyes.
"Or, how about THIS one," I said. Actually, it was perfect; a nice collared cotton button-up, three quarter sleeves, dark navy blue. Gwen looked at me skeptically, but thought a moment, then nodded.
"Okay," she said reluctantly. I shrugged out of my jacket and buttoned the shirt over the tank top I was wearing. I could tell she wanted me to wear something more vibrant, but this was as good as it was going to get. At least she was getting me out of a sweat jacket, right? That reminded me of something.
"Um, do you have a coat, mom?" I asked her. I slid the door close and the opposite one open, where her and my dad's jackets were kept. "It's September, in New York, and I am definitely not willing to sacrifice warmth for beauty."
"Try that suede one," she said, pointing. I grabbed a sleeve, looking at her for confirmation. "No, no, yes, that one." I pulled the coat off the hanger and tried it on. Perfect. It was light tan suede, with sheep's wool or something covering the inside. I grinned.
"Thank you mommy," I said sweetly. I led Gwen out of the room and back to mine. I took off the coat, as the heater was on, and did a little fashion model twirl.
"Well?" I said. She thought for a moment, scrutinizing me, then crossed the room to my closet. She took out a pair of black boots and tossed them to me.
"Jeans, I can handle," she said, smiling. "But sneakers? Absolutely not." I slipped my Nikes off with a sigh and shoved my feet into the boots. After I had laced them, I stood up. Gwen nodded.
"The boots are very sophisticated," she said, provokingly. I smiled, with sarcasm.
"They keep my feet warmer anyway," I told her stubbornly. The doorbell rang and my heart leapt. I heard Gwen take in a shaky breath, and we exchanged glances. She gave me an encouraging smile. Gwen Fortunato was not one to be deterred by shyness, unlike her best friend Jessica Parker.
"Here goes nothing," she told me, and walked out the door, head held high.
I followed her into the living room, where my dad was, to my horror, shaking hands with Nick. When they caught sight of me, they both grinned. I ran my tongue along the inside of my cheek, trying not to scream. Unjustifiably, I was extremely embarrassed. And it wasn't even my date, supposedly.
"Hey, Jessi, can I talk to you for a sec?" said my dad, raising an eyebrow. I nodded and followed him to the hall, leaving the three staring after me.
"Could I get a news brief, please?" he said, folding his arms. I exhaled.
"Gwen likes a guy," I said, in a tone someone would have used in telling an alibi to a prosecutor. "I'm sort of friends with the guy's best friend. He's doing me a favor, and I'm doing her one. That's all," I finished, trying for a nonchalant shrug. I examined my dad's face and was surprised to find amusement on it.
"What?" I said, feeling slightly irritated. "Is the interrogation over now? They're waiting."
"They can wait a few seconds longer, Jessica," he said. I raised an eyebrow. He was going to tell me something. He paused. "Jess, have you told Gwen about....you know?" I shook my head. "Good. You can't tell anyone. Not even Gwen. It's vital. Not only would they probably not believe you, but they might take it to the papers. It wouldn't lead to anything good, trust me," he ended. I didn't know why, but I felt depressed. Something good happens to me, and I can't even tell my best friend?
"Why can't I tell Gwen?" I asked. "I mean, she would believe me, and she's my best friend. She wouldn't rat on me or anything." He shook his head.
"Harry Osbourn was my best friend," he said sadly. "Look what happened." I glanced away.
"We can talk about this another time, dad," I said, starting toward the living room. "See you around eleven." I felt my spirits lighten when I saw everyone at the door again. Gwen stole a shy look at Jay, who was pretending to examine the molding around the doorframe with interest. Nick looked back and forth between them amusedly. I caught his eye and we grinned at each other.
"Let's go then," I announced. They filed out the door and I closed it behind us. Gwen, tired of the normal teenage girl behavior that was apparently taking over her, boldly stepped ahead with Jay in her wake. He trotted up beside her and smiled down. She grinned back up and clasped his big hand in her slender one. They seemed to be having a conversation, but we were too far behind to hear. I grinned at Nick.
"They seem to be doing all right so far," I remarked. He nodded.
"Yeah, Jay seems like a dumb jock when you meet him, but he's actually really smart," he said. His hands were shoved in his pockets. "He gets mediocre grades, but only cuz he doesn't care."
"Sounds a bit familiar," I murmured. He chuckled.
"Ah, leave me alone," he joked. There was a silence as we observed Gwen and Jay, walking hand in hand and laughing at something. We reached the elevator a few moments after they did, but stood apart from them to give a little privacy. Suddenly I was aware of Nick looking at me.
"You look really nice," he said absently. I felt my ears turn red.
"Thanks," I muttered. He smiled.
"I like how you don't wear a lot of make-up usually," he said. "It looks special when you do wear it. Kate wears way too much every day. She looks the same on formal occasions as she does at school." He was blabbering now, just to fill the silence. Yikes, man, said a critical voice. That was real smooth. Talk about the girlfriend. Not exactly the best small talk, is it? Am I right Jessi? I rolled my eyes mentally. Great. Voices in my head, with their own minds, giving me advice. Do I get a prize or something for being certifiably crazy? Shut up, I told the voice. Well, that's polite, it said indignantly. That was just one difference between Nick and I. He talked, I thought.
"Yeah, that was the right thing to say," he said under his breath. I looked at him for a moment, then started to laugh. It began with a tiny giggle. He looked at me, surprised. I snorted, then bit my lip. He chuckled uncertainly, and I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. When I was finished, still hiccuping slightly, he grinned and shook his head.
"What?" I asked, stuffing down the laughter rising to the surface again.
"I think you are probably the only girl in the world that would laugh instead of slapping me," he said appreciatively. I snorted again, then took a deep breath. I noticed Gwen and Jay staring at us. I wiggled my fingers at them and shifted my weight so that Nick was blocking their gaze. I bit my lip again.
"Well, why would I slap you?" I asked, belatedly realizing that this wasn't the best way to start a conversation. The elevator doors opened, showing an old couple. We graciously let them out.
"Well, talking about my ex isn't exactly the best thing to do when-," he blurted, then stopped short. I looked at him curiously.
"When what?" I asked. He stepped into the elevator after Gwen and Jay. I dimly noticed that they were in another heated conversation, but I was more interested in the reason Nick had just cut himself off.
"Nothing," he muttered. He pressed the button for the lobby repeatedly. I noted the change in color and grinned.
"No, you've gotta tell me," I pried. He repressed a grin.
"Maybe later," he said secretively. I wrinkled my nose at him.
"That's just mean," I told him, crossing my arms. There was a silence, and then I realized what he had said.
"Wait, 'ex'?" I said, staring at him. He shuffled his feet as we walked down the street.
"Yeah, I broke up with Kate," he muttered. He looked at me curiously. "I would figure you'd have heard it by now." I shook my head silently. I had consoled myself in the one solid fact that this was not a date because he had a girlfriend. Had I been wrong? I didn't know if I wanted to be. I kicked an empty Coke can into a gutter.
"Yeah, that's a wonderful way to start off the evening," he muttered to himself. I chuckled.
"No, no," I said, smiling. "It's fine. I mean, well..." I trailed off. "Change the subject," I said firmly. He nodded dutifully.
"What movie do you want to go see?" he said promptly. I thought for a moment.
"Why don't we ask the lovely couple?" I said, grinning. He smiled back.
"Yo, Romiette, Julio," he called. They turned around, and I giggled. They let us catch up.
"I think you've got your Shakespeare mixed up," I told him. He grinned.
"What?" asked Jay. He looked slightly annoyed at his date being interrupted.
"Which movie do you guys wanna see?" asked Nick, grinning maliciously at Jay. Jay scowled at him. Gwen replied, but I didn't catch what she said. In a blinding flash, I saw the memory thing again. This time, I saw Gwen hitch her purse higher onto her shoulder. Another flash. Gwen was against a brick wall, an old worn movie poster behind her. A man in black grabbed her purse and ran away. Another flash. Gwen was crying into Jay's collar. Another flash, and I could hear and see again.
"Jessica!" said Nick, concerned. He gave me a little shake. I blinked stupidly at him. "Are you okay?" I nodded, feeling a bit paranoid. I looked around for a few moments, then back at Nick. He looked at me strangely.
"Let's go then," said Gwen, frowning at me. I nodded again. I felt like a rag doll, but I could tell I was coming back to my senses. I was worried now. This had happened twice before, and both times the dream (or premonition, as I was starting to think they were) came true. I tried to recall everything about the images. Gwen was standing in front of something colorful......a poster. I remember thinking it was a movie poster. And the man was wearing.....black? That was no help, everyone in New York wore black. Which way did he run? I shut my eyes; the memory was fading. He grabbed Gwen's purse and pushed Nick out of the way....Nick was standing on her....right...so he ran to my left. My head was starting to pound, and I opened my eyes. Nick was looking at me warily.
"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked. I nodded, forcing a smile. But I was extremely paranoid. I had barely avoided the last two times.
"Maybe we shouldn't go to a movie," I said absently, staring over my shoulder. I looked back just in time to avoid a lamppost. Nick frowned at my strange behavior.
"Why?" he asked. "The theater is just up there." I followed his glance and saw it was true. I peered at the brick wall near the entrance and a bolt of terror coursed through my limbs. It was the poster, for the movie 'Just Married.' I looked around wildly.
"Jessi, what's wrong?" demanded Nick, grabbing my arm. I looked at him, trying to quell the panic. This was not a big deal. Nothing was going to happen. Suddenly, I remembered the mugger. The image of his pain-stricken face went through my brain. I had fought him off. Well, sort off. Some how, I had kicked his arm hard enough to break it, and that was enough to let me get away. If necessary, I knew I could do it again. I took a deep breath and smiled at him.
"Nothing," I told him firmly. "Let's go in." I jumped back a half a second before Gwen crashed into me. I caught her arm before she fell on the ground. My head snapped to see what had happened. There was a man leering at us with green teeth. Wearing a black trench coat.
"Cash, babycakes," he said to us. His smile widened, showing rotting teeth most likely due to alcohol. "Just the cash. I know you've got some," he said warningly, as though I'd protested. I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder, and looked up at Nick. He looked scared.
"Just give him money, Jess," he whispered. I noticed he wasn't looking at my face, but beyond. I followed the direction of his eyes and was shocked to see a gun peering out of his coat. I gulped. Oddly enough, I wasn't scared. I should have been terrified. But, like Gwen, I was shaking. From rage. I shrugged Nick's hand off my shoulder and stepped forward half an inch.
"No," I whispered. The man raised an eyebrow.
"No?" he said. He laughed a low grumbling laugh. "You're choice babe-" I kicked the gun out of his hand and it flew across the street, into a second story window. He grimaced at me, shaking his hand out.
"That was a mistake," he said, and lunged at me. I moved sideways.
"Get out of the way!" I shouted. Nick grabbed Jay and Gwen and yanked them the rest of the way to the theater. I bent my legs slightly. This guy was huge, maybe 6"4, but some pride deep inside me swore I could take him. He roared and leaped again, trying to punch me. I hopped out of the way again. But I lost my balance, treading on an untied shoelace. I slammed into the wall, wincing. I cursed the boots, but was distracted long enough for the man to grab me by the collar. I let out a yelp as he shoved me first into a dark alley. I whipped around, getting back into a fighting stance. I heard Nick yelling, but ignored it. I was concentrating. This guy was pissing me off.
"Oh yeah, tough guy?" I yelled as he came at me again. I jumped and instinctively grabbed hold of the brick. My hand stuck to it. I leaped down over his head and glared. He looked surprised, but still determined to teach me a lesson. He made a swipe at me, and I moved out of the way, up against the wall. I kicked him in the stomach. He grunted, but whipped out a knife. I hesitated and barely missed having my guts spill out onto the sidewalk. I ran to the end of the alley and was panicked to find that it was a dead end. The man was close on my heels though, so I increased my speed. I reached the end and jumped up feet first, kicked off the wall, and flipped back over. Where the hell did THAT come from? The man clumsily stopped himself from slamming into the wall. I kicked him, near his knee because that's how tall I was, and he yelped. I wasn't finished though. I pulled my arm back and swung as hard as I could. My hand collided, slightly painful, with his jaw, making a loud cracking noise, and he slumped against the wall. I stood there for a moment, frozen, cradling my hand.
"Oh my GOD!" Gwen shrieked, coming up next to me. I turned to her slowly, and dragged her out of the alleyway, along with Nick and Jay. Jay put a comforting arm around her, but I knew he was shaken too. Once we were out of the alley, I took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. I folded my arms and hugged myself fiercely. I could've been killed. I pushed away from the wall and started to walk toward the theater.
"Come on, you guys," I said. I smiled mechanically. "Let's not let this ruin the night, huh?" I felt a wave of sickness come over me, and stumbled against the wall. I made my way, with blurred vision, over to a bench and sat down, head between my knees. I heard creaky noises and knew everyone else had done the same. I thought dimly that I should probably be having an asthma attack, but my nausea was freshened when I remembered the reason I was breathing normally. I stood up, restless, thinking of my dad. He had been Spiderman. He had done this on a daily (or nightly, I reminded myself) basis. Was this my doom? Was this what I was going to be doing the rest of my life. I paced around on the sidewalk, extremely upset. I felt a tickle on my face and put a hand up to brush it away. I stared blankly at the clear water on my fingertips. Crying? I thought stupidly. I couldn't remember the last time I had cried. I couldn't let anyone see me. I started to walk toward the theater, but someone caught my arm. Nick. He didn't say anything, just pulled me in and held me. I knew if I wanted to, I could have pushed him away. But I just stood there, tears streaming down my face. I had never known how good it felt to cry. After a few minutes, I did push away. I looked at Gwen, who was receiving similar treatment from Jay. She felt my gaze and stepped away from him.
"Let's go to the movie now," I said dully. I wiped my face and sniffed. "Just Married sound good to you guys?" Everyone nodded. We walked up to the window and paid for our tickets. Once inside the theater, Gwen pulled me aside. She seemed to be coming back to herself.
"Jessi and I are going to the ladies' room," she said. "Will you guys go save seats?" They nodded, and we parted.
Gwen was silent in the restroom. She yanked a few paper towels out of the dispenser and wet them under the faucet. She wiped away the mascara and eye make-up and tossed it in the trash. A minute and a half later, she looked good as new. She turned to me.
"Your turn," she said sharply. She looked a bit dangerous, so I sat down on the little couch, hands folded in my lap like a little girl. She wiped off the make-up with a paper towel, like she had done for herself, and took out the things she needed to re-do my face.
"What's going on," she said, applying eyeliner to my lower lashes. "Tell me now."
"Nothing," I said blandly, thinking of my dad again. She shoved the pencil back into her purse.
"Don't give me that, dammit!" she said harshly. Her lower lip was trembling with emotion, and she bit it stubbornly. "I know there's something wrong. And on our friendship, Jessica Parker, tell me what it is." She looked at me sharply, and I sighed, looking away.
"I can't tell you," I said wearily. "And even if I could, you wouldn't believe me." She shook her head, attacking my upper lid with shadow.
"That's a load of crap, Jess," she said. She snapped the container shut and put it back in her bag. She turned and started on the mascara. "And you know it. You know I'll believe what you tell me. You've never lied to me before. You are my best friend, through anything, no matter how dramatic I can be," she paused, mouth quirking, "or how stupidly stubborn you can be." I couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah, I know you're right," I said. "I think you'd believe me. But that still leaves the fact that, I'm not allowed to tell you. I have been specifically warned, -" She cut me off.
"I would tell you," she said quietly. "I would trust you." She stood up, closing her purse. I pushed myself off the couch and paced across the room. Then, I turned to her.
"Dammit!" I said, frustrated. I walked back over to Gwen, who was obviously stifling a smile. I made her sit down on the couch, and paced back and forth in front of her, frowning.
"I don't know how to tell you anyway," I told her pointedly. She waved her hand at me.
"Just say it," she said breezily. "I think I can handle it." I glared at her. How could she be so calm? She doesn't know, remember? said that stupid little voice again.
"Right, well," I stated, scratching my head. Then, in ten minutes time, I told her everything, starting with the spider bite in my room, through the spoon sticking to my hand, breaking the lock, fighting off the mugger, climbing the rope, and ending with what my dad had told me about his past. She stared at me, mouth hanging open unbecomingly. I looked at her helplessly.
"See, you don't believe me," I said. I closed my eyes and flopped down on the couch next to her. There was a silence.
"You're telling me the absolute truth?" came her voice. I looked at her and nodded. Her mouth became a firm line.
"Then I believe you," she said. I stood up, looking at her incredulously.
"For real?" I asked, a smile growing on my face despite the recent occurrences. She nodded and got up to face me. I threw my arms around her for the second time that night.
"This is so great," I told her. She looked at me skeptically.
"Your dad was really Spiderman?" she said, arching an eyebrow. She shook her head. "I never would have guessed."
"Well, would you have guessed it about me?" I pointed out. She grinned.
"No," she agreed. She paused. Then, "You shot a web out of your hand? Can I see?" She looked at me like a little puppy, and I thought if she had a tail, it would be wagging. I looked around, then locked the door.
"Okay," I said. I stuck my arm out and pressed toward my wrist with my middle and ring fingers. A white stringy substance flew out of my wrist and landed in the corner where the wall and roof met. Gwen made a sound of disbelief.
"NOW I believe you," she said. She unlocked the door and started to leave.
"Oh, yeah, I SO knew you didn't believe me!" I accused. She grinned.
"Well, now I do, so you can stop yelling at me," she said. "We'd better get to the theater, the guys'll be wondering what the hell we've been doing all this time."