Part Two

"Peter Parker." The science teacher said dryly with his back turned to a board full of computations and statistics. "Perhaps you can solve this equation."

Peter suddenly snapped out of a daze and gazed around the room in confusion, "Huh?"

The teacher frowned and adjusted his spectacles, "This equation." Chuckles and snickers ran rampant throughout the class as the usually brainy Parker was caught with his pants down.

"Oh." Peter said nervously and turned his eyes towards the equations that spanned the width of the black board. "The answer is seven point nine." He responded confidently.

He nodded, "Good job, Mr. Parker. What we have here is an equation for the formula of an adhesive filament, not unlike…spider webs!"

Peter frowned at this sudden mention of spider webs and turned his eyes down towards the notebook in front of him. Apparently, he had doodling without even realizing it. Spiders lay all across the blank page. "Wow." He whispered quietly just as the bell rung.

Now the students practically began a mad dash for the lunchroom not really caring if they were hungry or not. Peter dropped by his locker and put a new lock on and then proceeded to the cafeteria.

"Hey, Pete." Harry Osborn emerged from one of the class rooms and performed a sort of hop-run that Peter found hilarious but hid his amusement well enough. "How you doing?"

"Okay, I guess." Peter responded as they turned a corner in the school's vast network of corridors.

"Okay?" Harry frowned suddenly, "I heard about what happened this morning at your locker, I also heard about what happened at the school with Flash and the others."

Peter stopped dead and his tracks and leaned in towards Harry, "How did you find out about that?" He said with an accusing tone.

Harry shrugged, "You didn't think Flash was going to brag about how he made you run through an entire building?"

"No, I guess that wouldn't be in his character." Peter responded angrily, "I'm so sick of that guy."

"I know what you mean." Harry noted, "That's the system, we're the outcasts. You're a nerd, no offense, and I'm the rich kid." He patted Peter on the shoulder and grinned, "Don't worry, we won't see those guys in college."

"Parker?" Jill asked in shock as they sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria, "Nerdy Parker? Why would you invite him over to your house?"

Mary Jane shrugged, "I don't know. I just felt like inviting him." She responded before taking a sip of her soda, "What's the problem? Its not like he's going to try anything."

"He's a nerd!" Jill responded, "They're nice to joke around with but not bring along on some date!"

MJ frowned and shook her head in her own defense, "Its not a date."

Liz who sat to MJ's right nodded, "Listen to Jill. Besides you're only going to break his heart in the end. You know how those types of guys, they're like puppies."

"I'm just being nice to the poor guy!." MJ responded angrily.

"He doesn't have parents." Liz responded as she ate a few small bits of her French fries.

"What do you mean?" She inquired.

Liz swallowed any food in her mouth and elaborated, "He lives with his Aunt and Uncle. I think I heard that his parents were killed in some car crash."

MJ raised her hand, "You hear that? The guy obviously needs a break from all the jocks put him through."

"Just don't fall in love with him. You're not the kind of girl, MJ. You'd forget about him after a week. People like Gwen Stacy, they're the ones that have a thing for those types of guys." Jill warned cautiously.

"I guess he is a little cute." MJ commented much too the disgust of her friends. Her eyes turned towards the swinging doors, "They're he is."

Liz gazed at the man walking next to Peter, "Now, Harry Osborn, he's a catch." Jill turned to her with a stare full of disapproval, "At least his dad's rich." She responded.

"Mr. Osborn." The secretary called in with a hint of fear and nervousness. With all the news of corporate corruption going around she had no idea what this visit meant.

"Yes." He responded his voice unusually raspy and weary, "What is it?"

She took a deep breath, "There's two police officer's here to see you."

There was silence for a moment and she gazed nervously at the cops as they stared back at her.

Finally he responded, "Send them in." His tone sounded resentful and hesitant.

The cops moved past her desk and down the short corridor that led to his office at the top of this massive tower. As they reached the doors they suddenly slid apart on their own revealing the interior of the office.

"Mr. Osborn?" One of the police officers called out as they entered the room.

On the other side of the office, Norman Osborn sat in his plush chair as he always did, perfectly fine. "Gentlemen, how can I help you?" He rose and shook each one's greeting them appropriately.

One officer raised his eyes and sighed deeply, "Mendel Stromm was apparently murdered early this morning. Thrown out of his apartment window."
"Oh?" Norman asked, "Do you have any idea of who might be responsible?"

"None yet, however, we understand he was working on a very important project for your company."
"Yes." Norman responded, "However, I don't see where that would come in with his murder."

The cop shrugged easily, "I'm not sure either, but could we receive some sort of comprehensive report on the project, or even see the lab?"

Norman shook his head and ran his hand through his wavy brown hair, "I'm afraid not. The project is government sponsored. I'm afraid, under contract, only a government agent can be granted such access."

"You can't help us out on this one?" The cop requested, "Just a little peak."

"I'm sorry." Norman responded sympathetically, "Allowing to even see the files could result in a major lawsuit against Osborn Industries. Is that all?"

The officers nodded, "Yes, I guess that will be it."

Norman nodded, "I hope you find the killer. Good day." He smiled as the officers left and waved them off. As soon as the doors closed once they had existed his smile was replaced with a scowl.

He pressed the button on the intercom linking him to the secretary out front. "Excuse me."

"Yes sir?" She answered immediately.

Norman sighed trying to put on some play of sadness for her, "Please inform everybody down at the lab that Dr. Stromm…has been murdered."

"Oh my." She said shocked at the sudden news, "I will, anything else?"

He was about to respond with a no and end their discussion when something suddenly popped into his head. "Inform lab seven that I want them to get one of the flight gliders up here, immediately. Possibly with a copy of those new electro-zap gloves they've been developing if they have a spare."

Aunt May moved towards the front of her home with a bag of grocery's in hand and her eyes full of never-ending love. She entered through the door that she quickly locked behind her. "I'm home, Ben,"

Ben Parker emerged from another room and grinned at her, "Got the food?"

"Yep." She responded as she put the bags down and brushed her hands together, "The cashier gave me such a time about the coupons." May glanced at the stairwell leading up and then back towards Ben, "Did Peter come home, yet?"

"No." Ben responded taking a deep breath, "He called to say he's going over some friend's house."

"He did?" May asked immediately taking a more maternal stance, "Harry Osborn?"

Ben shook his head, "No. Mary Jane Watson." He said quickly and pointed a finger towards the groceries, "So what you get?"

"Don't avoid the issue, Ben Parker." She demanded, "He's going over to a girl's house?" She sighed, "You said it was alright?"

"Of course I did." Ben responded, "Peter's becoming a man, we need to let him grow."

May shrugged, "If something happens it's on your conscience. He knows how to use protection, doesn't he?"

Ben nodded confidently, "Of course he does." He then lowered his head and mumbled nervously, "At least I hope he does."

Harry stepped in through the front door, "Hey dad? Are you home?"

"Yes, I'm home." Norman Osborn said from the safety of his bedroom.

"Okay." Harry responded and ascended the stairs, "I need to speak to you, and it's about history class."

Norman sounded as if he was struggling for something, "Okay, just hold on a sec."
"You're not dressed?" Harry inquired knowing full well that his father was always in business suits at this time of day.

"No-no, its not that." Norman responded nervously just as he could be heard moving across the room.

"What then?" Harry pushed the door open and entered Norman's room, "Dad?"

Norman turned around suddenly, "Its fine now." He reported, "What are you doing here?"

Harry sighed, "I've been having trouble in history, I was wondering if you could help."

"Out of the question." Norman responded, "I have too many things to do, but I could hire a tutor to help you."

"No, I guess I can do it." Harry responded remorsefully.

Norman nodded, "Good, so I guess you can leave." Harry immediately complied and exited the room, closing the door as soon as possible.

"Nosey little brat." He whispered angrily, "A name, I need a name." Norman raised an eye, "The Troll? No." He declared. "The-the. What am I?"

He rubbed the temples of his head, "I was empowered by a formula. Formula Green." He looked at himself for a moment in the mirror, "Green. It needs something."

"Mr. Osborn." His computer called out from its station along the wall. Norman demanded constant contact with his company and had the interface installed several months ago.

"What is it?" Norman asked exasperated at his failure to come up with a name.

"Professor Tran needs authorization to transfer the flight glider to warehouse nine as you requested." The computer responded dully.

Norman nodded, "Very well. Authorization granted: Osborn-Goblin." His eye widened, "Goblin."

A smirk came across his lips, "The Goblin. Green" He gazed at himself in the mirror again with a crazed look in his eyes. " The Green Goblin."

Peter walked up the stairs leading to Mary Jane's bedroom, "Your mom and dad aren't home?" He gazed across the modest home several blocks away from he lived.

"My mom's at work and my dad…well he's never here." She responded regrettably. "I'll be in the bathroom just make yourself comfortable."

Peter nodded awkwardly, "Okay." He slipped into her bedroom and found an assortment of posters and other trinkets across the floor. He sat at the end of her bed where a television faced and turned it on. He took a deep breath, "Just keep cool, Pete." He told himself.

Mary Jane emerged from the bathroom with visibly brighter lipstick, "So, what are you watching?"

"Science channel." Peter responded nervously as he began to switch channels, "The television was already on it."

"Don't worry, tiger." She said gently as she sat beside Peter on the bed, "Was it anything good?"

Peter shrugged, "Not that interesting." He gazed across the room quietly, "I like it."

"I barely use it." MJ noted. "You're a nice guy, Peter."

"I suppose." He answered weakly.

MJ nodded, "You are. There's something about you, a innate goodness that I like." She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, "I like you Peter. You're different from everybody else."

He turned his head and gazed into her eyes and returned the kiss. She put her hand on his chest and began to pull him on the plate when he suddenly spoke, "I-I can't."

MJ frowned, "No?"

Peter smiled, "Call me old-fashioned, but we just met and I don't want to take advantage, I don't want to look back on today and regret it." He shrugged, "How about we just talk."

She grinned, "You are sweet."

"What's he doing there?" Flash Thompson asked angrily as they saw Peter Parker inside Mary Jane's house from the adjacent block.

One of his friend's shrugged, "Maybe she's going to give him a makeover." He said snickering.

"Shut up." Flash said disapprovingly, "She'd better not be harboring that freak." He turned to Jay hiding in Flash's shadow, "Get your car, we're going to have to teach Parker another lesson."

"What are you going to do with your life, Peter?" Mary Jane asked as they both lay on the roof of her home looking up at the bright blue sky above as the clouds played with one another.

"After college?" Peter inquired.

"Yeah."

Peter took a deep breath, "I don't know. Everybody say's I should do something in science but sometimes I think I want something more." He gazed at her laying beside him, "Like I want to make a difference in people's lives."

"Pretty ambitious." MJ responded, "Most guys are looking forward to football, a couple are planning on landing six-figure jobs."

"What about you?" He asked.

"Me?" MJ smiled, "You'd think it was stupid."

Peter raised his head and leaned over, "Tell me." Most guys would have thought Peter insane for giving up a chance to sleep with Mary Jane Watson, especially considering that he was a virgin, but there was something about her that he didn't want to hurt, something about her that he wanted to get to know more.

"Not today." Mary Jane responded somewhat embarrassed and afraid, "Maybe next time. For what its worth, Peter, I think you are going to change people's lives. You've got a gift and it'd be a shame to waste it."

"You mean there is going to be a next time?" Peter asked with hope flaring up in his eye.

MJ smiled, "You can count on it, Tiger." She checked her watch and then looked back at Peter, "You'd better go."