Gwen Stacy

"No dad I'm going to a friend's house."

"Friends?"

I rolled my eyes, sighing quietly to myself.

Thanks dad.

"A girl. Homework, studying. Girl talk." I didn't know how to do any of those things with another person, but hopefully the words sounded like something normal people did when hanging out.

"Oh, right. Uh, don't stay out too late."

"Be back by 9:00 o'clock." I hung up after he said goodbye, welcoming the silence that came after the call.

All for three seconds.

"So there's this conditioner I use, it's called Dand-olion. I tried it out, and it's really good for my hair."

Mary Jane was… a person. She was a little shallow, although very kind, I guessed. I hadn't really known her that long. We did one project together and she stuck to me like glue. She tended to be animated, likes using her hands for talking, very cliche. A typical popular highschool stereotype.

She was also very pretty. Like, ridiculously pretty.

Did she dye her hair?

I mean, she had to. No one had hair that vibrant, not to mention red isn't an actual human hair color. It just wasn't natural. I'm guessing she's got dark hair, or maybe a dark brown?

I sat across from her in her room, doing my homework.

We just started and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like her asking me to do her homework, maybe something as equally shallow.

"Number three is wrong."

I was jerked out of my thoughts, sending a glance towards MJ, before looking back down at her paper.

"I-you used X for-"

"I mean on your paper."

Huh?

She leaned over, using my pencil to point at question 3 absentmindedly. "This isn't using quadratics. You missed last Tuesday and didn't get the formula. Here."

She jotted down an equation on my paper next to question 3, before going back to her paper.

I just continued looking at her, bemused.

The hell?

I glanced down at the equation, putting the math in my head.

Oh.

Oh. I-she's…

But how-

I shook my head, erasing my answer and putting down the right one, mind racing to everything I knew about Mary Jane Wattson.

She recently transferred to our school. In the project we did together, had she ever-no. Not really. Definitely not in class either. Mary Jane wasn't dumb, but she was a-

My lips thinned, hot shame flushing my face red.

I labeled her.

"Hey Gwen are you okay?"

I nod, pushing up my glasses. "Um, yeah. What were you saying?"

Her face lit up. "Oh! I saw this really cute dog in the shelter a few days ago! He was missing an eye but I thought that made him even more charming!"

I laughed awkwardly, calming my nerves, looking at her more closely.

I wanted to get to know her.

……..

Mary Jane Wattson

Three days after getting Felicia's phone number, and since having Gwen over, I convinced myself it was a good idea to test my powers.

"Oh god this really isn't a good idea."

"It's only natural to be scared."

"Exactly. I'm not doing this."

I shuffled my feet, which were on the edge of the roof of an abandoned warehouse.

"What are my powers again?"

"Shapeshifting, enhanced strength and regeneration."

"Awesome. Why the hell am I on the edge of a roof?"

"You can also shoot webs from your hands and climb up walls."

I paused, directing my attention to the 'Symbiote' inside me. "Wha-like Spider-Man? I have Spider-Man's powers?"

My mind was racing. Symbiotes copied abilities and powers. Strengths and smarts. If the original bonded with Spider-Man, New York's superhero, then…

"Oh my gosh." I groaned, rubbing my forehead. "Your mom or whatever attached itself to Spider-Man?"

"Taking from your memories… then yes. I believe so."

Spider-Man was hated by the Bugle, but loved by the city. He had taken on all kinds of strong villains, ranging from the Green Goblin to Sandman. I've seen some of his fights where he threw cars. If I have his strength plus my symbiote, then that makes me… I don't even know.

"Right now, let's just focus on shooting webs?"

"Let's."

I didn't want to be a bug girl, but I guess you don't always get what you want.

……...

I walked down the road, frowning at the lack of traffic on the street. Being in the less busy side of town with the sun going down was never a smart idea.

But I had two more hours of sunlight and school just let out. Also I wasn't known for my smart ideas.

I looked down at my phone again.

Where did you say?

Between 11nth and 12th.

I glanced around, looking at my right.

The only thing between 11nth and 12th was this huge ass alley.

I gripped my phone tighter, memories flashing back to Sunday, and what happened Sunday.

I don't… I didn't…

I sighed heavily, shoving my hands in my pockets.

And walked into the alley.

There was a chill in the air.

The sun was still up, but it was a cold day. The dark, cramped spaces sent goosebumps down my arms, mind racing.

I wasn't normally as jumpy but… what happened to me was still fresh. It rattled me.

I thought about calling out for her, but the more I thought about it the more I convinced myself that I was set up.

Just as I was about to head back something happened.

A numb, ringing sensation made itself known in the back of my head.

I backed up, giving a sharp gasp as I hit something. As I looked up I saw a tall dirty male figure stare back at me, still as if he was a mannequin.

But staring at me.

I walked forward, two serious looking men walking toward me. Fear gripping my heart as I noticed my surroundings closing in on me. The walls felt more narrow than I remembered, and two more figures walked out the shadows, slowly advancing with the tall silent man I bumped into earlier.

"Mary."

I swallowed, trying to remind myself that, in a fight, I could win. I had Singe with me, meaning even with their numbers, I stood a chance. Statistically if Spider-Man could beat up a couple of thugs easily, then someone with greater strength, me, could handle them.

But I didn't feel strong when my arms shook, knuckles turning white as my fists clenched.

And then I was cornered, a tight circle around me, like sharks circling its prey.

I flinched as a large hand touched me, almost calm but with an urgent and sudden force that sank into the soft flesh of my shoulder.

"Mary you have to stop panicking."

I could barely hear Singe over the sound of blood rushing in my ears. My heart was thundering, and I gave short little scared gasps for air, trying not to shake like a leaf.

Fighting back got me stabbed last time. I could still feel it, more now as if I was reliving the memory. It hurt. Like you wouldn't believe. Shutting down as I went into shock.

"You have to snap out of it!"

No, I…

I was jerked out of my spiral, at the sound of a boot hitting someone's face.

I was yanked by the arm, shoved forward into a stumble, catching a glimpse of white hair.

Felicia.

The biggest thug, the silent one, was taken down with a swift heel, the five other thugs suddenly moving into action at the sudden start of resistance.

My mind calmed down, cooled by the sight of Felicia here, next to me. The men that once surrounded me, seeming like giants, now looked like regular, normal sized, dirty alley criminals.

Felicia launched herself at the two blocking the way out, twisting around and shoving one of them into a wall.

I turned around myself, mind clear enough for a fight.

Sorry for losing myself there.

"Just keep your head in the game. Good snapping back from your episode."

I'll have to address that later.

But for now…

I couldn't make it too obvious that I had powers, but this was also my first fight. Well, first real fight.

How was I gonna play this?

I instinctively shifted into a stance, and let my instincts guide my movements. A quick heel off the ground, a foot to a guy's ribs. He hit the ground hard, and while he was down I moved to the other guy, sweeping his leg out from under him and sending a sharp jab at his chest.

He writhed on the ground in pain, and I didn't noticethe other guy I knocked down get back up, and punch me in the face.

It stung. Not as bad as getting stabbed, but I had an ugly red mark on my left cheek.

He gripped my shirt and I grabbed at his arms, but before he could hit me again(or I could twist out of his grasp) Felicia tackled him to the ground and knocked him out in a single really hard punch.

She panted, getting off of him, twisting around to kick the other guy I was fighting, who was still on the ground.

Once she seemed satisfied, Felicia grabbed my wrist and belined out of the alley.

"Oh, okay." I mumbled out, being dragged along by her.

I glanced at her, glancing back down fast as I noticed the look on her face.

Relief uncoiled in my chest, the feeling of getting out of that. With how I shut down I wasn't sure.

Felicia yanked my wrist, turning me around to look at her.

"What the hell was that?" She fumed.

We stopped in a secluded area. There weren't many cars passing by, fewer than before. No one else on the streets. Felicia seemed to know New York like the back of her hand.

Everything that happened took about a quarter of an hour.

I gave a shaky laugh. "Well, a lot of things happened back there."

She stepped closer. "Are you fucking stupid?! You should have never gone in that alley!"

"You didn't didn't exactly lead me away from there."

Guilt played on her face. "I-I didn't-" She turned away.

We stayed in awkward silence for a bit.

I rubbed the back of my head, my mood dying down. "Hey… you were right. Sorry. The truth is… I almost died in an alley last Sunday."

She glanced up at me, shocked. "What?"

"I was coming home from work, and tried to take a short cut… three guys cornered me in the dark."

"How-how did you-"

"I can handle my own. Mostly."

She snorted, reaching up to wipe at the cut below my eye. "Yeah I can tell."

"I froze up. In that alley. There-there were so many people and-the last time I resisted I almost got stabbed." Did get stabbed.

Actually, why do I still have the cut on my face?

"Didn't heal it. This female is observant, she would have noticed."

Ah.

"So why did you go in there?" She looked like she couldn't make sense of it. The answer was actually really stupid.

"Stubbornness. That and… I-" I bit my lip. "I saw you the first day I transferred to Midtown High. You were alone, like me, and so freaking pretty. N-not in a gay way! But, um… like I said before, I just wanted to be your friend. Get to know you?" I rambled out.

She gave a heavy sigh, looking up and rubbing the area between her eyes.

"I fucked up real bad. You're stupid for forgiving me so easily Red."

"H-huh? What?"

"I don't feel like doing anything right now but… if you ever want to hang at your place-"

"Yes!" I blinked, backing up. "Um, I mean yes. That sounds great."

Felicia looked at me, eyes searching, like she was looking through me. "Cool." She smirked.

And that's a wrap! Sorry for taking so long oof. I've been pretty busy. Hope you guys had a good christmas! And happy New Years!