Last chapter wasn't the only one with stuff going down, so...

The reviews last chapter had me grinning and laughing! Love you guys!

Words: 2,692

"Are you okay?" She questions but doesn't receive a verbal answer. Instead, Peter slowly moves towards her and as tentatively as he's ever done anything, he connects his lips with hers.

Shocked, Ada freezes at first but returns the kiss when she feels Peter's hands cup her cheeks. Her own grab his wrists right before they both pull away.

Clearing her throat, Ada thinks carefully about what just happened. "That..." She trails off and looks off to the side before meeting Peter's eyes. What the hell are these last two days? "No, I got..."

"Nothing?" Peter asks, slowly lowering his hands from her face.

"Yeah," Ada says while nodding. "Yeah, I got nothing." Clicking her tongue, the teenager shrugs. "I mean you're not a bad kisser," Peter snorts and rolls his eyes. "But no, I felt...nothing. Sorry."

"No, no me either," Peter admits, almost sheepishly. He feels...stupid and better at the same time. It almost feels like a weight off his shoulders. "Sorry for just, doing that."

"It's okay," Ada shakes her head. It was different. She doesn't want to think about Chris, she feels sick when she does, but this is Peter. She trusts Peter, feels safe with Peter. He gave her the chance to back away easily, didn't corner her. Was gentle. Though she doesn't want to kiss him again. No offense to him. "I promise it's fine. But now that we got that out of the way," Ada claps her hands together and sucks her teeth. More seriously, she questions. "You wanna tell me what brought that on?"

"I don't know," Peter shrugs and falls heavily onto his back. "Things. I guess I was just confused."

"I love you, Peter. You're my best friend. And maybe at one point I felt something more or thought I did, but what just happened proved to me that..." She shakes her head. "My love is a hundred percent platonic."

"Me too," Peter nods and turns to her, smiling softly. "No offense or anything," He starts and Ada chuckles. "But, I felt nothing, like nothing at all. It was like no-"

"Okay, I get it," Ada laughs again and hits his shoulder. She releases a deep breath. It does feel better, knowing that there's nothing there. It also confirms some of her other feelings. "That's not all, what else?" She looks back down at him, watching his entire face scrunch up. "That face I do now, out with it."

"I don't think MJ feels the same." He says in a rush and Ada sighs. She's doing a lot of that these days.

"Peter, this is MJ, she's worse at expressing her emotions than Mr. Stark. Okay? Trust me, she likes you." Speaking of their mutual friend. "Oh, and you know we totally have to tell her what just happened, right?"

Biting his lips together, Peter nods, expression boarding on regretful. "Figured."

"I honestly think she'll just laugh." Ada lies down next to him and stares at her blank ceiling. Why does that bother her so much? "You know, I think I'll tell her myself. Alone. I wanna chat with her anyway."

"About?"

"You,"

"Oh, come on," Peter grumbles, throwing his arms into the air and letting them fall back onto the bed. "This mattress feels like a cloud."

"I know right?" Ada turns her head towards him. "I thought the ones at the compound were nice. I think it's because it's newer. Or something...or maybe it really is a cloud." Ada gasps as if that's an actual possibility.

"Yes, that's definitely it," Peter says seriously. "Or flower petals, maybe."

"Nah, we would be able to smell them."

"Yeah, you're right." Peter nods but then shakes his head, his eyebrows furrowing. "What are we talking about?"

"No idea."

"Ada, you're friends here," Ada rushes from her room and past Pepper to greet MJ. Peter is long gone. Tony and Pepper are back, both making dinner.

"Come," Ada grabs MJ's hand and drags her into her room before either adult could stop them with questions. "We need to have a serious conversation."

"Oh, no," MJ mumbles jokingly and sits down in Ada's desk chair while the shorter girl sits on her bed.

She folds her hands in front of her and rests them on her knees. MJ looks at her expectantly. "You like Peter, Peter likes you. I understand relationships can be more complicated than just two people liking each other. And we're teenagers, I'm not sure if that makes things better or worse." Taking a breath, Ada holds up a finger so MJ doesn't interrupt. "But, you guys need to...admit your feeling to one another or you'll lose each other and I don't want to see that happen." She pauses briefly. "And Peter kissed me."

MJ does exactly what Ada thought she'd do. Her eyes widen and she covers her mouth to quiet her laughs. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, but it only confirmed that we're best friends and friends only. Please don't hate me."

"Why would I hate you? Especially over a boy. If he doesn't like me, sure it sucks, but I'm not going to waste my time and ruin my friendships over it. I don't want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me."

"Can I be you?" Ada questions, her eyes following her friend as she moves to sit on the bed next to her. "Nah, I don't think the world could handle two of you. I mean that in the best way possible."

"Of course," MJ nods once.

"Okay, back to the point. I don't know why either of you are doing this whole avoidance thing, but you need to stop or move on. I prefer the former personally. You both like each other, you've both told me more than once. Just...go for it." MJ's expression turns into one she's never seen on the girl's face before. "What's that mean?" MJ just looks at her. "You're worried about ruining your friendship."

MJ turns her head forward and Ada nods. "Yeah, sure it's a possibility," She shrugs. No point in lying. "But honestly, I don't think it'll happen. Even if you do break up, it doesn't have to be a bad thing. I know a couple that broke up and stayed friends. It's possible. And hey, Peter and I kissed and it's not weird at all."

"I still can't believe that," MJ smiles and Ada laughs.

"Yeah, it was a surprise, but hey," Ada grabs her arm and waits until MJ meets her eyes. "At least I can tell you that he's a good kisser."

"Shut up," Pushing her back, MJ laughs as Ada falls onto her back. "Is he really?"

Pulling her friend down with her, Ada catches her breath before shrugging. "I mean, it was a short kiss but it wasn't bad. Just, there were no feelings there, so...probably be better for you."

MJ rolls her eyes and kicks her feet back and forth. "Fine."

"Wait, fine, fine?" Ada sits up and leans on her arms. "Really? You're going to tell him?"

"Jeez, not if it's going to give you a heart attack." MJ pulls Ada back down onto the bed. "I'll tell him tomorrow. Or the next-"

"Tomorrow," Ada cuts her off. "He's free, I already asked."

"Have you planned our wedding too?"

"Now that you mention it,"

Ada's gaze shifts from the view out her bedroom window and back to the blank canvas sitting on her easel. It's a new one, Pepper had gotten it for her. It had been a surprise but she'd asked Ada about paints. The teenager told her she had some already. And she did, a little. The only problem is that it's packed away in one of the many boxes in that room. She doesn't want to dig around for them.

Gritting her teeth, Ada grabs her bag from her desk and slips on her shoes. Buying paint can actually be pretty fun. She'd ask MJ or Peter to come along if they weren't both in Queens. She doesn't feel like waiting for them.

Securing her hat on her head, Ada steps out onto the sidewalk and starts towards a place she knows sells art supplies. It's getting warmer and her head sweats with the beanie, but she's not ready to take it off. She says it's because of her hair, and it is, but not entirely. The fabric is almost like a security blanket. The right side of her skull isn't as strong as it used to be, after all. It makes her feel a little better to wear it.

On her way, Ada passes a little corner store and decides to step inside to grab a soda or something. Something with caffeine.

It's mostly empty. The cashier lazily reading a magazine and a couple of other people milling around. She walks through the aisle to see if anything else catches her eye while she's here. A candy bar or something with sugar. Ada shrugs to herself as the bell above the door dings. She doesn't bother looking up until familiar voices reach her ears.

Her heart drops to her stomach but it's quickly righted when she sees them. Maisie rounds the corner with Lexi and Simon behind her. Chris is nowhere to be seen. Ada releases a sigh of relief. "Oh, hey guys," She mumbles to them and they look up, expressions shifting immediately. Maisie's smile drops. Simon turns down into an odd smirk that makes her uncomfortable. Lexi just looks apologetic.

With a scoff, Maisie takes a few steps closer to her. "You know, I never expected this from you."

"What?" Ada asks in confusion, looking between the three of them.

"Chris told me what happened," Maisie states like it explains everything. Ada's eyebrows furrow. If he told her what happened, why is she treating her like she's the bad guy? "That you were all over him. How you kissed him even after he told you he wasn't interested." Ada is shaking her head the entire time the other girl speaks, her heart falling more and more with every word.

"No, that's not-"

"Don't try to lie, okay?" Maisie says with an exasperated sigh. "You're just an attention-seeking slut and no one wants you around." Ada bites her lip to stop it from wobbling. "So stay away from us and especially Chris-"

"He kissed me, not the other way around," Ada raises her voice over Maisie's, cutting her off like she had done to her previously. "And if you weren't so in love with him, you'd see past his lies! And news flash, Maisie, he obviously doesn't feel the same-" She saw it coming, honestly, but she kept talking anyway. And when her head snaps to the side, a stinging shooting across her cheek, surprise still hits her. Much like Maisie's hand just did.

"You should've died in that car wreck," Maisie spits before spinning on her heel and marching out of the store. Ada stares at her back numbly, a hand resting on her cheek. Simon follows the girl quickly but Lexi hesitates. She frowns at Ada before leaving with the others, rushing to catch up with them.

Ada moves the hand on her cheek to cover her mouth, the other resting on her stomach. She looks over the shelf to see the cashier staring with wide eyes. He looks away quickly when she meets his eyes. Ada turns away from the door and rushes into the bathroom just in time to lose the contents of her stomach in the toilet.

Her knees ache from the hard floor but she doesn't move. She gags again but only bile comes up. She had a small breakfast. The door opens but Ada's to busy trying to breathe to bother seeing who it is.

A skinny hand lands on her shoulder and Ada knows who it is immediately. The other hand moves her hair from her face. "Come on, the floor in here is filthy," Lexi says and helps Ada stand on unsteady feet. "Here," Grabbing a paper towel, the blue-haired girl wets it and offers it to Ada.

"Thought you left," Ada mumbles after wiping her mouth.

"Just to tell them to go to hell," Lexi shrugs and Ada huffs a laugh. There's not much humor behind it. "Look, I'm really sorry. Maisie...she's a bitch. And I believe you. About Chris."

"Thanks," Ada holds up the paper towel before throwing it away, letting the other girl know she means for both things.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Grabbing Ada's hand, Lexi pulls her out of the bathroom and out of the store. Ada doesn't fight nor does she ask where they're going. They come upon a building an enter an apartment. "My step-dad is at work, so." Lexi shrugs and closes her bedroom door behind her. "This'll make you feel better."

"That's the most cliche hiding spot," Ada tells the girl when she slides a box of alcohol out from under her bed.

"Well, it hasn't been found yet, so," Lexi says and squints her brows before passing a bottle to Ada. The teenager shrugs and takes it. "Sit wherever," Lexi motions around her more-messy-than-clean room and falls onto her bed. Shrugging to herself, Ada falls onto the beanbag chair. "It's organized chaos, by the way," Lexy says and Ada raises an eyebrow at the girl. "It steers the parents away from looking through my stuff."

"Ah, gotcha," Ada mumbles and sips her drink. "Today sucks."

"Yeah, hows your cheek?"

"S'fine," Ada mutters. "Had worse. That's not the worst part." Scrunching up her face, Ada look up again. "Hey, how did Maisie know about...the car accident?" She'd never said anything to them about anything. Never even told them her last name. Only... "Chris."

"Yeah," Lexi nods, tipping her own bottle back. "He's kind of an ass."

Snorting, Ada nods. "You said it, sister."

"They all are," Lexi sits up and points at her. "Well, Mike is okay."

Mike, that's his name. Ada doesn't really have an opinion on the boy. "Are you guys together?"

"No,"

"But you want to be," Ada states rather than asks. She's seen the two of them together, she knows. "You should go for it." Her words are already starting to slur. Maybe she's always been a lightweight or maybe it's her empty stomach. "You know, finding someone who really knows who you are and having them still like you, that's rare. Should keep it."

"Why do I feel like you're speaking from experience?"

"Not experience, per se," Ada mumbles and takes another drink. "Let's just say I'm screwed up and if someone knew everything, they wouldn't stay."

"Please," Lexi scoffs. "We're all screwed up. I know people worse than you."

"Thank you?"

"Yes, thank you," Lexi stumbles off her bed and over to her desk. She pulls open one of the drawers and digs around until she finds what she's looking for. "Ah-ha, there you are."

"What is it?" Ada asks when the other teenager offers her a pill.

"I don't know. But it'll make you feel better." Lexi shrugs and takes one of her own. Ada thinks for a second but copies Lexi's movements. "Don't worry, it's not that strong, you can be home on time with no one the wiser."

I realize a lot of people wanted Peter and Ada to end up together. At first, I knew I wasn't going to put them together but then I was second-guessing myself for a while. But I finally made up my mind for sure that I wanted them to be just best friends. There's not enough platonic fics out there. I also wanted them to kiss and thought it would be a good way to say, no, just friends. Sometimes you gotta kiss it out to realize there's nothing there.

You know, and for them to know for sure that there's nothing there. Because when there's nothing there, there's nothing there. Thanks for tuning in to my Ted Talk. lol, just kidding, but thanks for reading this rant ^^. Sorry to those who wanted these two beans to be together but it's not happening. Well, who knows, maybe when they're like, thirty...I don't know.

Feelings change. They're just teenagers now. I do plan on doing a follow up when this story is over but I don't know how old they'll be or basically anything right now, not gonna lie.

Okay, I wish I could punch Chris, not just Ada. Our poor girl just doesn't need all this toxic crap right now.

Teasers: "That was pathetic," / "The hell, man?" / "Prove it." / "I'm sure," He says, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. / "You never know when you're going to need to punch someone." / "That won't feel good in the morning."

Thanks so much for reading! I'd love to read your thoughts on this chapter!

'-'