SCARLETT
Six days and eight bloody knuckles later, I'm still not talking to Peter. I've been hanging with Spiderman and punching the punching bags in the training room, I haven't given Peter Parker much thought…
I wake up to the sound of an alarm going off, realizing that it's my alarm clock on my phone. I've stayed at the Tower for the past week, doing everything I can to avoid Peter. While I do enjoy the large, spacious Stark Tower, I miss my little apartment… And Peter. And Ned. And everything we used to do together. Getting our usual's at Delmar's after school three times a week and eating them on the roof mine and Peter's apartment building. I miss the laughs and sweet moments Peter and I shared. I miss him holding me in his arms when he rushes in because I was screaming from a nightmare.
I check my messages and realize I have one from Aunt May. And that's what broke me.
'Scarlett, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, I need you to come talk to Peter. Please… Talk through your issues and make up with him. He's been mopey since you started ignoring him and it's really depressing around here. He barely eats, he sleeps a lot, he holes himself up in his room all the time and won't talk to me. All I know is what I know from Ned. Please Scarlett, I love both of you. You've been inseparable since you were little. I'm sure you can get through this problem together, right? Xoxo, May."
I love Aunt May like she's part of the family. That's why I decided to call Peter.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Peter's number (He's number 5 on speed dial). The phone rang and rang and rang… No answer.
I didn't bother to leave a voice message. I guess I'll have to wait until I get to school to talk to him.
I walk to the bathroom and take a shower, then get dressed in black skinny jeans, red converse, and a green off-the-shoulder shirt, layering a black tank and sports bra underneath. I apply some light make-up (my dad is old-fashioned and won't let me wear much. Not that I want to anyways. Just enough to hide a few blemishes). Just some skin tone evener, light blush, mascara, and a thin line of eyeliner flicking up into a small wing on my eyelids. I pull my hair into a high pony tail and slide on a few bracelets, one being the charm bracelet Peter got me for my birthday last year.
I check the clock and realize I only have 20 minutes until I have to be at school.
"Shit!" I exclaim and run downstairs to the kitchen, grab a piece of toast and an apple, and rush out the door.
As I rush out the front doors of the building, a familiar red and blue suit stands in front of me.
"Hey Spidey. Sorry, can't talk. I have to get to school." I say quickly and try to get around him.
"Let me give you a lift. I have to go to school too. Midtown, actually." He explains.
"Wait, you go to Midtown?!" I practically yell. His hand comes up and covers my mouth.
"Don't be so loud. Yes, I go to Midtown. I'm only sixteen. This whole Spiderman thing is only a… part-time thing." He says in a hushed tone.
"We'll talk more later. We're going to be late." I state and he tells me to hold on tight and we swing from roof to roof, making it to school in about seven minutes.
PETER
After Scarlett rushes inside, I change into my civilian clothes and rush to my locker to get my History textbook. But I didn't expect what I was going to see.
"Hey, Parker…" The fiery red-head said slowly.
"Scarlett…" I say, my voice just above a whisper. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see you… I miss you Peter. These past few weeks have been awful without you… I've been sparring with Bucky or punching a bag almost every night because I was driven crazy. I needed to get you off my mind. Sparring with the help of a friend's adventures around New York made it possible. I thought not thinking of you would make it easier to leave… But I realize now that I don't want to leave you. I just needed some time to think. I'm sorry Peter. I overreacted. I just… I just want you to tell me what's going on." She had grabbed both my hand lightly in hers as she spoke.
"Scarlett… I've missed you too." That's all I could say. I was just so happy I had my best friend back.
Taking advantage of her grip on my hands, I pull back, letting her fall into me as I wrap her in a hug. Not too long after, I feel her sobbing, her arms holding me tighter. I stroke the back of her hair, then pull away.
"Hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" I look into her eyes and ask her gently.
"I've just missed you so much and was scared that you wouldn't forgive me for shutting you out…I thought I would have lost you." She explained through tears.
I hold her face in my hands and wipe away a tear with my thumb. "You will never lose me Scar. I promise."
She nods her head and reaches in for another hug. I welcome her with open arms and kiss the top of her head. "It's going to be okay. We're going to be okay." I say to myself more than her.
The tardy bell rings and we break apart. She quickly wipes away the rest of her tears and we split ways and go to class. I shoot her a quick text before I enter class.
'Meet me in your room after school. I'll tell you my secret then. X'
'Okay. Delmar's first? I haven't had a usual since I left.'
'Ha-ha, sure. Delmar's, then your place.'
I shove my phone in my pocket and enter class, mentally preparing myself for the scolding I was about to get from Mr. Hanson.
SCARLETT
I put my phone away and enter the art room, apologizing for being late. My art teacher, Mrs. Lancer, and I are somewhat close. She knows about Peter and me and how I've been living at my uncle's house in order to avoid him. She knows sometimes the traffic can be tricky so she excuses my tardiness with a smile and all she does (so the other students don't think she's favoriting people) is tell me that instead of my sketch being due tomorrow, it's due at the end of class today. No big deal, honestly. All I have to do is add some shading and it's done.
I silently work on my sketch as I listen to some smooth jazz through my earbuds which are connected to the phone my uncle Tony built. Spiderman has the same style phone I do except he has Karen and his is red and not green like mine. Pascal is programmed into my phone so everywhere I go, Pascal is with me. He talks to me sometimes through whatever system I have. But I always tune him out when I'm trying to work. He does like to take control of my playlist sometimes, just to mess with me. He'll throw in some Black Veil Brides while I'm listening to Louis Armstrong. Quite the personality, I must say. I don't mind though. He keeps me on my toes.
The bell for the end of first period rings and I turn in my drawing. It's a black and white sketch of the New York skyline from the top of Stark Tower. I got inspiration from one of the many times Spiderman took me up there to see the sunset. The time when I was living at the tower and we stayed up on the roof for about three hours just talking. He put his arm around me and I rested my head on his chest and we lied down, gazing up at the stars until I was interrupted by a text from my dad telling me to get home and go to sleep.
The school day is finally over and I get a text from Peter.
'Hey, go ahead and get Delmar's without me. I'll me you at your apartment at 4 ok?' It read.
I sigh and reply to him: 'Yeah okay. See you then...'
I head over to Delmar's and make small talk with Mr. Delmar for a little bit while my order is being prepped. I thank Mr. Delmar and head to my apartment and wait for Peter in my room.
I constantly check my clock and watch. 4:00… 4:15…5:30…7:45… the hours go by waiting for Peter and he never shows up.
Around 8:30 I hear a weak knocking on my window and see Spiderman, hunched over, gripping his side. I hurry to open the window and help him in.
"What happened to you?!" I say in shock as I lay quickly cover my bed with a sheet and help him lay down. "This looks bad, hold tight okay? I'm gonna patch you up." I say quickly, giving him a squeeze on his hand and then running to the supply closet to get my emergency medical kit.
I hear him groaning in pain as I enter the room. "Scarlett…please…" He says through his teeth.
"I know, I know… this is going to hurt a little bit. I'm sorry." I pour some water over the gashes on his side. I look up at his mask-covered face and see some blood coming from the side of his head. "Your head!" I exclaim. I reach over and have him turn his head slightly. Part of the mask had been torn and all I can see is curly brown locks, soaked with blood.
"Scarlett… do you need me to take my mask off?" he asks.
"If you're okay with me finding out who you are, then yes. I need to make sure your head's okay." I reply thoughtfully.
He shakes his head lightly up and down and then reaches to unmask himself. He grimaces a little at his movement because of his side, the stretching of his muscles. I stop tending his side wounds when I realize who the boy was behind the mask… my best friend, Peter fucking Parker.
"Peter!?" I exclaim, making him flinch.
"Hey, Scar." He says quietly with a smile. "Surprise."
"Peter Parker… is Spiderman… Spiderman is Peter Parker… Peter Parker is my best friend… I'm best friends with Spiderman…" I say in shock to myself. I turn to Peter. Slapping his shoulder, I freak out a bit. "How could you not tell me Parker?!"
"Ow! Hey!" He says, putting his hands up in defense. "Scarlett I'm sorry I wanted to. I really did. But then I found out you were Cap's daughter and Tony Stark was your uncle and I just didn't want you to get hurt trying to protect me – don't even try to fight that statement, you know you would – and I couldn't bear knowing that I let Captain America's daughter, and my best friend, get hurt because of me. Not only would that kill me, but your dad would kill me." He explains as I clean the wound on his head.
"You're unbelievable, you know that Parker?" I laugh, all anger towards him vanishing as he looks at me with his doe like brown eyes.
"But you love me anyways." He states matter-of-factly.
"Yes, I do. You're my best friend. I'm kinda stuck with you." I tease. "Now you gotta take off that suit so I can tend to the rest of your wounds. What happened anyways?" I tell him.
He presses the spider decal on the front of his suit and it goes slack. He slowly takes it off, wincing in pain the entire time. I help his take it off the rest of the way and set it on my desk chair. All he's wearing now is a pair of boxers. I hesitate with the cleaning alcohol and cloth pad as I take in how fit he is. He's got a nice set of abs, his arms are covered in pure muscle, and his chest is smooth and strong. I can feel my cheeks glowing a light pink but I quickly snap out of it when my eyes scan over the two gashes on his side.