Another chapter, because it was ready. Reviews, favs and follows are always appreciated! Still don't own Spiderman. Enjoy ^_^

It was Sunday afternoon and I'd been avoiding Flash's calls all weekend. I didn't know how else to handle it.

I didn't want to break up with him, but I couldn't see any other way of dealing with the situation. "Hey, seaweed." Peter grinned, walking into the kitchen and ruffling my hair.

"Not today, Pete." I sighed, looking down at what used to be cereal but had turned into a disgusting bowl of mush.

He leaned against the island next to me and frowned. "What's going on, lima bean?"

"I don't know what to do about Flash." I mumbled, swallowing roughly past the slowly forming lump in my throat.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Aunt May's window flowers wilt and turn brown, losing their brightly colored petals.

Peter noticed too. "Hey, stop it." he took my face in his warm hands and looked me in the eye. "What did Flash do?"

"Nothing! He's perfect! He's sweet and caring and never pushes me to do anything and he's understanding and I love him." Peter tried his best to not wrinkle his nose.

"So what's the issue, cuz I know it isn't you, little-miss-perfect." his smile went all the way up to his brown eyes and lit them up.

I sighed, looking down as tears blurred my vision. "I can't be with him. Our relationship isn't going anywhere, Pete. It was fun in high school, but I can't see myself marrying him."

He let me rest my forehead in the crook of his neck and cry and he ran his hand up and down my back, soothing me.

"Look, green bean, if you think you need to break up with him, do it. Chances are, he'll understand why you're doing it. It's almost the end of the year. We're graduating. Most couples break up around now anyway."

I took a shuddering breath and pressed my face further into his shoulder. "And besides, Captain America is your one true love."

"Shut up." I choked out a short laugh and smacked his back lightly.

As I pulled away from his embrace, his eyes caught mine again. "You don't have your contacts in." I nodded, reaching up self-consciously. "Don't put them in." he grabbed my hand and pushed it down.

I was about to answer, when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." he sighed as I hopped off the island and went to the sink to wash the sticky tears off my face.

"Oh...hey, Flash." I heard Peter's voice ring out as if he was trying to warn me. "Um..I don't think my sister is here right now."

I barely heard Flash say, "I actually wanted to talk to you, Parker."

I looked around and hurried to the washing machine's little closet, keeping the door open a crack but turning the light off.

Peter and Flash walked into the kitchen and I saw Pete's eyes flick to where I was hiding before quickly looking back to Flash. "So...what's up?" Peter asked cautiously.

"It's about Jade." he sounded really upset. Ugh, I shouldn't have been avoiding his calls.

"I assumed." Peter nodded. "What about her?"

He shrugged, searching for the right words. "Has she...uh..has she said anything? Oh, about um..me? Er, us? Well, you know..me and her?"

"Not really...she's seemed pretty down this weekend though. I kinda thought you two had a fight." thank you Peter, I love you.

Flash shook his head. "No, we didn't. I mean, I don't think we did. She just hasn't been returning my calls and I'm really worried, you know?"

There was a long silence. "I just don't want to lose her. She's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time."

"Look, Flash...I'm gonna be honest with you." no! No, no, no! Peter Parker don't you DARE be honest with him! "Jade, she loves you. I know she does. I think she's just worried about what happens next."

Flash shook his head as if he didn't understand. "Next?"

"You know, in your relationship. She's definitely going to college and she just..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Peter Parker, I'm gonna kill you if you say it." I hissed quietly, but I knew he heard me.

Flash laughed humorlessly. "She just wants to break up with me, but doesn't know how."

Peter didn't answer.

"I saw it coming, you know. I figured it out a few months ago. I asked her if she thought we'd be together for a while and she just shrugged...which sucks cuz if she'd asked me, my immediate answer would have been yes." I felt like I was choking on the lump in my throat and didn't know what to do.

Peter shrugged and shook his head. "Man, I don't know what to say."

"It's..it's okay, there's nothing anyone can do about it." he looked over at the window and I saw what looked like a smile. "It's amazing, isn't it?"

"What is?"

Flash pointed to the window. "That thing she can do with plants." I felt my stomach clench tightly and Peter froze. "Aw c'mon. You think I wouldn't have noticed? She does it absentmindedly."

"Yeah...I know." Peter mumbled, glancing at the dead flower.

Flash cleared his throat. "And I think she thinks I don't know, but she's got different colored eyes." he turned to leave, but turned back around. "Tell her to stop wearing those contacts."

"I already do." Peter smiled softly.

Flash nodded and turned again, but stopped. "And I know you're here, Jade. It's okay."

I opened the door and looked up at him with watery eyes. "I'm so sorry, Flash." he shrugged, but I could see wetness forming in his eyes.

Peter coughed and moved towards the stairs. "I'll give you two some time."

"I didn't know how to handle the situation..I'm sorry." I sighed, trying not to let my voice shake, but I'm pretty sure it did.

"Not really sure that ignoring my calls was the best way of dealing with it, but okay."

I pulled myself up on the island and reached for his hands, holding his large ones with my tiny ones. "I really do love you, but this relationship...it's not gonna go anywhere."

"Do you not like being with me?" he asked, sounding really broken. God, I wanted to punch myself in the face.

I pulled him into me and hugged him tightly. "Not at all, but I'm going to college, and it'll be a different college than yours. I don't want a long distance relationship, I don't want our break up to be more painful than it needs to be."

"It's pretty painful." he gave an empty laugh.

I nuzzled his shoulder and nodded. "I know, and I wish it wasn't like this."

For a moment, we stayed like that. In silence. Then he spoke up, "I want to stay friends. No losing touch or anything. If I can't be in a romantic relationship with you, I at least want a platonic one."

I pulled away from the hug and smiled at him. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"Good." he gave a small smile and I paused, telling him to wait a minute. Getting down from the island, I walked over to the flowers and picked up the pot, carrying it over to where he stood.

I looked up at him and smiled, holding out my hand towards the flower and letting the plant grow back. Bright petals blossomed from it and the flowers stood up straight.

I plucked one off the stem and held it out to him. "It should last a few months."

He watched me in what looked like amazement and took the vibrant purple flower gently in his large palm. "Thank you." he started to leave, but looked back. "I won't tell anyone, don't worry."

It felt strange not having Flash's hand in mine while we walked together. It was weird not kissing him as he walked me to my classes. Even though we weren't dating, I felt waves of jealousy whenever other girls would smile at him, wave at him, or say anything to him.

I knew I was being ridiculous, but I also knew he was doing the same thing to me. I could tell by the way he glared at any guy near me. I could tell by the way he would almost take my hand as we walked, but would pull it away quickly as if it burned him. The way he would lean in towards me in front of my classrooms, but stand up straight almost instantly and take off to his class.

Everyone else noticed too, but all things considered, we were doing pretty good at the whole, "just friends" thing.

A couple weeks after we'd broken up and it was like we hadn't even been together, I actually loved being friends with him. We went around the city when I was free. We honestly had more fun as friends than we'd ever had when we were dating.

It was the Saturday after graduation and we were eating lunch at a small café near Oscorp. Peter had been walking by and saw us, and decided to join us for lunch.

"So I was-" I stopped short in my story as my phone rang. "Hello?"

"Miss Parker, Mr. Osborn needs you. Now."

I swallowed roughly, I knew what that meant. "Alright, I'll be right there." I hung up and gave the boys an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Osborn needs me at work. I'll see you guys later."

I threw down a twenty for my part of the meal and jogged off towards Oscorp.

Waiting in the elevator was torturous. He was dying. I didn't have time for this. As soon as the doors opened, I sprinted out and shot down the hallway towards his penthouse.

I burst into his dimly lit room and gasped for breath. "Mr. Osborn!" he looked over at me calmly.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Jade. I know I gave you the day off, I'm sorry." he wheezed.

Shaking my head, I poured him a tall glass of water. "You don't need to apologize. I'm your assistant, it's what I'm here for."

"You still haven't changed that abominable hair color. But at least you've stopped wearing those ridiculous contact lenses." he smiled, waving a trembling hand at me. "I told my son about the disease. I told him he has an assistant, but he doesn't know it's you."

I furrowed my brow, but he held up his shaking, curled hand to stop me from speaking. "I thought you might want to give him a pleasant surprise. It'll be nice for him to have a friend here."

I stayed with him until the end. When the machine stopped working, I rose from my seat and called for the nurse. "It was good of you to stay." she praised.

"It was my job." I shook my head and left in search of Harry.

Finally, I found him in what was now his office. "Harry." I spoke softly.

"It's Mr. Osborn." he spoke, standing up and turning to face me.

The look of shock on his face made me smile. "Even for an old friend?" I asked, crossing my arms and cocking my hip out.

"Jade...is it really you?" he rushed over to me and stopped just in front of me, holding onto my arms and smiling in awe.

I nodded as he released me and threw my arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. For a moment, I thought he might reject the hug, but he quickly wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed me as hard as he could.

"I've missed you." he seemed to be admitting. "But, what are you doing here?"

I pulled away and grinned. "Well, most CEOs need assistants right?"

"Yeah, but my father said I already...you're the assistant." he finished with a small head shake and a smile.

I punched his shoulder lightly and laughed. He seemed taken aback by the punch and looked at me with wide eyes. "It's not just anyone who can get away with punching Harry Osborn."

"Well, not just anyone knows what a brat Harry Osborn is." I teased with a smirk.