Hi Guys! :D

Here's another chapter. Enjoy!

I LOVE THE REVIEWS! :D

-Homey :)

Disclaimer: Spider-Man does not belong to me. :)

©HomeschoolGirl 2012, or at least this actual post is. The characters, not so much. But anyway, please don't use this as your own. Thanks!

"I had no idea cheese fries could be so good."

"I know." Peter reached across the table to grab another fry loaded with bacon, three cheeses, and garlic off of the platter they were sharing. Gwen smiled at him shyly. He held the fry out to her uncertainly. "Want it?"

"No thanks. I've had, like, over half the plate."

"I can order another," he offered, stuffing it deep into his mouth.

"We still have food coming."

He grinned. "I know."

They were eating at a dingy little dive, a sort of hole-in-the wall that had the best foods Gwen had ever tasted. They were probably all fried. Heaven.

She took a hesitant bite of a crab cake and wiped the grease from her fingers. "Oh my god, this is like…"

"I know," he said earnestly. "I eat here all the time."

She took another bite, and then another, talking between mouthfuls. "How…do you manage…to stay…so skinny…?"

He cringed. "Skinny?"

Gwen shook her head, feeling stupid. "Oops. Not that. I mean-"

He laughed. "Yes, I know. I'm skinny."

She laughed and leaned against his shoulder. "You're not. You're just fit."

"Have you been looking at my body?"

She tucked her face into his shoulder so hide her flushed cheeks. "You wish." The words were muffled.

They'd been flirting like this all night, a sort of back-and-forth dance that pushed them closer to the edge each time. Gwen hoped—no, she knew—that tonight would be the night. Peter Parker would kiss her, and she would become his girlfriend, sole confidant, whatever you wanted to call it. He'd talk to her. He'd love her.

The waitress broke them apart with the promise of food. She set Gwen's burger and cottage cheese down in front of her. The thing was huge—stacked with pickles, condiments, cheeses, lettuce and tomato. Her mouth watered, even though after the fries and various fried foods she wasn't very hungry.

She and Peter polished off their meals quickly, then declared they were both so stuffed they needed to burn some calories before watching the movie. Gwen shivered as she stepped outside. The night was unseasonably cold.

"Here," he said, pulling off his sweater. He handed it to Gwen. Underneath he was wearing a plain black t-shirt that accented the muscles in his arms. Peter Parker had muscles. MUSCLES!

"Oh, thanks," Gwen said, tugging the sweater on. It was warm, a couple sizes too large. It was very cliché and girly of her to do, but when he wasn't looking, she smelled it. The axe ads weren't kidding when they said the scent was attractive.

He had his hand very casually on the small of her back. Gwen's chest constricted. She wanted nothing more than for him to shove her down an alley, against the bricks of some ancient building, and kiss her until she was numb.

Hormones were dangerous.

"So," she said, as they walked toward the theater. The night was dark. They were the only ones out, which was strange, and wonderful at the same time. "So you like photography. You have an aunt and an uncle-" She stopped herself, horrified. "Oh Peter. I'm so sorry. I forgot."

He half-smiled at her. "It's okay, Gwen. I like to talk about him." He breathed deeply, exhaling long and loud.

"Do you miss him? Are you okay?"

Peter stole a glance at her. "I'm…getting there. Sort of."

"What was it Peter?"

"What was what?"

Gwen forced herself to say the words. "What happened to him?"

Peter looked straight ahead. "A stress-induced stroke. Those were the doctor's exact words. A stress-induced stroke. Like my uncle's death could be reduced to three words. Well, it can't."

"Of course it can't," Gwen readily agreed. "But doctors, they don't see it that way. They see in facts." They were stopped in the middle of the street, under a lamp. She touched his face again, a bit more bravely than next time. "They don't feel."

"I feel," Peter said, and his voice broke. He lowered his eyes. "I feel so much."

Gwen laughed sharply. "Peter, what are we doing to ourselves?"

He smiled. "I don't know. I just don't know."

And then he kissed her.

It was everything Gwen had imagined and more. His lips were soft as cotton, moving frantically against hers. She touched his hair, allowed herself to run her fingers through it as much as she desired. She was right. There was more to this than just a crush. Because this wasn't a crush. This was…something more.

"Jeez," he said as they broke apart.

"I know." Gwen said. She touched his lips. "I've been waiting for that."

He laughed. "So have I."

She kissed him again, just to prove to herself that she could. She could do that now. "If this was a movie then there'd be sappy music playing."

"The guy got the girl," he said, slipping his hand up under his sweater. He rested it on her stomach, on the fabric of her shirt.

"This is so much better than if I'd gone out with Flash."

Peter wrinkled his nose. "The image of you kissing Flash makes me physically ill. I'd rather not think of it."

She laughed, forcing herself to step back. "I think we should see the movie now, don't you?" She held out her hand.

He took it.

"Mom?"

Gwen walked into her house, slowly shutting the door behind her. It was dark—unusually dark. The blinds were drawn, casting shadows across the Stacy's living room. The comfortable couch suddenly seemed menacing.

Gwen was going crazy. Apparently.

"Mom?"

Mrs. Stacy appeared out of the kitchen, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "H-hi sweetie. How are you?"

"I'm good." Slowly, she set Peter's sweater down. The rest of the evening had gone perfectly, ending with a lingering kiss on her front porch. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, honey." She grabbed Gwen's hand, rubbing her thumb on it in soothing circles. "Honey-"

"Where's dad?" Gwen craned her neck around the room. "Did he go to bed already? It's not that late."

"He had to leave. To respond to a call." Mrs. Stacy looked Gwen in the eyes. "Gwen, something terrible has happened."

Her lower lip trembled as the words sunk in. Was it Peter? No, it couldn't have been Peter. He had just left. "What…what is it?"

Mrs. Stacy burst into tears. "I don't know what to say. I don't know what to tell you. I'm so scared."

Gwen was furious. Her mother was so weak. She was tired of it. "Tell me what happened! Tell me now!"

"Gwen, Gwen-" Her mother scrambled for the words. "Gwen, you have to promise you won't blame yourself. Okay?"

Her throat thickened. What the hell was happening? "I'm not. Why would I blame myself? Please, mom. Please." Her heart thudded. She felt sick.

"Liz, Gwen. Liz is dead."

"No she's not," Gwen said automatically. She felt…relieved. Nothing was really wrong, then. False alarm.

"She is, sweetie. She's dead."

"No she's not." The words didn't make sense. They didn't go together. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, showed her Liz's text. "See?"

"Sweetie, she went to a movie-"

"She's not dead, mom."

"-And these…these horrible men, she was alone, they-"

"She's not dead, mom."

"-and they, and they did horrible things, and now she's-"

"Shut up! Shut up!" Gwen was furious. How dare her mother say these things. How dare she lie. "I hate you. Shut up!"

"She's dead. Gwennie, I'm so sorry. I know she was your friend."

It didn't seem real. It wasn't real. She texted Liz.

My mother says ur dead. oh my god. can u believe her?

Just a few seconds and her phone would beep. Her friend would write back. It would be okay. She was such a fast texter, Liz.

Nothing.

Gwen trudged up the stairs. She would text her in the morning, when she could reply. And then everything would be fine.

She curled up on her bed, staring at the wall. She stayed like that until the doorbell rang, and then Mary Jane was opening her bedroom door, and then they were holding each other, crying like only best friends can, and then Gwen knew it was real.

And it was her fault.

Liz had wanted to go to the movie with her. She should have been there. At least, then maybe she would have been able to save her.

They cried until they didn't have any tears left, and then MJ kicked off the heels she was so fond off and said she would never wear them again, that she hated them.

Gwen hated them too. But she didn't tell her that.

Sorry for the sad chapter. But I'd love to know your thoughts. Do you think Peter and Gwen should stay together? Do you think it's Gwen's fault Liz died? Do you think I'm too dramatic? Do you hate MJ's heels as much as she does? Let me know!