*hides behind desk* Ok guys, sorry for the long wait. Again, writes block. I wanted to update last week but my first week back at university, I was kinda lazy. Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter.

Song for this chapter is:

Springsteen by Eric Church

He's coming to my city next month. Oh my god, I wanna see him so badly!

Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter!

P.S. I do not own Spider-Man, just Annabelle. YOU CANNOT STEAL ANNABELLE! & Annabelle's outfit is on my profile

ENJOY!

Chapter 12: Melody Sounds like a Memory

I woke up with my head still spinning, still processing what happened last night. This made me lift my head up and dig it deep down into my tropical scented pillow. Peter was Spider-Man. No. Spider-Man was Peter. Peter was-. Spider-Man was-.

I let out a loud groan as I dug my talons into the pillow and threw it across the room, hitting the bedroom door. I sighed as I grabbed my other pillow and laid it softly on my pillow. It only felt like a minute later when my alarm clock went off.

"When I think about you, I think about 17. I think about my old Jeep, I think about the stars in the sky"

Again, another groan escaped from my mouth as I snatched my phone from my night stand and firmly pressed the hold button. Then, closing my eye, I laid back on my pillow only to hear a knock and my bedroom door creak open.

"Annabelle," Ashley rang out into my room. "It's time to get up from school"

Crap! I forgot it was Friday today. Could I just fake sick? I did not want to go to school and face Peter. Peter was practically in all my classes and I couldn't avoid him.

"I'll be up in a second, Ashley" I said back.

I took it as a, 'ok' when my bedroom door stared creaking and the door shut. Sighing, I plopped my feet and planted them firmly on my white fuzzy matt and pushed myself off and stared getting ready for the day ahead.

After finishing up in the bathroom, I made my way over to my dining room table where Dad, shipping on a fresh cup of coffee and a piece of toast sitting on the plate in front of him with a small dose of jam on top on it. I assumed it was raspberry, his favorite. He sat there in his same spot, at the front of the table reading the Daily Bugle, like always.

Ashely was sitting in her usual spot. Beside Dad, with a cup of coffee in one hand and my Dad's hand in her's in the other. It always made me sick. As I stumbled my way over, I sat in my usual spot on the other side of my dad. Ashely already served my breakfast. Toast, an orange and a glass of milk.

I took a couple bites of my toast before Ashley piped up a question.

"So, Peter's nice," Ashley said. I slowly nodded. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad look up from his paper and glued his eyes on me. "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him last night"

"He had to leave" I responded and left it at that.

"He's a keeper, Anne"

"No he's not" I said letting out a snort before taking a ship of my milk.

"Why not? He's funny, he's sweet and I could tell he really likes you"

"Don't cont on it" I said looking back down at my breakfast.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ashley turned her head to my dad before looking back at me.

"I...I understand what Noah did back to you in Roseboro," I popped my head back up and stared at her. "And...Noah will understand one day that what he did was wrong and he was stupid to let you go," I let out a sigh. "Boys will come and go in your life but...Peter looks like the kind of guy that wouldn't hurt you like that-"

I then had enough.

"I need to go," I said as I pushed myself out of my chair and looked down at my father and step-mother as they looked at me in confusion. I wasn't in the mood to argue with Ashley this morning and I didn't want to get the lecture from my dad. "I'm going to be late" I hesitantly said as I made my way over to the coffee table sitting by the apartment from door where my purse laid.

"Are-Are you sure?" Ashley asked. "I can drive you if you want to stay a little later and talk. The art exhibit is on the way to the high school"

"No, I'm fine"

"Annabelle" Dad said sternly.

"I'm fine, really. I'm gonna be late" And just like that, I walked out the door. Making my way downstairs to walk in the cold temperature of winter.

Only a block away from the school with my hand shivering in my jacket pockets, I came to the realization of what might be upon me when I entered my first class. What was Pete gonna do? Was he going to confront me about the whole thing? Was he going to do something to get me to shut my mouth about his secret? Could he blackmail me? No. Peter wasn't like that. He was kind and he was sweet and he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. If he had intentions to hurt me, I would probity be dead right now after the many times Spider-Man...I mean...Peter Parker saved me. Oh boy, I still couldn't wrap my head around that.

As I pushed my way through the front door, I walked into the empty hallways. Confused, I checked my time on my phone.

9:05

Crap! I'm late for class. I guess I took long on that walk then I anticipated. Running down the hallways, I made best the grab my thing in my locker and quickly make my way to English. Throwing my jacket into my locker and grabbing my notebook, I quickly slammed my door and ran down the hallway to English. Almost there, I heard somebody shot down at me.

"No running down the hallways!" I heard Principle Coulson yell down at me as I ran down the hallway.

I turned my head to look back at the ran as I slowed my pace.

"Sorry!" I called back and just as I was to turn my head back forward, I walked into something hard making me drop my notebook and land my butt on the hard cold floor.

I groaned as I was tempted to rub the pain away but stopped myself to not look like a complete idiot. Instead, I looked up to see who I ran into. Hoping it wasn't a jock or worse, Peter Parker.

Instead for meeting eyes with a pair a familiar of chocolate brown eye, I met a pair of beautiful icy blue eyes. I swear, those beautiful blue eyes could make anyone stop in awe.

I looked up and saw the creature's long blonde hair tucked back perfectly with a baby blue headband to match her eyes.

Gwen Stacy.

I ran into Gwen Fucking Stacy. I was kind of iffy to run into her. After finding out what happened last night that she and Peter dated and that my dad took her decided father's job, I realized why she acted funny around me. I hope for Gwen and I to be friends but she always tried to push me away. I understood why now.

"Oh Gwen," I said as I immediately jumped to my feet and bushing myself off. I picked up my notebook, hugged it and started fixing up Gwen. "I'm so sorry. Clumsy me"

"No," Gwen said as she shook her head, making her perfectly blonde hair flow in the air and land softly on her shoulders. No wonder why every girl in the school wanted to be her. She had the brain and the looks. "It's fine. Annabelle. It's my fault,"

We stood there in silence for a couple seconds. I wanted to confront her about Pete and my dad's job but was it too soon.

"Well," Gwen said. "I'm late for Physics. I'll see you in Biology"

She turned her body, making her back face me and started walking down the hallway.

"Gwen!" I let out, trying so hard to hold it back.

Gwen made a perfect stop and turned her body and made her eyes look straight into my brown ones.

"Yes" She said softly.

A strand of my brown hair fell on my face and I, nervously, pulled it back. Tucking it behind my ear.

"I...uh...uh," I then let out a sigh. Its either now or never, Annabelle. "I...I know about Peter"

"What about Peter?" Gwen shook her head at me as she gave me a confused look.

"Peter told about it," Gwen's eyes opened wide. "And I know about your dad"

Gwen hustled her way toward me and hand her face inches away from mine.

"Pete told you about Spider-Man?" she whispered. I cocked my head in confusion and my mouth fell open, trying to respond. Wait, Gwen knew about Spider-Man.

"I was talking about you guys dating," I said quietly. Gwen stared at me with a look like I killed somebody. "Wait...he told you about his secret identity?"

Gwen slowly back away from in in fear before turning her body and quickly walking down the hallway to her classroom.

"Wait," I ran after her but she wouldn't stop. She kept going faster. "Wait," I said again before running ahead of her and turned around, making a complete stop in front of her. "You know about all of it?"

"I'm late for class," Gwen said as she stood a step to the side but I stood in her way again. "Please just let me get to class," she tried stepping around me again but I stood in front of her. Gwen's beautiful soft look then disappeared and turned into anger. "Would you just drop it and leave it alone"

"Not until you tell me" I said sternly.

"Alright, you wanna know. Fine, I know Pete's secret"

"How?"

"When we dated. He became...'him' when we first went out"

"Is that why you act funny when were together"

"Yes. I was wondering if he told you plus," Gwen let out a sigh. "I...I still have feelings for Peter," I froze as I stared into her glossy blue eyes. "He...He was the one who broke things off. My...my dad was killed by the lizard when he tried to save the city. Pete promised my father that he would keep me out of the whole business," Gwen let out another sigh. "I...I think, or thought, that Peter still had feelings for me and then...you came along and when I found out your dad was the new police chief I thought...I guess I just got scared,"

I paused for a minute. I didn't know how to respond to that. How do you respond to that?

"So," Gwen said as she brushed away a tear rolling down her pale face with her soft rose scented hands. "When did Pete tell you?" she asked now looking at me with a stern face.

"He didn't," I said in a raspy voice. "I found out last night"

"How?"

I didn't have the heart to tell the poor girl. She already vented to me that she still had feelings for the guy and if I told her that it was because I kissed him when he was Spider-Man and again when he was Peter...I could just see the water works.

"It...It was just a hunch," Gwen let out a laugh as she brushed another tear away. "Gwen," I said as I bit my lip. She looked at me with her soft spoken eyes.

"Peter and I...are not together," Gwen started at me. "I'm...I...I," I let out a sigh. "I don't even want anything to do with him. I'm not even speaking to him"

Gwen slowly nodded.

"You know," she said. "I may still have feelings for Pete...but I can tell he really cares about you," I stared at her hesitantly. "And he's do anything to protect you," I nodded as I shamefully looked down at my feet as we stood there in silence. "Well," she said breaking the silence. "I gotta go. I'm really late. See yeah around" she said as she walked around me.

Leaving me there in the empty hallway, frozen.

I avoided Peter the whole morning. Even though I basically sat beside him in all my classes, I found ways to keep my distance from him. Peter didn't even try talking to me. Knew it would be pointless to even try. I guess he had given up hope of us repairing our friendship. He was one of those guys who gave up and didn't try again unlike some who keep trying and trying, hoping there still some little spark there to repair everything.

When lunch rolled around, I didn't know what to do. Normally, I sat with Peter at lunch. We did for a couple months now. It felt weird not having him around me anymore. I walked into the cafeteria, hoping for the best I could find somewhere to sit where I wouldn't be bugged and hoping I wouldn't see Peter there. As I walked through the two wooden big doors, I only saw two seats available to sit at. One beside Stevie, who had her iPod plugged in and rocked her head back and forth as she munched on her sandwich, and another one across from Gwen Stacy, who had a salad place perfectly in front of her as she was reading a book (which book, I have not one clue).

Funny, Peter wasn't here. He always came here for lunch.

So I was stuck between two choices, sit beside a girl who I thought was my friend only to lose my friendship when she left me at a club where I almost got raped by some drunken idiot or, sit across from the beautiful blonde girl who still had feelings for my ex-best friend and edgy around me because my dad took her dead dad's job.

"Decisions, decisions," I said to myself before a sigh escaped from my mouth. I took one deep breath in and out before I made my decision and my feet slowly made their way to my destination.

"Hey," I said as I placed my purse on the ground beside me and started pulling out my lunch.

Gwen had her book in one hand and was taking a ship of her water in the other when I sat in front of her. She started chocking on it when she saw I was stilling in front of her. She coughed as she cleared her throat and placed her water bottle back down and started padding her chest with her hand to clear her throat.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with a smile as she placed her book down her lap.

I sighed.

"I…I thought long and hard about what happened this morning. Even after Mr. Evans yelled at me for being 15 late for his class," Gwen let out a giggle and so did I. "I…I kind of feel bad about everything"

"No, don't be," she said. "You didn't know about Peter and I and I'm not mad about the whole…your dad taking my dad's job. Somebody had to and, from what I hear, your dads a really good cop"

I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Thanks"

"No problem. So what did you get on the genetics test in class?" She asked as we continued talking for the rest of the hour.

Gwen and I had arranged to hang out tomorrow afternoon. She insisted on showing me around New York. Take me to the places I haven't seen of yet. I was to meet her as OSCORP so I can 'pick her up' before we go.

As Gwen and I parted our way to class, I left to go to my locker before class starts. The bell went and I quickly made my way down the hallway, not wanting to repeat what happened this morning. As I neared my destination, I was about to make the turn to my locker when all of a sudden, a hand clutched onto my forearm and pulled me into the janitor's closet. I was about to let out a yelp for help but a hand was placed over my mouth to stop me. I then inhaled the scent of men's body spray and my heart sank into my stomach. Peter. I was hoping to avoid having a face conversation with him.

"Sorry," He whispered. "I don't want you drawing attention" he then slowly removed his hand from my mouth and pulled his hand back.

I glared at Peter as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"What do you want, Peter?" I asked in an angry tone.

"I needed to talk to you about last night"

"I have nothing to say to you, bye" I went for the door.

"Would you just-" he stood in front of me, blocking the door. He out a sigh as I rolled my eyes. "Please" he begged.

I sighed as I turned around and leaned against one of the shelves, waiting for him to continue. Peter scratched the back of his neck as made his way to the row of shelves in front of me and stood in front of me with his hands now in his leather jacket pockets.

Peter waited for a minute, trying to recoil about what he was going to say to me to get me to forgive him on everything.

"About last night…I need you to hear from me on why I kept it from you"

"Peter, I don't wanna hear it, " I bit back. "I thought we were friends, I thought we told each other everything"

"We do"

"Then why do this to me"

"I was trying to protect you. If my enemies knew about you"

"I'm not mad about that"

"Then what are you mad at me about?" He asked with a confused look.

I sighed.

"I'm mad that...that you as…'him'…I mean," I let out another sigh. I didn't know how to say it to him. "I…I told things to Spider-Man that I only wanted him to know. I told things to Spider-Man that I didn't want anyone else in the outside world to know. I told him things…about how I felt about you," I could see the hurt in Peter's eyes. "And there was something I told you," I said as I gestured my hand out Peter's direction. "That I only wanted you to know. That I trusted in"

"I didn't tell anyone Annabelle"

"I know you didn't but…it was nice to have two people to turn to for help because…lately, I've been running out of people to trust" I felt the tears weld up in my eyes.

Peter slowly inched his hands towards me. His figure tips softly touched my cheeks before he rested his hands on mine, rubbing my face with his right thumb.

"You can trust me," he said sternly. "I would never hurt you"

I felt the tears roll down my eyes and Peter wiped them away.

"I know," I said. I really did know. "I'm just…scared"

"Scared of what?"

"I…I want this to work. I really do but after hearing what happened with Gwen"

"What about Gwen?"

"Don't play dumb with me," I said through the sobs. "I ran into Gwen today, she told me she knows your secrets and she told me why you guys 'broke up'"

Peter started at something behind me, figuring out what to say to me.

"I don't want that to happen to me. I don't want you to leave me just to protect me. I don't know how much more heartbreak I can take in this life time before it's too late"

"Then let's make a promise," he said, softly. "Let's promise to tell each other everything from now on. No more secrets. That'll well fight alongside each other to the end. Be there for each other through the thick and thin. No matter how bad it is, well make it through,"

I nodded, liking everything I was hearing.

"I promise, Annabelle Jamison, to keep this promise in order to be with you"

Peter looked at me, hoping for me to say the same. I cleared my throat.

"Peter Parker, I promise to fight by your side in order to make this work"

A smile broke across Peter's face.

"Promise?"

A little giggle escaped my mouth.

"I promise"

Peter's face then slowly moved inches towards mine. Knowing what to expect I closed my eyes and wait until I felt his soft lips graze against mine and then rest on mine. As much as I was mad a Peter, I did miss this the most.

Peter then pulled away and I started laughing. Peter smiled as he pulled his hands away.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"That sounds so cheesy" I said as I continued laughing more.

Peter joined in before he tried catching his breath.

"Well it worked didn't it?"

I nodded as I still laughed.

"Yeah…I guess it did," I then picked up my purse that sat on the floor and placed it on my shoulder. "Come on, we're late for music"

Peter looked down at his watched and then looked back at me.

"We're 20 minutes late"

"Yeah, which gives us only 40 minutes of class left, 10 minutes of that to beg Mrs. Chamerlin for mercy," I grabbed Peter's hand and started pulling him towards the door. "Come on, lover boy" My other hand was only inches away from the door knob when Peter swung me around and pushed my back against the door and leaned in towards me.

"Let's go somewhere" he said with a grin.

"Cut class? No, my dad will kill me if I do and he'll kill you when he finds out you're the reason I cut class"

A evil grin then spread across Peter's face.

"He's not going to know it was me"

I raised my eye brown in confusion when he bent down to pick up his backpack and opened it to show his Spider-Man suite sitting a the bottom of the bag. I rolled my eyes.

"You really think this is going to work?"

"I don't know, is it?" He said with a grin.

I glared at him for a couple seconds before a smile cracked across my face.

"Fine, fine but just this one time"

Peter still smiled as he zipped up his backpack and swung it over his shoulder.

"So…it is official," I gave him a confused look. "Are…are we together"

I smiled.

"Do you mean…are we boyfriend and girlfriend?" He nodded. "Hm….I don't know. Why don't we figure it out as we skip class together, my boyfriend, Peter Parker"

Peter smiled as he gave me one last peck on the lips before grabbing my hand and we rand down the empty hallways and snuck out the school.