(A/N: I do not own Spiderman. That right belongs to Sony).
In the school hall, Harry Osborn's girlfriend in name only, Gwen Stacy, stood outside the bathroom, waiting for him. She decided she was just going to end it today. She couldn't take this anymore. With Harry's constant ranting about Spiderman, Peter, his father's company, she was just sick of him at this point. She was going to break up with him gently and assure him that she would be there for him as a friend but she couldn't be his pretend girlfriend anymore just so he could feel better about himself.
As she was waiting, she saw Peter and Liz walk down the hall together, arm in arm. The sight of them together again made her ill. However, that mattered very little at this moment. While she was waiting, she wanted to clear the air between them, to make up. She caused Peter to be in so much pain that he went and did something that almost cost him his life. She wanted to help amend for that and let him know that if they couldn't be together, she would always be there for him. As the couple was about to walk past her, she stepped in front of them, giving a bit an awkward smile.
"Uh...hi, Pete...Liz" Gwen said, sheepishly waving at the couple.
Peter and Liz both frowned and looked at each other real quick before looking back at Gwen.
"Uh...hi, Gwen...did you want something?" Peter asked.
"No. I just wanted to say hey. I...I really am sorry for what happened last week and for not speaking with you over the summer. I...I don't have a good excuse other than I was just trying to comfort Harry" Gwen said, rubbing her arm as she attempted to explain herself.
"Well...I mean I guess I can understand that but after...well, you know, our agreement...a text of 'hello' here or there would have been nice" Peter said in a neutral tone but with a grim face.
Gwen sighed. "I know, Peter and I'm really sorry...Look, I know I pretty much scrubbed any chance of us being together clean away...and I don't want to ruin your happiness again, I really don't, assuming you are happy, that is...but can we please at least still be friends? I...I don't want you out of my life. I've known you since the 7th grade and I don't want to ruin anything else we have. I..I care about you, Peter...very much...I'm sorry that I hadn't shown that and it would just eat at my heart if the two of us were completely done with each other. Can I please, please, please have a 2nd chance? I swear I'll be there for you. Whenever you need me"
Peter stood silently for a moment. There was sincerity in both her eyes and her voice as she said these words. This gave him a sort of comfort that he desperately needed concerning her. After long consideration, he gave a deep sigh.
"Gwen...I went through hell because of your decision. After you decided to stay with Harry, I went way down under, much more than I should have. I...still have hard feelings about you for that...however, in a way I guess can sort of understand why you felt you had to do it even though I severely disagreed with it...So...maybe if we start over and take one step at a time, we can get back to where we were before. So...in short...Yes...we can still be friends" Peter said with a soft smile.
Relief and happiness swelled Gwen at that moment as she couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. She ran up to Peter and gave him a big hug, with Liz separating from his arm to allow him to hug her back.
She held onto him tightly, not intending to let go for quite some time.
"Thank you...I promise you won't regret it. I'll do anything I can to help you overcome your issues" She said, crying onto his shoulders as he patted her back, comforting her.
At that moment, Harry came out of the bathroom , holding onto his backpack with one hand. As he was going to his locker to meet Gwen, he saw both her and Peter hugging. Jealousy surged through him and walked towards. He cleared his throat.
"Uh...excuse me, Pete. That's my girlfriend you're holding there. What, the 2 you have now not enough for you?" Harry asked with a glare.
They both parted and Gwen shot a glare at Harry.
"For your information, Harry, I was the one that hugged him and I was fixing the damage that you caused last week at your dad's will reading and for how you treated him over the summer" Gwen said, not easing up on her glare which caused Harry to shift.
"I see...look, Peter...I'm sorry for how I acted there. I really do care about you and want you to get better but you have to understand with everything I've been going through, it's...it's sometimes just natural for me to act out, especially when it comes to my dad" Harry said, turning his attention towards Peter who once again put on a neutral face void of any emotion.
"You called him a 'bumbling drunk' and acted like it was his fault he inherited your dad's company" Liz said as he glared at Harry.
"I realize that. I'm sorry" Harry repeated, not exactly looking sorry despite his words.
"You know, Harry, I can get past the fact that you called me a name. That honestly doesn't mean much to me. The thing that really gets me is that you didn't once bother to visit me, call me or even send me a text saying 'Hey' or 'How's it going?' all summer. Something like that would have been appreciated" Peter stated calmly.
"Peter, again, I'm sorry but my dad died and I needed time for myself" Harry stated.
"I understand that to an extent but I'm your god damn best friend or at least I thought I was. I would have thought in your time of healing, you would have liked to take your mind off things by doing stuff together over the summer like we've done every single summer since we've known each other except for this one" Peter retorted.
"Listen!...Peter...it's just been a confusing time for me. Things have changed. Now I've said I'm sorry and I'll say sorry again but I don't feel the need to explain every single action of mine to you. You can either accept my apology or not. Gwen, we've gotta get to class. Come on" Harry said, trying to grab onto her hand but she lightly pulled back.
"Harry, we don't have any classes together until after lunch so maybe we should just go to classes alone today" Gwen suggested, done with him bossing her around.
"Wha...Gwen, I-" Harry said before Gwen held up her hand.
"Harry, I really, really, really think we should do that today and maybe have a talk after school. We...have something to discuss" Gwen said, treading lightly with her words.
Harry's heart had dropped. He could only guessed what that meant.
"Look, Gwen...whatever problem we have, we can discuss it here and now...preferably in private" Harry said, shooting a glance at Peter.
"Not here and now, Harry. Later. I just want to get through the school day today in peace" Gwen asserted, not changing strides.
Harry just glared and 'hmph'ed.
"Fine...I'll see you at lunch then" Harry said, turning around and lifting his backpack over his shoulder. The swift motion of him swinging the backpack around caused a certain object to come out and cause a clinking sound as it hit the ground. Harry's face turned white as he heard the sound, realizing what it was.
Gwen saw what fell to the ground and picked it up. She examined it and when she realized what it was, her heart stopped.
"You're...you're taking the serum again?!" Gwen loudly asked, displaying the vial of Gloublin Serum to Harry who turned around to face his hysterical girlfriend.
"Uh…" Harry said, not answering the question.
"Don't 'uh' me, answer me!" Gwen demanded.
"I...babe, look...I can explain" Harry started before he was interrupted.
"You know I hate being called 'babe', Harry and you told me that I was the only reason in your life you weren't taking the serum anymore and here I find an empty bottle of serum, dated 2 days ago! Explain that!" Gwen practically yelled. A crowd was forming.
"I...I...Babe- I mean Gwen...it was just one vial and I was hurting from my dad's will reading. I...I couldn't help it" Harry tried to explain but it wasn't working as Gwen didn't seem satisfied with his answer. She just shook her head in disappointment.
"Harry….I was going to save this for after school...but now I don't think I have much of a choice...we need to break up" Gwen said to him. It almost killed her to do it as she knew he was still recovering over his father's death but if he was still doing this and her being there for him as his girlfriend wasn't helping, she saw no other reason to keep this charade going.
"Wh...What? What are you talking about?!" Harry asked, suddenly getting frantic.
"Harry...I do love you...but not in the way you want me to love you…I honestly never did. I'm sorry for leading you on like that but it's quite clear that I'm not helping you by continuing on like this. I'll always be there for you as a friend and I'll do the best I can to help you get over this addiction you clearly have but it's time for this so called relationship of ours to end. It's not fair to either you or me...or Peter" Gwen said as she shot a quick glance at Peter who just observed in silence.
"Oh...so it all comes back to Peter, then? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It always does, doesn't it?" Harry said, sending a small glare towards his so called friend.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Gwen asked, giving him her famous 'look' as she folded her arms
"Don't play dumb with me. I heard you both that night, conspiring against me like that, planning to leave me to rot for each other" Harry said, now glaring at them both.
Gwen suddenly gaped at this revelation. He...he knew about their agreement?
Peter also raised an eyebrow at this.
"You knew about that?...You...you eavesdropped on us?" Peter asked. He was a mix of emotions at then but he managed to remain calm throughout the whole thing.
"I did...and obviously for good reason" Harry said, examining the two.
"How...how dare you?! That was a private conversation!" Gwen shouted at her now ex-boyfriend.
Harry just shrugged indifferently, not sorry at all. At that moment, another realization dawned upon Gwen.
"Wait a minute...then that means...that day...at your dad's funeral. You...you were manipulating me to get me to stay with you instead of leave you for Peter like I wanted to do! How...how could you do that?!" Gwen said, her face drowning in a mixed bag of upset and angry emotions. She lost what was probably her only chance of getting with the guy she loved because of that?!
"I didn't want to lose you, Gwen! Is that enough of an answer for you?! My dad had died! I wasn't about to lose you too!" Harry exclaimed.
"I'm not your property, Harry! It's my choice of who I want to date and who I don't and I didn't want to date you anymore. If only I'd known. I would've dumped you right on the spot" Gwen said, glaring at Harry.
"Well I'm so sorry that I wanted at least one good thing to happen to me! But instead, it always happens to you, Pete, doesn't it? The golden child that everyone loves" Harry said, looking to Peter in that instant.
Peter looked confused and raised an eyebrow at what was looking to be an ex best-friend.
"What are you talking about, Harry?" Peter asked, curiously, still mentally processing what he had just learned.
Harry huffed and let out a light and angry chuckle.
"As if you don't know! Everything good that can possibly happen happens to you and everything wrong that could happen to me happens to me! I study my ass off for test after test yet I flunk every one with no help from you even after you promise to help me while you ace every one in your sleep and without so much as picking up a single textbook the night before. I take Glory to the Fall Formal and you one up me by taking Mary-Jane, who gets crowned Queen while Glory ditches me for Kenny before we even start dancing! I make the football team yet you're the one that ends up dating a cheerleader while I inevitably fall flat on my face and have to take a leave of absence from school. I date our best friend since 7th grade that I've crushed on for years and the only one who cared when I was on the Green yet you're the one she's always wanted, not me and only dated me because you were going out with Liz. I try over and over again to please my dad over the course of my life and yet he always preferred you and leaves you with almost everything while he leaves me, his only kid, in the dirt! Surely you have to realize all that or are you so blind from all your success now?!" Harry practically shouted at Peter.
"Harry...I'm sorry I haven't been helping you study. I'll take the blame fully for that but for the rest, you're acting as if I asked for all that to happen. I didn't tell you to get on the green and about your dad, I've always stood up for you around him. Also, don't pretend my life has been a rain of sunshine either, Harry. Both my parents are dead and my uncle was murdered!" Peter shouted back.
"Sure but at least you always have your little girlfriends to go back to, don't you? The both of them?...Or the three of them, rather" Harry retorted, shooting a glare towards Gwen.
"Now, now, what's going on here" A voice called out. Everyone (Including the crowd watching) turned to see Felicia Hardy, the new teaching assistant as it seems, come forward and come between the two.
Harry raised an eyebrow. What the hell was she doing here?!
"It's...nothing, Ms. Hardy. Just a...disagreement" Peter said, trying to diffuse the situation as best he could.
"So I see. I suggest you go to class and that means all of you!" Felicia said to everyone around. The crowd then quickly dispersed with several people shooting glares at Harry as they walked by.
"Sure, why not? What do you need me for, Pete?" Harry asked as he practically spat at the mere mention of Peter's name and gestured to the women around him. "You obviously have your hands full and you have a perfect life ahead of you. Perfect grades, a giant corporation to run, all your money to count and all the attention you could as for from almost all the beautiful girls in this school! Let's throw you a fucking parade while we're at it"
"You just earned yourself a detention there for cussing, buster. Now get to class! Now!" Felicia said, pointing down the hall away from them.
Harry just huffed and walked away, not saying a word more. Though then again, there really wasn't much else to say. He and Peter were done it looked like.
Peter watched as his former friend walked down the hall. 10 years of friendship down the drain in a matter of minutes…
"So...see the benefit of me being here yet?" Felicia playfully asked when they were alone.
"You're...you're the girl from the will reading last week!" Gwen said, suddenly realizing.
"Indeed I am. Felicia Hardy though it's Ms. Hardy when we're in school. If I'm being honest, I kind of have conflicting feelings about you but I guess if my guy is willing to give you another shot, so am I" Felicia said, putting a hand out. Gwen lightly smiled and took it, shaking her hand.
"Gwen Stacy...though I guess you already knew that" Gwen said, a bit sheepishly.
"Yes. Don't worry, it's been mostly good things I've heard about you and the bad parts mainly revolved around that creep you used to call a boyfriend" Felicia said, glaring down the hall where Harry walked down.
"...Yeah. I...I had no idea he could be like that...I...I thought he was one of my best friends...I guess I was wrong" Gwen said, a tear dripping down her eye.
Peter gave her a hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek, kissing the tear away.
"It's alright, Gwen. I've got you. Hey, me, Liz and MJ are all sitting together at lunch. Why don't you come join us then? Sit among friends?" Peter asked the blonde girl as they parted.
"...Y...Yeah...friends...that'd...that'd be nice" Gwen said, lightly stammering her words, filled with regret and sadness.
"Alright...well...I think we should all get to class. I'll see you at lunch?" Peter asked with a smile on his face.
"Yeah, I'll see you then….thank you, Peter...for everything...and I'm so sorry" Gwen said, feeling ashamed.
"Don't worry, Gwen. You're one of the best friends I've got. I'm not gonna let you go like that" Peter said, still smiling.
"...What did I ever do to deserve someone like you in my life?" Gwen asked again as she gave him another big hug.
"Alright, enough of that" Liz said, finally speaking up after a long while, pulling them apart. "We need to get to class"
"Yeah, we'd better get going. I'll see you at Lunch, Gwen" Peter smiled.
"And I'll see you in history, handsome" Felicia said, quickly kissing him on the lips.
"Still think this a bad idea" Peter announced but still had a smile on his face.
"Don't care. You're gonna have to get used to it" Felicia said, shrugging as she walked off. Peter just rolled his eyes and shook his head while still containing his smile.
"We'll see you later, Gwen" Peter said to the blonde as he and Liz walked down the hall again, leaving the blonde to herself.
It was a very bittersweet moment for her. She was finally out of her relationship with Harry and she and Peter were back on good terms again but still she wasn't together with him which made her sad. However, she knew that going into this this morning that she had completely severed any chance of them being together months ago when she made that dreadful choice to stay with a manipulative ass.
The blonde nerdy girl decided to just stick with it and head to class, looking forward to the rest of the day despite what had just occurred.