Lizard Man: The Dark Hunt
AN: Decided to combined Skyscraper chapter with Kraven's Chapter for length to make room for this beforehand.
Issue 4# MJ's Choice
The alarm blared in MJ's ears, awaking her from what must have been a very deep sleep. Drool covered the pile of pillows that spewed all over Peter's Bed. Her instincts were like that of a cat when she saw the mess her Mouth made. As she threw the button-down, mint green blouse that she was wearing over her tank-top off her shoulders, she used it as a make-shift towel to wipe up her embarrassing mess. Luckily all of it was fresh, so none of it ended up absorbed into Peter's pillow. She then through down the drool smothered blouse and rubbed her puffy eyes. She then looked at the alarm clock that read 11pm and smirked. Peter had obviously set it before she fell asleep so she would wake up and get back home so her mom didn't worry. She then begrudgingly grabbed her drool covered blouse into a ball and walked down to the front entrance to Peter's home. Just as she opened the door to leave, a hand in the shape of a fist that was ready to knock on one's door just barely swooped past her face!
"Wo!" Shouted MJ as she stepped back into the doorway. As she looked up she saw the startled face of Harry Osborne, dressed in a biker's outfit, holding a little square present and a card in his free hand.
Harry: "O My gosh I'm so sorry!"
MJ: "You should be! You almost hit me in the face!"
Harry: "What are the chances hu? you are opening the door and me going to knock at the same time, am I right?"
Harry chuckled but MJ did not change from her now stern position. Harry seemed to realize this and changed tactics.
Harry: "So…I was looking for Peter. Is he home?"
MJ: "No, he took a cab to go visit his aunt."
MJ's face didn't change at all when she said this, as if the lie was the genuine truth. Harry however seemed very saddened by this news.
Harry: "Oh… well maybe you can give this to him for me when he gets back?
Harry puts out the hand holding the little box and card.
Harry: "You see, well as you know, he's been doing this uh... favor for me with my assignments and I just realized he's been doing it all with his uncle's d… I mean passing and his aunt being in the hospital so I wanted to give him a little something extra…"
Then before he knew it, MJ had snatched both things out of his hand.
MJ: "I'll make sure he gets it."
Harry's posture seemed to shrink more with MJ's response.
Harry: "g-great…"
Just as the awkward exchange was ending, MJ began to walk past when Harry said...
Harry: "You're Peter's girlfriend, right? Mary Jane, isn't it?"
MJ stopped dead in her tracks, gave a huge gulp as she hid her blushing caused by the saying 'peter's girlfriend', and looked at Harry with piercing eyes.
MJ: "I am NOT his girlfriend! I'm… his neighbor. AND his oldest friend."
Harry seemed to check out MJ in this moment and smirked, since now he felt like he had the upper hand.
Harry: "Oh, well... now that's interesting."
MJ: "How is that 'interesting'"
Harry: "Well the way your dressed. Pardon my French but, it just screams 'more than friends'"
MJ looked down and realized this whole time she was in a revealing tank top and tight skinny jeans and no shoes.
MJ: "well… compared to what your skank girlfriend wares, it's pretty tame."
Harry seemed to shrink again from his now pompous exterior when he heard this.
Harry: "Ex-Girlfriend. We kind of broke up."
MJ: "oh…"
An awkward silence filled the space between them till Harry broke it once again.
Harry: "Yeah, we're kind of on different paths me and her. She's wrapped up in the now but I wana make something of myself. That's another reason why I came to see Peter. I wanted to let him know that he didn't have to do me any more homework favors. I'm going to cover it myself from now on, but I might need a little help with calculous so I wanted to see if wanted to tutor….
MJ: I can tutor!
MJ didn't even know what she was saying, but it was too late. She had said it and Harry's face lit up like a kid on Christmas.
Harry: "really? You'd help me? because that would be even better. Like I kinda felt bad bothering Peter again and you're like as smart as him! When can we start?"
MJ: "well. uh… how's tomorrow sound? 6 o'clock?"
Harry: "That would great! I'll pick you up then. You can wear the same thing to if you like. Looks good on you."
He said the last bit with a wink, and MJ felt she had to interject.
MJ: "I hope you know Osborne this is not a date. I agreed to tutor you."
Harry: "I know, but hey. Unlike your friend Peter, I know beauty when I see it."
And with that, Harry hopped onto his Motorcycle, which MJ just noticed was parked in front of Pete's house this whole time, and sped off. MJ stayed glued to the spot for a good minute until she walked back to her house. What just happened? She thought. Did I just agree to date…? I mean tutor the richest kid in the school? MJ couldn't believe herself. She never was into bad boys, but in truth she was still tired and not completely in her right mind. Still, she had to admit. Harry Osborne was quite cute… AND he wanted to focus on his studies! How cute is that she thought now smirking at the idea. But then she felt a wrench her gut What about Peter she thought with the pain. There was no question in her mind that Peter was the boy of her dreams. He was smart, quirky, even handsome. Sure, he was a little rough around the edges, but very sweet and compassionate when you got past all that. But she then thought back to Harry's comment: 'unlike Peter I know Beauty when I see it'. This was so true. Not once had Peter shown any interest in her, and now Peter was going through a change. A pretty massive scale infested change and though he seemed to appreciate her help recently, there was still no way he would give her a second glance with all he had to worry about. So, what's the harm in going after another boy? Peter's not interested. Someone else is. All's fair in love and war. And with that, the brainy redhead entered her home for the night, prepared to give up her venture for Peter's affection and begin a new one.