2. Forks of Fate
asphaltus
Never bought a physical comic book
- Location
- New Delhi
Midtown High, Lunch.
Somehow, against all odds, Jean DeWolff had a friend at school. It had been so subtle that even she hadn't realized it at first. She never had many friends in middle school, and after what happened, she didn't want any either. High school cliques were formed by mutual interest – if you shut down everyone unequivocally, eventually, they would all learn to leave you alone. Well, all but one.
She spotted him as he entered and then turned away – she didn't want to appear waiting for him. Not that I was waiting for him; I was simply being alert. Yes, that's what it was. A few moments later he sat down in front of her. A sharp face, immaculate hair, and deep hazel eyes.
"Thanks for saving me a seat," Peter Parker said as he looked at her expectantly.
Jean didn't answer immediately. She had forgotten to take her headphones off, and it wouldn't do to reveal that she wasn't listening to anything. So she pretended to fiddle with her phone and then removed them. That was stupid. Look at him. He already knows – he's simply acting. No, he doesn't. Stop overthinking and say something already!
"Did you say something?" She asked fighting off the wave of embarrassment within her.
"I said thanks for saving me the seat." He repeated himself. His voice had a measured cadence, a softness that calmed everyone who listened to it.
"You don't have to say that every day," She pointed out.
"And you don't have to save the seat for me every day." He smiled. "But you do."
His words and his smile – that got her for a moment. Why had she let him sit at her table? He had approached her politely, and there was something about his voice that made it very compelling. And then he had come the next day, and then the day after that, and each day it got harder to refuse. At first, she had suspected him of being a creep – but he rarely spoke, and was exceedingly casual when he did. And over time, their conversations become longer, and Jean came to tolerate, and even look forward to his company.
Alright, I was waiting for him. But only as a friend.
"I mean, we're kinda sorta friends now, aren't we?" She spoke in an even tone and hoped she wasn't blushing. "Friends do that for each other – you don't thank them for it."
"Well, I don't see how being friends doesn't mean you can't show your gratefulness," he nodded thoughtfully, "but if it bothers you that much, I'll stop saying it."
"No! I mean you can –" She stopped when she saw his face.
"I was just joking, Jean." He smiled at her again. "How's the guitar thing going?"
She welcomed the change of topic – anything to avoid what just happened. "It's hit a bump," she admitted. "I bombed a test recently, and my mother thinks music's the reason. No more guitar till I pass the makeup tests." She sighed.
"Just because of a single test?"
"Well, it might have been a few…What?" There was surprise written all over his face. "It's not that easy, you know?" She defended herself. "Not everyone's a genius like you are!"
"Genius might be a bit much…" Peter looked away sheepishly – he wasn't comfortable with direct praise. Jean filed it away in her mind – this could be her path to payback. "But which subject is it?"
"Physics," She spoke viciously, and a bit of her anger came out. "What good is that stuff in that real life?"
Peter was quiet for a few seconds before he made his offer. "I could tutor you."
"What?" She narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"Because I'm good at the subject, and it'll be great for revision. You'll pass the tests, and get your guitar back. It's a win-win all around!"
Was this what he was after the whole time? He couldn't have been waiting for it, could he? No, that's stupid. Don't be stupid, Jean. What's he thinking though? If he thinks that he can just – he just told you what's he's thinking. Don't read too much into it. But what if you're supposed to read into it, and it's an invitation to something else – No, don't get carried away, it's just tutoring, nothing else, something which friends do all the time - and say something instead of spacing out, he's probably going to –
"Okay," she said. "Sure, no problem, it's fine."
"Caught you by surprise, huh?" He said. "Listen, you don't have to decide right now – you can take time to think over it."
"No, no, no, it's okay." Why is he so perceptive about these things? "I was just thinking about my schedule and stuff, whether I'll be free or not." She made the excuse quickly, but it turned out decent.
"Alright, okay." He nodded. "Let's exchange numbers, and you let me know later."
Oh, you are one smooth operator, aren't you? He "S-sure. Let's do that." And they did. Peter Parker was added to her Contact list. Just friends. She reminded herself.
"Well then, – ow." He bumped his hand against the table as he stood up.
"What is it?"
Peter ran his fingers over a spot on his wrist. A spider had stung him during the school trip at the…
[X] Osborn Research Labs. (Science Based Powers)
[] Museum of Natural History. (Magic Based Powers)
"Nothing." He reflexively denied and smiled at her. "See you later, Jean."
ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ
A/N: I had the update written from Peter's POV – but then I realized that a single update from Jean's perspective would be better in defining both her and him. I was a bit apprehensive writing from a female POV, but I think it came out pretty well, doing a decent job of highlighting the things I wanted to highlight. But you guys are the final judge of things, and I'll welcome your feedback.
Powers will have a further sub vote in the next update – I have a few options for both choices. Just an FYI.
Somehow, against all odds, Jean DeWolff had a friend at school. It had been so subtle that even she hadn't realized it at first. She never had many friends in middle school, and after what happened, she didn't want any either. High school cliques were formed by mutual interest – if you shut down everyone unequivocally, eventually, they would all learn to leave you alone. Well, all but one.
She spotted him as he entered and then turned away – she didn't want to appear waiting for him. Not that I was waiting for him; I was simply being alert. Yes, that's what it was. A few moments later he sat down in front of her. A sharp face, immaculate hair, and deep hazel eyes.
"Thanks for saving me a seat," Peter Parker said as he looked at her expectantly.
Jean didn't answer immediately. She had forgotten to take her headphones off, and it wouldn't do to reveal that she wasn't listening to anything. So she pretended to fiddle with her phone and then removed them. That was stupid. Look at him. He already knows – he's simply acting. No, he doesn't. Stop overthinking and say something already!
"Did you say something?" She asked fighting off the wave of embarrassment within her.
"I said thanks for saving me the seat." He repeated himself. His voice had a measured cadence, a softness that calmed everyone who listened to it.
"You don't have to say that every day," She pointed out.
"And you don't have to save the seat for me every day." He smiled. "But you do."
His words and his smile – that got her for a moment. Why had she let him sit at her table? He had approached her politely, and there was something about his voice that made it very compelling. And then he had come the next day, and then the day after that, and each day it got harder to refuse. At first, she had suspected him of being a creep – but he rarely spoke, and was exceedingly casual when he did. And over time, their conversations become longer, and Jean came to tolerate, and even look forward to his company.
Alright, I was waiting for him. But only as a friend.
"I mean, we're kinda sorta friends now, aren't we?" She spoke in an even tone and hoped she wasn't blushing. "Friends do that for each other – you don't thank them for it."
"Well, I don't see how being friends doesn't mean you can't show your gratefulness," he nodded thoughtfully, "but if it bothers you that much, I'll stop saying it."
"No! I mean you can –" She stopped when she saw his face.
"I was just joking, Jean." He smiled at her again. "How's the guitar thing going?"
She welcomed the change of topic – anything to avoid what just happened. "It's hit a bump," she admitted. "I bombed a test recently, and my mother thinks music's the reason. No more guitar till I pass the makeup tests." She sighed.
"Just because of a single test?"
"Well, it might have been a few…What?" There was surprise written all over his face. "It's not that easy, you know?" She defended herself. "Not everyone's a genius like you are!"
"Genius might be a bit much…" Peter looked away sheepishly – he wasn't comfortable with direct praise. Jean filed it away in her mind – this could be her path to payback. "But which subject is it?"
"Physics," She spoke viciously, and a bit of her anger came out. "What good is that stuff in that real life?"
Peter was quiet for a few seconds before he made his offer. "I could tutor you."
"What?" She narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
"Because I'm good at the subject, and it'll be great for revision. You'll pass the tests, and get your guitar back. It's a win-win all around!"
Was this what he was after the whole time? He couldn't have been waiting for it, could he? No, that's stupid. Don't be stupid, Jean. What's he thinking though? If he thinks that he can just – he just told you what's he's thinking. Don't read too much into it. But what if you're supposed to read into it, and it's an invitation to something else – No, don't get carried away, it's just tutoring, nothing else, something which friends do all the time - and say something instead of spacing out, he's probably going to –
"Okay," she said. "Sure, no problem, it's fine."
"Caught you by surprise, huh?" He said. "Listen, you don't have to decide right now – you can take time to think over it."
"No, no, no, it's okay." Why is he so perceptive about these things? "I was just thinking about my schedule and stuff, whether I'll be free or not." She made the excuse quickly, but it turned out decent.
"Alright, okay." He nodded. "Let's exchange numbers, and you let me know later."
Oh, you are one smooth operator, aren't you? He "S-sure. Let's do that." And they did. Peter Parker was added to her Contact list. Just friends. She reminded herself.
"Well then, – ow." He bumped his hand against the table as he stood up.
"What is it?"
Peter ran his fingers over a spot on his wrist. A spider had stung him during the school trip at the…
[X] Osborn Research Labs. (Science Based Powers)
[] Museum of Natural History. (Magic Based Powers)
"Nothing." He reflexively denied and smiled at her. "See you later, Jean."
ЖЖЖЖЖЖЖЖ
A/N: I had the update written from Peter's POV – but then I realized that a single update from Jean's perspective would be better in defining both her and him. I was a bit apprehensive writing from a female POV, but I think it came out pretty well, doing a decent job of highlighting the things I wanted to highlight. But you guys are the final judge of things, and I'll welcome your feedback.
Powers will have a further sub vote in the next update – I have a few options for both choices. Just an FYI.
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