Typical Parker Luck - A Peter Parker Love Story

XXXV - The Photo

A/n: Oops, forgot to update, my bad.

Peter and I got back to the apartment complex after our meal with Ned and MJ.

The rest of my weekend was mostly consisted of catching up on homework which, though mundane, was somewhat enjoyable to be able to do normal teenager things.

Monday seemed to come quickly. I was ready to jump back into school with all of my injuries finally healed.

When I got on the bus, everyone seemed to be staring at me, but more than usual.

Sure, I had wings and that was cause for a whole lot of looks. But this was like all the other students knew something I didn't, which I evidently didn't appreciate as I glowered back at them.

I stopped at my locker as I did every morning, Peter and Ned eventually showed up next to me, rambling on about some new Lego set.

Out of the crowded hall, Flash came speed walking towards me.

I rolled my eyes.

"Eve, is it true you're dating Spider-Man?" he rattled off quickly, showing me something on his phone.

"What?" I asked. "Flash, please it's not even 8 am yet."

"Well then what's this picture?" he pressed, shoving his phone closer to my face.

Peter and Ned overheard and leaned in to look at Flash's phone.

The photo was a part of a Daily Bugle article. It was Times Square. Peter, more so Spider-Man, and I were on the rooftop of the Coca-Cola ad. Peter had picked up his mask just above his lips to kiss me.

My heart sank. It was clear whomever had taken the photo had a pretty good magnifying lens.

"Penis Parker's got some competition," Flash teased, shaking his phone at Peter.

"Puh-lease, Flash," MJ's voice butt in. "That's obviously photoshopped. The Daily Bugle has never had an authentic picture."

"Yeah," I tried keeping my voice level. "Totally photoshopped."

"Yeah, whatever," Flash said and walked off.

I turned to Peter whose big brown eyes were wide and his face pale.

"That photo's not actually real, is it?" MJ began. "I mean, you and Peter are dating."

"Yep," I nodded. I was a terrible liar.

MJ's eyes narrowed. "Uh huh." She sounded unconvinced. And for a moment she just stared me down so intensely I thought sweat would become visible on my forehead.

"Whatever," MJ finally decided as she made her way to first period.

I breathed out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"Dude!" Ned started. "That photo is so cool and like, crazy romantic," he said talking Peter by the shoulders.

"Ha, yeah," Peter laughed sheepishly. He looked like he wanted to disappear into his locker.

I sighed loudly. "See what I mean about not having a secret identity!"

"Well, we'll just keep saying it's photoshopped!" Peter exclaimed.

"We're both horrible at lying," I mumbled.

"No, I'm, I'm . . . decent," Peter started.

I gave him a look of skepticism.

"No, yeah, I'm bad at lying," Peter agreed.

"Let me just get through the day," I muttered to myself as I pinched my forehead.

***

"Can't you sue them for slander?" MJ began as she set down her lunch tray.

"What?"

"The Daily Bugle," she continued. "I mean, we're minors and this could like, affect you."

"I mean, yeah," I said. "But court is the last thing I want to worry about. Especially with finals and also me and my brother's birthday coming up."

"You have a brother?" MJ perked up.

"Yep," I said, pulling out my phone to show her a picture of Warren and I. "We're twins but I haven't known him all that long because we were separated when we were adopted."

MJ nodded.

"I still love him, though. I wish he would come to school with me here, and he probably wishes I would go to school with him there," I explained.

"Where's he go to?" Ned asked.

"Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters," I said, mimicking Charles' accent. "It's a school for mutants that Charles runs; he's my guardian."

"So why'd you come here?" MJ asked.

"Well, I'd lived at and attended Charles' school all my life and," I shrugged, "wanted a change of scenery."

"Also the Avengers," Ned added excitedly.

"Yeah, and the Avengers wanted me on their team, basically in the reserves in New York should I ever be needed or whatever," I said.

"'Or whatever'?" MJ began. "That's a crazy big honor."

I only shrugged again. "I'm not a big fan of the publicity."

"Speaking of which . . ." Peter mumbled.

A group of kids was gathered around Flash's phone, likely showing the Daily Bugle article as they kept looking over at me and whispering excitedly amongst themselves.

My phone buzzed. It was from Warren.

You're dating Spider-Man?!
with a link to a different news source that had copied the Daily Bugle's photo.

I let out a long sigh.
It's a fake, I texted back. I was at homecoming that night.

Dude, that's so not cool of them to make this article, Warren replied.

Tell me about it, I said, rolling my eyes.

Don't worry, it'll all blow over, Warren texted.

I sure hoped so.