The Butterfly Effect: a Peter Parker Fan Fic

Part 22; Winners & Losers

It sucks, doesn't it? Liking someone you can't have. Seeing them everyday, but knowing that they'll never be yours. It's the worst feeling, cause all you can do is dream about and wish for them, but never have them ~ anonymous

"We won! We actually won again!" Ned cheers on the way back to the motel.

Midtown Tech managed to take the title for the second consecutive year. It was boring, if you ask me. Everyone was nervous, shaking hands, chattering teeth and all. The only ones who weren't consisted of me, MJ and even Peter a little. His mind was somewhere else but then again, so is mine. He won it for us and he seemed to do it effortlessly.

"Pool party!" Flash shouts out and I roll my eyes.

Everybody runs up to their rooms to change into bathers or whatnot, leaving Peter and I alone. "Good job today," I tell him.

He giggles, "um, thanks..." His voice displays a lot of uncertainty and awkwardness for reasons that are clear.

"About yesterday, I--"

He cuts me off, "---it's okay. I understand. You just... you know where my feelings lie so you know that to me, it felt off."

Okay.

Okay, then.

I see how it is.

My heart pangs at what he says and every part of me feels completely and utterly broken by his words.

Because I was the one who couldn't pull away from the kiss and it was off?!

And... I'm being petty for no reason again.

"Yeah. Right," I mutter.

"You going to the pool?" he asks.

I shrug limply, "I guess."

So here I am, dangling my legs in the water and continuing to read my novel, ignoring the celebrations and hubbub from everybody else. The couple in the novel have just kissed for the first time and fireworks are going off and it's the cheesiest and cliché thing I've ever read. But if anyone is a sucker for romantic clichés, it is definitely me. And a truth or dare kiss as a first kiss is pretty cliché if you ask me.

Yes, it was my first kiss. Yes, I was hoping that maybe my first would've been more romantic. No, I don't want to change it. He didn't pull away and even if it was off, it didn't feel off to me and those are the facts.

Someone splashes water at me and I snap my head towards them, shooting bullets. Flash, of course. I stare down at my novel in shock as the ink begins to run down the page and at my good t-shirt, which is now completely soaked.

He is dead to me.

"You coming in Garcia? Gonna show off your body, like the slut that you are?" he winks but I stare at him, appalled. This dude must be real insecure if he had just said that.

The rest of the team stares in shock, waiting both worriedly and enthusiastically for my reaction. Peter only looks at me with worry, but I'm a big girl. I can handle myself. I don't need any guy. I succumb to the peer pressure. I stand up and throw my book behind me, steam billowing out of my ears, and whip off my t-shirt, revealing my black and white striped bikini. I slide into the pool, remaining oblivious to the freezing temperatures in here compared to the comfortable and warm atmosphere outside.

Flash begins to panic a little internally, making it extremely obvious on the outside as I march towards him. I lean in towards his face and glare at him, "scared, are you?"

"Telling the truth can have negative impacts," he mutters.

I cock my head, "do you even know what slut means, pal?"