The Butterfly Effect: a Peter Parker Fan Fic

Part 54; Lights

The course of true love never did run smooth ~ William Shakespeare

You know the scene in those teen movies where the couple meets at the prom, or at the school dance, and the aroma is romantic? Where a slow song plays and everyone gathers in pairs, with their partners, and sway back and forth, gazing into each other's eyes and feeling as if they are the only two people in the room? Where the spotlight focuses on just the two of them as their lips intertwine and everyone watches in awe?

Well this dance is... definitely not that dance.

The gym doors open, exposing me to a room, ever so overwhelming. The room is dimmed with colorful lights flashing everywhere and explicit rap music blasting from the speakers. Bodies of sweaty teenagers are scattered everywhere as they wave their arms and their hips around to the harsh beat.

Ned stands by the punch table, pouring some into four cups. One for him, one for his date, one for Peter and one for... MJ. It's time to face the music, though literally, it is quite impossible to. I shove past the blasts of color on the dance floor towards the one bit of hope. He attempts a few different variations of holding the cups to take them back to the group but fails every time.

"Need some help?" my voice is loud, too loud maybe.

He spins around, spilling some of the drinks over in the process. A shimmer appears in his eyes, filled with delight. I never would have thought someone might be this happy to see me. "Raven, you... you..." clearly speechless and in shock, a cup manages to wriggle from his grip. My reflexes kick in, catching it before it spills on his clean suit.

My mouth curls into a small smile and I tuck a hair behind my ear. "Ned, I need to ask you something and you need to be as honest as possible, okay?" I shout. His brows knit together at my seriousness, but he nods, urging me on. "Does Peter even want me? I just need to know so I don't get hurt again."

Nothing, nothing would have prepared me for his reaction. His lips press together, his mouth inflating. In the moment when the song changed, his laughter failed to remain suppressed and it rang out, echoing off of the walls of the gym. My head cocks, unsure of the humor he manages to find in this situation. "Ned, are you sure you heard me correctly?"

"Oh, I heard you loud and clear, Raven!" he reaches to wipe a tear from his eye. "That was just the funniest thing I have heard all night."

Confusion rocks me. 

"I'm glad that my love life is humorous to you, but--"

"--Raven. The boy loves you," he sighs, still not convinced by my perplexity. "If hearing it from me won't convince you, maybe seeing it will." 

He hands me another cup of punch to carry over to the group, my head hung low. I literally had to fight a super villain but carrying more than one cup of punch through a group of teenagers, who are probably drunk, without spilling is the most difficult task I have ever tried to accomplish. The drinks are almost empty by the time I finally make it to the group.

The group.

I lift my head slightly, first meeting MJ's eyes. For the first time in a while, I can't read her. She keeps her mouth shut in a firm line, her face as cold as stone. It's safe to say that she looks radiant. Her outfit is edgy, an explosion of colors splatted onto an inflated dress. Yet somehow, despite her little efforts in hair and makeup, it makes her look like a goddess.

Then she moves slightly to her left.

And he's there.

Oh my God, he's there.