Senioritis

Please

It was Friday afternoon and Peter had gotten back from another semi-lonely day at school. The whole mood there had seemed somber and MJ was nowhere to be seen. Of course not, after everything that happened.

He got home from school and May was out so he warmed up some left over Thai food, and sat in front of the TV watching 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' because it was the only thing semi-interesting that was airing.

Then he went back to his room and got down to some homework. He was analyzing some AP English Lit poems and had his laptop opened up in front of him with all his notes.

He was so confused when he got an email from MJ's Dad. MJ's Dad? He had to stare at the email for about half a minute, to make sure it was real.

'Dear Peter,

I have attached my phone number below. I am going out of town for the weekend, and as you would expect, because she came home home from school crying a few days ago, I am extremely worried about her and do not want her to stay alone. We discussed about her going over to stay at a friend's house but she re-iterates that she is more comfortable at home. Of all of her friends, I figured you or Andrew could maybe come and stay at my home for the weekend, with MJ, to keep an eye on her. Andrew is busy with applications so I expect you would be a better choice. I would love to meet at a coffee shop to discuss this weekend further. Please send me a text if you are willing to do this.

Kind Regards,
Walter Jones

Peter read the message about five times over, praying there was something he hadn't left out. It was already Friday night and he hoped he wasn't too late. Sat at his desk, he grabbed his phone and began sending a text to Walter:

'Hey Mr Jones. Thanks so much for the invite. I'm happy to meet up with you this afternoon before you leave town.'

Peter wasn't expecting a quick reply. He knew Mr. Jones was a busy man. But it seemed that when it came down to MJ, he would do everything in his power to make sure she was happy. And this was a clear example of that.

Just after he had finished his English homework, Peter's phone buzzed with a message.

'Perfect. We'll meet at Ollie's Restaurant at 4pm.'

Peter felt like he was going to a college interview. It was probably the most formal email that he'd read in a long time.

Relax he thought.

It was MJ's Dad. Nothing bad was going to happen. He was more worried about what he would say when Walter would inevitably interrogate him about everything going on with MJ at school, but he was also relieved that he was the one Walter was entrusting MJ with, and not Andrew. Even though, Andrew was a badass when he gave Flash a piece of his mind that day at lunch.

Peter put his earphones in his ears. It was 3pm. He had an hour to finish his homework and find something semi-decent to wear to this 'meeting.'

The hour seemed to go on forever. He was trying to read 'Pride and Prejudice' but he really couldn't concentrate. Every five minutes or so, he would check the time on his phone, feeling more nervous.

At 3:40pm, Peter slammed the book shut. He pulled on some blue jeans and the cleanest black T-shirt in his closet, then searched for that fancy vintage coat that used to be his Dad's. May had given it to him as a gift for his seventeenth birthday.

Apparently, it still smelt like his Dad.

Even though, May knew that Peter couldn't remember what his parents smelt like. Peter shrugged the coat on then looked in his mirror.