Chapter 4

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The day after the Oscorp attack:When Peter Parker was eating lunch with his longtime friend and co worker, Betty Brant, he did not expect to see Flash Thompson walk into the resturant they were in

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The day after the Oscorp attack:
When Peter Parker was eating lunch with his longtime friend and co worker, Betty Brant, he did not expect to see Flash Thompson walk into the resturant they were in. Flash was wearing an US Army cap and he recognized Peter. Flash put his head down in shame; remembering how badly he treated Peter back in high school, before he was forced into military bootcamp and shown just how much of a jerk he used to be. Peter, seeing the shame in his eyes walked over to Flash, though he wasn't sure why. Never did he thought he'd ever willingly walk up to Flash, but his Uncle Ben would want bygones to be bygones.
'I forgave Flint Marko for accidentally killing Uncle Ben. This shouldn't be too difficult.' Peter thought as he walked over to Flash, confusing Betty.
"Flash Thompson? You are Flash Thompson, right?" Peter asked. Flash nodded.

"Hey Parker. How are you?" Flash asked awkwardly.
"I'm ok. How about you? You look kinda nervous." Peter replied. Flash sighed.
"Just remembering how I used to treat you. I'm sorry. Especially after your uncle died and all, and I still treated you like trash... if I could take it all back..." Flash started to say before Peter waved him off.
"It's ok. Join me and my friend, Betty for lunch?" Peter asked. Flash smiled and nodded.

Mary Jane was practicing for her Broadway comeback with her friend Louise. They were at Louise's house looking over their scripts.

"MJ, relax. You got this." Louise told her friend. MJ nodded, but her mind was not on drama at the moment. It was on the fact that it was the day when she was first saved by Spider-Man at Oscorp's World Unity Festival. The first time a super villain was nearly the cause of her death. A scenario that would happen again and again. Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Venom and Sandman, though Sandman had not wanted to go that far as to threaten someone's life. She was frustrated, just remembering how she kept being the damsal in distress was beyond frustrating for her.
"MJ, please focus." Louise said to her friend, worriedly. MJ sighed.
"Sorry, Louise. I just thought of a bad memory." MJ replied. Louise nodded before her phone's notification ringtone played. Louise checked her phone and squealed in excitement at whatever was said in the text message she saw.
"Oh my gosh!" LouIse said. Mary Jane smiled at seeing her friend so joyful.
"What's going on? It's got to be good with the reaction I just saw." MJ inquired. Louise looked at MJ with a big smile on her face.
"So there is this guy I met a few years ago. He was in the military, visiting his family. Well, the thing is... we started dating and now he's back in New York. He got granted honorable discharge and he's a civilian now." Louise explained. Mary Jane playfully hit her shoulder with a smile.
"So does the soldier boy have a name?" Mary Jane asked. Louise nodded.
"His name is Eugene Thompson, but his friends called him 'Flash'." Louise replied. Mary Jane looked at Louise in shock.
"Is something wrong?" Louise asked.

Betty Brant was surprised when Peter invited his former high school bully to eat with him and her, but she couldn't help but he impressed by Peter's maturity. She was also surprised that Flash Thompson seemed to genuinely want to start a friendship with Peter, as the two former Midtown students were laughing about movies and tv shows they were watching lately.
"Say Peter, sorry to change the subject and all, but aren't you a photographer for the Daily Bugle these days?" Flash asked. Peter nodded.
"Yeah. Betty and I both work there." Peter replied. Flash sighed.
"Why would you work for a guy like Jameson? He keeps badmouthing Spider-Man even though the dude saved the city so many times. The guy is like a solider himself in a way, in a one man war against crime, making sure to protect civilians who can't fight the fight themselves. I couldn't work with a guy who can't see the good in heroes." Flash said. Peter nodded.
"I see where you're coming from. The reason I work for Jameson is because when I started off, he was the only newsman who would print my photos. Every other newspaper wanted to avoid hireing 'rookie photographers' and I just rose the ranks as time went on." Peter explained. Betty nodded.
"Even though Jameson pretends that he hates Peter's work, calling it crap when everyone else can tell he's lying out of his teeth when he says he hates the pictures. I never did like that about Jameson at all." Betty added. Flash shook his head.
"Yeah, well. I couldn't work for a guy like Jameson, but I suppose I can respect the fact that he was the only one who gave you a chance. And, Peter... thanks for giving me a chance. Again, I know I don't deserve one... especially after I tried fighting you for accidentally tossing a lunch tray at me that one day... but thanks." Flash replied.
"Yeah, well.... One can choose to let their past define them forever or they can move forward. I choose to move forward." Peter replied. Betty smiled as raised her cup like it was a glass.
"I think we should make a toast... to moving forward." Betty said. Peter and Flash brought their cups up and banged their cups with Betty's.
"To moving forward." Peter and Flash said.

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