Peter Parker: Broke Genius Highschool Criminal

MJ's Secret Sketchbook

Whoa, part two, here we gooooo.. For clarification, in case anyone was confused, Peter is not Spiderman yet. But don't worry! Soon! Very soon!

MJ showed up at the movies the next day. 

"I thought you weren't coming cause we're losers." Peter stuffed his hands in his hoodie pockets as he spoke.

"Yeah, well I wasn't wrong about that. But nah, I'm actually a loser too, so why not, right?"

MJ's combat boots were red and sparkly today, and she wore red winged eyeliner to match. She actually looked sort of happy, with an open playfullness in her eyes that should have looked out of place, but really didn't.

"Oh. Well cool! We actually didn't know what movie we were gonna see, were there any you wanted to?"

"Dude, I kinda wanted to see The Lego Movie." Ned chimed in.

"What... dude, no, MJ doesn't want to see that movie, she-"

"Oh, I'm sorry... can I not speak for myself? Or, for that matter, think for myself either?" She put a hand dramatically on her chest and raised her eyebrows high in mock offense.

"Oh, sorry."

"But no, you're right, I don't want to see that movie." She amended, with a slate blank face.

Ned visibly drooped in disappointment.

She broke into a smile again. "Actually, my cousin is playing in a band at a few streets down, I was wondering if you guys would rather go there? Hang out and listen to live music? I know you guys are science geeks and not music nerds, but I need some new friends and thought of you guys, I mean... you obviously need a body guard anyway and I would be happy to oblige." She paused, and for the first time ever, Peter thought she actually looked nervous. Who would have thought that the tough girl secretly just wanted a couple friends? "Well... whatta ya say?" She asked.

"Sounds cool!" Ned said, eyes lighting up like a happy puppy. "Right, Peter?"

Peter nodded along. "Yeah, I could go for that. Lead the way, MJ."

Peter thought to himself that they must have looked like a mismatched group, walking down the street together. A tall, slender girl in gothic punk attire, and then him and Ned wearing their favorite science pun hoodies. Must have looked like they were being led to the slaughterhouse, he joked to himself.

When they walked into the little venue, MJ pointed out her cousin on stage, and then led them to a corner table. A waiter waved at her, and she waved back. It seemed like these people knew her pretty well.

There was a minute or two of silence- tangible silence, the sort of silence you're all too aware of. Peter wanted to say something to remedy it, but the harder he tried to think of an icebreaker, the less he could think of anything to say.

It ended up being Ned who broke the silence. 

"So, MJ," He said, and Peter watched him warily as he spoke. He wasn't always the most tactful.

"What's up?" She asked, glancing away from the band on stage to look at him.

"You're kind of like, a bad girl, ya know? Like, you're tough and everyone thinks you've probably killed someone before, or at least seriously maimed, do you think- maybe, like..." Ned trailed off.

MJ looked over to Peter, and Peter just shrugged and sighed.

"Okay," Ned took a deep breath and put both his hands on the table, looking up with dramatic solemnity. "You have a reputation. For being pretty tough."