When we get to the dance floor, I try not to be a complete idiot while we dance to those rhythmic songs that the DJ is playing, and even though there's loud music where we are, I ask her what happened between her and Liz, since after she left for the bathroom, They seem to magically get along.

Before she answers my question, Mary Jane puts her hands behind my neck to bring me closer to her, later she whispers in my ear that they met when she was in the bathroom, and, taking into account the character she thinks Liz has, She apologized for the alcohol prank so that even a queen bee like Liz could accept it without bearing a grudge.

Knowing that, I congratulate her for her almost legendary feat, since, usually, Liz would already put her on her blacklist and Mary Jane answers that, although she has a talent in human relations, Liz is a good person at heart, even though she tries to keep on that mask of a queen bee to not show others her insecurities.

I am visibly amazed by this precise analysis despite she has known Liz for a short time.
Seeing my reaction, Mary Jane tells me that she is so sure of this because she was able to see Liz without her defenses for a moment, but she can't tell me more about it because she promised Liz.

'In that simple stop at the bathroom it seems that many things have happened...'

I am surprised to hear that the authoritative Liz Allan not only had a moment of weakness, but she was even seen by someone else in that state. Normally Liz would never let anyone see her like that, she would do anything to not ruin the image of the perfect girl she built.

Which is why I ask Mary Jane to do me a favor and make sure she reserves some of her time for Liz before the party ends, so that they have a chance to chat like they both intended to, hoping that it will help Liz get better and be the usual queen bee of our school.

Mary Jane, hearing my request, giggles a moment, later she reassures me that Liz is fine, after all she is a strong girl, and she informs me that their chat is not totally about the emotional breakdown that Liz had in the bathroom, which is a topic that Liz wants to forget as soon as possible.

She explains to me that their chat is mainly about girl stuff, among which she reveals to me that Liz, like Flash, has shown her interest in knowing why Mary Jane is at the party with me, but unlike Flash, Mary Jane thinks she's more intrigued by me and what I have that's so special that makes Mary Jane want to be with someone like me.

Initially Liz was intrigued by my new look, which seems to have completely changed people's perception of me, but Mary Jane later noticed that her interest in me remained even when they talked to each other, before they found Flash and me fighting.

"How does it feel to have attracted the attention of a beautiful girl like Liz, little tiger?" Mary Jane beguilingly asks.

"I doubt Liz asked you about me because she's interested in me that way, it was just curiosity. She's already dating Flash, and honestly, I'm not a guy who has any qualities or anything that would make me desirable to girls. I would just end up involving the person who wants to get close to me in my many problems, those are attracted to me like pollen with bees ahah." I say ironic.

After that joke, instead of lighting up the mood and making Mary Jane laugh, I get punched in the back by the fiery red-haired girl, who looks at me intensely.

"I don't like you talking about yourself like that, Peter Parker. Don't ever do it in my presence again." She says with a seriousness never seen before after she stopped dancing.

Taken aback by those words, I barely get away as soon as I feel her right hand move to touch my pecs after she's finished speaking. Then when I try to distance myself from her, her hand that has touched my pectorals gathers to the other, still on my neck, so that she can again draw near to me.

"I had a feeling you were fit. When I held myself in your arms, I felt that they were strong, despite the fact that they are not visibly muscular like those of Flash and now I have the confirmation. For a punch like the one I gave you before, a lot of people would have felt pain, but you took it without a problem, as if it was a fly that grazed you. Even if you do not notice with the naked eye, you train your body a lot but you do not make it obvious as Flash and his friends, otherwise you would not have such defined pecs if you are really the nerd that everyone believes you are. For a guy who talks about himself like that, you're a weird little tiger..." Mary Jane explains.

"Y-yes, I train sometimes but I only do it because I don't want to be out of breath when I run because I'm late ahah. Plus I'm good at taking in punches, you can thank Flash for that, being his punching bag for years has helped me endure blows like those as if they were caresses ahah."

Mary Jane, following those excuses I made up in the moment, remains silent for a few seconds and then she laughs during the change of the song by the DJ.

"Ahah, you are an interesting guy, little tiger... very interesting. I admit that maybe I got carried away a little too much by my curiosity and maybe I'm making you feel uncomfortable with my questions right? Sorry."

"No, you don't have to apologize, in fact, maybe I'm the one who should apologize for being defensive, after all you only wanted to prove to me that I have qualities, didn't you?"

"I'm glad you understand my intentions... Maybe we should postpone that discussion until later. Now let's just have fun!"

***

Following that brief discussion, Mary Jane and I chatted about a few light things, such as where she got those disposable gin bottles. I found out she got them as a gift from a colleague of hers in the bar where she works, she gave them to her when she knew Mary Jane was going to a party.

Every now and then I had to leave her a moment to check on my phone that there were no emergencies that required the intervention of Spider-Man, fortunately when she asked me questions about my short but frequent absences, She thought it was because of the work I do at the Daily Bugle that I mentioned to her on the way to school.  

During the party I also introduced Mary Jane to some people who are in the acting club as I had promised her, so that she could know from other members the quality of the club program and, unfortunately, we spent the last hour of the party with Flash, Liz and their friends like Mary Jane promised.

Although I didn't want to go, Mary Jane has no intention of going to them without me, and in the end she managed to convince me to accompany her in the end. I wasn't the only one unhappy that I had to be there, even Flash couldn't stand that I was there, but he couldn't say anything because he didn't want Mary Jane to leave.

Despite these events, Mary Jane and I danced together almost the entire time of the party, with a few breaks for a drink and a breath in between, and fortunately I managed to keep up with her despite my inexperience in dancing.

'As soon as I can I have to thank Sue for those tips, they weren't as useless as I thought when she wanted to teach me them.'

I was afraid that I might look bad, but Mary Jane was there for me and put me at ease, even if I made a few small mistakes, she made another one on purpose and we both laughed at each other despite others looking at us as if we were crazy.

The only time I was really struggling was perhaps when we slow danced. She was closer to me even more than usual, however, somehow, I was successful in managing my shyness and embarrassment that I felt at that time.

After we separated from The Flash, Liz and their other friends and we left the party, we started walking towards our homes as we continued to chat peacefully, however, at some point, a group of four men stand in front of us to block our way when we are near Forest Hills.

They seem to be in their forties and, although you don't have to judge a book by its cover, none of them looks like someone who has stopped us with good intentions and to confirm that feeling is the worried expression of Mary Jane.

"Mary Jane Watson, how nice to see you here. We heard from a little bird that you had moved and we were just about to come and see you now. It was not nice to leave without warning, someone might have thought that you ran away..." One of the men says.

"Peter, do you mind moving on without me? I'll join you as soon as I'm done talking to my dad's friends..." Mary Jane says without taking her eyes off those four men.

"Oh, forgive us for interrupting your date, Mary Jane. We were in the neighborhood and just wanted to clear up the misunderstanding that arose with your transfer. We were hurt when we found out you left. We were just about to go for a drink after we paid you a visit, so how about you give us the money you owe us so we can leave and you can continue your date with your boyfriend?"

"We agreed that I would bring you the second part in four days, now I don't have that money." Mary Jane responds nervously.

"I don't care, we need the money now since we've already spent all our money. Last time you were late to give them back, we thought you'd show your gratitude by preparing them in advance this time. You know, this would have been easier if you had accepted our offer to pay the debt in an alternative way..." The man responds with the laughter of his tipsy friends in the background.

When he finishes speaking, the man who has spoken so far reaches out his hand to try to caress Mary Jane's cheek, which is visibly in trouble, however, before his fingers could touch her, I grab the man's wrist to stop him.

"Peter, let me handle this, please..." Mary Jane whispers.

"How can you ask me to leave if I see you shaking? I won't leave you alone with these guys." I answer without taking my eyes off the man.

"Oh I see your boyfriend's got balls. What do you think you're doing, brat?"

"Me? No big deal, maybe I could call the police and report that there are four drunk men harassing a girl, so you don't have to worry about money to continue the evening. I'm sure the police station will offer you a glass of water." I say while I put my free hand in the right pocket of my pants.

"Are you sure? I don't think it's a good idea to be a hero, you're just gonna end up putting Mary Jane through a lot more trouble, aren't you?" The man whose wrist I grabbed says, and then I see his friends encircling us.

"That's why I said maybe... you said you just need the money to pay for a drink, right? I think that's enough to make you wait for the date you agreed with Mary Jane to get your money back." I say while I let go of his wrist, then I pull my wallet out of the pocket in which I had my hand.

From my wallet I take out a bunch of notes that I brought with me in case I needed it, about 100 dollars, and I hand them to the man who is massaging his wrist. Once he finishes checking how much I gave him, he gives it to his friend and then, while he smiles at me, he pats me on the shoulder.

"It is a pleasure to deal with a smart guy for once ahah. Well, then we leave you to your date lovebirds. Mary Jane be sure not to disappear and bring all the money on time if you don't want us to visit your grandmother or your mother... If you have trouble finding them, the other option to repay the debt is always open for you." The leader of that little group says, licking his lips at the end, then he goes away along with the other men who were with him.

Once they are no longer in my visual range, I breathe a sigh of relief as I make sure to memorize their faces, then I put a hand in the pocket from where I had taken my wallet. After I put it back, I also press the side button of my phone, just like I did secretly the first time I put my hand in my pocket.

After that, I turn to Mary Jane, who has a mixed expression of sorrow and concern that doesn't fit the sunny girl I've been with so far, and I approach her to make sure that now that they're gone she's okay.

"Mary Jane, is everything okay?" I ask you worried.

"Yes, Yes... I'm sorry that you were involved in this Peter, you shouldn't have stayed. Because of me they even took money from you..."

"I told you before, I could never leave you alone after I saw you so troubled when you saw them."

"I should have taken care of them myself, it's not the first time something like this has happened... I'll pay you back the money you gave them as soon as possible, I promise Peter, but pleas-"

"Let me guess, you don't want me to ask you questions about it and you don't want me to tell anyone about it? Correct?"

"Yes, I do, Peter. I don't want to give my grandmother any more worries and the police won't help me, I can handle this, just like I've been doing so far. So please forget what you saw..."

"All right. In a way, I also have things that I don't tell Aunt May not to worry her, so I would be incoherent if I didn't comply with your request. I won't ask you any questions about it and I won't say anything to anyone, but only on two conditions. Actually three."

"What are they?" Mary Jane asks curiously.

"The first condition, the most important, is that I want you to ask me for help if you need it, if it's to lend you more money or anything else. You can ask me not to ask you questions, but you can't ask me to ignore what happened. The second is that you always have to tell me where you're gonna deliver the money to those guys. I won't accompany you if you don't want to but I'll be more comfortable if I know where you'll be."

'Spider-Man will pay them a visit for me anyway, I'm not going to leave them the money I earned hard.'

"Okay, what about the third?"

"Don't ask questions about the fact that there are things I don't tell Aunt May either so she doesn't worry. From the way you looked at me at that moment when I said it, I sensed that you'll be asking me questions about what it might be that I keep hidden. So if you don't want me to ask you questions, you do the same, okay?"

"All right, Peter, after all, it's the least I can do after what happened. I'm really sorry I brought you into this. I appreciate you trying to help me, but I don't want to give you any more trouble."

"Nothing really happened, and then I don't do it to help you, I just don't want anything to happen to you so you can give me my money back." I say to lighten up the mood.

Mary Jane initially looks at me in shock, then, when she realizes that I am teasing her, she pushes me and finally she starts laughing along with me at that slightly inappropriate joke of mine.

"Okay, I didn't expect someone like you to joke in a situation like this ahah. Know that I'm perfectly capable of defending myself. I took self-defense classes, and I'm sure one way or another I would have made those guys feel my fists if they hadn't just taken me off guard." She says, visibly more serene.

"I'm sure of it."

"You don't seem to believe me. Before you had a taste, you want me to be serious?" She asks slightly unnerved as she gets into position to punch me.

"Oh no, I'll take your word for it. You know, I had a hard time not letting on how much you hurt my fist before, if you're serious, you'll probably break some bones." I say after we stop in front of her house.

"Yeah sure, sure... Listen Petey... I don't want to end our night like this, do you want to go for a walk or is that a problem for you?"

Before I give her an answer, I take the cell phone in my pants pocket, to check the time and if there are any emergencies in the city that need Spider-Man, however besides the fact that it is not yet relatively late, there are no events that need the Wall-Crawler.

'It almost seems like New York wants to give me a moment of freedom, I just hope it won't make me pay for it in the future.'

"Did the boss of the Daily Bugle write to you again? Isn't that guy going to sleep?" She asks as she approaches to look at the cell phone screen.

"No, no, I was just looking at the time. Anyway, I would love to take a walk with you but let's not be too late." I answer after I put the phone back before she could see its screen.

"Promised. Let's go then!" She says, happy that I accepted her proposal, then She hugs my right arm and, together, we start walking.

***

"Ahah really?"

"I swear, it's not a joke. You should have seen the look on Liz's face that day ahah." I say, and then i eat a french fry.

Mary Jane and I, after walking for I don't know how long, decided to pick up some takeout food from Five Guys, since we started to get hungry, and now we're sitting on a bench to eat and keep talking.

Since we didn't want to be inside the fast food and we didn't know where to go, Mary Jane had the idea to come to this little park where she often comes because of the beautiful view of the night sky that there is where we are.

'Today the sky is also cloudless, you can clearly see the stars and the moon.'

"Hey Petey, anyway, I wanted to thank you."

"Don't worry, Mary Jane, I already told you it wasn't a problem for me to pay for what you took. I'm the one who suggested we go get some food, right? I'm just sorry I couldn't take you to a more appropriate place to eat."

"No, it's not a problem Petey. I also wanted to eat some junk food too. I'd rather end this weird night eating a burger here with you than going to some restaurant where they look at us bad if we use the wrong cutlery. It was a nice thought to offer in spite of what happened, but I also wanted to thank you for standing up for me earlier even though you knew you'd be involved..."

"I think anyone in that situation would have done the same Mary Jane, you don't have to say thank you.

"No, trust me, not everyone would have done that if they were you. In one night you had to defend me twice, I hope this didn't make you want to spend time with me."

"Twice? What would be the second time?" I ask doubtful.

"With Flash, when he was insinuating things not at all nice about me."

"E-eh? Weren't you in the bathroom at the time? Did you hear everything Flash and I said...?" I ask slightly worried.

"Liz and I had returned from the bathroom just in time to hear the beginning of your discussion and, yes, we both heard everything."

"I'm sorry, Mary Jane, just know that Flash didn't really mean those things about you, he was just talking that way to make me nervous. He knows I don't care when he insults me, so he's always had a habit of picking on people close to me. I hope you can forgive me because it's also my fault that he said those things. I should have ignored him from the start like I usually do."

"Petey, I don't understand why you have to apologize for something that's not your responsibility. When we went to spend time with his group and I talked to him on the sidelines, it was to give him a piece of my mind about what he said. Unlike you, that you want to take a share of the blame, he was sorry, but he blamed you for everything that happened, saying you made him nervous. In the end, acting like that only confirmed what you told him, which is that he's still acting like an immature kid."

"I guess you're not interested in Flash anymore after what he said... Or you have managed to clarify the situation?"

"What do you mean- Wait, did you happen to think I was attracted to Flash?!" she asks stunned.

"Well it seemed-"

I don't even have time to finish talking, that Mary Jane bursts out laughing before taking another bite of her burger when she realizes her intuition was true.

"No, Petey ahah. I don't care about that big baby ahah. I flirted a little, yes, but I did it to spite Liz for interrupting us, but mostly I did it to see your reaction."

"My reaction? Why?"

"Yes, I wanted to see if you were what your reaction would be if I behaved that way with another person, and although you didn't seem to care by your expression, I saw something in your eyes that intrigued me. You're strange, Peter Parker, you're a mysterious guy who, although he may seem shy and awkward, more than once this evening has proven to be the complete opposite of what he wants to make himself seem. Are you some kind of hero in charge of looking after me, trying to stay in disguise? Because, in that case, you're not doing that very well, ahah."

"H-Hero? It's a little extreme to call me a hero for doing that, ahah. True heroes are others, not a guy who gives money to people to send them away or a guy who gives a lecture to his classmate because he said bad things."

"... Do you think? Yet I remain of the opinion that tonight you were a hero to me, while I made the figure of the classic maid in need of help. I hate this, and I understand if you don't have a positive opinion about me right now, but if we get a chance to see each other in the future, I'll try to make up for it by showing you the real Mary Jane." She says in a disconsolate tone towards the end as she looks down at a French fry that she eventually eats.

"Why should I have a negative opinion about you? Should I have it just because you have problems that you can't talk to me about or because you haven't had a chance to react as you would have liked to do in certain situations? Anyone has problems and anyone can have moments of weakness that will not allow you to react to certain things as you would like."

"If you really think so, then would you like to answer the question I asked you before the party started now?" She asks after she turns to me.

"Which one?"

"What do you think about me? I'm curious about the way you see me, so I want you to be completely honest, for better or worse."

"Man, it's not easy to answer a question like that out of the blue... I think you're a very beautiful girl, I think this is undeniable, but I'm more impressed with your character so far. I admit that at first, I thought Aunt May was exaggerating when she described you, yet you have a wonderful personality that completely shocked me from the very first minute together. It's been a bit hard for me lately, but a few minutes with you was enough to shake off all the thoughts and mental fatigue I've been carrying for a long time. I sincerely wish this evening would last as long as possible and that maybe, in the future, we could keep seeing each other because I like to spend time with you..." I say truthfully as I look down to avoid embarrassment.

Once I'm done talking and I look up to see her reaction, I see Mary Jane looking at me with a slightly surprised look, probably because of something I said to her so, I ask you what I said to make her look like that.

After my question, she closes her eyes for a moment and whispers something I can't hear, then she reopens them and her face flaunts a smile that almost takes my breath away.

"You keep surprising me, Peter Parker, that's why I had that look on my face. If you keep going on like this, you don't get rid of me anymore, you know?" She says as she approaches me to cling to my right arm and rest her chin on my right shoulder, ending up having our faces are overly close.

"Is the truce you granted already over? Are you already back in charge with your teases?" I say trying unnecessarily to mask my embarrassment.

"The party is over, it's normal that the truce is over too, little tiger. Also don't talk as if you don't like it at all... Anyway, aren't you curious what I think of you?"

"Yes, I would love-"

I can't finish the sentence because something catches my attention, I turn suddenly to look in front of me, in the direction of that small movement that I saw with the corner of my eye and, after I concentrate a moment in that direction, I see a light source moving in the sky.

"That is..." I say pointing to the sky.

Mary Jane was already looking in the same direction as me, because she was curious to know what might have captured my attention, and as soon as she looked at the spot where I was pointing she squeezed my arm.

"It's a shooting star! How lucky Peter, come on make a wish!" She exclaims as happy as a child.

"Why don't you make the wish? I'll give it to you since you care more than I do."

"You don't give up wishes, only those who see the star first can make a wish! Come on, there's definitely something you want."

At that point, since it seems that Mary Jane would not leave me alone until I make a wish, I close my eyes and, after a few minutes of reflection, I think of the wish that I would like to come true.

'I live in a world where people have super powers of all kinds, in a universe where it is now certain that this is not the only planet with life forms, maybe if I make a wish this will come true... If I have to desire something right now, I want May to be okay, and I want Mary Jane to be able to solve whatever problems she has without anything happening to her. I want them both to be happy.'

The moment I open my eyes, Mary Jane immediately tries to investigate what I may have wished for, yet when I am about to tell her, she stops me, because if I tell her my wish, it might not come true. She just wanted to ask me a few questions to try to figure out what kind of wish I'd want to come true.

Before we can continue that discussion centered on our desires, my instinct takes me back to the point where we saw the shooting star and, after a few seconds staring in that direction, I realize that it is getting closer and closer.

'I knew I didn't have to make any wishes, damn Parker luck!'

Without me realizing it, I get up from the bench, imitated immediately by Mary Jane, who gets up with me to understand what is happening, until it becomes clear to her that that shooting star would soon hit the ground of New York.

The first thing I do after I understand that thing is to take my phone out of my pocket and I look for any information about it and, fortunately, I find notices about it in private communication channels of police.

The meteorite, of which they already knew he was coming, was originally supposed to fall into the Long Island Sound, but now that meteorite, which will be the size of a yoga ball upon impact, is heading into the Central Park area, which it has already been evacuated by the police.

'Even though the police are already taking action on this, I can't stay here with the doubt that something could go wrong. I have to go there, but I'm forced to make up an excuse to end the night with Mary Jane. I don't want to lie to Mary Jane, but it is necessary...'

"Listen, Mary Jane, I'm sorry but i need to go. I got a message from Jameson and he wants me to go take pictures of the meteorite. I'm sorry I can't even take you home, but it's urgent."

"Do you want me to go home now? Forget it, I'll go with you, so I'll help you!"

"Mary Jane, it could be dangerous, you better go home without me."

"I'll go with you, you won't change my mind. Come on, instead of wasting time with this nonsense, let's hurry up and go before some other photographer comes before us!" She exclaims, then, without wasting any more time, she takes me by the hand and she starts to run.

"You don't even know where we're going, why are you dragging me?!"