Chapter 4: +1 Quality of Life

"He- I was jealous, but now I'm over her, so I guess I'll apologize when we meet. I guess" Jacob shrugged before quickly returning with his own question.

"How about you and Liz?" Jacob probed, shifting the focus away from troubles in his love life and on to his friend's. Liz Toomes was the carbon copy of the MCU's universe, especially in her looks and personality. Which was interesting for Jacob because as he thoroughly sifted his memories, it was interesting to know that instead of him, Ganke was the one to like Liz instead of Ned who in MCU liked and dated Betty.

"What about Liz… she is too good for me dude and Flash likes her, so what chance does someone like me have?" Ganke frowned, Jacob looked over to his friend's crush and observed that she was studying Chemistry alone. The people who sat close to her were obviously a couple of her friends that were talking but she remained preoccupied in her studies for the most point only occasionally engaging in the conversation.

"Ganke, she seems down to earth, and she like Chemistry. Maybe, just maybe she likes tech too, and you'll both hit it off! " Jacob turned back to look at his computer and then looked at Ganke who was starting to gawk at the girl.

"Ganke just take a moment and breathe, talk to her. Say 'Hi Liz, I'm Ganke and I like you so much' " Jacob then hugged himself and made kissing noise quietly too himself which earned him a hard push from Ganke. The both of them chuckled, making jokes for the rest of the class until it ended. They went on to completely different paths as Ganke had Economics, and Biology, While he had Physics, and sadly History, luckily they would meet up again in Chemistry, but seeing how long it took one class to end, he was sure to be completely bored by the time he even got there.

Jacob walked through the halls surreptitiously avoiding the people of Gotham Heights. He climbed the side entrance stairs where couples found enough room to make out privately. Not wanting to join on any of their precious session, he quickly found himself on the fourth floor. Jacob strolled around looking at the different billboards until he found himself idly standing on the side of his next class room door. Getting tired of waiting, he attempted to turn the knob, before it broke internally. Jacob winced before turning the knob gently. He then entered the classroom where he took his seat in the back of the room before opening his laptop. Jacob didn't exactly know what he had downloaded for 100%, so he quickly skimmed the research papers before going over them again but this time reading through each of them properly.

He was surprised when he had grasped more than 50% of it the first time. He needed advance applications of some of the basic physical and theoretic sciences laid out in this texts which by his calculation would take him at least a week or a couple of days without rest to get decent grasp on things. Not knowing his current schedule and not wanting to get to sidetracked, he would try to understand what the basic foundation of his new project would look like in this period. After a couple of moments undisturbed, Jacob became completely absorbed in the documents he downloaded while other students came into the room.

He was so focused, that he didn't even notice the person sitting next to him. Jacob undisturbed after another half an hour felt the soft tapping of someone besides him. He instantly moved, grabbing the pen but when he turned to see who the culprit was, his eyes laid upon the spooked face of Cindy Moon. He instantly redirected his gaze to her eyes thinking it would make him slightly less nervous but her dark chocolate eyes were like this long needed calming beacon. He felt like he had just desperately sipped his first cup of coffee after a stressful morning. She turned her head to the front, ignoring his long gaze but he did not fold, until he heard the awkward cough from the distance.

"Mr. Davis, now that Ms. Moon has gathered your attention away from the worst invention that will no doubt ruin your generation's minds "

Jacob turned his attention to the professor while writing 'Not worse than his balding head.' On a note before using a little slight of hand to subtly pass it on to his table partner Cindy, who looked over to his beckoning hand before turning her vision sharply back to the front of the room.

"Of course, Professor . What was the question" Jacob slouched, resting his head on his palm while taking a glance at Cindy. She looked back, furiously shaking her head but Jacob moved his lips pointing at the note. She took the note and opened it before slyly reading. She looked at the Jacob before sneaking a peaking, giggling and slightly snorting.

'Cute' Jacob thought before looking at Professor Gregory who was steaming.

"Is there a joke that we need to know of Ms. Moon. I expect better of you" Professor Gregory berated. Cindy looked down, before re-asking the question.

"What is Allegory of the Cave Mr. Davis. You can get us it's themes or what happened in it." Professor Gregory sneered. Jacob yawned before answering.

"The Allegory of the Cave is about a bunch of people who were stolen at birth, and held prisoner in a cave with a fire and a walkway behind them. The prisoners cannot move, and when people carry objects and walk through the cave to them it casted disillusioned shadows, but these shadow are their reality. One of them escape, touching the grass and breathing the fresh air. The escapee goes back to tell the rest about his findings, but all they see is a shadow. A shadow that yells at them. It's a tale about belief versus knowledge, Ms. Gregory" Jacob turned away.

"Pay attention next time, Mr. Davis, please " Professor Gregory continued teaching most of the class. She did this routinely picking on the smarter kids to set an example for the rest. Jacob nudged Cindy softly before smiling and pointing at his head which made Cindy double down while clutching her sides, Trying not to laugh.

"Stop, you'll get us in trouble" Cindy Warned side eyeing him,which didn't stop him from grinning.

"Maybe, that's a good thing." Jacob defended, but Professor Gregory looked back to see if everyone was paying attention and then turned back around once more

"Why would it be a good thing, Jacob." Cindy held her lips, curious to see what his answer was.

"Idk, I could use a decent study partner. I am not much of history buff and you are wicked smart" Jacob admitted. Cindy eyes widen glaring at him before returning to neutral opting instead to resume her tapping pen softly. Jacob felt the vibrations through the Chemistry table they shared.

"You just answered a question for the last book we're reading at the end of the year. You know the Debate team could use someone like you" Cindy offered, but Jacob looked away. He couldn't he needed to the time to make a new A.I, and make his first suit which he severely doubting the quality of.

"Cindy, I'm sorry but I can't." Jacob looked back before she was the one now looking away but she quickly returned with.

"That's fine, You probably need the time studying to get your grades up. The material is getting harder" Cindy tone made her sound slightly judgemental. Her eyes lit up instantly regreting what she said.

"I did not mean to say that, I think for someone like you the material might be too easy, it's just with your father being murd- I'm going to shut up now." Cindy shook her hand before avoiding any sort of contact with Jacob.

'She know- well I guess everyone knows. She's socially awkward, which.. could use some help but it's pretty cute. Should I ask her out? No, I need to work on the A.I, well the A.I isn't going anywhere Is it. Plus I am extremely smart' Jacob thought about but before he could make a final decision he looked at her fixing her hair, a tint of pink highlighting her cheeks and her furious pen clicking.

"You want to go on a date" Jacob blurted out, his eyes widened slightly before correcting himself.

"Study date, I mean" Jacob corrected, he noticed that Cindy was slightly more red than pink, but nevertheless agreed smiling ear to ear.

"DAVIS" Professor Gregory called out.

Both of them sat stiffly, paying attention to Professor Gregory for the rest of class. Soon the bell rang and the rest of the student evacuated from the room leaving him and Cindy.

"So tonight?" Jacob asked while packing, he was pretty free for some time but he knew that he wanted to continue focusing on some of his Project which was now under the name of Adam in his computer. Cindy finished packing as she had only taken out a notebook and a pen.

"Uhhh, I have Debate Club after school tonight, and I'm going to see my grandparents on Saturday and Sunday. Then I have a debate on Monday in Metropolis and we get back Tuesday but how about Friday? My parents are probably going to be gone for the week in a meeting with Palmer Technologies so we could get some pizza from Maroni's or something else and then study at my place? Plus we have the day off so my mom will let me go out though with her gone it doesn't make much of a difference" Cindy offered shyly. Jacob thought about it before agreeing, It gave him some time to himself which was needed if he was going to have anymore imbalances, even though his body was highly adaptive to the venom, the venom itself probably did more harm considering that some of his attributes are greater than Peter's or Miles. Plus working on the his suit would be the main target for the day, and then Project Adam.

"Great, I totally didn't forget that I had a dinner with my brother and mom today, so it works out. Should we exchange numbers?" Jacob asked, Cindy nodded and he gave her his before they split off, He turned the corner and did a leprechaun kick. For the rest of school day, Jacob went through his classes smoothly until he noticed Gwen talking to Ned after school. They were next to his locker so he decided to so hello to his good friends but Gwen soon walked off after that.

"Dude, fix this. I hate seeing my two best friends fight." Ganke pleaded. Jacob looked at his concern friend and jogged off after her. After a couple of seconds, he was about to grab her but then he noticed that spider sense tingled, telling him to back off which he did and a bucket of water was seen. Jacob followed the water's trajectory and saw it was about to land on someone he wished wasn't born.

'Why does it have to be Harry of all people' Jacob runs to Harry pushing him, they both fall on the floor, while the person he was talking too gets wet.

'Hmm. Stephanie Brown' Jacob turned around to see the wet red head pissed as can be, storming off with water trailing her.

"Davis?" Harry called out from under him. Jacob realizing that he was still on top of him, got up off of the Marble inspired Linoleum. Pulling Harry up, Jacob fixed himself and Harry before running off after Gwen. Seeing her turn to the entrance of the school, he made a mad dash after her avoiding everyone in the way.

'Was the water for me, I saw that Flash did it but wouldn't he had did it where it wouldn't mess with anyone. Ugh, I guess only time will tell with me and the garbage bale.' Jacob finally caught up to Gwen, grabbing her by the arm softly and spinning her towards him. She looked avoidant, as her eyes were everywhere but where he was at.

"What's up blondie?" Jacob smiled. Gwen sharply looked at Jacob before shaking her head and digging her sharpened Nails into his skin.

"So now you're talking to me ? Jacob? " Gwen shouted, Jacob took a half of step back confused. He looked through his memories, before finding the problem.

'She's not in any of the recent ones. I probably haven't spoken to her since…my father died' Jacob thought. It dawned on him that this wasn't going to be as easy at he originally thought.

'It might be better to get a plan before venturing off into this broken relationship. It might even be better to let it die, She could just be friends with Ganke and Tim. Easy as can be, there might be a goblin eventually but there won't be any falling Jane's besides.' Jacob took another half step back putting his hands back.

"Look your right, I am sorry for not speaking to you." Jacob then walked off, and soon ran off. He looked behind him to see Gwen shocked at their engagement, but Jacob realized that he wouldn't need to always adhere to relationships the other Jacob cared for, even it is easy.