Chapter 10

Ann's POV

"Okay guys, get into groups of two and choose a physicist to write a paper on. Make sure the paper goes over their history or any achievements they've made."

After hearing the teacher's words, my head swiveled over in the direction of the only person I could think of partnering with.

It seemed like Peter had the same thought as he also turned to face me. Both of us nodded, knowing what to do.

Everybody started to get up, sitting with their partner for the rest of the class, Peter did the same, pulling up a chair next to my desk. My mind was already thinking of a few good candidates.

"Your expression tells me you already have someone in mind," Peter says, twirling a pencil between his fingers.

"I have a few ideas."

"Like…" Peter motioned for me to go on, waving his free hand lazily.

"Isaac Newton, Niels Bohr, Galileo, Albert Einstein, and well a whole lot more." I stopped after naming a few, turning to see Peter's reactions. He looked amused, "What's so funny?"

"Any particular reason you only chose dead ones."

"Well those people set the foundations for other great minds to build on," I argued, a little miffed at his attitude. Peter held his hands up, an easy smile on his face.

"I'm just saying why look to the past when we can look at the present," He explained. I raised a brow, which he took as the signal to keep going, "How about someone like Dr. Victor Von Doom."

"Who?" I had no idea who this was, am I supposed to?

"The current King of Latveria." Is there some place named Latveria, did they have a monarchy like the United Kingdom?

"I'm sorry Peter, but what is Latveria?"

Peter looked at me with a disappointed face, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Seriously Parker, must you be so ignorant."

"Don't call me Parker, you know I hate that. And how is it my fault, I'm not allowed to watch television all day."

Aunt May doesn't want me to get lazy, much more preferring that I be productive with my free time.

"Forgive me, it's a bad habit of mine to defer to people with their last name. I would also like to say that you have a fair point, so I'll propose someone even you should know. How does writing a paper on Tony Stark sound?"

I thought about it for a moment, Tony Stark. There was no doubt that the man was a genius, one that everyone had to respect at least when it came to his intelligence. The less said about him as a person and businessman the better.

"I mean I guess, should we meet up in the after school library hours to write it." It should only take me and Peter thirty minutes to an hour to write the paper.

"No, that's too boring. I have a better idea, how would you like the sound of coming over to my home to write it. It's peaceful, quiet, and easy to focus there."

His home…that left me a little surprised. The both of us have been friends for over a couple of weeks since meeting each other. And I could honestly say that since that day, it feels like everything is finally becoming better.

I didn't know how or why, but Flash just seemed to stop bothering me as harshly as she did in the past.

It probably had something to do with Peter, anytime he's near me and Flash comes by she looks almost unnerved or afraid to look directly at him.

The more logical part of me wanted to look into what happened, even ask Peter if he said anything to her. But I couldn't find it within myself to mess up the current flow of things we had going on. Whatever he did, it made my life easier, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Aside from Flash not bothering me as much, it's nice to have someone that I have common ground with.

I mean I can actually hold an entire conversation with Peter on the subject of mechanical science without needing to explain anything. I knew we took the same AP classes, but I didn't know he was capable of more than that.

Finally I have a friend that can just let me be myself around them. No more being looked at weirdly when bringing up the topic of a research paper because they were just too interesting to not talk about.

I could just be me around him. And now he's asking me to go to his house, that's something close friends do, right?

I mean sure, it's for a group project, not really for personal fun, but it's the fact that he's okay enough to invite me over. I can't say no to that!

"Sure! I mean…yeah that sounds nice, the school's library can be a little cramped too sometimes with so many people going there to hang out," I accepted eagerly, having to downplay myself to not appear too ecstatic about it.

"Okay, we'll have it planned tomorrow for Saturday, that is if you have nothing planned already."

"I think I can check, but that should be perfect. I'll text you if anything comes up" I honestly didn't have anything to do, but he doesn't need to know that.

Any more talk was cut short by the bell, we both said goodbye heading to our different final periods of class. All I could think about was going to a friend's house for the first time.

(Time Skip to After School)

"So Ann, what's got you so chipper?" Ben asked, pulling himself out from under the kitchen sink to grab a pair of pliers. I looked up from the book I was reading, a required read for English class.

"What do you mean?" I replied, not feeling any different.

"Well ever since you've gotten back from school, you've been humming a tune to yourself. Got me wondering what's putting you in such a good mood."

Have I? Well it's probably because I'm going to go to Peter's home or at least I will be able to once I ask Uncle Ben.

"Well there was something today…a friend asked if I could go to their house, it's only for a group project, but I'm still a little excited. Would it be okay if I went."

Ben seemed surprised, then happy after hearing everything.

"Well sure you can, just tell me what day and the name of this friend you've yet to mention to May and I." His tone was a little accusing, but at least he said yes.

"It's going to be tomorrow, they'll also be picking me up. My friend's name is Peter, we've been friends for a couple of weeks now. I guess I just forgot to mention it, sorry"

"There's nothing to be sorry about, but a boy huh?" He narrowed his eyes at me a little, already I could tell where he was trying to go with this.

"It's not like that Ben, the thought hasn't even come up in my mind when hanging out at school. Plus Peter isn't anything like any boys I've known in school."

It was true, there was something different about him, I just couldn't pinpoint what that was.

Maybe it was the way he carried himself, like nothing bothered him. But it wasn't out of arrogance, I could tell what arrogance was. Arrogance had a name, it was Flash, the way she sauntered around with a smirk on her face.

Peter didn't even smirk, in fact he didn't show much emotion other than carefreeness, disappointment, and boredom.

"Not like other boys, sounds to me like you view him in a special light" I groaned at his misunderstanding of my wording.

"Please stop, he's just a friend I've had for a couple of weeks, that's all." He laughed, working away the pipes underneath the sink.

"Okay okay, I was just having fun with you Ann. But did you know your grandfather's name was Peter too, just like you were named after your grandmother, Ann Parker."

"It's probably just a really weird coincidence, nothing more, nothing less. Now if you excuse me, I've got some more homework to do." I quickly made my escape, walking briskly out of the kitchen to head to my room.

"Alrighty, I'll tell May about it when she comes home from the shelter, so don't worry."

Another groan came out after knowing that May was probably going to give me some stupid lecture about boys. Can't a girl have a regular guy friend without any weird assumptions or implications being thrown out.

Shutting the door to my room, I laid down on the bed pulling out a flip phone I got as a way to communicate with Ben and May. It is purely just for practical purposes, not like I used it much anyway.

The only reason I have it out was to text Peter an okay on picking me up tomorrow for the day, sending the address details. Having exchanged numbers maybe a week ago by this time. He responded with a thumbs up, I put the phone away after that.

How I wished that tomorrow would come sooner.

(The Next Day)

*Ding*

I perked up at the sound of the doorbell, jumping off the couch to race to the door with about as much speed as I could. It wasn't a lot.

Stepping up on my tippy toes, I tried peaking through the peephole. Barely able to see through it, I could spot the familiar dark brown hair. Turning the locks on the door, I opened it, excited to see my friend.

Peter was dressed normally, well normally for him. He always appeared to dress like he was ready to give a seminar to a bunch of students. Business like in style, but still casual enough to walk around with everybody else.

Once he saw me, a brief smile appeared on his face.

"Ann, I see you are ready to go," He says.

"Of course, but before that my aunt and uncle would actually like to meet you."

Peter had a face like he was weighing something over, then he turned around to a freaking Rolls Royce. I kind of figured Peter was sort of wealthy, but well this gave me a better idea of it.

The window of the front side door rolled down, a man in a suit, he looked on the older side. Peter raised his hand, signaling a five then pointing to his wrist. The man nodded, rolling up the window, I couldn't see any further than the dark tinted screen.

"Okay, we have five minutes."

I turned around, walking into the house. Now I was nervous to show Peter my home, would he think it was too low class for him. I never really thought about these things when at school, but now that he's actually here it worries me what his opinion is.

Stupid, I know. Peter probably doesn't even care about things like that. I glance backwards at him.

Peter seems to be taking everything into detail, looking at pictures on the wall intently. Pictures of me growing up over the years. I was always on the smaller side, shorter than most people.

We passed by one of me having ketchup all over my face as a baby.

"I know, they are embarrassing. May always wanted to save every moment with a picture."

"They are nice…" He turned his focus away from the photos to me.

"Uh thanks, also a heads up my Uncle Ben and Aunt May might act a little strange, but that's just because they have this weird assumption."

"What's the assumption, if I know what it is I'll be better prepared."

"I'd rather not say." I started to twirl the ends of my hair, a nervous habit of mine.

"Please Ann, what's the worst it could be? They don't think I'm extorting you for homework do they?"

"No, no nothing like that! It's just-well they think that I like you."

Peter tilted his head in confusion.

"You don't like me?"

"Of course I like you, I mean as a friend."

"That's what I meant Parker." Peter deadpanned at me like I was the one making things weird. Idiot, I probably just made it all awkward for nothing. Should have just kept my mouth shut.

"Oh whatever, here are my Aunt and Uncle. May and Ben meet Peter, my friend. Peter meet the people who raised me." We stood in front of the kitchen doorway, the short conversation taking up all the time needed to make it over here.

I waited after giving the introduction to see what would happen. May was the first one up, coming with her usual warm smile.

"Hello there Peter, it's nice to meet you. I wish Ann talked about you more, but this girl loves to keep things to herself," May says.

I had to start biting down on my own tongue not to come up with some sort of retort. Peter actually gave her a warm smile, it was like the world decided to turn upside down for me. Since when could he genuinely smile like that?

"Ms. Parker, Ann has talked about you a few times. I have to thank you."

"For what, dear?"

"For raising such a good person, it's not often I make friends. It's even less common to make a friend with someone like Ann."

May chuckled, while I turned a little red.

"Oh quite the sweet, well thank you very much. But I didn't do it alone, isn't that right Ben."

I was expecting something equally cheesy from Ben, yet for some reason he had this far away look inside of his eyes. Only snapping into reality when everybody was looking at him.

"Sorry, I'm a little tired. What was the question again?" Ben asked, trying to look at May but his eyes would stray to Peter a couple of times.

I knew he would act weird, just not this weird.

"The five minutes are up," Peter announced, "I had forgotten entirely about the driver.

"Well you heard Peter, we gotta go. Keeping the driver waiting is rude after all," I added, rushing up to May and Ben to give them a hug. After the hug both of them went up to Peter, shaking his hand.

"It was nice to meet you son, don't be shy about coming around. The lord knows Ann needs to spend less time in her room all day," Ben said, finally acting normal again.

"Thank you for your hospitality, I'll see you later in the day when dropping off Ann."

With farewells and goodbyes, Peter and I were sitting in the backseat already. I was a little nervous expecting to have to say high to the driver or something, but the divider in the middle blocked out the front seats. I thought it was going to be quiet the whole ride till Peter decided to speak.

"Your aunt and uncle seem like very good people."

"They are, or at least I believe they are. Aunt May likes to work at this community center during her free time, Uncle Ben is an electrician who usually gets called in for maintenance of small-time businesses since he charges them cheaply."

Honestly, times may be hard sometimes because Uncle Ben doesn't charge enough, but we still scrape by while keeping our morals. I'm happy they are the people that got to raise me, even if I wish I got to know my mother and father.

"What about you, do you have any aunts or uncles?" I asked, Peter hasn't spoken much about his family to me.

"By blood, no I don't have any of those. My mother was an only child, both her parents died when she was younger. As for my father, I've never met the man, nor does my mother speak of him. I do have a sort of uncle in my godfather and aunt in his wife, we're actually going to their house to do the project."

"Really, I thought we were going to your mom's."

After saying those words Peter gained a strange expression before going back to normal. I wonder if he and his mom have an okay relationship.

"No, my uncle's home is my own home too. You see he's actually been fostering me for a couple of years now due to certain circumstances with my mother."

Maybe I should change the subject away from his mom, Peter looks more stone faced than usual.

"I see, well does your uncle have any children?" If anything it seemed like Peter gained a sad look in his eyes.

"Yes, he does. His name is Harry, but he has been afflicted with an untreatable illness for years now."

Man, I really need to pick better subjects or else this is going to be a very awkward car ride.

"I'm sorry to hear about that."

"Thank you, it is an unfortunate event, but there has recently been a breakthrough in his medicine, so there is still a bright side to things."

Time to change the subject again, hopefully I don't land on another land mine.

"That's good to hear…I was wondering what your Uncle does for work."

Peter seemed to stand up a little straighter at the mention of work.

"He is a businessman."

"Is it any business I know of?"

"Just a company by the name of Oscorp."

"Oh wow that's amazing, he works for Oscorp." Oscorp was one of those dream places I would have loved to work at. I mean they cover so many different areas of science I love. Genetics, Robotics, Medical, and the list goes on.

Maybe his Uncle could tell me about the place, help me decide if I should try for that after college.

"I suppose you can say that." Peter had this amused smile, like he knew something I didn't

"Why are you smiling? Did I say something funny?"

"Sort of, but that doesn't matter. Would you like to go over the project details while we wait." I wanted to ask again what he was smiling about, but the whole point of this was to work on the project.

"Sure, the quicker it's done the more free time."

"Exactly."

Author's note: Okay, here is another short chapter for you guys, the next one bringing important characters for Ann to meet.

This was basically just a set up chapter with a few important details for the more observant. For those that missed it, I'll point them out really quickly.

The first one came from Uncle Ben acting a little strange after seeing Peter, this is for reasons explained later. So hope you guys are excited for that.

The other two big details or clues on what has happened between the years was Peter mentioning that he has been fostered. For those that don't know it basically means he is under the legal care of Norman.

Which begs the questions, why? What did Mary do?

The last important clue was Harry suffering from an unknown illness, which explains why he isn't there with Peter at Midtown.

As for the breakthrough in medicine or the cure, that is going to be a very important factor later, got some stuff cooking up.

Also a small things for you guys, I want you to decide who the next interlude is going to be from after chapter 11.

Choose between Ben, Norman, or Mary. Those three each offer very important perspectives and details about characters.

I'll be working on the Red Hood chapter next, so expect that one to be released at least within the next two-three days.

Thank you for reading and see you in the next chapter.