A year to Remember. Part 2, the Internship

MJ POV:

Peter was called to the office like 20 minutes ago, it's the last week of school, what possibly could they want. I ponder, reading 'Difficult Women; A History of Feminism In 11 Fights' during my English class before a buzz interrupts me.

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Karen:

MJ, Peter seems to be having a panic attack in the first floor boy's bathroom. I thought I should alert both you and Ned

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F$ck

What happened.

I stand from my desk and walk right out the door. Teachers have learnt better than to ask and I will always be proud of that. I run downstairs unimpeded by any teachers and barge into the boys bathroom,  Ned on the floor, a crying Peter curled by a wall next to him. "MJ! This is the boy's bathroom!", Ned yells

"So?", I challenge. "Who's gonna stop me?". That promptly shuts him up as I return us to our goal: Helping Peter. Kneeling down by him we try and ask what's wrong, his tears too thick to speak forcing Karen to play the audio she recorded on his phone through Ned's earphones.

"Please never contact me again".

We turn to Pete, opting to Hug him as he cries his adrenaline out before he can talk again. "They- They know, They'll figure- figure me out", he mutters, pulling in air as harsh and desperately as he could.

"Ned, Look Out", I order, no room for arguments, him opening every stall running to the bathroom door. 

"Ok Pete, look at me", I lift his face so he can see the honesty In mine. "I heard everything you said in there, and I promise you they won't find out. I wouldn't be able to". This doesn't quiet his racing thoughts but it does calm him enough to focus. "Now, run me through everything".

I see him settle back in reality before he speaks. "They came to Morita about the internships, my test. The fact I failed. I panicked", he repeats, a few sobs slipping from him. "Of course you did Peter", I assure him, he needs to know his emotions are more than valid. "They hurt you, they abused your trust. Functionally they are your abusers Peter, no one gets over that in a day or a week".

He sniffles a deep, calming breath in. "It can take months or years for someone to face their abuser and not break Pete, what you did was natural".

Doesn't seem to resonate, yet, his eyes still watery, flickering confused. "But I was so mean! They must hate me! And Morita? I'm gonna get expelled!", He starts to panic again. "Pete, Peter", I keep his focus, I need it. "You weren't mean. Everything you said in there was the honest truth. I would have said exactly what you did, and if Stark is as smart as he says he is, he will know that too".

He seems calmer, but very much still fragile. "You sure?", he asks me, the grasp of his hands tightening around my wrists. "If they read even half of my test, I'm sure. They didn't do anything about me and I was a lot more liberal with my distaste", I get him to smile. I can see his gears turning thinking over what I could've written.

I give him a second to process before I return to my point. "What you said was true, was honest and you were entitled to say it. Don't shy away from it Pete". He nods, snorting his tears back as he looses. "And you're sure Morita won't expel me?".

"If he tries, he'll have to get through me", I assure him playfully, adding a more logical answer to settle his last nerve. "Best you'll get is detention so Morita can cover his ass, don't worry". He quietly chuckles, "Thanks MJ", Pete stands slowly, giggling a little to himself after he does. "What's that about?", I ask confused.