Cafe Moe’s Pt 2

Things were quiet for some time. Everyone was minding their own business, even the girl with the bloodlust hadn’t looked at me for some time. The cafe was still busy even as the sun set!

MJ dropped by our table and began talking with Flash’s sister,

“How’s it going Jess?”

“Oh It’s just his first day, I’m not expecting him to become a genius! We’re just taking it a day at a time!”

I wasn’t looking at them but I could physically feel the smiles on their faces as they spoke to each other.

“Oh really that's a great Flash! I’m glad that you’re finally wisening up!”

“Oh….you know Mary, thought it was time for a change! You know.” Flash with an innocent look.

‘If only you were half as kind to others as you were to friends!’

MJ said in a jovial mood, “And what caused this change huh, big guy!”

The table went silent as soon as the words left her mouth.

It took her a few seconds to really register why there was an awkward silence.

I could sense the furtive glances. Even Harry gave me a quick look.

I could even feel people from other tables looking at us!

‘Just how many people know of our fight. This is so awkward!’

MJ being the social butterfly she was, quickly changed the topic.

“Oh yeah thanks for getting me the job again. The hours and pay are great.” She said to Jessica Thompson.

“No probs MJ, Moe’s a friend of the family. If you want me to cover for any of your shifts then just let me know, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

“Really…thanks a ton Jess, you’re the best.”

“Just don’t forget me when you become famous!”

Their laughter cut through the previous tension.

‘Wait a minute, there’s that feeling again. That bloodlust. I didn’t even say anything. What’s her problem?’

I turned to confirm whether the girl was really staring daggers at me again.

I was astonished.

The girl wasn’t even looking in my direction anymore, her irises were completely zoomed in on MJ.

What

Then it clicked.

‘She’s not in love with Flash…She’s…’ my eyeball quickly scanned Jessica Thompson.

‘It's not that I care really. As long as she didn’t pull anything with me or mine. I really couldn’t care for any of the people sitting on the table. Maybe I should warn MJ about her though….’

“Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your new friend, Jess?” MJ asked

“Oh this? This is Sarah! Sarah meet Mary! MJ meet Sarah!”

“Hey there Sarah.” MJ said with a smile.

“hel..hello” The girl Sarah stuttered.

There was something about MJ’s smile, it wasn’t like usual. It wasn’t sincere. Maybe she knew about this girl more than me.

“DONE!” Harry exclaimed, making the entire table look at him.

He passed the book back to me, “Here you go Pete, all done!”

I took the book and began sorting through his answers, ‘Hmm not bad. He didn’t get all of them but…what can I say, not bad!’

“So Sarah Huh,I think I’ve seen you. Junior right? I like blue. Suits you” Harry said doing his best dean martin impression.

‘God sometimes I wish I could smack him!’

“Hey didn’t we tell you not to talk to us?” Jessica said in annoyance but I ignored her.

Pretending I couldn’t hear her.

I focused on grading Harry’s answers…well more like pretending to be grading them. I finished them five minutes ago.

‘Besides isn’t this what you guys wanted? Not interacting with you people.’

“Hey Peter, what's going on?” He asked with an oblivious look.

“Nothing. Just focus on your work, we’re here to revise for the tests. Not socialise!” I said not caring to look away from the notebook.

He looked discouraged.

“Parker was ogling Sarah! He was-” Flash began recounting on what he thought happened.

“Shut your mouth.” I say looking directly into his soul.

I kept maintaining eye contact.

‘I’m not kind enough to let you slander me. If it took you another ass beating to realise that. Then so be it!’ I thought with fury

All of a sudden, Flash Thompson wasn’t tough anymore. Sure he returned the stare but I knew he wasn’t brave enough to test me again.

MJ commented,

“Ehh Peter, you like girls? I always thought you swung the other way!” She said with a mischievous smile on her face.

Harry burst out laughing, even the ice cold Jessica faltered her mask by giggling.

Flash and I were still looking at each other like two animals waiting for the other to move first.

“MJ, he’s not like that! He’s just a little awkward around girls!” Harry said.

‘Look who’s talking.’ I thought

I went back to pretending to grade Harry’s answers.

“Yeah of course you’ll say that. You’re the guy who’s always hanging with him! For all we know you guys might be involved with each other!” Jessica said with surprising mirth.

“What…me…It’s not like that. We’re….just..hey stop laughing!”

The quiet girl Sarah and Flash joined in on the fun.

“Mary, Don’t socialise with the customers!” Shouted an old man from behind.

‘That must be Moe.’

“Hey Moe It’s us!”Jessica called out with warmth.

‘Bingo!’

“Oh it’s you kids. How’s Harrison doing by the way? We haven’t caught up in some time.”

“Yeah…he’s busy these days!” Jessica Thompson said with a depressed look but immediately put on her blank mask again.

Even Flash cringed when the topic of their father came up!

Stolen story; please report.

Moe nodded understandingly.

‘It seems Harry wasn’t the only one with daddy issues.’

“Mary, go help Suzy with the plates.”

“Sure thing boss.”

MJ wanted to stay for a bit longer but unfortunately Moe was the one signing her cheques.

Moe and the siblings went down the memory lane as they began reminiscing about the old times.

Apparently they were neighbours and Moe’s oldest daughter used to babysit both of them.

Apparently it was some time since Moe saw Flash and he was surprised with just how big he had gotten. Flash took this as his cue to start bragging about his athletic endeavours. Moe kept humouring him but anyone could see that he was getting tired of the vain boy.

Jessica read the situation well and cut in. She introduced her new friend to Moe.

The quiet girl greeted him shyly.

Moe turned to me and Harry with anticipation. Jessica remained quiet. Harry went first,

“Hello Moe, I’m Harry Osborn.”

He smiled and looked at me.

“Peter Parker, Sir.” I kept it brief and polite.

When he heard my name though, he gave me a look. It was the look of Recognition.

“I think I know your Uncle, young man. let me see he was..Uh..yeah Ben parker. We worked together once. Yeah in Sam’s garage. We were young then…I heard about him in the papers recently. How’s he holding up.”

“Oh, He’s doing good sir. Healthy as a horse now!”

“That’s wonderful to hear. Anyways it's been fun talking to you youngsters, I won’t bore you guys any longer! Let me know if you want anything.”

We all smiled as he went back inside the staff room.

‘He’s hiding something!’ I don’t know what it was? But my instinct hasn’t been wrong a single time and I don’t expect it to be wrong here either.

His story felt I don’t know…..superficial.

“You're done with grading them.” Harry asked….

‘Oh that’s to me!’

“Hm yeah, here you go! That’s enough for today! We’ll go a bit deeper tomorrow.” I handed him his book back.

Of course we won’t be coming here tomorrow but I didn’t share that opinion out loud.

“How did I do? Oooh see!!! I told you I’ll pass with your help.”

“What that’s nothing, don’t get too cocky solving those questions. The basics are just that the basics, the harder questions won’t be so easy! I’ve circled some parts that they’ll most probably ask. Revise once more before you go to sleep.”

“Geez…I expected at least a good job, not another lecture but whatever.”

‘God this guy’s so needy!’

“Good job! Well done! Spectacular showcase of your mathematical prowess, satisfied!”

“Yeah I know!” he said with a huge grin.

“On a serious note though Pete, you should consider teaching as a part time gig. You’re damn good at it. No really you teach better than most teachers dude. Even better than the private tutor my father hired.” He patted my back.

‘I just might, if I can’t establish myself on the basketball team.’ I thought.

“That’s only because we just started, wait till another week if you still feel that way. Besides, I'm the only one with the patience to put up with your hissy fits.”

He nudged his elbow to my side and said in a low rumble,

“C’mon dude…not in front of the chicks.”

I checked the time on my watch, it was 6:23.

‘Damn I’m late! May’s gonna have my ass today’

Harry was still trying to strike up a conversation with Jessica and Sarah to no avail.

“So you guys come here often or what?”

“And what if we do?” The meathead answered, getting irritated with Harry’s persistence. To be honest even with all our previous disagreements I’m not sure I can blame him here.

“Uhhh…I mean…nothing. I was just asking Flash.” He slid back into the chair with his hands up in the air.

“Harry lets go. it’s getting late.”

“Already…it’s just six now dude. Can’t we stay for half an hour more? It’ll be fun-”

“Sorry Harry, I got to head back. If you want to stay, you can but I’m leaving!” I got up to leave.

‘If I start to argue with him, he’ll just convince me one way or another.’

Harry Osborn was one of the most persuasive people I knew.

He looked at Jessica and Sarah who promptly ignored him as they had been doing for the last ten minutes. He looked at Flash Thompson who was looking particularly mean.

Harry gulped.

“Nah. I think I’ll come with you.” He said weakly.

“Ladies! I bid you adieu” He performed a bow

‘God I know he’s my friend but damn sometimes I want to slap him around.’

Just as he got up from his seat. I could hear the sound of raindrops hitting the glass pane outside the cafe.

*Sigh*

“Sit down Harry!”

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, “Weren’t you in a hurry to leave for home?”

“Believe me there is no other place I would rather be right now. It’s just not worth getting drenched and I’m guessing you don’t have cash for a cab.”

“No, I'm out of cash. Wait…Drenched? What do you mean?”

“You’re not carrying an umbrella by any chance are you?”

“An umbrella?”

Right on cue, thunder rumbled and the rain came in full force.

“Woah, good call Pete.” Harry said with a wide smile.

He began talking to Flash, who indulged him because he was sick of doing algebra. An Unlikely Alliance formed.

‘So he’s trying to get cozy with flash, so it wouldn’t be weird if he talked to the girls. Smart!’

The rain amped up even more than before.

‘That’s not gonna stop anytime soon.’

Flash and Harry were hitting it off surprisingly well. I got up my seat,

“Have to make a call to home, be back in a sec.” Harry shooed me off with none of his previous fear of the high school quarterback.

I put a quarter in the payphone and called the landline at home.

‘Damn I really miss smartphones. I can’t wait until they get here sooner!’

The line kept on ringing.

Phones were not cheap and it won’t be for at least another two years. I wondered if I could kickstart the mobile revolution. It would be hard but not impossible, especially with my superior memory and advanced understanding of physics.

I would have to learn to code and update myself on tower and cell technology. The hardest part would have been convincing an investor and doing that before we swimmed in debt.

Investors will always look at my inventions sideways. I just don't have the recognition, connections or the experience.

Plus young entrepreneurs weren’t a big thing in this universe. Silicon valley was only starting out in its infancy.

‘Another idea on the backburner along with facebook and youtube. I'll see if I can invent something in my free time.’

I had tons of ideas but time and money were the biggest killer to them all. I had no idea how this basketball situation would work or if it was even a viable option. I saw that headline with the number 100,000 dollars written; my mind went blank and my body moved on its own.

“Hello this is the Parker residence.” Aunt May answered the phone.

My heart skipped a beat, if it was Uncle Ben this would have gone so much easier.

I explained the situation to Aunt May, expecting to be scolded but she was understanding. It was a rather brief conversation. She told me to come back when the rain stopped and it was safe.

‘Woah what’s up with that. Usually she would be a bit more mad. Especially if I stayed out this late! Guess she’s in a good mood today!’

I returned back to the table. Harry and Flash were talking about which subject they hated the most. For Harry it was biology and history for Flash.

As I returned I could feel all of them look at me.

‘Good thing I sensed it was gonna rain. Flash and gang would have refused us the seats if we came back drenched.’

“I saw your notes. They were easy to understand.’ Flash said, looking at me.

I didn’t say anything back and just read my book.

‘I have nothing to say to the likes of you.’

“Any chance you could teach me math?” Flash asked again, not taking the clue.

This time though I set the record straight.

“No.”

“Oh C’mon Pete, It’ll be fun!”

‘If this idiot wasn’t my friend, I most definitely would have punched him by now.’

“No. Not up for discussion.”

“Oh C’mon Pete. The Past is the past let it go! We can all study here togethe-”

“Harry please once in your life do me a favour and learn to take no for an answer.”

Past is Past.

No.

Fuck that.

If I didn’t have superpowers this piece of shit would still be a major pain in the ass.

If him being a decent person was contingent on me being able to kick his ass then I don’t want to hang out with him. Let alone help him in any way.

Flash Thompson for all intents and purposes was a complete douche. I don’t care what anyone else thought about the matter.

He’s a bully who’s been given everything in his life. He was cruel to anyone who wasn’t in his little clique and would physically assault them if he didn’t have his way.

Harry wanted to argue but he knew not, not on this!

This piece of shit made high school a living hell for me and for what? For! What!

“Don’t let it get to your head.” Jessica came to her brother's aid.

“Jess it's alright-”

“He’ll pass without your help! I’ll make sure of that.”

“Hey guys come on now let’s keep it nice.” Harry tried to be the mediator.

“No..he doesn't get to make fun of my brother. He has a learning disability!” Jessica was fired up.

I lost it.

“Make fun of? Learning disability? Who…..the fuck do you think your brother is? A saint? Some kind of tragic hero! Nah girly He’s the fucking villain in this story.”

She was stunned by my crassness, the quiet girl Sarah was holding that fork too close for comfort. I kept an eye on her.

“Hey Parker I’ll fuck you up if you speak to my sister like that.”

“Guys, let's calm down, people are looking!”

“You know what…I’d like to see you-”

I heard someone cough twice.

This completely distracted my anger and I turned to look at who it was.

Moe was there standing with a tray.

“Coffee? I didn’t order..” What was happening right now.

“It’s on the house, son. Drink some and calm down.”

“You’re siding with him, Moe!” Flash yelled out exasperated.

“I really don’t care about your quarrel Eugene but please don’t make a disturbance for the other customers.”

I looked around to see that everyone was looking at us.

I sighed.

“Right….of course….I’m sorry sir, I’ll be leaving-” He placed his hand on my shoulder.

“There’s no need for that, It’s still pouring outside. Just drink some coffee and stay here until it stops.”

Saying that he kept the tray on the table.

“Do we get biscuits along with them, Uncle Moe?” Flash asked the kind man shamelessly.

I couldn’t help but let the disgust show on my face.

“Of course, we just got a fresh batch baked. I’ll ask Mary Jane to send a tray here.” the middle aged man said with grace.

“Cool!”

‘How can a person be so self-interested, so deluded in their own greed.’

At least one of the siblings had the decency to look embarrassed.

A few minutes later things went as it did for the previous hour. Harry kept laughing at Flash's shitty jokes while he looked for an in with the quiet girl.

He wisely gave up on the idea of hitting on Flash’s sister while he was right there. The two girls were discussing looking at some drawings or something.

Me pretending to read my book and act sane.

After another hour of this farce, I could finally hear the raindrops slowing down!