Chapter 9

You were in the shower, scrubbing away the grossness of the last 24 hours, with Ruby standing against her sink on the other side of the shower curtain, as you recalled everything that had happened since you last saw her at the Thai place.

"I still can't believe Shawn didn't smack his face when he said that." She scoffed over the sound of the shower as you rubbed her body wash into your skin.

"I don't think any of us knew what to say." You explained. "It was just so out of character."

"Babe I don't want to put ideas in your head..."

"But you're going to?" You laughed.

"It just...ever since you and Peter started your whole scheme, Adam seems to be doing more things that...I dunno just..."

"Seem suspicious?"

"Exactly! You haven't mentioned half of this stuff before."

"I know, I've been thinking that too. I just figured that maybe I didn't notice it before? Now I'm hyper aware or some shit. Just like all these things with Peter..."

"I'm sorry, all these what?"

You gulped, realising you hadn't quite got to that part yet.

"Uhh..." You rinsed off the soap as you panicked. "Well just like...in the car and last night, and this morning-"

"This MORNING?! What have you been doing with Peter missy!" She gasped, and you reached forward to turn off the water. She threw a towel over the rail for you, and you wrapped it around yourself before pushing the curtain aside.

"I said I went to Peter's after I left the club, and drunkenly hit on him." You said nonchalantly, stepping out of the shower as she passed you some new underwear. Luckily, you kept a stash of your clothes here for times such as these.

"You never said you stayed over!"

"Oh well, I stayed over."

"And?!" She urged, her eyes wide.

"And nothing! Nothing happened! There were just a couple of...things." You shrugged as you pulled the underwear on under your towel.

"Things? What things?"

"Just like...moments. Of just...looking at each other." She frowned at your explanation. "It felt different when you're in the moment but it was all...intense." Then she started to smile.

"Are you attracted to Peter Parker?"

"No!" You scoffed, taking the Tshirt out of her hands and pulling it over your head before taking the towel away from you and drying your hair. "I don't...I don't think so. I can't anyway, I have a boyfriend."

"Who everyone is pretty sure is cheating on you."

"He isn't until we have proof." You threw the towel in her hamper and left the bathroom, hearing her follow you.

"But you're having things with someone else. Even if he isn't cheating on you, he's been an asshole. Do you really think you're gonna stay with him after all this?"

You turned round to her, ready to counter her question, when you realised she might be a little bit right.

"You can have things," She smirked, pushing your shoulder gently. "As long as they don't turn into events while you're attached. It's called looking at the menu."

"I'm not looking at Peter. I have a boyfriend. For now, anyway."

"For now...but maybe one day you'll be looking at Peter?"

"Stop twisting my words woman!" You laughed, grabbing her hairbrush and combing through your wet hair. "Peter is helping me out. That's it. The things were just situational. Being close in the car, being drunk, being hungover. They're not actual things."

She sighed and sat on her bed as she watched you brush your hair.

"I think you're in denial, bestie. But don't worry, I'll be here for you when you realise it." She said smugly. You rolled your eyes at her. "I do think you need to get a move on with this scheme though. Two weeks and you have no information about anything? Come on."

"Well there's what the guys were talk-"

"You don't know that was about you. It was just eerily similar." She shook her head. "He keeps working late right? Go visit him."

"What?"

"Go to his office and visit him. Drop off some dinner, say you missed him. See if he's really there or not."

You thought about it. It wasn't a bad idea. It wasn't a bad idea at all. You nodded in agreement.

A few hours later, you'd truly exhausted your social battery, and left Ruby's house. She left with you, saying that she was heading over to Oscar's, her boyfriend's house, but in reality, once you turned down the block that led to your flat, she went in the other direction, the opposite way to where Oscar lived.

Peter was shocked to see Ruby on the other side of his door ten minutes later. They knew about each other, even hung out a couple of times as a group. But Peter had no idea that Ruby knew where he lived, and he didn't think they'd ever spoken in a one-on-one setting before. So naturally, he was a little worried.

"Um, hi, Ruby? Is everything okay?" He asked. She just gave him a sympathetic smile and barged into his apartment. "By all means, come in." He shut the door, still frowning at her as she not so subtly looked around.

"Nice place. I guess Stark tech pays well."

"Yeah, yeah it's okay. What are you doing here?"

"Are you always this rude to guests?"

"Just the ones that show up unannounced." He countered. It made her smile. She'd always thought of Peter as a cute guy, but not exactly the most commanding in the room, so she was relatively pleased to see that he had some snark in him.

"I came to talk to you." She clarified.

"Okay."

"About Luka." She smirked when she saw his body tense at your name. Ever since the first time she met Peter, she noticed how he looked at you. She knew he liked you. And after what you'd told her today, she wanted to meddle a little.

"Is she okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, hating herself for being a drama queen, as per usual. She told me about last night."

"Yeah, she was really mad at him and-"

"I meant more about her saying she should date you instead of Adam."

"Well, she was drunk, it wasn't serious or anything." He stammered. Ruby folded her arms over her chest.

"But you want it to be, don't you?" She asked bluntly, and his eyes grew wide.

"Wh-I, no I didn't say-"

"Luka might be oblivious, but I'm not. And I'm sure your friends aren't either. You like her."

"Okay, I don't know where you got this information from but-"

"My eyes, Peter, I got it from my eyes. You like her."

Peter held her gaze, biting his lip painfully as he thought about his options. Then he just sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, his other hand going to his hip. He knew Ruby was smart, because that's the kind of company that you kept. He looked back up at her, the triumphant look on her face knowing she'd caught him out.

"You have a few options here Mr Parker." She said after a few seconds, dropping her bag on the sofa and linking her fingers together in front of her stomach. "She's suspicious of Adam, so you speed up this little scheme, find out if he's cheating on her or not."

"He is cheating." Peter spat.

"If you had proof, they'd have broken up by now. Luka is loyal to fuck, which is why she won't dump him without reason. Once she has a reason, he'll be dead to her."

Peter nodded, processing her words.

"You can also..." She waved her hands slightly. "Speed up the things."

"The things?"

"The things, between you and her. She's mentioned the things. The moments." Ruby explained. Peter's heart skipped. "I don't think she's ready to admit it, but she wouldn't mention looking at a guy if there wasn't something else happening."

"Something ...else?"

"God." Ruby rolled her eyes, grabbing her bag and giving him a look. "You're 26, I'm sure a big boy like you can figure it out."

She marched to the door, her hand resting on the handle, then she turned back to look at him.

"Just FYI, I'd prefer you to Adam." She said with a wink, before opening the door and leaving him to his thoughts.

He stared at the closed door, replaying what your best friend had just told him.

It was basically a green light to prove that Adam was the cheating asshole that Peter suspected him of being.

It was also a hint that you possibly liked him back. Peter felt a smile creep over his lips as he thought about it. About your 'things'. The time in the car. Your drunk suggestions. The moment this morning in the kitchen where he had been so close to kissing you.

Ruby was right, you were loyal. You weren't a cheater, not like Adam definitely possibly was. But Peter knew he didn't imagine those moments, and hearing that you told Ruby about them, it gave him hope. You were in a grey area with your boyfriend at the moment, not knowing if you were going to stay together or not. Maybe Peter could help you make that decision.