When Peter woke up the next day, it was already 3 o'clock in the afternoon and thunderstorming.

He got up out of his bed and went to the bathroom to do his business. When he looked in the mirror, he couldn't help but notice the bags under his eyes. Was he really that tired?

There couldn't have been a worse day for Michelle to have asked him out.

Well, not like out, out. Peter should be so lucky. But there was certainly no chance they could leave the house today without getting completely soaked and having a severely less than average time.

He walked down the hallway to the living room. He was pleasantly surprised to see Michelle up, staring out the window with a cup of tea, looking like her old self.

The Michelle that didn't care what she'd looked like or how she came off. Who was comfortable not owning a single comb, let alone a dress. Like MJ.

Not that Peter didn't like the new Michelle. That was far from the truth. But it was nice to see a familiar face every once in a while.

"Good morning, Peter," Michelle said, breaking him away from his thoughts.

"Afternoon." Peter chuckled. It was just like her to be unaware of the time.

"I ordered Chinese. I figured we could just watch movies or something," She shrugged. "You know, 'cause it's raining and all."

Peter smiled. If he was being honest, he would have preferred staying in to going out anyways.

--

"I'm not against the book or movie at all. I quite like it, but what I am against is the whole concept of a smart, well-read girl like Maddy throwing everything away for some guy she's been IM-ing."

Peter and Michelle had eaten all of their food and watched around three or four movies of no specific genre. Each time, stopping in between movies to discuss everything that was wrong with it.

"It's more than that, MJ." Michelle felt her stomach fill with butterflies as the words came out of Peter's mouth. No one's called her that since high school. "It's the idea that she could love someone so much that she didn't care that she was sick. She was so curious about the world and all she knew was what she'd read about and watched on the screen. The fact that she had wanted to see the world and she wanted to see it with Ollie, regardless of the consequences. That's the kind of love I hope I find. The kind that survives under impossible circumstances."

Peter felt his cheeks heat as he realized the gravity of everything he'd just said. He never meant to open up like that. Not this soon, anyways.

And then it's silent again.

"I've been meaning to ask you something." Peter blurted out, as Michelle tried to escape the awkward silence by playing another movie.

She sat back down next to Peter and faced him. "Yeah?"

He suddenly became nervous. He realized how oddly personal this question was and, were they really there yet? They'd only been roommates for a healthy month or two and this is the first time they'd actually spent time together.

"Well, it's just . . ." Peter trailed off, not really knowing how to word it.

"Spit it out, Parker." MJ laughed.

"Well, like, let me put it this way. You're really different since high school. You're almost a completely different person. Not that that's bad or anything, it's just, you've changed. And I know I-"

"Was there a question somewhere in there," she interrupted.

"Right. See, I was just wondering . . . why did you change. Not to say I don't like the change but-- you were always the biggest advocate for being yourself and not really caring what anyone else thinks."

Peter wasn't wrong. In high school she never dressed out. She wore her old beat up Converses to Junior prom and didn't show up to senior prom. She'd hardly ever ran a comb through her hair or wore it out of a ponytail. Michelle was the posted girl for 'IDGAF'.

But there was more to it than that. Things that Peter just didn't understand.

"Let me ask you something, Peter." Peter gulped as she leaned closer, intimidatingly. "Do you really think I give a fuck about how people feel about me, anymore than I did back then? You think, since I've decided that for once in my life, I'm going to treat myself like a queen and splurge every once in a while, that I've suddenly lost my sense of self worth?"

Peter hadn't really thought of it that way. In a way, she was still completely her same self. She didn't care what anyone else thought.

"Back then, my family was going through some hard, hard stuff. We didn't really have money, and so, I guess it was convenient that I never really cared about what I was going to wear to school or what make up I needed. But, now I don't have to worry about money so much. I like to treat myself and maybe it makes me more approachable when I put myself together, but I couldn't care less."

Peter nodded. He didn't know what to say, but he knew he felt stupid for thinking she just chose to be a completely different person.

"And as for my sex life," she said, as if she knew Peter was interested in the topic. "Peter, I'm not a little girl anymore. I have needs, just like you do. I, however, do something about it." She hinted towards the fact that he'd never brought a girl home.

Never. Not one, late, drunken mistake or one night stand or even girlfriend. It wasn't like Peter wanted to be this way. He just worked so much, and then, school, oh man, school. There just wasn't enough time in the day.

"I'm in my right mind to think you're a virgin," Michelle admitted, taking a sip of her tea.

Peter looked away, embarrassed.

"You are, aren't you!" Michelle's eyes went wide. There was no way Peter was a 21 year old virgin. From what she remembered, in high school Peter was ripped and failed to hide it. Not to mention the countless amounts of girls who would come up to him at Flash's dumb little shindigs.

"I'm not!" He fibbed, blushing. "So what if I am!"

Michelle laughed. A real, genuine laugh.

It was music to his ears.

"I'm not laughing at you," Michelle said.

"You're not laughing with me!"

"Okay, so, maybe I am laughing at you. But, it's not because you're a total virgin. I've never seen anyone so red in my entire life! I wish I had a camera so I could show my grandkids." She laughed some more. If Peter had a camera, he'd take a picture, too. Just for him.

"It's not that funny." Peter hid his face in a pillow. He cursed his ridiculously pale skin for betraying him. Maybe this was his cue to leave the house more often and get some sun.

A crack of thunder reminded him why he didn't.

"What else haven't you done?" Michelle asked, honestly curious.

He thought for a second. Did he really want her to know all the things he's missed out on, just because he's a total geek and can't seem to get away from school?

He decided, yes, he did want to tell her.

"You really wanna know?" He teased.

"I'm dying." She said, unenthusiastically.

"You can't laugh."

"Peter!" She urged him.

"I've never gotten drunk before. I've never went out clubbing or, come to think of it, I've never stepped foot in a liquor store. Every once in a while, Ned brings over these cheap boxes of wine, but I never really do more than a little tongue dip."

"That's because boxed wine is for old white women." Michelle teased.

"More like broke college girls." Peter laughs. It was honestly refreshing to talk to Michelle like this. He's never seen her so comfy and carefree. Not even for the short amount of time that they spoke in high school. To be fair, Michelle liked it better when he kept his distance. That way, she didn't have to speak about her life.

He went on, listing all things he hasn't ever done. Michelle looked at him funny or cracked a joke almost every time.

"I'm definitely going to have to check a few things off that list." She yawned, it was around 4 AM.

"Michelle-"

"You called me MJ, earlier." She told him. He looked away, ready to apologize. "I liked that. Hey, it's late. Works gonna suck tomorrow. You know how it is. Computers and tired eyes don't mesh well." She rambled, awkwardly.

"Goodnight, MJ." Peter smiled up at her lightly, as she made her way off the couch.

"Goodnight, Peter."