The three best friends had been talking about relationships lately. Especially the fact that every single one of their classmates is most likely in a relationship except for them. Ned shared that he had already asked out this girl named Betty.

"Hmm, I wonder why you haven't asked someone out yet, Pete." She joked, making Ned laugh. Peter took this as a slight insult.

"Hey, I know how to flirt and stuff.." His voice started to get smaller.

"Oh, really?" Ned asked.

"Really." He confidently replied.

"Well, go ask her out, then." MJ pointed at a random girl.

"Okay fine, I will." He walked up to the girl.

"Do you think he's gonna get a date tonight?" Ned asked as they watched Peter.

"I don't really know." She said. A few seconds later, Peter started to walk back to them with a frown. "Oh, oh, he's coming back."

"So, did you ask her out?" asked Ned.

"Well.." Peter rubbed the back of his neck.

"Negative." said MJ. Peter nodded.

"I think I scared her off." He quietly said, making Michelle and Ned holler with laughter. "You guys, it's not funny."

"Okay, okay," MJ said after she stopped laughing. "I'mma be completely honest here and don't be mad at me, okay?"

"Okay."

"You're just not boyfriend material, Peter."

"What.. what do you mean?" He crossed his arms.

"You don't seem to be the kind of guy that.. I don't know.. is usually in a relationship, I guess?"

"She's right, Pete."

"Well.. teach me, then."

"Teach you.. what?" MJ asked.

"How to flirt and all that. Please, Michelle?"

"Well, okay. Why not?"

"This ought to be interesting." Ned said.

"But wait, who should we test it to? You know, when he's flirting.."

"You!" Ned said, grinning.

"Oh no no no no no." She shook her head. "I don't want to be involved in that way."

"Oh come on, MJ. Please?" Peter gave her the puppy dog eyes that he knew she couldn't resist.

"Okay fine!" She groaned. "But I'll do it in one condition, though."

"And what's that?"

"You have to promise you won't fall in love with me." Silence fell. Peter blushed a bit but shrugged.

"Okay. That's not really a problem."

"Great. I'll come by to your house later and we'll start." She grabbed her bags and left.

"That's a hell of a condition, Peter."

"Well it's a good thing she doesn't know I have a crush on her, right?" Ned exhaled.

"I guess so."

***At Peter's house***

"Hey Michelle." He said once he opened the door.

"Hey." He let her in.

"So, how shall we start?" He asked.

"Uhh.. your flirting. You know Peter, you have to be more nonchalant when you ask someone out. Don't be so tense. I saw your shoulders earlier when you walked up to that girl. They looked so stiff. You should try to relax and calm down." She held his shoulders and rubbed them. He blushed. "You okay?" She asked after a while.

"I... what? Oh. Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"Okay. Now that you're relaxed, ask me out."

"MJ, do you wanna go out for coffee sometime? Or go to the movies or something?"

"Great. That was a great job, Peter." She realized she had almost said 'Yes' to him. She brushed off the thought.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah, yeah. It was very convincing. It's like you really wanted to ask me out. Nice job." She punched his shoulder playfully. If only she knew, he thought.

"Okay, what's next?"

"Now we have to figure out how you have to act on a date." She grabbed cups from the kitchen and used them as props. "Pretend we went out for coffee." She sat the cups down. "Of course, you're just supposed to initiate a conversation with me."

"Small talk. Got'cha." He said.

"Right. Talk about your backstories. Your guys' interests. Things y'all have in common." Peter nodded at every word she said. "And then of course before all of that, you should compliment her. But not too many compliments."

"Okay."

"Try it on me. Go on."

"Wow, Michelle. You look really pretty tonight." He said and he meant it. She blushed a bit.

"Why thank you, Peter. You look dashing as well." There was a moment's pause.

"That was good, right?" He asked after a while.

"Oh. Oh yeah, it was." She didn't realize she'd been staring at him.

"Okay so... what next?"

"Do you wanna practice how you're supposed to... make a move?" Peter's eyes widened. Michelle lent her attention towards her feet.

"'Make a move'? You mean... kiss?"

"Uh... yeah..?"

"Well.. sure. If that's okay for you, I mean."

"Yeah, it's.. it's fine." There was an awkward silence.

"So, what are we *ahem* I meant me... What am I supposed to do now?"

"Here, come here." She pulled him in. "Okay so what you wanna do is lean in. Slowly, okay? Not too fast, but not too slow either. -- Yes, like that. -- And as you lean in, you close your eyes. And then you just--" They smooched. They didn't intend for it to last a while, but it did. When they pulled away, they just stared at each other for a while. Peter broke the silence with an *ahem*.

"Yeah, okay. You're all set, I guess." MJ said, grabbing all of her things.

"Wait, really?" He asked, holding her wrist.

"Mmhmm." She looked away from him and quickly went to Peter's front door.

"Thanks, Michelle." He said before she was about to leave. She looked back at him and smiled.

"You're welcome."

***The next day at school***

"Ned! Ned! Ned! Ned! Ned!" Peter whisper-shouted giddily.

"You okay, dude?"

"Remember Michelle came over last night, right?"

"Yeah... why, what happened?"

"She kissed me."

"...No!" He said in disbelief.

"I'm not kidding, dude. She really did!" A bright smile was plastered on Peter's face.

"Congrats, bro. Did you ask her out?"

"No."

"WHAT?! Why not?"

"Ned, everything that we did was just a test. She may have kissed me, but it was only because I asked her to help me with my love life, y'know?"

"Yeah, but still, Pete."

"And remember what she said yesterday?" Ned took a while but then he remembered.

"Oh yeah. But, does it work the other way around too?"

"What do you mean?"

"Does that mean that she can't fall in love with you either?"

"That's a good question. You know what, that gave me an idea. Thanks so much, man." He patted Ned's shoulder and ran off.

"Anytime, I guess?" He waved at a running Peter Parker.

***At Michelle's locker***

She was organizing her locker and grabbing sone books for the next period. As she opened the flap, a piece of paper fell out. It read:

Clue: Loophole

Love,

your secret admirer ♡

Reading it made her grin. She had someone in mind who this might be, but she wasn't sure. The note came with a daisy, her favorite flower. She smelled it and it still smelled fresh.

***At her class***

Their professor was showing a slideshow presentation when it was suddenly interrupted by a few students dancing. One gave her a small red heart pillow that said 'Love' on it and another one gave a note that came along with it.

"I didn't know teenagers still do that." Their professor remarked.

"Well, nothing is original nowadays." MJ replied.

"Good point. Anyways..." Their professor drifted off into his lecture while Michelle was in the middle of reading the note that said:

I may not be able to fall in love with you, but you, indeed, can fall in love with me.

Yours truly,

your secret admirer ♡

She really had her mind set onto only one person. Of course it had to be Peter Parker. He was right though. The loophole existed. She did like him, but she did not allow him to like her back. The next day, she decided to talk to Peter about it.

"Hey, Peter." She said as she pulled him to the side of the hallway.

"Hey, MJ." He was smiling brightly.

"Listen, I know you're the secret admirer that's been sending stuff like the notes and everything. And you're right, the loophole does exist. But you can't fall in love with me."

"Well, why not?" He held her hands. "Is there something wrong about me?"

"There is nothing wrong about you, Peter. Don't let anyone tell you you do."

"Then what is it?"

"I don't really know how to act once in a relationship. And because of that, I fear that we might end up in a pretty bad fight where we break up and I don't want that. I don't want you to be gone from my life just because of a silly fight. Plus, my dad doesn't really approve of me dating anyone."

"Oh, Michelle," He caressed her cheek. "There's nothing to worry about. You're overreacting, here. You're not gonna lose me that easily. I'll talk to your dad. And don't worry, I'll court him if I have to."

"Really? You would go through all that trouble for me?"

"Of course. I love you." He pulled her into a hug.

"Well, I... I think I love you too."