The following three-parter is dedicated to the person who gave me hope, who inspired me to wake up every day with a positive attitude, . Here's to my best friend, my happy place, my everything. I love you, so much more than three thousand. ♡)

It was the start of the second week of school. Michelle Jones packed all her things in her tiny denim blue backpack and went on her way to the bus stop. Usually she'd be sitting at the very back of the bus, occupying the entire seat. But her usual seat was unavailable. She tried finding an empty two-seater in the bus but couldn't. Instead, the only vacant spot she could find was beside her long-time classmate, Peter Parker.

"Morning, MJ!" He said as she plopped herself down and rested her bag on her lap.

"Hey, loser." She said in monotone. She noticed that Ned wasn't present. Usually he'd be the one occupying the seat she's currently in. "Where's Ned?"

"He woke up late. He said he's gonna miss the bus but he's going to try to make it in time for first period."

"Oh. Okay." She pulled out her battered up copy of To Kill A Mockingbird and was about to read it for the 4th time. She flipped through the pages until she found the folded corner of page 63, marking where she had stopped reading. Peter looked over at her.

"You've read that for, what, the third time this year?" He asked.

"Fourth, actually." She didn't stray her gaze away from the book. Peter couldn't handle the silence that followed afterwards and decided to break it.

"So, how was your weekend, Michelle?"

"It... was.... okay, for the most part, I guess. You?" She eyed him curiously. She didn't know why Peter Parker was even talking to her right now. They weren't that close, even last school year.

"It was nice. Ned and I had a sleepover at his house and-" The bus went into a screeching halt, giving the passengers momentum as their bodies lunged forward, hitting the seat in front of them. Thanks to Peter's quick reflexes, his arm held Michelle's body back, preventing her from getting hurt.

"Aghhh! Damn skater kids!" The bus driver with dark shades and frosty white hair shouted angrily. He turned to the passengers. "Sorry about that, folks." Peter nodded at him.

"Are you okay?" His voice filled with concern as he turned to MJ.

"Yeah, I think so. You?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Thanks, by the way." She told him.

"No problem." He gave a small smile. He seems nice, she thought to herself.

As the bus started to slow to a stop, Michelle kept the book in her bag and reorganized the mess inside of it. Peter did the same. And when they were getting off of the bus, he let her go first. They walked together towards the entrance. There, Michelle was greeted by a high-pitched calling of her name.

"MICHELLEEEEEEE!!!" The girl pounced at her and gave her a tight squeeze. Her silky, strawberry blonde locks covered most of her face.

"Woah!" They pulled away and Michelle took a close look at her. She familiarized every single detail of her heart-shaped face. That familiar button nose, that smile that reached up to her eyes. Those same pair of hazel brown eyes that belonged to that altruistic young girl she met way back in kindergarten. That girl that helped her stand up to the bullies. That same girl who gave her so many things to remember, and yet so many things to forget. That girl that left without a word. And yet, after all these years, Michelle had forgiven her. She couldn't stay mad at her. After all the good things she's done for her, how could she? "ALICE???" She asked, almost in disbelief.

"It's been forever!" She replied, breathless. Clearly she ran all the way over here.

"Yeah... Since when did you arrive?"

"Oh, 2 days ago. It's taking me a while to adjust again but, it's been good so far."

"How was London?"

"It was incredible. You would have loved it being there."

"Yeah. Maybe I could have come with, if only you didn't take off without a word." Michelle's voice slowly dropped to a whisper.

"Shelley..." She started.

"No, don't even call me that. I don't go by that nickname anymore, alright? Ever since you left." She looked away and put her hand in her hands. She whispered under her breath the words, "8 years. 8 lonely fucking years without you, Alice." She suddenly remembered that Peter was still standing there. She cursed under her breath. "God, I do not wanna do this here."

"I... I'm Peter, by the way." He held out his hand to Alice. She shook his hand. "You've known Michelle since...?"

"Ah, kindergarten. There were these 1st graders that were picking on her and I intervened in the situation."

"I don't think he'd be interested in knowing the full story, Al." said MJ.

"Tell me all about it at lunch." Peter said nonchalantly, disregarding what Michelle had said beforehand.

"So, you're enrolled here now too?" Michelle asked.

"Well, yeah. And I know school already started a week ago but, I hope they'll still let me in."

"Yeah, of course they will. You're not that behind on anything just yet, right Michelle?" She swiftly nodded. "Do you want me to walk you over to your locker?" Peter offered.

"Oh, that's so nice of you! Thank you very much." She replied. The two walked ahead of Michelle and she intentionally walked at a much slower pace.

***2 months later***

At a short period of time, Peter and Alice have managed to get closer. A lot closer. A lot of the time, they would even hang out after school and after Peter's decathlon practice. Michelle had mixed feelings about this. She was glad one of the people she considered a 'close' friend is hanging out with her childhood friend and making her feel welcomed and comfortable. She didn't know why but, a part of her felt, excluded. She didn't know what it was. Would it be considered jealousy? No, she didn't think so. As if she'd have a crush on Peter Par-- oh shit. She did have a crush on Peter Parker.

Michelle has had a few crushes before, but she's never felt this way about anybody before. The way Peter Parker had made her feel. It was only now that she realized, she was different whenever she was around him. But in a good way, of course. She found that, he brought out the best version of herself. The version that she never even thought existed. The happiest she'd ever been was whenever she was around him. She loved this feeling. Although, she couldn't quite explain what it was. What she was sure of, however, it was more than just a simple crush.

She had talked to Betty Brant about all of these, because she wanted to ask advice on what to do. She didn't know who else to talk about it to. She couldn't bring herself to share it with Alice. No way. She's trustworthy with secrets, but when it comes to crushes, she'd be gushing all over the place.

"Do you think he likes you back?" Betty asked Michelle one time at lunch.

"I don't know. Most probably not."

"Why do you say that?"

"None of my past crushes like me back. So, no surprise if this current one doesn't either. There's nothing likeable about me and I've accepted that fact already."

"Dammit, MJ. You just haven't found the right one. Who knows, maybe Peter is the right one. You wouldn't know."

"Yeah, you wouldn't know either."

"Yeah but, that's not the point! 'Good things come to those who wait.', some person once said. Maybe you just have to wait. Or maybeeee," She pointed at Peter's table, where he was eating with Ned and Alice. "He's simply right in front of you." Michelle clicked her tongue.

"Signals. I have no clue how to read signals."

"Hmm. Does he.... remember tiny details about you?"

"Yeah. A lot, actually."

"Is he.... enthusiastic whenever he's talking to you?"

"He's enthusiastic in talking to everybody."

"Oh, that's a hard one. Umm, does he stare at you a lot?"

"I've caught him a few times, yeah."

"Does he blush when he's talking to you?"

"Uhh, I've never noticed that, no."

"Does he smile a lot whenever he's talking to you?"

"He's a happy kid. He's always smiling."

"Hmm. Whenever you talk to him, does he make an effort to prolong the conversation, even though you know your topic isn't going anywhere?"

"Yeah uhmm, sometimes, I guess?"

"Oh god, this is hard."

"You know what, why can't we just ask him?"

"Ask him what?"

"Let's just bluntly ask him who his crush is. To avoid all this mystery that might all lead to a whole bunch of misdirection and misinterpretation."

"What?? Are you crazy??? We don't do that!"

"Who's to say what you're supposed to do and what you're not supposed to do??" Michelle said, standing up. She walked over to Peter's table. Betty followed suit.

"Hey, Peter. Can I... talk to you for a second? Alone?" She tilted her head a bit to the right, gesturing that she wanted to separate him from the group.

"Yeah, okay." He stood up from his table and followed where Michelle had been gesturing to. Once they were out of earshot, he spoke first. "What's this about, MJ?"

"It's a totally random question but, I was just curious and, y'know how, we're kinda close and all and I just.... wanted to know.... who you're crushing on." Peter scoffed at this.

"Isn't it obvious?" Michelle's eyes widened a bit at this, and her heart leaped a little bit at it.

"Who?"

"Alice." That was it. Michelle's heart felt as though it was stung. It was a tiny amount of pain at first, but then it started sinking in, and it was not good. She felt as though her heart was scorched with his words. This is weird, she had thought. I never expected anything out of this. I never expected that he'd ever like me back. But why is it that I feel broken? Maybe I had thought of too many possibilities, too many 'what if's, too many possibilities wherein he did like me back, and I clung onto it. I clung onto it unknowingly. He's just so wonderful. How come I never knew that when I could have had him? But I can't turn back time. And one thing's for certain:

My crush, who's probably much more than just a crush, is head-over-heels in love with my dear, childhood best friend.