CHAPTER TWO
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            Mae's house is, in short, a big cluster.

     It's only a homey villa with one floor, with the basement garage turned into an untidy science lab and the only neatness in the entire house has to be Mae's bedroom and it was only so she can prevent any kind of dust allergies. The family of four had more than enough space in the house to distance themselves, but considering how close they all were to eachother, distancing themselves isn't much of an easy task.

        Harry is looking at his younger daughter right now as she stares at the full-length mirror in her sweet scented bedroom, twirling around in her father's old lab coat and a plastic identity card hanging over her neck. A few baby strands of her honey hair decorates her forehead, but all Harry sees is the toothy grin she reveals at her own reflection.

       "You seem excited," Harry notes.

Mae twirls around at his remark, raising her soft eyebrows at him. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm wearing your coat from now on, I feel accomplished."

          Harry's forehead frowns, he walks closer to Mae. "Sweetie I've already told you, you don't need me to excel in your dreams one day. Be your own person, not your father's shadow."

          Mae takes none of that seriously, just rolls her eyes as she finds her way behind him and plopped over his shoulders. Her short legs hang shamelessly in the air. Looking at their reflection on the mirror, Mae grins. "I wouldn't consider myself successful if you had no part in it."

        "You say that like it would change my mind."

        "Well, it should." Mae chuckles, landing on her toes as she lets her hands loose from her father's shoulders. "I have a great father, the world should be aware of that."

     The smile Harry sends her after warms Mae's heart. A thousand lines are written on that smile. An expression of his immense pride on his daughter, an undying ember that wouldn't burn on touch. A reminder that since the moment she was born, he became a better, happier man. She is the best part of him, and that made his already unconditional love the strongest force on Earth. They are tethered to each other, nothing can break them apart.

     Except Sarah, apparently.

    "You done yet?" The carefree sister of the two smirks near the door, watching the tender scene between her sister and father. Mae groans, lunging on her bed to retrieve her bag. She joins Sarah soon, "Bye dad." She waves at him before following her sister downstairs.

     "I haven't seen you in a while." Mae recalls, allowing herself on the passenger seat of her very own car, courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D. Mae and Sarah have somewhat of a . . . complicated relationship. They love each other dearly, that's no secret but when it comes to being comfortable in each other's presence, that is a challenge. Due to their indifferences, it is hard for Mae to look at her and her situation without thinking about what if's and maybe's. Sarah has so much that Mae doesn't, that Mae wants, but her hands simply aren't long enough to reach it— and that is the Way it is.

     "I've been busy with training." Sarah replies. She pushes her foot on the accelerator, thrusting the engine to life. Her soft blonde hair is perched into curls on her shoulders, portraying her to be poised and neat— which Mae has to admit, in some way she is. "How has it been? Is it good?" There is a translucent pleading resting on her tongue as she inquires, a longing for the taste of the extravagant life her sister has the privilege to experience. Doing good by the law, physically being out there on the field fighting crime, being her own brave mother— that is something Mae secretly craves for. But that's what it is, what it will always be: a secret. 

      "It's been good, actually. Mom has a reputation there so it's safe to say that I caught many eyes." Sarah chuckles, reliving the memory.
 
       Mae's heart churns with envy.

     But envy is a dangerous emotion, so she discards it away before it can consume her.

    "A reputation, huh?"

     Her skin tightens. She can't help it, it's her own mother and there's so much she doesn't know. And because of the secrecy of the organisation she works in, she never will. But Sarah would. Sarah will look at her mother in a way that Mae cannot, and it hurts her. It hurts her that she is always so distant from her family despite living for her father.

      Her mind draws back to the realisation that has been tattooed in her brain. She remembers once again that without her father, she would be truly lost. Most times Mae can't help but wonder that the only reason that they are as close as they are is their uncanny interests in science, in experimenting. They are two different souls that look at life with the same pair of eyes. But if she isn't a keen scientist, would her father love her any less? Would she be an outcast in her family?

      As unfortunate as it is, Mae has always been intimated by her sister. Seventeen year old Sarah lives the life that Mae could if not for her ineluctable situation. Her weak immune system is a weakness to her very existence that she can never get over. An invisible chord bounds Mae's life to her disorder, an unbreakable skin thickening with every breath she takes. Despite all her questions, there's only one that manages to prick her, twisting her intestines. But it isn't even a question, it's a knowledge that Mae inadvertently imprinted on herself. Without my disease, I'd be insignificant and unimportant. No one would care of me.

       And so she manages a smile for her sake.

     "So is it fun? Being an unpaid intern at Oscorp?" Sarah further questions, taking a turn when the traffic lights blink emerald. Mae doesn't take her playful insult into account when she nods her head, the brightest smile on her face that even the sun is jealous of. "It's everything." She dreamily whispers, sighing at the view of the tallest building in New York city, where only in a few more moments the transformation of Mae's life begins.

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"Welcome to Oscorp," Mae greets the horde of people in front of her, her smile not absent. "I am Mae Evans, and this is Gwen Stacy. We are students of Midtown High and also the head interns of Doctor Connors."

    Gwen takes lead then, bobbing her blonde head at the crowd. "We'll be with you for the duration. Where we go, you follow. That's the basic rule."

      "My name is Rodrigo!" Someone screams from the ground floor as the security drags Rodrigo out of the building. Mae chuckles, raising her shoulders. "I guess you don't have to tell you what would happen if you don't listen."

        Gwen and Mae lead the fresh interns to the lab, where they will be meeting Dr. Curt Connors himself. For Mae, Connors has been an uncle, a guardian ever since she was three years old. All these years when Harry Evans tried to find a cure for his beloved daughter, Curt Connors humbly stood by his good friend, trying to help in every way he could. Even otherwise, Curt adors Mae and her passion for science and he knows ( like Harry and everyone else in the Evans' family ) that Mae would grow up one day to become one of the best scientists this world has seen, even better than them.

     His sandy-blond hair sat lazily on his head when he enters. Mae remembers him just as fresh as he looks now, like someone who's tired and hasn't slept in days but is determined for a new day, for a new lesson. Curt Connors never shies away from impending knowledge or in this case, spreading his knowledge to young enthusiasts. But soon as he entered, a vague silence follows, a few eyes shamelessly gawking at his missing forehand.

      "Good afternoon, I  am Doctor Curtis Connors and as you can see, I'm a Southpaw." He jokes at the end, indicating his severed arm. A few students light-heartedly laughed, while other simply continued staring.

     "But I am no crippler, I am a scientist." He speaks seriously, studying every student's face. Mae's eyes are automatically widening at the speaker, almost sparkling with passion. Dr. Connors has been an idol to her for so long, today is no different.

      As he begins with the short lecture about, Mae looks through the enthusiastic minds in the crowd. All like her, enthralled by the subject, eager about becoming like the man in front of them. A well-known scientist with one and a half hands, but nevertheless, talented. That's what they all want at the end, that's what Mae wants.

      Mae swings on her toes, her jumpiness getting the best of her. Gwen peers at her form the side, a smirk cornering her lips. Mae owns the heart of a six year old, no one can deny that, but it is that quality that makes Mae so loved by others.

     "I wish to create a world without weakness." Dr. Connors preaches, snatching Mae's attention. A world without weakness. The idea itself tempted Mae's mind to switch over, live in an imaginary world where she was okay, where she was normal. "Would anyone care to venture a guess as to how?"

      "Stem cells." A boy in the front takes a guess, Connors nods. "Very promising, but not quite."

    A few murmurs followed. Mae searched her own mind for answers. A world without weakness, the idea itself is an impossibility. But it's what scientists do, they take chances, they break myths. A world without weakness— to her, it means to be able to breathe easier without the fear of catching germs accidentally. It means able to touch others without having to wash her hands immediately. It means not having to swallow the tasteless white pills every alternate day. It means better platelets in her body, leucocytes that have the capacity to fight off foreign germs like other humans.

    Soon Mae realises that it isn't possible.

    "Cross-species genetics." A lazy voice then muses. The crowd in the front pulls away to reveal the source of it, and Mae's eyebrows arch downwards when she sees Peter Parker standing alone, his dark hair sprouting in every direction like Mae remembers it. She turns to Gwen, her expression unchanging. Gwen wears the same expression, scanning the list in her hand again. "Is he there on it?" She whispers. Gwen shakes her head, chewing on the inside of her cheeks whilst glaring at Peter. Mae can already tell just how unhappy she is with this. Peter Parker barged into the building with no permission and stole the identity of someone ( who Mae is now sure was Rodrigo ) and attending a discussion for an internship that isn't for him in the first place.

     But Connors reaction is unexplainable. His mouth hangs ajar as he stares at Peter in awe. Peter's answer took away the breath from the Dr. Connors' lungs. Now that is something people don't get to experience everyday.

    "A-and you are?" Connors asks, pride sitting between his eyes. Peter opens his mouth, unsure of what to answer. Gwen decides to save his day, much to Mae's surprise. "He's one of Midtown Science's best and brightest." She chimes in, "He's the second best in his class." Mae smiles next to her with the last comment, Peter isn't the second in his class, Mae is ( although she wouldn't openly admit that ).

     "Second? You sure about that?" Peter jokes, nodding at Gwen. The pale haired girl however is in no mood for jokes. She stiffly bobs her head, eyes widened with anger and jaw clenched. "Yes, I'm sure."

       When Dr. Connors exits, everyone circles around the hologram educating the interns about Oscorp and it's birth. Gwen and Mae stand side-by-side, playing the presentation. Both of them catch Peter try to sneak out the group unsubtly. Gwen is about to take charge but Mae stops her. "I'll handle it." She responsibly says and takes large steps to the direction Peter walks.

     "Hi, Rodrigo." Mae greets, causing Peter to pause in his tracks. He smacks his lips together unhappily and turns to face Mae with the pretentious smile resting on her face. He doesn't bother to reply, only raises his shoulders, as if he expects her to understand why he did what he did.

     "Why are you here?" She bluntly asks, arms folded in authority. Peter scratches the back of his head, already stuttering as he tries to find the words. "I-I-I snuck in because I like science. Yeah, I love science."

     Mae decides to play along, nodding her head along with him. "You like science?"

     "Yeah!" Peter enthusiastically replies, "Yeah I enjoy the subject. You already know that."
  
     Rolling her tongue over her lips, she narrows her eyes at him. "Did you have some sort of grudge against Rodrigo?"

    "No, I don't even know the guy."

    Mae chuckles in amusement. "Peter, getting an internship at Oscorp, to meet Doctor Curt Connors himself is not easy." Guilt and sympathy for Rodrigo, whoever he is, washes over her. "Just give me your badge." She opens her palm in the distance between them, awaiting the badge on it. Peter opens her mouth in trial of protesting, but Mae won't allow him to. "If you don't I will call security."

    Peter exhales a long breath, finally handing over the badge to her. 

    Seeing Peter's disappointed face doesn't sit right in Mae's stomach. She knows him up close and personal and therefore knows that he's a good person. He tugs his specs to the bridge of his nose, looking only at the uninteresting floor. Peter is an introvert at school, a nerd who always had his nose in a book, a high schooler who is bullied in school. He reminds Mae a lot of herself ( except the bullying ). Peter has a good heart with good intentions, so perhaps she can give him a pass? Just for the sake of their friendship.

      "Go do whatever you came here for." She says, trying to sound neutral and not overly excited like she is almost every time. Peter's eyes lift to meet hers. "What?"

       "You heard me, do it. Before I change my mind." Mae unconsciously smiles a little. "And if anyone asks, don't say my name. Gwen won't be pleased."

      Peter only smiles as a gesture of gratitude. Mae watches as his brown pupils darken when he looks at her and without waiting, he quickly leaves the place, making sure Gwen isn't still looking.

       Mae Evans doesn't realise how her moment of weakness will change both their lives. She doesn't know that a week from today, her life won't be in control anymore. Mae doesn't know that five minutes after Peter leaves he is bitten by a radioactive spider that throws great responsibilities over his shoulders. She doesn't know how it was destined to happen either way.

     Without warning, pain screeches in her joints again, threatening to collapse. But a moment later, it's gone. Mae gasps, grasping her elbow with her life. The pain suddenly vanishes but it sends some sort of electrical signals that ring inside her brain.

     She doesn't know it's a signal that from now on her life isn't the same.
      

a/n :
it's happening!!!! i hope you're all ready for what's to come next this story is gonna be a rollercoaster of emotions. mae is by far one of my favourite characters that I've written and her and peter are just too cute together! anyways, leave your thoughts people! i know it's been a while since I updated and I'd love to hear them!