Chapter 17 : The longest day of my life (You’re all like me)

 

Midtown High cafeteria, Midtown High, Queens, New York, 25th of January, 12:02

 

I am, once again, in my boringly human look, yet kick ass style, as Cindy and I are waiting for Gwen to come in the cafeteria now that the bell signaling the end of the period just rang.

 

I am laying face down in my arms on one of the tables because I am already exhausted and I really, really want to just go back home and kick back on the couch, but I have a feeling it won’t happen that way.

 

I scrunch my nose.

 

I really started to consider this house as my home subconsciously, uh.

 

Cindy remains blessedly silent, because in all honesty I’m still stewing about what the Phoenix pulled on me earlier.

 

Iris’ hilarity, more at the situation than at my expense, I saw it on our mind-link, has abated quickly and she has been very cute after that, bombarding me with [Love, care] since.

 

It has helped.

 

The fact that a part of me cannot wait to see my figure into a mirror to properly check if I’m rocking it does too.

 

I lightly thump my forehead on the table, groaning.

 

That checks it, I’m definitely developing narcissistic tendencies.

 

“Are you alright Aria ?” Cindy softly asks.

 

I raise my head to look her in the eyes.

 

“I’m fine, just still a little bit upset.” I lie.

 

I gave her the short version of what happened at my impromptu meeting in the Astral earlier when we were flying back toward the school.

 

I categorically, definitely and absolutely refused to elaborate on the subject of my privates, though.

 

The cosmic prick of Life and Destruction’s gift had forcefully stabilized my telepathy, sparing me from the headache that had plagued me earlier, and making the ropes in my mind-eye, both the mechanical and alive ones, more tangible than ever.

 

My radius hasn’t changed, but reaching others' minds to peruse their thoughts has never been easier.

 

As Iris posited earlier today, I cannot bring the telepathic big guns out anymore, but I cannot find it in me to give a fuck about it.

 

The abilities to brainwash, mind-control and mind-wipe everyone around me made me feel dirty if I have to be honest, so I’m sort of relieved to have lost those permanently.

 

As I feel the only other hyperactive mind of the school coming closer to us, I turn myself in Gwen’s direction.

 

In the corner of my eyes, I see Cindy doing the same subconsciously, eyes starting to glaze over a little and her thoughts slowing their manic rambling.

 

Uh ?

 

Oh right, the spider control.

 

As Gwen makes a beeline towards us, sporting one of the biggest and happiest grins I’ve ever seen on her face, I gesture between the two of them.

 

“Gwendolyn Stacy, Cindy Moon. Cindy Moon, Gwendolyn Stacy, your fellow spider-totemite.” I say aloud, not caring about who hears us since I am back to blasting my everything-is-fine aura.

 

Before any misunderstanding can arise, I continue.

 

“Cindy, you are currently looking at her like she is both the juiciest piece of meat in existence and your fated one because Gwen here cannot yet control the power she has on other spiders.” I add, my lips curling up.

 

My commentary makes both of them sputter and blush, and I cannot help a little laugh to escape my lips.

 

“You may want to grab a piece to eat and sit down, we still have a lot to discuss.” I gently return their focus to me.

 

As we all raise to go toward the counter, my head is on swivel, looking for someone.

 

A fact that doesn’t escape Gwendolyn’s focus.

 

“You’re looking for Jessica ?” She politely asks.

 

Uh ? She’s acting more reserved than before.

 

I nod to her, giving her a gentle smile.

 

“I do,” I confirm, “I’d rather have her brought into the fold as early as possible before she does something stupid without back-up.”

 

I may have put down Kilgrave, but there’s others just as bad as him.

 

“So you’re on board with this team idea too ?” Cindy asks Gwen archly while trying extra hard to calm her blush.

 

“I told you Cindy, you will not have to do any heroics if you do not want to, but it is in your best interest that you at least train yourself to avoid a repeat of this morning.” I cut her and Cindy’s expression turns chastised.

 

“How bad was it ?” Immediately asks Gwen, her focus zeroing onto the taller girl of Asian descent.

 

“Could have been worse.” I answer in Cindy’s stead, “Her mom called Oscorp when she realized that something must’ve happened yesterday. They came running at full tilt for a potential clue into human weapons falling into their hands like that. I hijacked the transport still in transit and had to mindwipe the whole Oscorp Tower.”

 

She slowly nod.

 

“We couldn’t come back earlier because I passed out from exhaustion.” I explain with an awkward smile as I reach for a tray, the others doing the same.

 

Gwen pins me with her gaze, frowning.

 

I raise my hands in mock-surrender.

 

“I’m alright, it happened because I overused the most powerful aspects of my telepathy despite knowing that those weren’t stable.” I carry on, trying to downplay it.

 

Jeez, that girl is intense.

 

Her gaze turns back toward Cindy.

 

“Don’t bother.” The black haired girl blurts out, her slanted eyes shifting, “Her sister already got on my case about it for the better part of half an hour. I get it, I’ve involuntarily put her in danger when I panicked this morning.”

 

“[Amusement].”

 

“Don’t bully Cindy too much, Iris.” I chid her gently on the mind-link.

 

“[Amusement, pouting] : She deserved it, she was mean.” My sister answers almost instantly.

 

Gwen blinks at Cindy’s unexpected answer.

 

She looks back at me, confusion written all over her face.

 

“Is she talking about Jessie ?” She puzzledly asks.

 

“No, she’s talking about my other sister, but she deserves a proper introduction.” I answer, my lips curling up with a bit of pride because Iris is the best, “Maybe once school has ended ? We’ll see when we find the time.”

 

I’m hoping that I’ll be able to find some time to introduce the two of them to each other because it would mean that I’ve run out of fires to extinguish.

 

I’m not going to lie, I do not think it’ll be very likely.

 

As Gwen wordlessly nods, probably still thinking at one hundred miles an hour about this development, my eyes finally land on someone that I needed to meet today.

 

It is not Jessica Jones, but Flashy’s ‘ex-girlfriend’, Liz’ Allen.

 

“Hey Liz’ !” I address her, waving cheerfully.

 

“Flash !” She perks up as she turns around and makes her way towards us.

 

Like with Jessica, I’ve been specifically excluding her from the mass suggestions that I’m releasing at regular intervals since Cindy and I came back because I’ve made a promise to Flashy.

 

The guy only asked me two things, one of them being to have the chance to explain to her what happened to him himself.

 

Consequently, my everything-is-fine aura still makes me look like good ol’ Eugene to her.

 

“You look great today !” She says as her eyes roam over my figure, forcing me to hold back a good humored chuckle, “Did something happen ?”

 

“You could say that.” I answer with a wink, “Say, do you want to eat with Gwen, Cindy and I ?”

 

She nods as her eyes dart over Cindy for a second, probably wondering what this is all about.

 

“Sure.” She answers graciously.

 

“Great.” I enthusiastically clap my hands, “Lemme just find the last one and we’re good to go !”

 

As Liz’ mumbles under her breath ‘the last one ?’ curiously, Gwen steps closer to me.

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea ?” She asks, eyes worried.

 

I sigh softly.

 

“Not like I have much of a choice, Flashy told me that he wanted to talk to her properly at least once.” I whisper to her.

 

Gwen’s eyes widen a bit.

 

“I see…” She simply says.

 

“Yeah.” I answer noncommittally just as my eyes land on my remaining target.

 

Jessica Jones is sitting alone at a table, her head resting against her right hand, gloomily picking at her food.

 

I gather that her attempts at wooing dear Pete remain inconclusive.

 

I turn around to whisper at Gwen anew.

 

“Can I count on you to sit next to Liz’ and keep her there until I have finished talking to her about Flashy’s situation ?”

 

Gwen looks at me, eyes calculating, before nodding easily.

 

“Alright girls, looks like we have found ourselves a table.” I peppily tell my gaggle of girls as I promptly start to make my way toward Jessica Jones.

 

***

Midtown High cafeteria, Midtown High, Queens, New York, the same day, 12:07, in Jessica Jones’ mind.

 

“Hello, can we sit here ?”

 

Abandoning her wool-gathering about Peter Parker for a beat, Jessica turned around to look at the newcomers.

 

Her eyes landed on Flash Thompson and she had to refrain herself from sneering.

 

Behind him were his ex’, Liz’ Allen, the girl he suddenly got very chubby with after his sojourn at the hospital, Gwendolyn Stacy, and the feminine star of Midtown High’s hockey team, Cindy Moon.

 

Being suddenly boxed in by three of the most popular girls in school and someone whose smarts apparently topped the nerds if you listened to the school’s rumors, Jessica could only nod ascent.

 

“I guess…” She answered defensively, wondering what all of this was about.

 

“Great !” Flash instantly answered and promptly seated face to face with her, liberating himself from his tray.

 

For a few seconds, the only sound that could be heard around the table was the grating of chairs grinding against the floor.

 

It irked Jessica a bit, but apparently less than Gwen and Cindy who both suppressed a wince.

 

When everyone was seated, Flash’s eyes roamed the patchwork assembly and he nodded to himself.

 

A flicker of white light later, and Flash had left his place to one of the most beautiful girls Jessica had ever seen in her life.

 

Soft features, a heart shaped mouth with thick lips, a button up nose that you have to resist not to squish while cooing, high round cheeks and baby blue eyes, the whole of it framed by the most impressive and bouncy mass of golden curls she ever beard witness to.

 

The little she could see of her outfit suggested that the girl had extravagant taste, but from what Jessica could see, she could easily allow herself the fantasy.

 

Jessica blinked, her brain finally realizing that something fucky happened.

 

“What ?” Wonder-exclaimed Liz’, seated next to her.

 

What indeed.

 

“Liz’, Jessica,” The stranger started with a genuine smile, “I believe we’ve never been properly introduced. I’m Aria.”

 

As she wordlessly noded, her limbs coiling under her in case she had to flee, Jessica noted that both Gwen and Cindy weren’t surprised in the least.

 

Gwen had also placed a comforting hand on Liz’ shoulder, as if to reassure her that everything was alright.

 

For the moment, Jessica decided to stay put.

 

After all, nobody around them had reacted to the strange display that just occured.

 

“I’m with you in a moment, Jess’. May I call you Jess’ ? Tell me if you’re not comfortable with it.” ‘Aria’ asked her with a slightly worried look.

 

What the hell ?

 

“Yeah, sure.” Jessica croaked, her mouth drying up.

 

“Perfect !” The stranger smiled before turning herself toward Liz’.

 

“Liz’, I have something to tell you.” ‘Aria’ started, mulling over her thoughts for a second as the object of her attention seemingly succeeded in her attempts to gather her previously blown up brain cells back up. 

 

“Flash Thompson is back, the real one, with all of his memories.” The girl said, and both Jessica and Liz’ paused at that, eyes widening and mouth hanging open, but she didn’t stop her, “I managed to bring him back earlier this morning and he would like to talk to you to explain what happened to him and apologize. He’ll be back in school Monday, but if you’re agreeable to a talk, you can stop at the Thompsons’ house anytime this weekend, or even today after school.”

 

“Wait !” Liz’ blurted out, which allowed Jessica not to do so in her stead, “Wait, when you’re saying ‘bring him back’...”

 

‘Aria’ managed a soft apologetic smile.

 

“Yes, Liz’, he wasn’t there for the last three months, you were dealing with me instead I’m afraid.” She answered sadly.

 

As Liz’ limbs got slack, Jessica started connecting the dots.

 

‘Flash’ had behaved like a very different person indeed, stopping sport altogether and focusing himself on his grade. But if it was indeed a different person from the start…

 

Liz’ eyes glazed over a little while Gwen was softly patting her shoulder, Cindy looking at her as awkwardly as Jessica herself.

 

“Where you always like…” Liz’ asked, gesturing vaguely toward the girl, Aria, figure.

 

“I did not, no, that too happened this morning. Finding Flashy was a lucky accident when I did this to myself, something I’m plenty happy about before you ask.” Aria answered with a soft smile.

 

Jessica wondered what exactly she meant when she said that ‘she did this to herself’.

 

No wonder she showed her figure like that, though.

 

A little jealous part inside Jessica’s mind whispered to her that the taller girl could allow herself to be proud about it.

 

“Then, you were the one…” Liz’ started, realization dawning on her.

 

“That you dumped but stayed friends with ? Absolutely.” Aria easily answered, “Don’t worry about it, I was finding the whole situation extremely awkward myself. We can still be friends if you like though.”

 

Liz’ stayed silent, eyes riveted in Aria’s baby blue eyes, while Jessica wondered why she was even included in the whole discussion.

 

“I mean, I’m not sure I should meet with him again…” Hesitantly said Liz’, eyes shifting, “I think I’ve changed.”

 

Aria’s eyebrows frowned a little, a bit of frustration showing behind her artistic traits.

 

“Trust me, Liz’, you are not the only one. He did too.” She explained slowly, “But he told me that he wanted to tell you his story himself, so I won’t betray his wish.”

 

She sighed, and even that little gesture of mock-exhaustion was graceful.

 

“Just give him a chance, please ? He came a long way and honestly deserves it.” She ended with a soft smile.

 

Liz’ seemed unsure of herself for a second, but finally nodded.

 

“I’ll try.” She promised softly.

 

“Great, that’s all I ask.” Aria smiled more genuinely this time, “Do you want to take a moment for yourself, think about it for a bit ?”

 

Liz’ nodded once again, eyes darting towards her untouched tray, before raising herself without Gwen stopping her.

 

“I think I’m going to do just that.” She pondered aloud, her voice still a little shaken, “I’ll see you later, girls, Fl… Aria.”

 

Liz’ Allen left them, her tray forgotten, as Aria exhaled slowly under her breath.

 

“Are you sure letting her go like that is a good idea ?” Gwen hesitantly asked the curly blond.

 

“She cannot talk about it to anybody who doesn’t know already anyway.” Aria answered, an awkward smile on her face, “Same for you girls actually. Not that I don’t trust you, but this way, if one day you end up completely drunk or something similar, you won’t be able to prattle about it either.”

 

Cindy frowned a bit at that, but after a flash of understanding going through Gwen mint green eyes the latter simply nodded.

 

Soon enough, Aria’s attention was back on Jessica.

 

“Sorry Jess’, but I had to tell her as soon as possible.” Her smile was apologetic.

 

“No worries.” Jessica answered automatically, still wondering what all the fuss and fuckyness was about.

 

Aria chuckled.

 

“I can see that you’re wondering why you’re here. Well, let me put this like that.” She smiled.

 

Then the strangest thing happened.

 

<“You’re not alone, Jessica Jones.”> A voice said in her mind.

 

And it was Aria’s voice, but she didn’t move her lips.

 

Jessica finally put together the last pieces of the puzzle, eyes ever growing as she did so.

 

‘Flash’ having ‘vanished’ to let place to Aria.

 

Nobody around them caring in the least.

 

Gwen and Cindy not acting surprised.

 

Aria ‘bringing back Flashy’ and ‘doing something to herself’ that apparently involved a rather complete and extreme makeover.

 

“You’re like me.” Jessica realized aloud.

 

Taking stock of the two others around the table, she carried on.

 

“You’re all like me.”

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