Make Way for the Spiders

-_-_-_-Rayne's POV-_-_-_-

The restaurant was something out of a movie. The only lighting was coming from the glass chandeliers, that hung a few feet apart and lined the ceiling. The walls were stone looking, and cream colored, and the floor was a dark wood. Many green plants were placed strategically, giving the place an exotic look and feel. Waiters and hostesses were either wearing dark suits or dresses, and I was relieved to see that there were people here even more dressed up than me.

Kim, however, stood out like sore thumb. Except, well... Even I had to admit that she looked beautiful. Her dress was a white, floor length mermaid dress, and every piece of jewelry she had was full of diamonds. Dad was only an accountant, and I wasn't even sure if Kim worked, so I have no clue how they could afford that outfit alone. Her straight black hair was in a sleek ponytail, and Mom and I had spent several minutes talking about how impossible she was. Honestly, a ponytail? If either of us had tried that, we would end up looking like idiots.

But, here she was, looking like a Barbie goddess.

Dad was in a James Bond tuxedo, bow tie and all. The two looked like a couple in a bridal magazine, and at that thought, I felt a bit sick.

I sighed, sipping out of my water glass, and Peter smirked beside me. "Aren't you always telling me to be nice?" he asked softly, careful so that none of the adults would hear.

"This is completely different," I defended, smiling back. Noticing a bit of Spiderman's suit poking out, I glanced around before quickly fixing it.

"So, Rayne, how are you liking New York?" Kim suddenly asked from across the table.

"You ready to move back with us, yet?" Dad asked too, and I resisted the urge to glare.

I felt Peter's stare on me, and avoided looking at him. "No, I like it here. A lot better than Arizona."

Kim smiled. "Well, with friends like yours, why would you want to leave? I would stay too."

I faked a smile, and took another sip of my water. When was the food supposed to get here?

Kim sighed, and looked at me sorrowfully. "I think I owe you something," she confessed, and I raised my eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly.

"Well, since you're not doing the internship at the lab anymore, I suppose it's safe to tell you..." She trailed off, and I almost choked.

"I didn't tell you guys about that," I stated, glancing at Mom, who looked just as confused as I was. "How did you know?"

"Well, darling, you have the right to know."

"Right to know what?" I asked, and Peter took my hand underneath the table.

"Dear, that was my lab you were working at," she said, grinning.

I blinked. "No, seriously, what do I have the right to know?"

"Really, I'm surprised you didn't realise sooner," she sighed, smiling, and a cold shiver went down the back of my neck. "Stacy is my maiden name, you know. And, yes, I do look a bit different without my make up, hair and lab coat on, but honestly, not that different."

I was speechless. How did I not notice earlier? With closer inspection, yes, Kim did resemble Dr. Stacy, but how could I have been so stupid?

"I feel so much better now that that's cleared up," Kim sighed. "Don't you?"

I didn't respond, instead stood aruptly. "Peter and I are going to get some air," I declared, grabbed my clutch, and pulled him out the door before anyone could object.

"She did it!" I shouted, once we were in the alley beside the restaurant. "She's the one that made that spider bite me!"

Peter was silent, letting me rant, and for that, I was thankful.

"Connections, of course! She always has connections. How could I have been so stupid? I swear, I'm getting rid of this stupid dye. The chemicals have leaked into my head, and now they're poisoning my brain!" I stumbled due to my shoes, and I glared at the ground.

"She looks different without her make up, hair and lab coat," Peter murmured, and I glared at him.

"How would you know?" I snapped, and leaned against the wall, covering my face with my hands.

He ignored me, staring off into space. "And she looks nothing like she did earlier this afternoon."

"Because she's Kim. Whatever she wants to look like, that's how she looks," I stated. "Doctor by day, and Dad stealing, good for nothing, liar by night."

"Rayne, just stop talking, and think for a second," Peter snapped, and I shut up, surprised at his tone. "Think... When she was pulling off the Dr. Stacy thing with you, how did she look?"

"I don't know," I sighed, thinking. "Her hair was... more dull looking, and kind of greasy. Not as much effort was put into it. And she had glasses, and she always look tired. The complete opposite of how she usually does."

"Complete opposite," Peter breathed, looking at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I asked, scared.

"What's the opposite of black hair?"

"Blonde, duh," I said, rolling my eyes, not understanding where he was going with this.

"The opposite of a white dress?"

"I suppose a black dress."

Peter looked at me expectantly, and I stared back dully until everything clicked. "Oh my gosh."

Peter nodded. "Aren't you glad I made you bring your suit?" he asked, and I nodded.

"My dad left my mom and I for a weather-controlling, evil villainess."

Peter nodded, glancing around. "And no one knows except for us, I'm guessing."

I gripped my clutch, and stood up off the wall. "I'm going to the bathroom to change. I'll be right back."

I started to walk off, but Peter grabbed my shoulder, and pulled me back. "No, you can't just attack her out of the blue. I already have to deal with being called a menace, and I'm surprised you haven't been attacked either, even if you have only publically been out once. If we attack her out of nowhere, it'll take forever to clear our names, even if we are right."

"But..." I trailed off, looking at him. "But she's in there. With my mom, and Frank. I can't just sit there and do nothing."

"You'll have to," he sighed. "For now, we can ask questions. We'll have to wait to see if she does anything before we do anything else."

I huffed. "Fine. But only for now. The second it looks suspicious, I'm going superhero mode, got it?"

He chuckled and kissed my forehead. "Which is perfectly fine. Just don't do anything stupid."

"Just make sure I don't strangle her," I warned, and we made our back into the restaurant, where everyone was waiting.

"There you are!" Kim exclaimed when she saw us, and I gripped Peter's hand tighter. "We were about to go looking for you two."

Mom shot me a look, her eyebrows raised. I nodded in response, and tried to avoid eye contact with everyone else.

"Oh, there's something else!" Kim rushed, smiling. "Do you two happen to know my niece, Gwen?"

Peter choked on his soda, and my own eyes widened.

"I'll take that as a yes," Kim giggled. "Are you close? Poor dear, lost her father a few months ago, during that whole giant lizard and Spiderman thing." She sighed. "My brother, he was the chief of police."

"Gwen Stacy?" Peter asked. "You're her aunt?"

"You have got to be kidding me." Peter and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

How was all this even possible? How did we not notice the similarities, and the shared name? How stupid could we get?