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Chapter two

Happy birthday!

‘Surprise’ they shouted.

‘What’s happening’ asked Peter.

‘It’s your birthday’ said Aunt May.

‘Long time no see’ said MJ.

‘MJ’ said Peter.

‘How’s the play?’

‘She’s brilliant in it,’ said Harry.

‘Harry sent me flowers,’ said MJ, quietly. She smiled at Peter, then she looked away. ‘I’ll go and get the food.’

Peter turned to Harry. ‘So—how are things going at OsCorp,’ he asked.

‘Great,’ said Harry. ‘I’m Head of Special Ideas. We’re doing some brilliant new work on fusion, Dr Otto Octavius is working for us. Maybe you’d like to meet him?’

‘Great, I’m writing about his work for Dr Connors,’ Peter smiled.

Then Harry’s face changed. ‘MJ’s waiting for you, Peter,’ he said. ‘The way she looks at you —’

‘I don’t have time for girls right now,’ said Peter. ‘I’m very busy.’

‘Taking pictures of your friend, Spider-Man, ‘ asked Harry.

‘Can we talk about something else, ‘ said Peter. ‘I want us to be friends, Harry.’

‘If you know who he is, Peter, please tell me.’

Peter didn’t answer. He couldn’t answer. Harry’s father died in a fight with Spider-Man and Harry hated him. But Peter was Spider-Man. What could he do?

Aunt May was asleep in a chair. There were some letters on the table. One was from the bank. It wasn’t good news. Peter woke her.

‘What—Ben, Oh, Peter,’ she said. ‘Has everybody gone? Did they have a good time?’

‘I’m sure they did,’ Peter smiled. Then his face changed. Aunt May, I saw the letter from the bank.’

‘You did? Oh, well— I’m a little behind. I don’t want to talk about it any more. I’m tired.’

She took $20 from her bag. ‘Happy birthday, Peter,’ she said.

‘Aunt May, I can’t take this from you.’

‘Yes, you can,’ she said angrily.

‘You can take this money from me.’

‘It’s not much!’

Then she started crying.

‘I’m sorry, Life is so empty without your Uncle Ben. It’s nearly two years since he died. Sometimes I think about his killer—and I want to do something terrible.’

Uncle Ben’s killer was dead. The police didn’t know that. Aunt May didn’t know that. But Peter knew. He was there and he saw everything. He looked at poor Aunt May and he felt so bad. He wanted to tell her but he couldn’t.

‘Here,’ she said. Take some birthday cake home.’

Before he went home, Peter went into Aunt May’s garden.

‘Hey,’ said MJ. She was in her parents’ garden next door.

‘I saw your picture on Bleecker Street,’ said Peter.

‘Oh, isn’t it funny’ she said. MJ didn’t like seeing her picture all around New York.

‘No, It’s nice,’ he said. ‘I can see you every day now.’

He loved MJ. But he couldn’t tell her. It wasn’t fair. Anyone close to Spider-Man was always in danger.

‘Do you want to say something’ asked MJ.

‘I—er—are you still living in Manhattan?’

‘Oh, Peter —, ‘ she said sadly; ‘I don’t understand you.’

MJ walked back to the house. Then she turned. ‘I’m seeing someone now.’

‘You mean a boyfriend?’

Suddenly Peter wanted to show MJ his feelings.

‘I’m going to come to your play tomorrow night.’

She was surprised. ‘You’re coming?’

‘I’ll be there,’ he said.

Peter went home to his little room. It was at the top of an old house in Manhattan. Peter walked slowly up the stairs.

‘Money’ shouted Mr Ditkovitch. It was his house and he lived on the floor below Peter.

‘Hi,’ said Peter.

‘What’s “Hi”? Can I spend it?’

‘Mr Ditkovitch, I’ll get some more money this week—’

‘You’re a month late with the money for the room.

Again!’

‘But I only have this $20 for the week,’ Peter explained. Mr Ditkovitch took Peter’s $20 - his birthday money and shut the door.

Peter went into his cold little room and sat on the bed.

‘Could things be any worse’ he thought.