(I'm gonna clear something up just so you guys aren't confused, each part of this chapter and maybe the last few chapters are of Peter having an internal discussion with himself. He's not saying anything out loud but he's thinking, so the underlined text is his conscious and the italic is just him thinking. I hope that makes sense. He's basically having a conversation with himself.)

I apologize if I confused any of you guys, anyway on with the story!
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Peter sat in his Home Economics class unable to focus on the lesson written on the board. Good thing he has his notes for this class otherwise he'd be toast.

He's supposed to be thinking about studying, but he's thinking about something else. You mean someone, it's always oh MJ this, and MJ that.

Would you shut up already?! God, you're giving me a headache! I can't believe I'm having an inner conflict with myself.

But MJ is so amazing and smart and so pretty. She probably wouldn't like me saying stuff about her looks, I absolutely love her personality. She's hilarious. Anything she says is pretty much funny. He thought.

After Home Economics Peter moved to different classes. But his mind still wouldn't actually let him concentrate, it always went back to MJ he couldn't stop thinking about her. He was so distracted, once he would leave math class and head to lunch he would need to immediately find Ned.

Yeah, find him and tell him you're hopelessly in love with a girl who's way out of your league!

You're one to talk! I feel like I'm literally going insane! Maybe I should talk to Mr. Stark.

Sure... so you could just waltz right up to him and say; "Hey Mr. Stark could you put me in an insane asylum?"

Why are you acting so condescending? What did I do to you?

Well, you started becoming a hormonal teenager for starters.

What the heck?!

Stop talking to yourself and go find your friend dingus!

Peter shook his head and left math class and started walking to the cafeteria. Apparently he was not in the right state of mind considering he was arguing with himself not even five seconds ago.
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He walked into the cafeteria and scanned the room seeing Ned with Betty, he speedily walked to the table and Ned saw him. "Hey man, what's up?" He asked.

Oh, just y'know a normal Tuesday with me being hopelessly in love with my best friend that's "What's up".

Would you just shut up my god I hate you!

Wow, hating on your own think tank how sweet, suck it up nerd I'm gonna be with you for the rest of life.

I swear to god. "I need to uh talk to you, Ned, alone." Peter said.

"Yeah, sure. Betty I'll be back." Ned got up from his seat and followed Peter out to the hallway. He could tell Peter was antsy and jittery.

So something was definitely up, "Alright Peter are you okay?"

It took exactly one single millisecond for Peter to crack and spill over every word he's been thinking the first moment he opened his eyes that morning.

"I cannot stop thinking about MJ no matter how hard I try not, Ned it's eating me alive that I haven't told her how I feel. To the point I'm arguing with myself inside my own gosh darn brain!" Peter finally exhaled, he kept all of that somewhat on the down low.

"Jeez Pete, I don't know if I can help, why don't you talk to Tony or May? Maybe they can help?"

Ha! Like you haven't tried that already. Oh my god I'm dying.

"I tried with both of them already, it didn't work. Who else could I talk to?"

"What about Ms. Potts? You haven't talked to her in awhile." Ned suggested.

"That's because she's been busy but I could text her." Peter said.

"Text her right now and once you're done come and eat with me and Betty." Ned said, Peter nodded to his friend and Ned turned walking back towards the cafeteria leaving Peter in the hallway.

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Peter pulled out his phone and started texting Pepper.

Son ❤️: Hey Pepper, I need your help, will you be at the house today?

Mom 💕: Hey sweetie, yeah I'll be home what do you need help with?

Son ❤️: It's more of a personal issue I'd rather talk to you in person

Mom 💕: Alright, come over after school, I'll text May and tell her you're with me. Tony's out of town so I'll be by myself, I'll send Happy to pick you up.

Son ❤️: Okay, cool see you soon!

Mom 💕: See you soon Peter

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Peter smiled, he was glad someone could help him with his problem, wait MJ isn't a problem! Crap I worded that wrong.

Hehe yeah and I heard it all.

If I could, I'd smack my head on a wall just to get you to shut up.

Well, now that's just stupid and everyone says you're the smart one.

Stop contradicting me you useless piece of human anatomy!

Without me you'd be dead, so who's in the wrong here? Also you're contradicting yourself since you're clearly talking to yourself. I mean I'm just your internal thoughts and headspace.

Oh, what would I do without you?

You'd die, I literally just said that.

Oh screw you.

You already screwed yourself there buddy. Again you're talking to yourself I'm not real, maybe you are going insane.

I don't wanna go insane!

Then stop talking to yourself and then you won't go insane!

Easier said than done!

Oh my god you're hopeless, I'm gonna check out now. Good luck.

Once school was over, Happy awaited for the teen as he came up to the entrance. Peter saw him and said goodbye to Ned, walking to the car and getting inside strapping himself in.

"Hey Peter." Happy greeted.

"Hey Happy, how are you?" Peter asked.

"I'm alright, what about you? Pepper wanted me to pick you up and bring you to the house." Happy said.

"I just needed to talk to her in person, don't worry I'm okay." Peter reassured.

Happy nodded and started to drive, it felt like hours before they got to the Stark estate. At least to Peter it was, but in reality it was only twenty minutes. Both him and Happy pulled to a stop and exited the car.

They walked up to the door and Happy opened it, he led Peter to Pepper who was in her office typing on her computer. She looked up and smiled at him. "Hey Peter, have a seat." She said.

Peter sat down but was nervous, he never talked to Pepper about girls before. So who's to say she'll laugh and be mean about it? Yeah, that's not who Pepper is. She's way too kind and smart to do that to Peter.

"So what's up? Are you in trouble, or does May need you to spend the night?" Pepper asked.

"Oh no, I'm okay I um I need a-advice." Peter replied.

"Alright, what kind of advice?"

"Well there's... this girl, and I really, really love her. She's so kind, smart, and has a sense of dark humor that not many people understand."

"And you need my help to be able to  tell her how you feel?"

Peter nodded his head and Pepper smiled as she knew about MJ from Tony telling her about them over the phone. Peter seems to be absolutely head over heels for her and Pepper found it adorable.

"What do you think I should do?" He asked.

"I think you should tell her the truth, maybe talk to her when no one is around." She said.

"What if I screw up and sound like a jerk, or say something stupid." At that point Peter was freaking out and rambling off a bunch of incoherent gibberish Pepper couldn't understand.

"Peter, sweetheart, listen to me if you love MJ then just tell her. You'll never know her response if you don't tell her how you're feeling." Pepper said.

"Yeah, maybe you're right I'm overthinking this."

You're doing more than overthinking it.

I thought you were "checking out"?

Meh, it was boring so I'm back boiiiisss!!!

Why me...?

Why not dingus?

Great, the voice in his head is back. Does it help? Probably not, apparently listening to yourself complain about your own actions is tiring.

"Why don't you invite her to the wedding as your plus one?" Pepper suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea." Peter said.

Peter grabbed his phone opening up his messages and clicking on MJ's name then he started texting her.

Parker 😎: Hey M. I've got a question for you.
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The End of Chapter 18