❛ It's a great party ❜

"So, you'll call me after the party?" Steve's voice recorded through the phone, filtering into Andy's ear as she pressed her device to her ear with her shoulder pushed up so she could continue her sweeping in the shop. "Yeah, I'll probably drop out early so I'll let you know when I'm on my way back upstate," she replied, throwing a glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening in on her conversation. The teenage girl let out a sigh when Steve gave her unwanted directions and she was only feeling annoyed that her mission was costing her excess sleep. She wasn't complaining that she was extending her mission through after-school because she knew that as she carried on with the ordeal that she would have to sacrifice time to watch her suspects away from school, she was just annoyed that someone else was instructing her on how to do what she already knew. "This is a perfect chance to explore your classmates outside of school and see if anything's suspicious," Steve told her, then muttering something to the side where Andy knew he was chatting with Nat about the plan. "Okay, so I'll leave when it ends. Does that satisfy you?"

"I know you won't let me down, Mel," he told her, honesty seeping through his words which made Andy feel more secure. "Anyways, I have to go. Nat wants Wanda and I to go visit some old bases for information on your parents. Do you feel opposed to us going to visit the cemetery?"

Andy's body tensed and the broom she was holding slipped from her fingers and made a loud, echoing noise on the tile as it clattered to the floor. She felt a tight feeling spread through her chest and her breath hitched at the very thought of someone else going to visit her sacred space. After a long moment of silence, Andy gulped and then cleared her throat, "Do whatever you need to, Steve. I just want closure."

"You'll get it, Mel. I promise."

•••

If there was one thing Andy knew, Liz Allen-Toomes threw one hell of a party. 

Her house was packed from wall to wall with high-school students from every grade. As a freshman who could care less about any party, Andy was wandering around the kitchen, talking briefly and playfully with dozens upon dozens of kids. Everyone loved Andy, and it made her realize that people really do have a lot of fake friends. Andy couldn't be more fake, she was living an absolute high-school lie, and no one knew it. So for her, being at a party with kids who believed they were intelligent and above others, it was amusing because she could prove every kid wrong, and she didn;t even need her computer.

Andy had conversed shortly with Michelle - even as it shocked her that the girl was at such a social event - and promised to return to the private sector the girl was perched in with a piece of toast in one hand and a copy of Little Women in the other once she finished talking - interviewing - everyone else. She spotted Peter Parker and Ned Leeds keeping to themselves in the living room, and Flash Thompson was flirting with Betty Brant in the kitchen, but overall, Andy had no idea where to start her interrogations. And Andy Dubois had never not known the answer to a problem before. 

So now, she was talking to people she would never talk to as Melisande just for information. Just because it was a part doesn't mean Andy had the night off. This was work. "So, uh, what do you like to do after-school? Do you have a job?" Andy asked while taking a sip of her fruit punch that to her dismay was not spiked. The boy - Clayton Cole - was not taken back by her question since she had eased her way into the direction of extra-curricular activities. Clayton shrugged and peered around the room, "Not right now, I mean, my mom just lost her job if you know anyone who's looking," he told her, sincerity ringing in his voice. "I'll keep that in mind, sure," she responded with a small - fake - smile. She made a mental note to cross Clayton Cole off her list of one-thousand names since his mother wasn't even employed. Andy was looking for someone who was racking in major cash, and she knew Clayton was being honest, based solely on the fact that his shoes were at least two years old. 

Just as Andy was about to say something somewhat comforting to the boy in blue, someone shouted her name and Andy's shoulders sunk. "I'll catch up with you, Clayton," she told him, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. "See you Monday," he added, waving her off while she turned on her heel to see Maya tugging Liz around as they raced towards her. "Hi!" Maya squealed, wrapping her arms around the frail teenager. Andy uncomfortably patted Maya's back and pulled away while the dark-haired girl stood in admiration at Andy actually being at the party. 

"Hey, Maya," Andy welcomed, "Liz."

"I'm so glad you came!" Liz beamed, joining in to hug the double-agent. "It's a great party, truly," Andy said to her while looking around the room at all the teenagers chatting with their friends and swaying to the music. "Oh, yeah! Thanks! It's an annual thing, so we get to see new faces every year," she chuckled, then pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. The three girls then jumped into a simple conversation about school and their hobbies, Andy having excelled at lying for every sentence. 

Suddenly, Liz perked up and looked to the side of the room where Flash was beginning to play more upbeat music as he detached himself away from Betty. "Oh, that's my queue! I'm supposed to be looking at the playlist one last time," Liz announced, placing a hand on the two girl's elbows before moving away. Andy nodded as a sign of understanding, leaving Maya and her to converse.

"So, Maya, I noticed you're, like, super into getting to know people, and I'm still trying to put names to faces, you know? So, if you can, would you help me get to know more people?" Andy wondered, searching the girl's face for a reaction that could tell her everything she wanted to know. "Of course!" Maya yelled loudly, her hands going to Andy's and clapping them together in pure excitement. "Oh, but I can't do Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday," she then added, a pout forming on her lips. "I help my dad out with his work. You know, like father like daughter," she laughed, then twirling a strand of hair around her pointer finger. 

"That works! I can totally do that!" Andy jumped in, then secretly hoping Maya would arrange this during school so it didn't interrupt her after school activities. In all realness, Andy was setting Maya up for failure with the one prayer that Maya was the one she was looking for. But her answer matched, and she wasn't hiding anything. But the least she could do was help Andy find out what she needed. "I have study hall first, you?" Maya asked.

"Oh, my gosh, same!" Andy said with a fake gasp leaving her lips. Maya laughed and placed a hand on her hip, "That's like, totally amazing!" she said, her eyes glistening with pure joy. Andy smiled and let her eyes drift to behind the girl where Peter was glancing over at her. When her eyes met his, he whipped back around to face Ned, trying to act as if nothing happened and he wasn't caught staring at the new girl.

"Text me, yeah?" Andy asked the brunette, starting to step away. "I need to go ask Peter a question about civics."

Maya nodded, "Sure thing, bestie! See you Monday!"

The dark skinned girl disappeared into the crowd of bodies and Andy found her feet moving towards Peter. She didn't want to be friends with Peter. But he was friends with Ned, and Ned knew everyone. And from what she had heard, Ned also knew a little something about computers, not any competition to her, but he still knew a bit. And Melisande was ready to start recruiting people for her mission. The hardest part was that no one could know they were being asked into something, she had to subtly bring them in and get their help without them ever finding out what and why they were doing.

"Boys," Andy grinned, stopping in front of the two freshmen who were secluded from the rest of the student body. She noticed Ned was confidently sporting a pair of clogs and Peter was shuffling on his feet with his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Hey, Andy," they both said in sync, small smiles tugging at the corners of their mouths. "So, how's our Red-spider-superhero?" she blurted out, folding her arms across her chest and leaning against the wall. Peter froze, his eyes darting back and forth between her and the people around him. The girl was looking at Ned who was confused and didn't notice Peter tense and stutter on his words. 

"Who's the red-spider-superhero?" Ned wondered, raising an eyebrow at the two. "It's a name that my friend calls Spider-Man," Andy explained, offering a light smile to the boy. "Oh, who's your friend?" Ned asked.

Andy let a second go without an answer while she debated telling him. Peter already knew, so she didn't see any true harm. "Uh, Pappy Joe? He's on the corner of fifth, always has an apple in his hand, and loves to start conversations," she told him. Ned shared a look with Peter who nodded in clarification that Pappy was the same man who had normal conversations with Uncle Ben. "Is Spider-Man like a regular around him?" Ned questioned, seriously intrigued. Andy shrugged, "Apparently Spider-Man takes time out of his night to watch out for him. I'm not saying I'm the head of a fanclub or anything, because, now don't get me wrong, but I'm not the biggest fan of city vigilantes, but if he's friends with Pappy, I can manage to not hate the guy."

"I think he's great," Peter spoke up. "You know, he looks out for the little guy."

"I think we know what sides we're taking for our projects," Andy smirked. 

Peter rolled his eyes and propped his elbow on Ned's shoulder, "I think we always knew what side you were taking," he grinned, his facial expression matching that of Andy's. "You've got an alter-ego, too. Are we so sure you're not Spider-Man?" Ned jumped in, striving to be a part of the conversation. 

Andy felt her stomach churn and she debated if the boys knew what she did other than working for Delmar. Thoughts ran through her mind at one hundred miles an hour until they finally reached a stop light. Her mouth opened and with ease she spit out, "What do you mean?"

Ned and Peter looked at each other and laughed. Ned lifted his hand and put it on Peter's shoulder, then widening his eyes and letting out a gasp, "Oh my gosh! Like, same, Maya!" he squealed. Peter joined in on the skit and put his hands on his hips, "Girl, please! We should, like, totally hang out this weekend."

"Let's go shopping!" they both shouted at the same time, then turning back to face Andy who had a look of amusement resting on her cheeks. 

"This is why you have no friends," she shortly replied, to which Ned and Peter began to emerge into a series of complex hand motions and fist bumps. Andy rolled her eyes and leaned back on the wall with one thing repeating in her mind, 'Yeah, there is no way that either one of these idiots are mercenaries.'