『HomeRoom』

Jack Baker was making his way towards the front door of his house with his satchel over his shoulder, Gwen following behind him in her school uniform. Both of them were ready for another day at Midtown High, until they both stopped and stared at the front door.

Jack sensed danger, though it wasn't overwhelming.

Gwen could see a shadow under the door off to the side.

Both of them stood there, listening. They had well over thirty minutes to get to school, so there was no problem waiting. It only took about a ten minute run or a five minute drive.

"Dweeb! Get out here! I know you're in there!"

It was Flash Thompson, both of them let out a sigh of annoyance.

Why did this guy of all people, have to come here? And he sounded angry, so he probably saw her in the window or something. That or he was still angry about the day before.

Jack couldn't comprehend this Jock brain at all. Well, he could, he just didn't want to.

The Recluse Assassin turned and looked towards the backdoor. There was no one back there, at least that he could sense. There was no 'danger' in that direction, though he could hardly call Eugene danger.

Gwen however didn't bother looking to the back door as an option.

Turning to look over at her as she was walking towards the door, he raised a brow and strode after her. When the two made it to the front door, Jack moved in front of her and turned the knob.

"There you are!" Eugene grabbed him by the collar, pulling him out the front door, as Gwen would casually walk out the door; locking it before closing it.

Jack narrowed his empty eyes on the other boy's face, no expression apparent.

Eugene's eyes drifted over towards Gwen who was glaring at him, her arms crossed over her chest. This immediately caused him to step back a few times, still holding onto Jack's collar.

"Let him go, before he actually decides to hurt you." Gwen warned him as she tilted her head to the side slightly.

Blinking at her words, his mind went back to when his foot was intercepted by Jack effortlessly. HIs eyes went back towards him, clenching his jaw before shoving him away, despite hardly moving him now.

Jack dusted himself off, as if he had been dirtied by the Jock's touch. "Oi... Now it's wrinkled," he muttered before stepping away from Flash and over towards Gwen.

"If you're so strong, why don't you join the football team? Or some sport?" Eugene suddenly spout accusingly, as he pointed his finger towards the Recluse.

"Because there is no point in American Football. It causes brain and other bodily damages..." That was a sharp attack just on the Jock himself. He didn't really care for any sports though, except for maybe hockey or what the Americans refer to as Soccer.

Eugene wasn't a complete neanderthal, he knew of the risks of the game. It was one of the reasons he enjoyed it. He showed his physical prowess and dominated others. Yet this 'dweeb' as he put it, disliked it.

"Now, why was she in your bedroom?" Flash immediately changed the subject.

Baker just narrowed his eyes on the young man. "Her house was attacked last night... she hid at my place overnight..." Jack's head cocked to the side slightly as if asking for the other boy to challenge him, even with his posse nearby.

"Attacked?" Eugene blinked before looking towards the direction of the Officers. That explained their presence. He then looked to the girl who he had once given his heart to, and hadn't accepted it when she had tried giving it back.

"Mobsters after my dad," Gwen's nose scrunched up slightly before she went to step off the porch, dragging Jack effortlessly off with her, with her arm hooked around his.

The Jock just watched as the two of them strategically left the scene. His resolve to beat the dweeb, for having Gwen over, was completely crushed. He had no confidence now that Gwen even vouched for the boy's strength that he was wanting to forget.

He let out a sigh, watching the two as they went walking down the street.

Jack turned his head to the side, looking at Flash from the corner of his eye. The perceived nerd, didn't wear any real expression on his face still as he looked at him.

He wasn't smug, he wasn't rubbing it in his face that Gwen had chosen him over her. The glimmer in his eyes though, spoke legions of his strength and his ability to protect. It was a look of a promise which the football player couldn't comprehend or see from such a distance as they turned around a corner.

+ + +

Fifteen minute later, Jack and Gwen stepped through the front gates into the courtyard of the Midtown High, the School for Science and Technology.

"Did you see his face?" Gwen asked after looking behind herself, a soft giggle leaving her lips.

Raising a brow, Jack looked over her for a moment. "...Probably..."

Pursing her lips at him, she gave him a once over as well, "Suddenly becoming awkward again? You're a strange boy, you know that?" She closed one eye as she spoke playfully.

Rolling his eyes with a grin suddenly conquering his lips, he looked towards the fountain that a group of other teens were hanging around. That's when all of a sudden someone jumped on their backs, arms draped over Gwen and Jack's shoulders.

"Hey MJ~!" Gwen laughed as she looked over her shoulder and nudged her face into her best friend's face. "How're you doing?"

"Forget how I'm doing!" Snorted Mary Jane, her fiery red hair all over the place, "What's with you two holding hands like lovers?" She teased as she hugged her arms tighter around their necks. "Am I the last to know?"

"...No, probably the second?" Jack looked to her with a blank expression once more, having dropped the grin which had taken his lips for a brief instance in time.

Mary clicked her tongue in annoyance, "I should be the first!"

"Long night," Gwen gave a light playful whine, before blowing into her friend's bangs.

MJ's hands shot up and combed their fingers through her hair, matting it down and straightening it out. "Hey! I just brushed these puppies out! Leave'm be!"

Her eyes then narrowed on Gwen, "So... Long night?" Squinting her scary devious eyes, her fingers traced the faded side of her hair. "Rough?"

"...You could say that..." Jack uttered, not catching on to what she referred to immediately.

"Hm?" Both Gwen and MJ stared at him for a few seconds, watching as his face turned a tinge of pinkish red, before both of them burst out into laughter.

The trio made their way inside through the front door, the assistant principal Kelly Cox was holding it open for them.

She had short blonde hair, a pixie cut, with pale blue eyes and pale toned skin. If she wasn't in her early thirties, which she didn't have the appearance of, more students would probably hit on woman.

"Fifteen minutes until Homeroom bell rings! Everyone, prepare for class!" The assistant principal was calling out, waving their free arm around, to those other students who were standing around talking outside.

Jack and the two others sniggered as she started calling out the other students.

They didn't bother stopping at their lockers as all their things for the first half of the day was in their backpacks. So in the next three minutes they were walking into homeroom and sitting at their desks.

Gwen was in front of Jack, MJ was beside him and he was wedged pretty much in the back corner of the room. He was surrounded with no real path to escape, not that he needed one.

Walking over to Gwen's desk Jessica Jones asked, "So did you guys do your homework for Geography class? My papers got wet..."

"Did it in class," Gwen instantly without any real hesitation as she flickered her gaze to the female before her. A brow raised slightly seeing her damp hair that smelled like the Hudson River. "Need a copy?"

Jack almost instinctively touched his jaw slightly, he had been punched in the face by Jones whilst masquerading as the Recluse Assassin, of course by accident.

Seeing the way he moved, Jones raised a brow slightly at him. "You okay... What's your name again?" She tilted her head to the side, looking at the strangely familiar person.

Gwen leaned back, resting her head on Jack's desk while looking at JJ. "Jack Baker, he's my boyfriend~" She chimed with a coy smile across her face.

Blinking a few times, Jessica nodded, "Ah... The person other than me that Eugene tries to put down.. It's nice to talk to you for the first time." She seemed to smile faintly before looking to Gwen, "So... Homework?"

MJ leaned in, holding out a hand, "Five bucks?"

Jack and Gwen just looked over at Mary Jane with concern in their eyes.

"What?" The red head laughed a bit, "I was joking! I swear!"

"Uh-huh..." Jack blew a raspberry as he started toying with Gwen's hair, running his fingers through her blonde locks. His other hand dug into his satchel and he took out his geography textbook and placed it down his desk beside her head.

Using that one hand, he'd flick over to the homework and pull out an extra untouched copy and his original. Then he placed a pen down beside it for Jones to copy. "Five minutes," Jack warned.