Chapter Text
"Ned!"
Ned turned, seeing a random boy run up to him.
"Hey, do you know what's happening? Everyone is acting like they don't know who I am." The boy seemed genuinely worried.
"Do I know you?"
The boy's eyes widened. "Ned, it's me, Peter. Your best friend?"
Ned shook his head. He'd never met him. He definitely wasn't his best friend.
Peter looked like he was about to cry. "No...." He whispered to himself before taking off down the hallway.
Ned watched him go, confused.
Peter ran. Everyone was forgetting he existed. He didn't understand it, and he was scared.
He pushed open the door at the end of the hallway into the cold night. It was silent, with only the sound of leaves blowing in the strong wind. He looked over when he heard footsteps hurrying towards him.
"Peter!"
He felt relief as he saw his girlfriend appear out of the dark.
"MJ!"
She ran to him and nearly tackled him in a hug.
"You're still here! Thank God you're still here!" MJ sounded like she might cry too. After a few moments, Peter gently pulled away.
"What do you mean?" He asked her.
"Oh, right...." She realized he didn't know. She opened the book he hadn't noticed she was holding.
"The reason everyone is forgetting you? It's because of them." MJ pointed out a photo of a group of masked figures on horses.
"The Ghost Riders. The legend is that they are a group of spirits that kidnap anyone who can see them. The people they take are forgotten by everyone that knew them, like they never existed." She explained.
"And that's me?" Peter asked worriedly.
MJ opened her mouth to answer when the sound of hooves interrupted her.
Peter felt a chill run down his spine that he suspected was from more than just the cold. He slowly looked towards the sound to see a masked man on a horse, silently watching.
"Hey, MJ, I think you're right." Peter whispered.
MJ followed his gaze, but saw nothing.
"Are they here? Can you see them?"
Peter nodded, not looking away. He slowly started to back up. MJ looked between him and the empty space in front of them nervously.
Peter turned around at the sound of more hoofbeats from behind. Two more approached the pair, surrounding them on three sides. He felt panic rise in him. breaking from his initial shock, Peter grabbed MJ's hand and started running through the only place the ghosts weren't blocking.
The horses reared and began to give chase. The couple ran across the empty parking lot toward their only escape, MJ's car, sitting on the other side.
Peter and MJ managed to reach it, and quickly jumped in. In her fear, she fumbled with the keys. She kept trying until Peter gently stopped her hand. She looked up, confused.
"What are you doing? We have to go!"
Peter shook his head, not meeting her eyes.
"It won't help. They'll just find me again, and I can't let you get hurt."
MJ realized what he meant.
"No, no, no, no. It's okay, we can figure something out!" She shouted desperately.
Peter looked up, surprisingly calm.
"Listen, you're going to forget me."
MJ shook her head. "No I won't, I won't." Her voice cracked.
"You will." He said quietly. "But I know you, I know you can find a way to remember."
MJ blinked back tears. Peter reached out and touched her cheek softly.
"Do you remember how we met on that school trip?" Peter started. "Remember how we went to homecoming together?"
MJ nodded lightly.
"Remember our first date? Our first kiss?" Peter continued. MJ smiled slightly at the memory.
"Remember...." He faltered, glancing out the window to see the horsemen still waiting. He looked back to her.
"Remember I love you." He spoke in a soft but solid voice.
MJ's heart stopped. Tears flooded her eyes. He'd never told her that before. She wanted to feel overjoyed, but it killed her to hear it in that moment. She tried to say something but nothing came out.
Peter suddenly pulled himself away and opened the car door, quickly closing it behind him.
"Wait, no!" MJ moved to follow but stopped when she met his gaze through the windshield.
Peter smiled sadly and nodded once to her before turning away to face the Ghost Riders.
In a flash of lightning, he was gone.
"Remember, remember, remember....." MJ whispered to herself, but she felt as it slipped from her mind.