Mary Jane

Mary Jane Watson is a Face around New York. At least, if you pay attention to the teen magazines and gossip rags. She's a model currently working as the face for an up and coming and very edgy designer named Iggy. Just Iggy, no last name. She's a party girl and scene queen and can be seen at places where it's hip to be seen. Or make places hip to be scene, at least for the younger crowd.

Background
Broken homes are a sad part of life for so many. For Mary Jane, it's the only way she knew homes could be until very recently. Her father is a writer, but one that could never manage to finish a book. Her father is a teacher, but one that could never manage to get a second year at the same school. Her father is a husband, but one who couldn't manage to stay with his wife and children.

She spent her youth moving. Every year, a new home and a new school and new friends. It's the hardest part of growing up, making friends and no ending up labeled as 'that weird new girl' for the rest of your life. So MJ made a choice. She wouldn't sink into obscurity. She would be loud and fabulous and fun and everyone would want to be her friend. She would go to parties and all the boys would want to dance with her and the girls would trip over themselves to be her best friend and it would be a wonderful escape. And it's worked out as planned, for the most part.

Of course, what these friends never knew was when she would come home late, her father would smack her around a little. And they didn't know that her older sister got married and popped out her own kids just before her husband left /her/. And they didn't know the whole clan came to live with MJ. And they didn't know it drove her father to run out on them. They didn't know that her mother suddenly had to figure out a way to feed all these mouths. And they didn't know how much Mary Jane hated it all. Hated watching her nieces and nephews, hated watching her sister making the same mistakes their mother did and hated having to pay for them. /She/ didn't marry some jerk, why was she in this situation?

The kicker really came when her sister told her she'd have to give up the parties and the school plays and whatever free time she had to get a job and help support the family. Any job. Something under the table, so they wouldn't have to worry about the age thing. Well. That didn't suit MJ at all. She packed up that night and took a bus to her Aunt Anna's. Anna agreed that it wasn't good for someone so young to be asked to shoulder all that responsibility and took her in. It was the first real /home/ MJ ever knew. Anna cooked breakfast and packed her lunches. She let her go out, she even supported her when she started her own amateur modeling. Of course, Anna came to all the photo shoots, but Mary Jane didn't care! She was doing what she wanted and no one was making her feel guilty about it. Anna also came to every play she was in, every night it was running. She and her neighbor, May Parker, would sit right in the front row. Sometimes Ben Parker would come, too. They were all so sweet.

So, when word came that Ben Parker had been killed... MJ was honestly upset. It was one of the few times she indulged herself, locked up in her room, she cried and cried. But in being there, she also got to witness something strange. Her neighbors were raising their nephew, some boy she went to school with, but never had actually met. Or, well, maybe she had? She couldn't remember. But she saw him rush into the house that night... and then saw a costumed figure crawl out of his bedroom window. It was so puzzling, she never did say anything to anyone. After all, Mary Jane Watson knows how to keep a secret. But she did start paying more attention to the quiet, smart kid in class.

After a time, Mary Jane's pictures were noticed (thank you, Facebook. Or maybe it was Twitter...) and she was contacted for a /real/ modeling gig. A /job/ that paid and everything. And from there, MJ launched into being a genuine scene queen. She's seen at all the hottest parties, her friends are seen in teen gossip magazines with her, it's like a dream come true for the young girl.

Personality
On the surface, Mary Jane Watson is flighty and fun, a real party girl. Wherever the scene is, that's where she'll be. She doesn't show too much interest in school (although she is smart, she just doesn't let people /see/ it), except the school plays. She is the ultimate popular girl. She can be seen doing her make up in a mirror in her locker between classes, she spends lunch hour socializing, not eating, and she flirts with the football players. Although, as far as boyfriends go, no one seems to know who she's got her eye on. Picky, maybe. When asked, she just laughs and claims she doesn't want to be tied down. There's just too much /fun/ to be had.

Under the surface, though, there's a young girl in a lot of pain. Abused and then abandoned by her father only to have the responsibility for her family laid on her shoulders... she couldn't handle it. She ran and she feels guilty for turning heel and abandoning her family, but at the same time... she didn't want her life ruined before it began because of mistakes /other/ people made and wanted her to pay for. Her abandonment issues run long and deep for one so young, dually afraid of being left alone and leaving people when they need her most.

One thing about the hard times of her life, MJ is tough. She has willpower. She's more likely to hit back than run, she's more likely to get in someone's face than placate or simper. It's just how she is. If you need telling off, she'll be the one to oblige. And gladly. The papers seem to blame her red head for that fiery temper.