Scintilla of Aberrant

Chapter 8: Dizzy spell

Atria's mood was like a whiplash to Peter. She came into first period perfectly fine, but as the morning went on she was quiet and miserable looking. It was something he never saw from her before. Then when lunch came she was perfectly fine. It confused him so much since only just an hour ago she was in a bad mood. At lunch they both got in line and got their food. They ate inside of the cafeteria this time but at the back of the cafeteria for privacy. Peter watched Atria shifted the corn in her plate around with her spoon. She was silent again. Peter kept his mouth shut, not really knowing what to do.

Ten minutes into watching her mess with her food and keeping her head down Peter had enough. He slapped his pizza down on his plate and push it away. He put his elbow on the table and messed with the loose string on his hoodie's cuff. There was one hole in each cuff made from him so he could put his thumb through. Peter filtered through his mind on how to start a conversation with the obviously-not-in-the-mood Atria. He settled for being direct with her since she always told him to be like that with her. "What happened?"

Atria didn't look up but answered his question with some indecision. "Just…stuff. My dad came for a visit and it didn't go well."

"You, uh, don't live with your father?" Atria shook her head at the question. He then asked, "So you live with your mom?"

Atria's face was devoid of any emotions as she said, "My mother's dead."

"I-I'm sorry—I didn't mean to—uh," Peter stumbled over his apology.

Atria smiled forcefully. "It's alright Peter. She died when I was born so…" She trailed off not knowing what else to say.

Peter cleared his throat and leaned forward on the table. "You live by yourself?"

"Yeah, it's okay though. Got it certified and all to live alone. So, no worries."

"Must be lonely." Peter added a bit concerned.

Atria looked at her spoon sadly. He mused that she was thinking exactly that. He felt a little bad for saying it but he was concerned. Peter lived with his uncle and aunt and he wasn't isolated even considering that he was alone at school. She sighed. "It can be." She faked a smile and asked, "How about you? Do you live with um, your parents?"

Peter swallowed and gave her a weak smile. He looked down at the table messing with the string again. "Uh, they died. I live with my Uncle Ben and Aunt May since I was a kid."

Atria reached across the table and laid her hand on top of his. Warmth poured from the small act of comfort and Peter felt like all his sorrow was shaping into acceptance with his parents death like a stone being smoothed out in a river. Peter never really liked to talk about his parents but he found himself telling Atria for some ridiculous reason. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Peter breathed out and he really meant it.

Annora sighed as she swung on the swings in the park. Peter was on her right side swinging away. After school Peter suggested going to the park nearest to their school. He was like a child when it came to swings, trying to swing the highest. Annora rolled her eyes fondly. He was going to fall off. "If you fall off, I'm going to laugh at you."

Peter scoffed, "I won't."

Annora didn't say anything else. She slumped a little in the seat and laid her head back looking at the blue sky. There was strips of clouds, like they were broken off pieces of silver paint harshly swiped across the blue canvas. Annora missed it. While she stared peacefully at the clouds stuck in wonder, Peter tried and failed at jumping off the swing and landing. His sudden thump on the ground made Annora cut her eyes from the sky to him. She stopped her mindless swinging and quickly made her way to Peter. She didn't know if she should be pleased that he fell so she could say I told you so or not. Peter had slammed face first into the dirt. He flipped himself on his back and stared at Annora humiliated.

"Can we pretend that never happened?"

"Nah," Annora shook her head. "Wanna tell me why your face was hugging the ground?"

"The ground looked so…lonely and I, well, just couldn't help but fall for the ground." He explained weakly.

The young Stark stared blankly at him. Several seconds went by before her lip twitched and she pealed into laughter. Peter did too. She sank down to the ground as waves of laughter emitted from both teenagers. Neither understanding why it was so funny. People around them enjoying the park looked at them like they were crazy. Annora finally was able to calm herself and smirked at Peter. "Idiot."

Peter sat up with arms on his knees. He breathing ragged from their laughing fit. He nudged her with his shoulder. He smirked at her. "I'll be your idiot."

Annora raised her eyebrows. "Wow, Peter, was that you trying to flirt?"

Peter instantly blushed and shook his head. "N-no, I was just playing around."

Annora snickered, "Yeah, okay."

She stood up and gave him a hand up. Annora grabbed her backpack and handed him his. They were closer to Peter's house, just ten minutes walking. Annora didn't really like walking to school since it took forever for her to get there. It was n of the reasons she woke up so early, or was it just early to her? Annora didn't have a car here. She didn't bring one because she honestly thought she was to stay in the building forever. Well, not forever, but it seemed like it. School is a blessing and a curse, she thought sadly. Peter's house was six blocks away from her building. She wasn't looking forward to walking at that. She probably was going to call a cab like she did last time she walked to Peter's house. She walked only half of it until she got fed up and called a cab. This time though—as Peter and she walked up to the front door—Peter invited her to come. It was the same brownstone house as last time she had been standing outside of it giving and receiving kisses on the cheek. Annora forced those thoughts about the innocent cheek kisses away. Peter opened the door and allowed her to go in first.

"Do you always have your front door open?" Annora said alarmed after he shut and locked the door. Anyone could have easily came in and steal something or worse—hurt someone. This was New York of course, where the crime rates were up.

"Nope, My Aunt usually unlocks the door after school sometimes. Plus, this neighborhood is usually quiet. Why concerned for me?" Peter teased her.

"This is New York, well the suburban part."

Peter shook his head chuckling. Annora ignored him in a childish manner and decided on looking anywhere but at him. Straightaway she recalled saying the house was small but it actually was fairly spacious. They were at the entrance and there were stairs on the right once coming out of the vestibule and straight ahead was a hallway which had one entry into what probably was the kitchen or dining room. A door was on the right—next to a chair and a small bookcase where a small plant laid on top. Annora guessed it lead to a small closet or basement. Annora realized what she was doing; her job entailed assessing their positions. Peter grabbed her hand, leading her into the living room. She eyed the picture above the fireplace. It as a picture of the same older man she saw with Peter's aunt inside prying on them from last Saturday. The living room was roomy as well. Dark curtains were pushed aside to let the light through. A reasonably sized flat screen was further back faced to let people watch comfortably from the long white couch that were placed by the windows. A small red one-seat couch next to the white couch. Peter let her gaze around the living room. She walked up to the fireplace, eyes enraptured ny the pictures. Peter followed. He was tugged by her hand still clasped in his.

"Is that you?" Annora asked, curiously pointing to the picture of a small boy holding hands with Peter's younger looking aunt.

Peter nodded. "Yeah."

"Aw, you're so adorable."

"Thanks…" Sarcasm, ah Peter's getting more and more comfortable around her.

"Oh, Peter is this Atria?" A voice interrupted Annora from retorting. They both jumped at the unsuspected person, caught in surprise. Annora swiveled around to face whoever it was. Peter's aunt smiled curiously at her. Annora went ramrod stiff. She was mentally cursing herself for being so naïve to let her defenses down. She was impeccable at always being ready for anything.

Expect for—nope, she cut her thoughts off there. She defiantly wasn't going to think about it.

"Uh, yes ma'am, Hello" Annora said high-strung. Gods, she was better than this. She didn't know if she was supposed to shake her hand or just nod.

The woman decided for her and went along and hugged Annora. Annora gave a half-surprised gasp in shock, trying to fight off the instinctual urge to shove the woman off her. Her father, Pepper and amazingly—Peter— were the only ones she could fully allow to even hug her or touch her for that matter. "It so nice to meet you, dear." The warm welcoming calm Annora enough to pat her back in return. Peter's aunt let her go and smiled. "I'm May Parker but you can call me Aunt May."

"Oh, um okay." Was Annora's response.

"Hey, Aunt May." Peter said at Annora's side again. He touched her arm to soothe her. He knew about her issues with others touching her.

"Hello Peter how was school today?"

"It was great." He cast a careful glance at Annora. She made school more tolerable besides going to his physics class.

"Supper's almost done, you'll be staying for supper right?" She offered to Annora hopefully.

"Yes Mrs. Par—"Annora cut off and reconsidered after Aunt May squinted her eyes at her warningly. "Aunt May."

She nodded her head approvingly and left to the kitchen through the dining area after saying she needed to check on the food. Annora shivered. "Your Aunt can be scary when she wants to."

Peter just laughed. "Wanna head upstairs to my room."

"Oh, Peter!" Annora said theatrically, her hand against her chest. "This is all so sudden."

"Tis not my lady, your face a beauty—eyes the palest ice blue, not one man can endeavor such exquisiteness but the finest such as I." Peter played along.

"Wow, that was actually good, Peter." Annora said frivolous.

He shrugged. "I try."

He led the way to the stair and went up, hauling her alongside. He opened the first door in front of them and went in. Annora followed. Peter threw his backpack to the wall by his door and chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry about the mess. I, uh, asked you to come unplanned so I didn't really get time to clean."

Annora nodded as he quickly gather stray clothes on the floor and bed. As he tidied the room up, Annora scrutinized his room filing it to memory. His closet was wide open, clothes messily hanged and shoes piling up. She smiled faintly at that. She remembered doing that before Pepper came in and complained about how unladylike and improper it was. There were skateboards hung up above the drawer on the right of his closet. His twin bed was fit against the wall in the middle. The bed sheets blue—his favorite color. Books were scattered all around his room; some on the chair by the window, in the chest next to the chair and on the short bookcase on the other side of the chair. Posters and pictures hung on the walls and there was one in particular of Einstein on the door to his bathroom that Annora liked. There was a desk and chair across Peter's bed complete with a computer and all. She spotted Peter's beloved camera on the desk and ran her finger across the lenses rim.

"It's very you." Annora commented at last.

Peter sat on his bed leaning back. He patted the spot next to him invitingly. Annora rolled her eyes and submitted. She sighed, relaxing. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just asking," He shrugged. "You were moody today. I just don't know when to prepare for your next silent treatment."

Annora winced. "I'm uh…s-sorr-sorry about that."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"The stumbling just a second ago."

"I'm not good at saying I'm apologetic. I don't usually have to. I don't want to cause it means admitting I'm wrong. You should feel privileged, Peter, to receive such a confession from me."

He snorted. "Wasn't even a drastic confession."

"What like my unwavering love for you?" Annora replied smirking.

Peter's mocha eyes sliced into Annora's. The corners of his mouth tilted up making Annora's essence pulse warmer. She felt that weird feeling like last time coming back again. "Maybe—'

Annora seriously had no idea how Peter got so… not him or more open with her so soon. She laid perfectly still. Peter sat up slouched over her. Dark brown hair messy as ever in that stylish bed-head look he pulls off so well. All of Annora's rational thoughts liquefied and swept off her. Only one ridiculous teenage-like thought replayed like a record.

She wanted to kiss Peter. At this exact moment.

"—you just want something else…" He murmured, finishing his sentence at last.

"Like what?" Annora breathed.

He was directly above her now. His face leveled with hers. His eyes inviting her. It felt like she was in some sort of dazed spell. He finally oh, so slowly leaned closer. His lips were right there—just inches away but too far for Annora. He licked his lips before he tilted his mouth down and—

"Peter, Atria!" Aunt May's cut through the strong force dazing Annora from all sensible thoughts. Just like that Annora sat up, Peter moving in harmony with her seeming to snap out of whatever phase he was momentarily in. The stumbled away from each other like they were blazing hot. "Supper's ready."