No Strings Attached

2

Just like May had said, the apartment complex came into view after rounding a corner. The building looked as if it was slowly falling in on itself. Going up the stairs, she could see various cracks in the walls and mysterious stains on the floor. But other than that, the place seemed charming in a way.

May's apartment looked cleaner than the rest of the building, like an oasis in the dingy structure. Sadly, the apartment only had two bedrooms which were both occupied.

"I know it's not a lot, but it's home." May said as she riffled through the closet, clearing away a space for Angela to put her things. "I don't have another room so...."

"The couch is fine, Ma'am." Angela cut her off, not wanting to sound ungrateful. "I'm sorry for troubling you."

May waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Peter should be home in a bit, so I'm gonna start on dinner. Do you have any allergies?"

Angela shook her head. "No I don't."

"Any preferences?" Once again, she shook her head. "Okay then. I guess we'll do take out. I don't feel like cooking." May pulled out her flip phone and called the nearest Chinese place. She placed a rather large order before hanging up. "I'll go pick it up in a bit."

"Um..." Angela spoke. "I can pick it up if you want." She offered.

"Are you sure? You just got here, I don't want you getting lost." May laughed a little.

"I just want to explore a bit. Is that okay?" She asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, that's fine. But I want Peter to go with you." She compromised.

Angela nodded. The last thing she wanted was to start an argument. She just really wanted some alone time and to check out the stores in the area.

"Would you like me to help you unpack?" May asked.

"No. It's okay. I don't have much." Angela unzipped her bag, revealing the basic essentials. Simple clothes, toiletries, and her phone charger were all she had time to pack. May had cleared out the bottom four shelves for her, just enough room to stack everything into the small space.

"I feel bad making you use the closet like this. I'm sorry we don't have more room."

"It's fine. Really." Angela insisted. "But, could I-"

Angela was interrupted by the front door opening and a boy walking in. "Hey Aunt May, I think we should call Mathew, the doors still... crooked?" Peter spotted Angela, empty bag at her feet. "Hi?"

"Peter, this is Angela. She'll be staying with us for a while." May filled him in.

"Can I ask why?"

May tried to come up with an excuse, but Angela beat her to it. "My mom met your aunt while on a nursing retreat a few years back. Our home is infested by wasps and I have a deadly bee allergy so my parents asked May if she could take me in for a while." She lied smoothly. "I hope you don't mind."

Peter gave her look before nodding. "I'm sorry to hear that. I've got no problem with you staying. But what about school?"

"I've been transferred to Midtown since my old school is an hour away. They thought it would be easier than taking a taxi upstate."

"Cool! We're going to the same school!" Peter seemed... happy that they were going to the same school.

They just met and he was happy to get to spend extra time with Angela. She couldn't quite wrap her head around it, but whatever kept a roof over her head.

"Peter, I just ordered some Chinese and Angela offered to go pick it up. Would you go with her so she doesn't get lost?" May asked him as she unloaded the dishwasher.

"Sure. I was planning on picking up the new Star Wars Lego set tomorrow, but I can do it today."

"Okay, you two have fun." May waved as the pair left the apartment.

As they walked, neither of the said anything. The silence was more awkward than either of them expected it to be. That is, until they rounded the corner and Angela spotted a small craft store. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw it and Peter had to contain his laughter.

"Wanna go in?" He asked.

"Is that okay? I don't want to be a pest." She fidgeted with her fingers.

Before she could say anything else, Peter was already walking into the store. Angela ran in after him but quickly became lost in the isles. Her fingers ran along the different paints as she read off the colors, some of the names making her smile.

"Did you know they had a paint called Santa's flesh?" Peter held up the bottle of skin colored paint. "Kinda morbid."

Angela lifted another bottle. "This one's called Grandpa's chest hair."

"Seriously?" He laughed.

Angela set the bottle down and picked out a few colors as well as some new pencils. At the back of the store, she found a few sketch books and small canvas's and brushes. With her basket full, she walked to the cashier and payed for her things with the card her grandfather gifted to her.

Once outside the store, realization dawned on her. "We have to carry everything back."

"It's only a few bags, we'll be fine." Peter said, taking two of the three bags.

"You don't have to carry that you know."

"I talked you into painting some figurines for me, so I should have to carry them. Come on, the restraunt is just across the street."

"But, what about your Lego set?"

Peter shrugged. "I can get it later, it's no big deal."

May had finished setting the table for three when the kids returned from their walk. When she saw the extra bags, she raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were just getting the Lego set?"

"Yeah, we stopped at a craft store instead." Peter explained.

"Alright. Well, go put everything away while I unpack the food." She grabbed the Chinese bags and let the kids go.

Angela set the bags down on the coffee table and began to put everything in their proper place. Peter had found and empty bin that she placed all of her paints and brushes in and put inside the closet with the rest of her things right as May called them both for dinner.