|| LONGING || EDITTING

|| Chapter Twenty - Eight ||

Arizona had changed her clothes into wearing light blue jeans with rolled up rims and ragged holes scattered among the legs of the jeans. She had a maroon-red shirt on beneath a navy green jacket and her converses on her feet, her hair being pulled back into a ponytail as she fiddled with he black-painted fingernails nervously. She was sat beside Happy in the car outside of Peter's apartment complex - due to Tony having accompanied him home - and Arizona felt like she was going to throw up as the fear of Peter already telling everyone was running through her mind, Arizona then shook her head, adjusting back into her seat, "No, I can't do this..." She sniffed, "Happy, take me home please,"

Happy looked down at the child who he would babysit whenever Tony and Pepper were either busy or wanted time alone. He pursed his lips, leaning over to open the door then gestured to the exit, "Get out, grow up, and speak to him," He ordered, Arizona looked up at him with confusion, "You're stronger than you think," His tone changed but it wasn't necessarily soft but nor was it gruff.

He received a lipless smile as she reluctantly nodded, "Okay..." She got out, shutting the door behind her and took a step forward but froze up. The possibilities of her family hating her and then never getting their forgiveness tainted her mind and she turned around, but before she could open the door she heard a click indicating Happy had locked the doors and she gave him a look, "Happy, let me in the car,"

"Get in there!" He demanded before driving off.

Arizona gulped, turning back around to face the apartment complex, "He really shouldn't be called Happy," She muttered under her breath before buzzing the buzzer on Peter's apartment, hearing a male voice on the other end.

"Did you forget your keys again, Aunt May?" He sounded playful. Peter was leaning against the wall, waiting for his Aunt's reply of calling herself idiot etcetera but rather was greeted with silence, making him furrow his brows, "Aunt May?"

Arizona inhaled deeply, "Um... N - no, Peter it's..." She gulped, "It's Arizona," Peter's eyes widened, him stunned by the static voice, "Can I... Can I talk to you?" She stammered.

Peter instantly pressed the buzzer, "Oh um... Y - yeah! Come on up!" He squeaked, Arizona opening the doors and entered the elevator, knowing there was no turning back.

Instantly, Peter rushed over to a mirror, fixing his ruffled hair and smoothed out his jumper before grimacing at his black eye but, nevertheless, felt he looked better than a mess. However, Arizona was panicking, she exited the elevator and spotted Peter's door, she couldn't stand it, she couldn't stand the feeling of possibility, it wasn't something she was used to. She pressed her lips tightly together, her walking toward the door -- unaware that Peter was already on the other side with his hand on the door handle, and the second she knocked, the door swung open, leaving Arizona's hand mid-air before she knocked on his chest.

She awkwardly cleared her throat, dropping her hand and looked up at Peter, "Um... Hi..." She gestured to him, "Tony told me where you lived an - and of course, you're Spiderman so -"

Peter placed his palm across Arizona's mouth, immediately shushing her, "Y - you can't just blurt that out!" He exclaimed in shock, his voice cracking; after seeing Arizona glance at his hand with raised brows and wide eyes, Peter let her go, gesturing to his apartment, "You can come in," His voice quieter.

There was a sudden change in the atmosphere, the awkwardness had disappeared but was replaced with something worse - grief. Arizona reluctantly walked in, looking around the apartment, spotting a few framed photo's of young Peter with his parents, more with Peter older and with Aunt May. Arizona delicately brushed her fingertip against a photo he had of himself, his parents, and Arizona's family, her standing right beside him as they were merely four. The redhead pulled away at the sound of the door shutting and looked over toward Peter, "Have you told anyone?"