Stark Crossed Lovers

Chapter Two

Sam get yourself together she screamed to herself. She could feel her face getting warmer and warmer. Finally she found it “Ah yes Parker! It says your appointment isn't until four and it's only three now, maybe you can explore downtown?” Almost bored Peter responded “I've seen it before, I live in Queens so I have been to landmark field trips before.” Must be nice…. Sam thought to herself but instead she said “Well we don't have much of a waiting room here I could find you a chair?” Peter, she noticed, smiled sweetly when he said “That would be great, thanks.” Sam returned the smile and went in search of a chair for the boy in the lobby of Stark Tower. Sam's mind was plagued with questions since when did dad help kids with projects? What kind of project is it? And how did HE even know how to contact her dad in the first place? Sam couldn’t help but to think about how peculiar this was as she made her way back to the lobby with the chair for the boy with the sweet smile. Sam set the chair down near the front entrance for Peter. Slightly smiling in gratitude Peter took the seat and started to check his phone casually. Don't do it Sam it's one of the rules, don't ask questions remember don't do it stop but Sam couldn't help it her curiosity took over. “Hey um, so what kind of project is it?” she says almost nervously. Peter slowly looked up from his phone and stared at her in awe. In that moment he heard what she said, and had a good cover  answer, but the way she looked made him forget, which made him nervous. He stammered “W-what?” Sam puzzled because of his gaze apparent nervousness said “Um you said the meeting was for a school project, right?”  Sam was pressing now for answers. “Oh yeah the project it's some stupid essay project I have to write about my hero. Just sappy high school stuff.” Sam smiled understandingly but could tell the boy was lying. She could tell by the constant stuttering and the cute way he rushed when he talked. That, and he sounded like someone making everything up as he went. Sam remembered the rule her dad made about making conversation, and quickly through it out the window, she liked talking to Peter. “So,” she continued her questioning “what were you doing outside anyway, you got beef with that bush?” Peter almost laughed, instead he searched for the words to say as Sam stared through him almost like she was reading his thoughts. Peter finally replied “I was pacing, I am really nervous about meeting Mr. Stark you see and I tripped into the bush a little bit.” he then laughed awkwardly to himself. Puzzled on what this guy's angle was with the lies, Sam decided to really hit him with the hard questions. Lie to me now Parker she thought. She could get him here “So, for our office survey I need to know how exactly you got Mr. Starks contact information?” Sam could see Peter smirking. Peter’s response was clever “You know you ask a lot of questions yourself Sharron.”  She could tell that was a dig “It's Stacy, Mr. Parker.” Sam went to press further when Peter noticed and said “Ah if we are playing twenty questions I believe I get a turn, right?” he said giggling. Sam smiled and gave him the win, but was wishing her questions would be answered. “You look very young to be a receptionist, especially for the headquarters of the Avengers, so how did you snag this sick job at the age of ?” Peter trailed off for Sam to answer. “Sixteen. I am sixteen and I um ..answered an ad.” Peter began to scan Sam's face. “An ad, huh? That's cool!” Sam took a deep breath at the sound of Peter accepting her answer as truth. Even if he really didn't believe her. Peter asked another question “So Stacy where do you go to school?” Uh oh. This is why dad says not to ask questions. “I uh I go to um that really cool science magnet school” she lied. “No way! You go to midtown?” Peter exclaimed. “Yeah, uh Midtown!” Sam felt proud she was able to lie through her teeth again. Peter smiled puzzlingly “Odd, I have never seen you around school.” Oh shit! Sam what did you do? “And I would definitely remember your face.” Sam internally screamed. Is Peter flirting with her? No of course not. She shook the thought out of her head despite her heart still skipping. Sam tried to find words. Peter realized he said something that made her nervous. He recovered by sputtering out “Well I um what I mean is….oh boy, that wasn't an insult at all, your face is nice is what I mea-” Sam interrupts the boy with her laughter. “No, no I mean, oh gosh” Peter blushingly facepalms. Sam fills the room with laughter and finally is able to smile and say “Well, Peter I think your face is nice too” and then winks. What are you doing Stark!?!? Are you serious? Stop while you're ahead, she thought.  To clear the air Sam stared up at the floors above “Well, I suppose Mr. Stark should be down soon.” Peter smiled “I am not worried about time Stacy.” Sams heart picked up pace again. “Well just so you know.” Trying to slow her heart rate down she began to breathe deep but slow breaths. “So Stacy, what are you doing tomorrow?” Peter questioned. “W-what?” Sam began to sweat nervously. He continued “Like after school. You know, I was thinking you could help my friend Ned and I put together this super sick Lego Death Star, I don’t know if you like Star Wars….I mean, I don't know I just figured since you go to Midtown we could meet up by the old gym and walk to my apartmen-” Peter was interrupted by Sam cutting him off “I WOULD LOVE TOO!” Sam what did you just do? Peter lit up, “Cool so I will meet you tomorrow at the old gym!”  Peter couldn't hide the excitement in his voice. “Sounds like fun!” Sam said much less excited than before. She was nervous and slightly annoyed with herself because she had broken every rule her dad had set up for her, except for revealing her real name. But she also couldn't knock the feeling of intense excitement and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. But of course she couldn't go through with it. Right? I mean if she did what was she supposed to tell her dad? Did her dad even really need to know? I mean, he did keep her in a tower confined to the same walls and people. What was wrong with being a little rebellious? That’s what normal teenagers do, right? Maybe she could make a move with Peter before her dad came. So, with the clock counting down on Peter and Sam's first meeting together, Sam mustered up all her courage and finally spat out words she never thought would come out of her mouth. “Hey um, Peter here is my number in case, I don't know,  I don't show up in time.” She recognized the familiar shade of red that painted Peters face as she slid him a posted note with her ten digit number on it. Peter was finding a hard time figuring out what to say, so he just decided to close his mouth and smile at the first girl to ever give him their number. Sam still couldn't calm the nervousness building up inside her, especially after hearing the familiar sound of her dad's Italian leather shoes clicking through the hall. “Thank you Stacy, for keeping my company busy,” Tony said to Sam as he entered the room. The lack of anger in his voice told her he didn't hear or see anything. “Certainly Mr. Stark” Sam said with a nod. Peter started to follow Tony but stopped to tie his shoe long enough for Tony to get further ahead. Whispering so only Sam could hear he said “Hey, don't forget about me tomorrow,” with a wink. Sam smiled at the boy sweetly letting him know she wouldn't. I mean how could she, he was possibly her first interaction with someone her own age. As he jogged slightly to catch up with her dad she couldn't help but feel a guilty pit in her stomach, could she really disobey her father to go meet up with some guy? Her guilt built  up inside her and was fueled by a text from her father. Good work today Munchkin! the text read. Time to head upstairs. Then a text from an unknown number it had two words and an emoji, my number ;). She got on the elevator to her penthouse, both ecstatic and guilty all in one.