✓ | parted [ ➁ ]

[ chapter ten ]

The entire trip back to New York, Tony failed to explain to Andi what his plan was. He only said that she would play a minor role in making it all happen, and that just confused her more. Nevertheless, she went along with him when they landed, hopping into his car that was waiting for him right outside. 

Andi didn't ride around in any of Tony's cars much because it was important to keep her identity intact. People from school couldn't start asking questions about how she knew Tony Stark, aka, Iron Man, when nobody was supposed to know about her powers yet. She almost blew her cover in Lagos, but none of the footage picked up on her face, fortunately.

"Alright, so just play along with whatever I say, okay?" Tony told Andi as they pulled up outside the building. It looked vaguely familiar, but that could be because a lot of buildings in the city looked the same.

"That would be a lot easier if you told me where we are," Andi murmured in passing as she got out of the car and followed Tony into the building and up a few flights of stairs. They came to a door and Tony rang the bell. The door opened to reveal a slightly older woman on the other side. Maybe she was Tony's age, Andi couldn't really tell, but she looked very pretty.

Tony seemed to think so too, but he quickly overcame the initial shock. "Hi," he said, with an award winning smile. "May Parker, right?"

Parker? As in related to Peter? Andi was even more confused, but for the time being she just did what Tony said to — she played along, keeping a smile on her face to match Tony's false enthusiasm.

"Yes," the woman said with a vibrant smile. She clearly knew who she was talking to. "Gosh, Tony Stark. I — What can I do for you?"

"I'm here to talk to Peter," Tony explained, nudging Andi, who nodded in agreement. "We're going to be working together, looks like it. He applied for a grant and I wanted to visit him in person to let him know that he's the second lucky student who got it."

May Parker seemed thrilled. "Really? He didn't even say anything to me," she moved out of the way, allowing Tony and Andi to step inside. "Are you the other winner, sweetie?"

"Hmm?" Andi turned around after stepping inside to face the woman and she nodded hastily. "Oh, yeah. I am."

"They're both classmates," Tony explained. "I only found out after meeting this young girl, and she just begged to see the look on Peter's face once he realised he got the grant."

Andi bit down on her lip. None of this was making any sense, and she didn't particularly enjoy the way Tony put the picture across, but she just smiled and nodded nonetheless, agreeing with whatever he said.

"Please, sit down," May insisted. "I'll get some juice and snacks for you both."

Tony sat down on the couch and Andi sat on the armchair beside it. Both of them watched May disappear into the kitchen before they looked at each other and Andi spoke in a whisper.