Mind Full of Roses // Peter Parker

6: Its Not All Fun and Games

I didn't expect the Autumn to be this cold. The freezing air nipped at my cheeks and I wrapped my thin jumper around me more. My backpack banged against my back as I walked along the street, trying to find shelter from the the Autumn air.

I came across a small corner shop called Delmar's and quickly walked inside, glad to have walls around me that kept the wind from freezing my fingers. It was a quant little place, with aisles full of food and random things. I could also smell warm bread coming from the counter. I peek over one of the shelves and see a menu above the till showing the customers what type of things they served. I promised myself that I'd get something later as I walked along the tiled floor, just browsing the shelves.

I can't remember the last time that I walked down a shop freely, able to get whatever I wanted without someone whispering in my ear, telling me orders. I smile to myself and just take it all in, knowing fully well that I could probably just conjure all of these things. But it wouldn't be the same without the time taken to get them.

I pick a purple bar from one of the shelves and inspect the packaging. Cadburys was sprawled across one side in gold lettering and underneath showed what it was. I vaguely remember having chocolate one time a while ago but I don't remember what it was like.

"You've got good taste." A voice from behind me says and I drop the bar, whirling around with my hands behind my back, already smoking red.

"Woah." Peter Parker chuckles with his hands in the air. "Didn't mean to scare you."

I shakily chuckle, feeling my cheeks warm up. "Sorry. Peter, right?"

He nods. "Roselyn?" When I agree, he continues while picking up the chocolate that I dropped. "Have you got in yet?" He hands me the bar and I crease my brows in confusion. "Midtown, did you get in?"

"Oh, yeah I did. I'm supposed to be starting in a couple weeks." I say as I walk up to the counter to pay.

"You can sit with me, Ned and MJ if you want." He says before giving an order to the cashier and saying very seriously, pointing to the menu, "Best sandwiches in Queens."

I nod as he hands my bar back to me along with his sandwich. "When did you move from London."

The question makes me almost stop in my tracks. I think a bit before answering. "A long time ago, I used to move about. Though hopefully I'll be staying here for a while."

"That's cool, where have you been?"

He doesn't know how hard his questions are but if he did then I hope he'd stop. I almost shouted at him to shut up and stop asking about this. "Um, here and there."

He creases his eyebrows and tilts his head a bit to the side, his curls flopping over his eyes. "Ok." He says slowly. He looks around for a bit before his eyes lighten up. I look over to where he's pointing and find myself looking at an arcade. "That's where Uncle Ben used to take me."

"Uncle?" I ask, thinking that it would be his parents to take him places. He looks at me with a slight bit of sadness in his eyes. He rubs his arm and doesn't answer. "I'm sorry if that was a question too far."

Damn it Roselyn. Making the person who might actually be alright hate you already. New record.

"It's fine, it's just." He sighs and rubs his forehead. "It's a soppy story, you wouldn't care."

"No, no I do care." I say slowly, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the side of the path, opposite to the arcade.

"Well, my parents died when I was younger so I went to live with my Uncle Ben and Aunt May. But, uh, recently my Uncle Ben passed away."