The Afterglow

Chapter 11; Uninvited Guests

"Peter!"

Just as he let himself sink back into the couch, the sound of his name being called reached his ears, and he forced himself back onto his feet. Taking one last look at where he was just sitting with thoughts of how it looked even more comfy, he trailed off into the kitchen.

Gwen was there waiting for him, with the fridge door wide open and one hand on her hip. Upon his entrance, she glared at him. He swallowed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, already knowing what this was about.

"Y- yes sweetie?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Don't be a suck up when I'm mad." She warned, unimpressed by his greeting. "Listen, did you eat the chocolate cake that was right here this morning?"

"Erhh… no." He gulped. "I haven't seen any chocolate cake." He fibbed.

"Peter!"

"Okay fine, I have seen chocolate cake but no, I didn't eat it." He admitted.

"I suppose you're going to tell me it was Casper the friendly ghost." She rolled her eyes.

"Not exactly."

"Come on, come clean and admit that you ate it. This morning there was a whole cake on the top shelf of this fridge, now there's nothing but a plate of chocolate crumbs. Food doesn't just vanish into thin air!"

"I didn't eat it!" He insisted. "But I erh… I may have given it to Simon in exchange to get him to do his homework."

"You what?" Gwen shrieked. "Peter, that was supposed to be for dessert tonight! You do remember that your aunt May is coming for dinner tonight, don't you?"

"Oh, damn it!" Peter cursed, planting his face in the palm of his hand. "I completely forgot, I'm sorry."

"It's fine." She sighed. "But we have less than two hours until she gets here and what am I supposed to serve after the meal?" She stressed. "Sorry my brother accidentally ate the dessert, so here's some raisin bran instead… It's mortifying."

Unable to help himself, Peter laughed as he crossed the room to where she was standing. Her dramatics over chocolate cake amused him, and it wasn't the first time something so silly had made her mad. Each time it happened, he had dealt with it by laughing and cracking a joke, though she never found it the slightest bit funny.

"Don't you think this is a bit extreme over a little bit of cake?" He raised an eyebrow. "You're stressing way too much over something so small."

"No, I don't think it's extreme!" She denied. "After all the help she's given us, the least May deserves is a decent meal."

"Come on, chill out a bit. Nothing a run to the store can't fix."

"A run to the store? Peter, I woke up at noon, I have yet to get dressed since I've been trying to tidy up ready for this evening and I still need to prepare the food to cook. I don't have time for a run to the store!"

"No, I meant me." He corrected her, still laughing.

"Oh… well, can you take Simon with you? I still have a lot to do before May gets here and I think it would be easier without any distractions."

"Yes. I'll go and ask him to join me now." He agreed. "But Gwen…"

"Hmm?"

"I don't think crying over chocolate cake is a good look for you." He teased with a grin.

Gwen scowled, not seeing the funny side of his joke. She shut the fridge door with a medium slam that shook the entire appliance, getting the point across to him.