"This is not a great timing, can I call you back?" I said while answering my phone.
"No, you cannot, Natalie. Where the fuck are you? It's 10 PM, you should be home at times like this."
I rolled my eyes and mimicked a 'sorry' to Peter.
"Since when do I have a curfew?"
"Since now."
"I'm staying at a friend's house tonight."
"You have friends, and they invite you over? When did this happen?" Tony yelled.
"Yeah, I know, it's a miracle. But how did you know I'm not at home? Did you actually spy on me?"
"No, I just got back from Lagos, and Friday told you never came back home after you left for school last yesterday."
I raised my eyebrows. "You got home already?"
Peter also looked surprised. "Your uncle is home?"
"Who was that?" Tony asked.
"Oh, that's Peter."
"You're sleeping at a boy's house?"
"Yes, do you have a problem with that?"
Peter looked shocked. "I can take you home right away if it's not okay."
I shushed him and let Tony answer.
"Did you use the money I gave you?"
"Ew, no, of course I didn't use the money for condoms, I got a really nice sandwich for it."
Peter's eyes got huge.
"I'll explain later," I whispered to him.
"Nat, I find that really irresponsible." I heard Tony sigh on the other side of the phone.
"Okay, that's your opinion."
"And I want you to come home now."
"Wow, that's unfair."
"No, it is not. It is late and you should be home," Tony snarled.
"There are no more trains, it's 10 PM."
"Then you'll walk."
"I'm in Queens."
"That Peter kid lives in Queens? Couldn't you get any better friends?"
"Nope."
"Okay, I'll sent a car."
"Please don't, I want to stay here tonight," I whined.
Peter sat down on a fence with crossed arms. I felt so sorry for him. We just had a moment and this awkward phone call with Tony ruined the ambience completely.
"If you had bought some condoms, maybe I had let you stay," Tony said.
"Are you kidding me?"
"No. Safe sex is a really important thing."
"Hey, we're not having sex, okay? Peter and I are friends. Do I need to spell it for you? F. R. I. E. N. D. S. Like the old tv-show with Chandler and Joey and stuff."
"I don't buy it. Even Chandler and Monica ended up hooking up together."
"Please," I nagged. "I won't get pregnant, I promise. We're not even sleeping in the same bed."
Tony needed a few seconds of silence before he gave in. "Okay, you can stay in fucking Queens for the night. But I want you to be in the Tower tomorrow before 9 AM."
"But..."
"No 'buts', you've heard me."
I knew this was the best I could get. "Okay, see you tomorrow."
I hung up on him before he could say anything more.
A deep sigh of irritation left my mouth. I looked at Peter, who looked really stressed out.
"I'm so sorry," I exhaled. "My uncle is just... really intense."
Peter stared at the ground. "I heard."
I went sitting next to him on the fence. "Look, what he said about the condoms, it didn't mean anything." I felt so embarrassed. "He's just not used to me having a guy friend."
"Yeah, we're just friends, right?"
"Yep." I regretted agreeing to that immediately. No! Obviously, we weren't 'just friends'. We were way more than 'just friends'.
"So, what did you want to ask me before my wonderful uncle had to interrupt?" I asked.
Peter shrugged. "Oh, nothing."
My dear Lord, I hated this moment with my entire soul. I wished my uncle had never called me. I wished I had never answered my phone. I wished I didn't have any feelings. I wished feelings were easy to understand. I wished... I wished that I could make wishes come true.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
Peter looked at me. "Sorry for what?"
I sighed. "For everything. Especially for my uncle, I feel so embarrassed."
Peter had to laugh. "To be honest, May got me a box of condoms as well, right after I brought you home for the first time. So, don't be embarrassed please."
I burst into laughter, and Peter joined me.
Peter made my bad vibe disappear just like that.
"It's getting late, we should head back," he said while jumping off the fence.
"Yeah, I should probably get some sleep if my uncle wants me home at 9 AM." I was still sitting on the fence.
"So, are you coming?" Peter asked.
"Only if you hold my hand again."
He laughed and held out his hand. "Of course, my lady."
We smiled at each other while I put my hand in his and walked back to his apartment.
Damn, I really liked him, that was for sure.
Still, I wasn't sure what to do with that piece of information. For now, we were really, really close friends.