"...so he just threw himself at me, like some animal, and he swore to do it. He swore he would ruin me."
"Mara... I promise you, he will never see the light of day again."
"No! It's only one more day of school."
"So? I can still make sure he won't get into whatever school he wants to go to."
"His parents are lawyers."
"And I'm very persuasive."
"No."
"Thompson bullied you to the point you ran down the stairs, crying."
"How did you know that part?"
"I have my sources."
"Is that why Peter talked to me today?"
"Peter?"
"Yeah. Peter Parker. The boy I told you about. He came to see if I was all right."
"Want to know the truth? I texted the wrong person the details for a shoot and now I'm put into a groupchat with their colleagues. One of them must be that Peter. I have his contact under Pancake."
"..."
"Amara? You still there, Sis?"
"YOU'VE BEEN TEXTING PETER WITHOUT KNOWING IT WAS HIM!"
"Uh, yeah? I just read the number wrong and talked to some guy named Clint instead."
"Clint..."
"Yeah, I don't know who that is, either. Do you know where Peter works?"
"No. He has an internship at Stark Industries, though."
"STARK?!"
"Yeah..."
"I've been put in a groupchat... with people from Stark Industries. I've been trying to get through to them for years!"
"So?"
"So, it's one step closer to capture Iron Man in action. I've been wanting to shoot the man since forever!"
"Yeah, I know. It's all you talk about."
"I'm sorry. Go on about Thompson."
"You don't have to worry about it."
"Since you've been seen crying, I think I do."
"You're not my mom!"
"But I do care for you!"
"I don't want you to!"
"..."
"Lori–"
"No, it's fine. See you at your graduation."
I hung up the phone and just stared at the wall of my office. I had no appointments left for today, but I desperately wanted one. Just to get my mind away from the words that had been said.
In a way to keep myself busy, I decided to reorganize my desk. I threw every paper I didn't need anymore in the bin, and I updated my calender with the new dates for shoots.
Then watered the few plants I had that weren't fake or a cactus, and took a soda can out of the mini fridge. I sat down at the carpet on the floor and took a breath to calm myself down more.
This was not how I wanted to end my day.