The week flew by quickly for Sara, who returned to school, with Prime following closely behind. Although they encountered Kitty, Kurt, Scott, and Jean, the quartet still remained friendly with Sara. Overall, they avoided talking about what happened at the mansion whenever they met.
While this didn't bother Sara, she still mentally thanked them, recognizing that it might not be the same for Prime. He usually remained silent during these conversations. Sara knew that Prime didn't hate the four, so it was more likely that he didn't want to interrupt the conversation, hence his silence.
Anyway, Sara enjoyed every moment of peace she had, as lately many things have been happening one after another. One of them was Prime, who recently revealed what hers mutant power was. Sara, who initially thought she would feel uncomfortable discovering hers power, actually felt grateful that it was a power that could be useful to Prime.
For Sara, who never had anyone by her side, Prime was her light, someone she could rely on. Even if Prime didn't share the same feeling, that's how Sara felt. So, instead of being confused or sad, Sara felt joyful knowing that her power was benefiting Prime in some way. Even if not necessarily in terms of power, but in terms of comfort. According to Sara, just as Prime adjusted to fit any host, she apparently did the same.
In the blink of an eye, the weekend arrived. Peter, Ned, and Gwen were all inside a taxi heading towards the address Sara had given at school. The goal was simply to work on a group project assigned by the school. Although Gwen wondered why Sara was absent, she didn't delve into it, as Sara seemed fine.
"Are you sure this is the right address?" Peter asked as he looked out the taxi window.
"If you want to double-check" Gwen said as she passed the paper to Peter, who quickly took it and began reading what was written inside.
No matter how much Peter checked, that was the correct address. However, what exactly was this feeling of being in the wrong place that he was experiencing? It had been a while since he realized they had entered a relatively wealthy neighborhood in New York. Peter had already done some research on the apartments in that area, and their prices were, at least, impossible for someone like him.
"Guys, I think we've arrived" Ned alerted, who was sitting between Peter and Gwen.
Hearing that, the three quickly got out of the taxi, and as they did, they found themselves in front of an incredibly luxurious building. Looking again at the address in the notebook, they were sure that was the right place, but for some reason, they felt out of place in the face of the opulence of the location.
"I-It's going to be okay" Ned said, passing little or no confidence in his tone. "Sara said her relative already informed the reception that we would be coming, so there shouldn't be any problem... I think"
Taking a deep breath, Peter was the first to step towards the entrance door of the apartment, with Gwen and Ned following behind him. As they approached, the door opened automatically, surprising the three. Realizing they had stayed too long at the entrance, Peter resumed his pace towards the receptionist.
"Um... excuse me" Peter said, catching the receptionist's attention.
"Can I help you with something?" the receptionist asked, looking between Gwen, Peter, and Ned.
"Ah! We came to visit a friend" Peter began.
"For a school project" Gwen added.
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"She said she lives on the top floor of the building" Ned concluded.
Hearing this, the receptionist moved her eyes between the children for a few seconds, which made Peter, Gwen, and Ned feel even more nervous.
"Ah, you're the visitors we were notified about. One moment, I'll let them know you've arrived" said the receptionist, seeming to remember something.
Saying that, the receptionist picked up the phone and after dialing a few times, began talking to someone. A few seconds passed before the woman hung up the phone and turned her gaze back to Peter, Gwen, and Ned.
"Someone will come to get you, please feel free to wait here" said the receptionist as she led them to a place where they could sit.
After asking if they wanted anything to drink, the woman left and returned to her workstation, leaving only Ned, Peter, and Gwen alone. With that, the group could finally calm down, but for some reason, that place made them strangely uncomfortable.
"But who would have thought our friend is actually rich" Ned commented as he looked around. "Do you think those statues are really made of gold?" Ned asked, staring at a golden statue that, in Peter and Gwen's eyes, definitely seemed to be made of gold.
"Hands off, Ned. If we break something, we're in trouble" Gwen said seriously.
After a few minutes during which the trio felt out of place in the apartment lobby, Sara finally arrived. She was wearing casual attire, something you'd typically see someone wearing at home. However, there was a noticeable difference: the clothes seemed to be high-quality, which left the trio even more surprised.
"What's up?" Sara asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing... We just didn't know you were rich, so we were surprised" Peter replied.
Gwen and Ned vigorously nodded in confirmation of Peter's words. Although Sara wasn't quite sure what had made them start acting strangely, she had a hunch. In fact, even Sara was initially surprised by the place, but after a week living there, the initial excitement had dissipated, turning into something more familiar. Still, Sara was happy to be there, of course.
"Anyway, let's go upstairs" Sara said, turning and leading the group to the elevator.
The elevator, though not very large, comfortably accommodated four people, with a maximum of five. Sara entered accompanied by the others and then pressed the button for the penthouse, causing the elevator doors to close.
As they waited for the elevator door to open, an uncomfortable silence hung over everyone. Sara remained silent, unsure of what to say in these situations, while the trio assumed she wasn't interested in talking since Sara hadn't said a word since they entered the elevator.
As soon as the elevator door opened again, Sara stepped out and, followed by the others, headed to the entrance door. She entered the code and then opened the door, making room for her friends to enter.
Upon entering the place, Peter, Ned, and Gwen were impressed by the ambiance, which was exactly what one would expect from a luxury apartment penthouse. Although they had no previous experience to compare, they recognized the refinement and elegance of the space. They noticed that everything there seemed to be valuable in some way, including some decorative paintings adorning the environment.
"Are these paintings expensive?" Ned asked, pointing to one of the paintings on the wall.
"I have no idea, they were already here when we arrived, and I didn't ask" Sara said, shrugging.
Peter, Gwen, and Ned exchanged smiles among themselves. Despite Sara's evident wealth, she still maintained the same fun and determined personality she had always had, which made them feel comfortable and at ease in her presence.
While everyone was immersed in their distractions, the sound of the door suddenly opening caught their attention. Their gazes turned to the entrance, where a man of relatively tall stature, piercing blue eyes, and silver hair abruptly appeared. Despite his height, he didn't seem much older than them, at least not in the eyes of those observing him.
"Oh, the guests have arrived? Welcome to our home. I hope you enjoy your stay here" the man said with a friendly smile, which made everyone feel more relaxed.
Despite the relaxed atmosphere surrounding everyone, Peter didn't share the same feeling. His instincts, those he had always trusted, whispered for him to remain alert in the presence of that man. It was as if they indicated that, although he didn't represent an immediate threat, Peter shouldn't let his guard down around him.
Considering the fact that he shared the living space with Sara, Peter didn't need much effort to connect the dots and form an idea about the man's identity. However, he chose not to jump to conclusions, preferring to keep this perception to himself and planning to address the issue with Sara when he had the opportunity. And that chance would probably come soon since they would be spending the afternoon together.