The New Girl Around

Chapter 8 ~ Mr. Stark...

~ Stark industries ~

When I walk into stark industries a voice begins speaking. I look around trying to find the source but I can't see where it's coming from.

Peter starts replying to it like It's a person but you still don't know where it is or what it is. "Where Mr. Stark? I texted him about it?" Peter asks, confusion evident in his voice as he begins walking through a hallway.

"Mr. Stark is in his office. I will see if he is available." The voice says. It was a girl with a somewhat robotic voice. Peter thanks her and we stop walking.

"Who are you talking to?" I ask, bewildered. He realises that I have no Idea about where we are and all the stuff in it.

"Oh sorry, it's a sort of robot thing that Mr. Stark installed." He says, trying not to get to into it.

"That's quite cool." I say, impressed at the technology. Just as I say that the voice starts speaking again, "Mr. Stark can see you now." The doors open automatically and, with wide eyes, me and Peter walk in.

Mr. Stark is sitting behind his desk. "Peter." He acknowledges Peter without looking as we both move to sit. "I got your text." He begins, finally looking up at use.

"Is this her?" He asks, seemingly already knowing who I am. I scoff slightly as he talk about me as if I'm not there.

I'm busy looking around at all the cool electronics and things he has when Peter begins to introduce us. "Uh that's Hope. She's the girl I was talking about in my text." He answers, shuffling awkwardly in his spot.

"Hope, Meet Mr. Stark, Mr. Stark meet Hope" He finishes, his hands gesturing to each of us as we're mentioned.

I turn to Mr. Stark and smile, "You have some really cool things here. I mean look at that!" I say in awe, he must be smart smart. Oh and rich rich.

I walk over to an electronic hand, "wow, that must have taken ages." I admire, looking at the inteicate details. He walks over to me and looks at the hand.

"Yeah, I'm so close to getting it perfect, but I can't seem to get the pinky to move, I think one of the wires are broken." He says, annoyance covering his face.

I quickly open up the hatch on the arm and look at the wiring, to curious to let it be. I pull one of the yellow wires and quickly switch it with the red wire. A small smile take over my face as I watch the hand move perfectly.

"Easy mistake, the red wire controls the knuckles but seeing as it was connected to the elbow that wouldn't function, so you had to plug the yellow one into the elbow socket therefore it would move the hand and the red wire would move the knuckles of the pinky." I breath out, slightly out of breath as I finish.

I look away from the hand to see both Mr. Stark and Peter staring at me surprise evident on their face. "What..." I say standing awkwardly, unsure of what to do now.

"Where did you learn that?" Mr. Stark asks while moving the hand. Amazement still laced on his face.

"Oh I learnt it from my dad. I was young when he taught me but I still remember because I like using electronics to trick people. It's quite fun." I laugh, remembering the past pranks I've pulled.

I guess I also wanted to keep practicing it so I always had something I could say my dad taught me. Like a little bit of him was still here.

Mr. Stark puts the arm down and sits in his chair. "So, apart from being really good at working with electronics. What's your power?" He asks bluntly. I begin to cough as if I choked on something and Peters eyes widen.

"Uh Mr. Stark I haven't mentioned that part yet." Peter says quickly, scratching the back of his neck. I look between the both of them, what is going on?

Mr. Stark makes an o shape with his mouth then continues speaking, "well. You must be very confused. You have powers and so do we. Does that clear it up?" He says quickly as if he's just explaining how a cookie fell to the floor. Peter hits his hand against his head and I look up at him, surprised.

"W-what?! Peter you have powers?" I ask, many questions filling my head."How did you know I had powers?!" I ask next, trying to clear the questions from my head.

Peter tries to find the right words, "well, I'm Spider-Man so technically I don't have powers. But when Flash was talking to you and you were holding my arm I saw your hand squeeze into a fist and then the apple juice exploded a-and I sorta just got a feeling and-." Peter lets out a sigh as if all of this is stressing him out just as much as it is me.

I'm still confused and Mr. Stark asks more questions, "So, when did you find out you had these powers?" He asks calmly.

I begin to get a flashback of the car crash and I feel myself start to go wobbly so I try and steady myself. "I have to go, sorry." I say quickly, unable to deal with everything at the moment.

I quickly run out the office and run to the door. I check the time and see that detention finished five minutes ago and I have 2 minutes to get to the closest bus. I start running for the bus and luckily, I make it just in time.

~ At The Orphanage ~

When I get to the house I check the time and see that I'm 10 minute late so I quickly rush to the door and open it. As I expected Mrs. Bernadine was waiting for me and as soon as I step through the door and shut it behind me, she stands up and over.

"I can't believe you! You are always late! I have provided you a home and food and a school and you don't even appreciate me! The only good thing you have done is cover up that horrid face of yours with makeup! If anyone finds out about your bruises I will make sure you pay for it!" She screams as I wait for her tangent to finish.

Once I'm sure she's finished, I roll my eyes and storm up the stairs trying to avoid her. Unable to chase after me from our laziness, she shouts up the stairs, "Don't come down those stairs again until tomorrow, you can starve for all I care!" I slam my door ignoring her cries.

It's not like she feeds me anyway. I don't get breakfast and I don't get dinner, the only food I get is the one from the canteen, not that that accounts for much.

I sit on my bed thinking about what to do, luckily tomorrow is a Friday so it's my last day of the week. But that means you will have to stay here, with Mrs. Bernadine.

I hear a knock at the door, breaking me away from my thoughts, and when I open it I see honey.

"Hey hun! You're just the girl I want to see right now." I say honestly. She smiles and sits on the bed next to me.

"Why was Mrs. Bernadine annoyed at you?" She asks, her big eyes looking up at me with worry. I offer her a small smile and stroke her hair out of her face.

"Because Mrs. Bernadine is a grumpy old lady, you shouldn't have to worry about it. Now, every time one of my carers in the orphanage annoyed me, I pranked them. Are you up for it? I promise she won't find out." I ask, wanting to clear the girl from any worry. She sends me a large smile.

"Of course I am!" She practically leaps off the bed, already excited. I grab this food shooter that I made a few years ago and hand it to her.

"Now I made this shooter to shoot out jam donuts or sandwiches. Are you any good at aiming?" I ask, shooting her a mischievous smirk.She smiles and I take that as a yes.

We slowly go downstairs and see Mrs. Bernadine watching YouTube videos. I whisper over to Honey, "I'll make something fall off that desk, she will get up and put it back then when she sits back on the chair..." I grab a sandwich I just made and put it in the shooter, "you will shoot this on her chair, it won't make a noise so you will be fine. If we get caught you run and I'll take the blame. You ready." I ask, my heart beating slightly faster. This is just what I needed.

She aims the shooter, "of course!" A proud look encases my heart as she smiles brightly, staring at her target.