DREAMING? [Peter Parker]

CH. TWO

Nervous Peter
———
First Person PoV
[Peter Parker]

I had to forge May's signature to get in, but at least I'm here, in the gym. There are eleven different booths set up-- which confused me since only ten people were supposed to be let in-- each of them having a paper on them, face down. In the center of the room, there's a huge table with different pieces on it. I assume that you're supposed to try and take what you can before others get to it.

I walk to the booth that has my last name on it. There's a box of tools under it. At least I don't have to fight for those.

After everyone is here, they talk for a bit before they're hushed by Principal Morita.

"Everyone, it is time. Please welcome your judge, Tony Stark!"

As the man walks out from behind the curtains, the other nine-- that's excluding MJ, who just stares-- cheer for him excitedly, feeding his ego. After everyone has calmed down, he scans over us all. His eyes land on mine for a moment, and I tense, holding eye contact until he finally looks away and a grin lights up his face.

"Hello, Midtown!" Mister Stark calls. "I'm sure that you all know who I am, thank you to Principal Tortilla for the introduction." He slaps his hand on Morita's shoulder, giving him the paparazzi smile that seems too real.

"So, I'm sure you're all pretty excited to get to work today, huh?" Another shout of excitement from the other nine. "Good to hear! Alright, so here's your instructions. The paper on your stands have different projects for each of you. There is a list of the tools you need, which you can find under your tables.

"On the table in the center of the room are different parts that you may need. Take what you see fit. If someone gets what you need before you can, adjust your project to fit without it. You have exactly one hour to finish."

Mister Stark puts his hands behind his back as he looks over us. I realize now that he has on weird looking glasses. Maybe he's actually scanning us.

"Flip your papers over and look at what you are building. Get your tools out."

We all do as he says. I look over the tools I need quickly before crouching down and grabbing the tools, then I actually look at what I'm building.

I'm going to be building a robot. Sounds easy.

"On my signal, you may start. Ready, set..." I get ready to run to the center table, "begin!"

I dash over and grab everything I may need, including some extra stuff just in case. By the time everyone has gone, most of the parts are gone.

I move back to my booth and start building.

———

Throughout the hour, Mister Stark had been walking around and watching us. Every time he passed me, he would stop and stand there, just watching, and at one point when he lingered a bit longer, my hands started to shake.

"Calm down," he had muttered to me. "You're doing good. Keep working."

I look back down at what I'm doing and he stands for a bit longer before moving on.

By the time he finally moves back to the front of the room, I have finished my robot. I added a voice box, because I had some extra time to spare.

Mister Stark looks at his watch like he's counting down the seconds, then he says, "Times up, tools down!"

Some of the others have to stop what they're doing, a a few of them also having already finished.

"Alright, I am going to walk around and you all will show me what you have built, and what it can do. I will give you the hard truth on what I think of it-- don't feel too down on yourself just because I'm giving the truth, without it, you would never improve-- then I will announce the winner. Understood?"