Arachnophobia ⇒ Peter Parker

twenty three: welcome to stark industries

     Stark Industries. The large logo on the front of headquarters had those prominent set of words written on it. The dark night pressed a warm sheet of liquid black on the hard exterior of the facility, and the brilliant gems for stars lined the clear night. We were far enough from the bustling city of New York to see a faint Milky Way stream across the sky.

     Outside, along with the murmur of voices and the hum of music in the distance, the placid symphony of cricket chirps and the tickle of wind on lush tree leaves filled the air. The buzz of the engine to the taxi I had arrived in faded away, and I was left, alone, facing the monster of crisp white buildings and hallways that were lined with cool gray cement.

     A chill pressed its way into my exposed neck, and I suppressed a shiver. Small clicks rang out through the cool night as the base of my heels kissed the warm cement beneath them. For a moment I stood alone, letting my auburn curls flow to the side while a current of delicate wind brushed through them. The ruffles of my dress folded under the slow steps of my slender legs.

     Though it seemed impossible, the facility appeared even larger as I drew near it. A modestly lit pathway guided guests to the hall of the event. The trail was dimly illuminated under the screen of my phone as a message rang through, Peter was notifying me that he was in the main hall.

     Before turning around the corner to the center of Stark Industries, I caught a glimpse of myself in the window of a dark building. I was taken back by the beauty of my reflection. This girl was unparalleled to the one that wore old shirts and worn-out converse.

     My dress was a brilliant shade of lilac, and it clung to my tall, but nicely curved, figure. It accentuated the soft curvature of my hips and my slender waist. The dress ran from my small shoulder frame to my light brown heels and clung tightly to my bodice. The delicate satin fabric that it was composed of was lined with the soft embroidery of blossoms. A perfectly long train trailed behind it and added volume to even out the tight center. My curls loosely hung next to the small silver necklace that was strung around my neck, and my fingernails were dipped in nail polish that was the warm shade of brown that coated my heels and colored the embroidery. The hazel color blended with the shade of my tan skin, and the blue in the dress matched perfectly with my electric blue eyes.

     As quickly as I had caught my reflection, my twirling figure was gone and heading stealthily forward. Finally, I reached the main hall. In contrast to the gloomy facility, the main hall was filled with life. People buzzed in conversation, grasping glasses that were bubbling with alcohol and talking amongst themselves. To my surprise, and great liking, everyone was dressed in eccentric outfits. They hid behind clouds of brightly colored hair and lavish clothing. The second I entered the room, a sheet of warmth shuddered through me, and all I was left with was the memory of the cold night that surrounded us. The euphoria in the room was contagious, and a string of joyful laughter teased the back of my throat, threatening to roll off my tongue.

     I felt the light touch of someone behind me. It was a smiling woman with brilliant curls of hot red hair. She wore a dress with accents of crimson and a confident stance. The woman was booming, and she grasped the tablet in front of her tightly. Finally, she spoke, "Hello darling, your name?"

     Timidly, I responded with: "Rose--"

     Before I could finish my name, the woman tapped away at her tablet and read out the number of a table that I had been assigned to. With a quick goodbye and a soft push, she had disappeared into the crowd of people. I continued forward and weaved through masses quietly. The room loomed over the event that took place in it, and the top of the ceiling was covered with a sheet of black shadows from the surrounding walls. Finally, I saw a familiar profile and jumped on to it. The crisp suit that he wore was scrunched under the pressure of my hug, and he reacted instantly to my touch.

     "Rose," He turned around and caught my image with wide eyes, "My God, Rose. You look beautiful."

     "Thank you, Peter. You look so handsome," I replied bashfully but maintained my straight posture. I stared past Peter and saw Tony Stark. He wore a smooth black tuxedo and a vibrant blue tie. I reached out my hand and shook his, using a firm grip.

     He straightened out the crinkles in his tuxedo and glanced at me with a warm smile. His nicely smoothed hair covered his head and he wore a touch of makeup to cover the dark circles under his eyes. He appearance was crisp, and it was odd seeing him in such an authoritative position when he was so powerless the first time we met.

    Tony finally said, "Hello, Rose. Nice to see you could make it. Ready for your job at the industries? This is where you'll be working every single day."

     "Yes, I'm truly grateful for this opportunity, Mr. Stark," I replied, warmly expressing my gratitude. I was being truthful, and I wanted nothing more than to be able to go through the job as a regular intern. But now, nothing felt as though it was working in my favor. That is, other than the boy who was standing by my side, tightly gripping my hand. I glanced over at him, and we met eye contact. We both wore shy smiles that widened when we caught each other's gaze.

     "Call me Tony," He said as he pat my shoulder. Our mushy moment was interrupted by a woman who appeared from behind him. She caught his attention and bent over, raising one of her heeled feet upwards and leaning over his shoulder. She concealed her words with her hand. Her lips tickled his ears as they transferred an important message, and his carefree grin faded away.

     "In my office? Now?" He stared over at her as she pulled away and he almost yelled. She nodded clearly and gazed expectantly at him, her worried expression clearly showing through. He sighed and crossed his arms before commanding, "Get the rest of the team."

     Tony then turned to face us and returned to his calm state, trying to cover up what he had just said and reassured us by replying, "I'm sorry, I have business I need to attend to."

    With that, Tony disappeared into the crowd of people and I was left alone with Peter. We were both dumbfounded. What was in his office? Why did he need all the Avengers to come with him? Through all these questions only one thing that was clear: we needed to find out who Tony had been talking about.

    At the time, I didn't realize that what I would be seeing in the next minutes would follow me for the rest of my life.

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I felt like this chapter was super well written!! It makes me so happy. Anyways, do you all have any questions regarding this chapter? Any predictions of what's going to happen next?

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