Aurelia Stark, the girl with everything. Only daughter of billionaire, Tony Stark, she has anything a girl could of ever wish for. But when her father goes missing in the Afghanistan desert, the cracks in her seemingly perfect life start to show.
Wh...
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Maybe next year I'll have no time To think about the questions to address Am I the one to try to stop the fire? -What You Know, Two Door Cinema Club
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July 20th 2008 Stark Mansion, Malibu
A couple of days later, I'm in the gym, running on one of the treadmills, when the doorbell rings. Since Dad's locked himself down in his lab, I get off the treadmill to answer it. Turns out it's Obie, so he let himself in already. Plus, Pepper's upstairs. Fantastic, Obie brought pizza. Time to put all the calories I just burnt back on. He sits at the piano, playing some classical song, as Pepper sits on the sofa working.
"Obi-Wan Kenobe!", I grin, flopping onto the sofa and taking a slice of pizza, "I know the pizza means you come baring bad news, but I'm hungry so it's fine."
He smirks, "Perceptive as ever, Aria."
Dad comes upstairs, "How'd it go?", he notices the pizza, "It went that bad, huh?"
"Just because I brought pizza back from New York doesn't mean it went bad.", Obie says, still playing the piano.
"Sure doesn't.", he digs into the pizza, "Oh, boy."
Obie gets up from the piano, "It would have gone better if you were there."
He speaks through a mouthful of pizza, "Uh-uh. You told me to lay low. That's what I've been doing. I lay low, and you take care of all..."
"The boring stuff.", I finish for him, shooting a judgemental look.
"Hey, come on. In public. The press.", he comes over to sit next to Dad, "This was a board of directors meeting."
Dad raises his eyebrows, "This wa- This was a board of directors meeting?"
"The board is claiming you have post-traumatic stress. They're filing an injunction.", Obie tells him.
He almost chokes on his pizza, "A what?"
"They want to lock you out."
My ears prick up at the drama, "Ooh-"
"Why, 'cause the stocks dipped forty points? We knew that was gonna happen."
"Fifty-six and a half.", Pepper corrects.
"It doesn't matter.", he snaps, "We own the controlling interest in the company."
"Tony, the board has rights, too. They're making the case that you and your new direction isn't in the company's best interest.", Obie explains.
Dad grows annoyed, "I'm being responsible! That's a new direction for me... For the company. I mean, me on the company's behalf being responsible for the way that...", he tries to dig himself out of the hole he's in.
"Smell the silent judgment.", I whisper
Dad rolls his eyes, "This is great.", he stands up, taking the pizza box with him.
Obie gets up to follow him, "Oh, come on. Tony. Tony!"
Dad calls behind him, "I'll be in the shop."
Obie grabs onto his shoulder, turning him around again, "Hey, hey! Hey, Tony. Listen. I'm trying to turn this thing around, but you gotta give me something. Something to pitch them.". he points to the arc reactor, "Let me have the engineers analyze that. You know, draw up some specs."
Dad shakes his head adamantly, "No. No, absolutely not."
"It'll give me a bone to throw the boys in New York!", Obie tries to reason.
"This one stays with me. That's it, Obie. Forget it."
"All right, well, this stays with me, then.", he takes the pizza box back from Dad, "Go on, here, you can have a piece. Take two."
"Thank you.", he takes a couple of slices.
"You mind if I come down there and see what you're doing?"
"Good night, Obie.", Dad doesn't even bother to turn around, as he heads back down to his workshop.
Obie sighs loudly and turns back to me, "You know anything about what he's up to down there?"
"You know helping him with his science projects isn't my forté.", I tell him.
"So, you've got nothing for me?"
"Not a thing, I don't know if I want to know either.", I answer truthfully.
He nods, "Well if you find out anything, let me know."
"Why do you care?", I ask narrowing my eyes.
"Because he's my friend."
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A message from the author: This chapter is kind of boring, I won't lie, so I'm giving you two chapters today just because it's my book and I can do what the hell I like. Be warned though, the next chapter is a real rough one. Anyways, hope you all had a good week! Remember to vote and comment! See you all next chapter! (;
