Chemistry

Chapter 11

We're getting so close to the really sad part.  The FEEELS!!!  I might take a while for the next part because I might cry.
Enjoy, my friends.
-Katie
☆☆☆

A few days later, Tadashi asks me if I could help Hiro with his project. "He really wants to get into this school. He wants Callaghan to notice him."

"Okay." I agree.

After school, I get on his bike. I think we are going to my house, but we go to his.

When I tell him I wanted to go home, he said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I should have, I just thought--"

"It's fine. I can stay."

Hiro is in the garage, typing computer codes furiously.

The holographic design looks like the robot he had brought to the Institute, but broken apart.

He tells me to go set up the three dimensional printer, and I slide in the metal printer pack.

Two weeks later, Hiro's project is finished.  Six trash cans full of microbots, and a headband.

On the day of the showcase, Tadashi calls us to get us to help load up the trash cans into Cass' car.

After heaving the last can into the back and steadying it, I dust my hands off and stepped back, watching Tadashi slam the trunk door down.

Fred cheers, and, one by one, we all join in.

Hiro smiles.

"Are you going to change, Hiro?" Tadashi asks.

"Nah, I think I'll wear this."

Hiro hops into the passenger seat. Tadashi shrugs and slides into the drivers seat as the rest of us load into the back.

"SFIT or bust!" Fred yells.

Hiro laughs nervously and tugged on his shirt.

Tadashi locks eyes with me through the rearview mirror and grins. I smile back and lean down to buckle my seatbelt.

"Ready?" Tadashi calls.

A chorus of affirmative responses and we are off.

The school is glowing like that first night.

But this time, the glow is accentuated by the hundreds of cars parked outside of the main building, a huge pillared structure with one massive room inside and illuminated by colored LED lights. Hiro shuffles in his seat.

Tadashi pulls up to the front and we carefully unload the trash cans. Hiro stuffs his head band in his pocket.

We make our way up the wheel chair ramp, pulling the heavy trash cans.

Once inside, we'll place them around the room. Hopefully, no one will open them.

Someone asks Hiro if he is nervous.

"Nervous? No, why would I be nervous?" he says, looking around.

"He's nervous." I say, glancing at Tadashi.

"Woman up!" Gogo tells him from behind.

I start to look around. All over are ingenious inventions.

I wander for a bit, and then it is Hiro's turn.

He starts his speech and the microphone squeals.  He holds it away from himself and looks for Tadashi.

Tadashi gives him a reassuring nod.

I glare at the people leaving.

Hiro holds up a microbot and explains.  Then, my favorite part.

He puts on his headband and the trash cans tip over, spilling the tiny robots everywhere.  They gather up on stage, where he constructs them into various forms.

Then, he rides upside-down over the gathering crowd.  Tadashi reaches up and their hands clap together.

"Microbots!" Hiro exclaims, as a finale.

We all cheer for him.

Callaghan comes up to him and offers him a place.  At least, that's what I think he says.  Hiro's face is lit up.

I wander around for a while, then try to look for Tadashi again.

He's not anywhere.  I finally run into Cass.

"Where's Tadashi?"

"He and Hiro went to go talk outside." Cass says, and then her attention is turned to a griddle that can make waffles, pancakes, and paninis all at once.

I make my way to the door, running into people.  Then, a flash to my right and an alarm sounds.