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MR. HARRINGTON HAD AGREED TO LET AMARA JOIN THE ACADEMIC DECATHLON TEAM AS LONG AS HE COULD SEE HER PAST RECORDS FROM HER LAST SCHOOL BUT WAS HAPPY ENOUGH TO LET HER SIT IN ON THEIR TRAINING. Now, Liz was reading out the practice questions as the team sat at individual tables, answering them. Amara sat at the side with Michelle and quietly answered along which eventually had turned to a competition with Michelle.
"What is the heaviest naturally occurring element?" Liz read the words on her card from the podium.
Amara made a dinging noise quietly, "Uranium."
A ding came from the tables and one of the team members answered, "Hydrogen is the lightest...that's not the question."
Amara let out a quiet laugh of pity.
Another ding rang through the air and Abraham called out his answer as the others at the tables flipped through their textbooks, "Uranium!"
"That is correct. Thank you, Abraham," Liz said sweetly. "Please open your books to page ten."
Amara cheered quietly as Michelle grumbled, "Yes, three to me!"
By the tables behind Liz, Peter was pleading with Mr. Harrington, explaining why he couldn't go on the trip to Washington. All that Amara managed to hear from the stage was 'internship' and 'Mr. Stark' making Amara's jaw drop.
"As in Tony Stark? Your internship is with Tony Stark?" Amara asked in amazement.
Flash let out a scoff, "You've never even been in the same room as Tony Stark."
A conversation between the members of the team ensued, everyone seeming to be against Peter not going to the academic decathlon, Amara feeling slightly awkward and not wanting to join, unlike Michelle who gladly called him out.
"Flash, you're in for Peter." Liz turned to Flash who was sitting on a chair and reading, his feet propped up on another chair.
"I don't know, I'll need to check my calendar first. I got a hot date with Black Widow coming up." he responded, sending a smug look Peter's way.
Abraham dinged the bell in front of his before speaking, "That is false."
Amara let out a loud laugh, attracting everyone's attention before looking away from the crowd, earning a snort from Michelle.
"What did I tell you about using the bell for comedic purposes?" Mr Harrington scolded.
The bell rang, signalling the end of school and everyone stood, Amara slinging her bag over her shoulder and jumping from the stage. She looked around for Peter, remembering how they had taken the same train that morning but he was long gone, leaving the door to the hall swinging behind him. With a shrug, Amara bid farewell to Michelle and left the room.
◈⟐◈
AMARA PULLED HER PHONE FROM HER POCKET AND CHECKED THE ADDRESS HER FATHER HAD TEXTED HER. As she walked down the busy street, she caught sight of a deli with 'Best sandwiches in Queens' written above it and figured she had found the right one.
