"Oh sorry. Where are my manners?" Mr. Stark stands up and walks towards Eli and I. He now extends his hand for us to shake.
I can't even process that the Tony Stark is in my house. And saying hi. And willing to touch my hand.
As I fangirl in my head, Eli shakes Mr. Starks hand like a mad man.
"Mr. Stark. Hi. I'm Elise and I love you. Your work is amazing. And I look up to you, my boyfriend loves you too."
"Okay, that's nice." He moves his hand away from her and directs it towards me.
I just stare at it. And stare at his face, and back at his hand.
"You know, if you take a picture it'll last longer." Eleanor says from the table.
"You know what, go ahead kid." Mr. Stark tells me.
I, as stupid as I am, stand there with my jaw falling about to touch my feet. So, Eli, God bless her, takes my phone and takes the picture. He smiles as if for the newspaper and sits back down at the table with not another word.
"Oh my goodness Sam. He's really here. Iron man is sitting at our table. Flash isn't gonna believe me when I tell him." Eli whispers as she takes my hand and sits me next to her, next to Eleanor.
I just noticed that next to Mr. Stark sits his assistant and now wife, Pepper Pots.
"So, you're Samantha right?" She asks me with the sweetest tone.
"Yes ma'am."
"And, I hear you love school."
"Yes ma'am."
"Mrs. Barbara was just telling me that the only way to punish you is by not taking you to school." She giggles right after. "Is that true?"
"Ugh, that little bitch. Trying to embarrass me in front of the man I look up too and his wife." I think.
"Well, it's not like I have to be punished. I complete all my AP and Dual-class homework days before they are due. And I go to all my robotics, photography, journalism, history, dance, and agronomy team meetings and competitions with time to spare at the library. So, not taking me to school is just a little game of threatening Mrs. Barbara likes to play." I look over at Eleanor and smile "fight me".
"Oh, that's impressive." Miss Pots responds. I think she can feel a little tension in the air, but she ignores it.
"So. Elise. How about you?" Mrs. Pots looks over at her.
Meanwhile, Mr. Stark and Darian talk business, money, etc. And Mrs. Pots, Eli and I break the ice and talk like we've known each other for years. And Eleanor, she just sits silently and picks her food.
"Well then, it's settled. Man, it's getting late. Pepper we have to go. Happy is waiting outside."
"Oh, that's right. Well, it was nice to meet all of you. I hope we meet again."
"Of course. We'd be delighted." Darian agrees.
Darian escorts them outside, and then I remember something that I wanted to tell Mr. Stark before I ever knew he would come to our house.
"Oh! Mr. Stark Mr. Stark!"
"Yes?" He responds.
"Sorry, but uhm. I had meant to ask you before but I forgot. You know Peter Parker?"
His eyes grow slightly big in suspicion and then go back to normal.
"Yes. Why?"
"Well, I heard that he got a Stark internship, and I was wondering if I could apply for one too."
"Uhhh. Um, kid. Well. It's not- It's just-"
"Of course. Just email us your application and we will see." Mrs. Pepper cuts in. She smiles one last time and surprisingly gives me a hug.
"Goodbye, thanks for having us over." She announces and waves as she pushes Mr. Stark outside the door and into their limousine.
I can't believe it. They are actually going to consider it. Finally! I will no longer have to stock Peter Parker.
Suddenly, a flash of green eyes comes and goes in my mind, ruining the moment.
"What the heck?" I rub my head because it starts to ache. "Um Darian, Mrs. Barbara, may I be dismissed to my room?"
"Of course darling. Goodnight." Darian agrees, he then gives me a tight hug and then I'm off.
I undress, put some night pants, a sports bra, and flop on my bed. And in a few short moments, I lose consciousness.
"Samantha." A woman's voice calls.
"Samantha." The same voice calls again, but I can sense sadness in her calling.
"Samantha I love you." The woman is definitely crying now.
I try to look for her, but I can't see anything. Everything is pitch black, there is no one, just the sounds of a sobbing woman.
"Hello? Is anyone here?"
"My baby girl, I'm so sorry." The sobbing gets worse, yet I still can't see her.
"I couldn't leave you with him. I couldn't, I couldn't."
"Hello? Miss? Anyone?!"
The dark place that I am trapped in starts to spin at incredible speeds. A glow of gold illuminates the spinning room. In the center is my necklace. Glowing in stellar luminescence. I reach for it but can't get closer. The room spins too fast, the mourning overwhelming, the light becomes blinding.
"STOP!"
I breathe heavily, I am soaked in a cold sweat. I'm in my room, on my bed tangled in my sheets.
"What just?" Then it occurs to me.
"My necklace!"
I jump to the floor and crawl under the bed. I open my secret hiding spot and it's not there.
"No. No no no no no! Who would-"
I can't believe this, I feel my heartbeat accelerating even quicker. No one knows about my secret compartment except-
I climb up the latter to Eli's bunk bed about to wake her until a voice stops me.
"Dear Samantha, don't wake her up."
That voice. That sly accented voice.
"Is this what you are looking for?"
It was just who I thought it would be. I turn my head to see him sitting on the window stool. And he was holding my most precious item.
He looks at it with radiant green eyes that stand out from the dark.
"I thought it was you. But now I am sure of it." He speaks.
"What?" My thoughts begin to stir.
"Little mortal, you are coming with me."
