The Avengers Academy (ON HIATUS)

Lunch

=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•Peter's POV=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•

12:00 P.M.

Now, I've been to the cafeteria here many times, and it never ceases to amaze me. The cafeteria is huge, which actually makes sense given the size of the building and how many people work here, but still.

The food line is right across from the door on the wall and has a numerous amount of things to offer, from burgers and fries to veggie burritos and salads. Somewhere by the line is a door that leads to the kitchen, where they cook everything. I don't know who cooks this stuff, but they should get a raise.

Steve said that we'd learn more about the projects after we eat, and I can't wait! I wonder how the other kids are doing. We haven't done any introductions yet, which we'll probably do after lunch.

Shuri and I get in line for a burger and fries.

"I'm kinda excited for the first project. What about you?" I ask her.

"Yeah. I'm just curious to see what kind of things we are doing and the competition."

"Really? Why? You----"

"What would you like today?" A voice questions.

I recognize that voice. Wait a minute!

I look up to see that it's Other Peter.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" I look further down the line and see Groot and I'm assuming the rest of his friends serving food. I wave, but he doesn't see me.

He sighs. "Apparently, we have to 'earn our keep' if we want to stay here. I wanted to dish duty, so we wouldn't have to see anyone, but Groot volunteered us for lunch serving, so here we are. And somehow Rocket got dish duty instead of me."

I nod. I don't know who Rocket is, but I'll have to find out later.

I squint at him. He's wearing a hairnet. I would say it looks okay, but......

"You look different. Is that a new hairstyle?" I smirk.

Other Peter rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, laugh it up, Peter Number Two. You won't be laughing when I beat you in Just Dance 3 later."

Is he serious?

Truly?

I would LOVE to have a dance-off! Name a time and a place, and I'm there!

"Okay! When?"

"Oh. My. GOSH! Can you PLEASE keep the line moving? Some of us would like to get our lunch sometime today." A girl in line behind us says.

"Calm down, everyone will get a turn," Other Peter says.

The girl rolls her eyes.

"You. Me. 8:30pm. Today in the lounge room. You are going DOWN Second Peter!" Other Peter shouts.

This guy is crazy. Who challenges people to dance-off during lunch duty? I like this guy.

"See ya!" I say, waving.

We go sit down at a table where there are two people, one girl and a guy who is reading a book.

"Hi, I'm Peter!" I say. "What are your names?"

"Hi, Peter! I'm Alex Carsons, how are y'all doing today?" The girl says. She has wavy brown hair, olive colored skin, and a bright 700-kilowatt smile.

"I'm good. Excited for the contest," I respond, then turn to the other kid, with his nose buried in a book.

I look up and see it's John.

"Hey, John."

He looks up from his book and nods.

"What's up?"

"Not much. What did you guys get for lunch? I al---"

I begin to tell them what I would recommend, but I catch myself. I'm not supposed to let others know that I've been here before, otherwise it would seem like I have an advantage. So, I have to be inconspicuous.

I clear my throat and try again. "I always like meeting new people."

"Yeah, me too! I have 468 friends irl. How many friends do you have?" Alex pipes up.

I.....don't know how to respond to that, so I grin and say, "Well, I just got two more friends, regardless of how many I had before."

I glance at Shuri for help.

She smirks and shakes her head.

"So, why are you all here? To boost your resumé for college applications? To get close to the Avengers? To become a billionaire?" Shuri leans across the table, all of a sudden interested.

"Well, I'm here because I'm visiting my dad for the summer and I decided to do something fun! I love trying new experiences and I'm okay at science," Alex tells us.

"I'm just here because my mom forced me to. Apparently I 'need to get out there and enjoy my life as an adolescent,' according to her, but I would be very happy staying at home, reading, and playing videogames. I have a Super Mario Brothers game that is calling my name as soon as I get out of here."

I smile, knowing that we have a gaming system here. There are probably rules for the lounge room, though. Mr. Steve might've said them already, but I'm sure he won't mind if I ask him again.

"So, do either of you actually want to win?"
Shuri questions. I can tell an idea is forming in her head.

"Winning would be cool, but it isn't a priority," John replies.

"Of course I want to win! Who doesn't, right? But even if I don't, or if you don't, just know that everyone's a winner in my book, okay?"
She tells us this grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

We talk about other things, and before we know it, lunch is over.

"I can't wait to see what our first project will be!" Alex says.

Oh, right! The projects that we are supposed to be working on throughout the competition.

Part of the reason I'm so excited is because I was talking to Mr. Stark the other day and they are going to be 'like nothing anyone's ever seen before,' so we'll see what he means by that.

I have no idea what we're doing. Maybe building a rocket or creating nano bots, or creating a robotic brain.

Who knows?