"You think Mr. Osborn will like it?"
"Let's hope so."
"I really want this internship."
"Me too. It would be the coolest."
"And I was kinda wanting to do more tests on myself."
"Cause of the bite?"
"Yeah. It won't kill me, right?"
Peter laughed, leaning against the display table. "I mean, I'm still alive."
"But it could affect me differently."
He shrugged. "Guess so. So that's why you want this internship?"
"Partially, yes."
"But you're also a nerd, too."
"Yes. A total nerd. I won't deny it."
"Cool."
There was a pause in which I began to think deeply about our project. We had built it ourselves and showed a scientific understand of reactions and precise measurements. Maybe we had a shot after-
"And this is Peter Parker and Petricia Phillips, my brightest students."
I felt my cheeks burn and immediately sat up straight, plastering a smile on my face. Dr. Connors stood in front of us, Norman Osborn and two other very important-looking men in suits at his side.
"Hello, Sir." Peter held a hand out for Mr. Osborn to shake.
"Peter." Norman's lifeless features suddenly lit up.
Harry's dad. Right.
Peter and Harry were best friends.
"And you are Petricia?" He held out a hand for me to shake as well, staring me down with a piercing, searching gaze. It felt like I was under a microscope for the first time in a couple weeks.
I nodded. "That's me."
He turned to our project on the table. "And what have we here? Another volcano?"
"No. Well yes, but no."
He raised an eyebrow. Peter stepped behind the table.
"This is a self-eruption volcano. It automatically measures how much of each reactant it needs to make an eruption of a specific magnitude. Then it cleans itself up."
Mr. Osborn gave him a skeptical glance, but nodded, eyeing the small machine. "Proceed."
Peter pressed the button overdramatically and glanced over at me before the machine began to do it's work. Norman watched carefully, an eyebrow slowly raising. The other suited men began to take notes. After the self-erupting volcano had done its job, Norman slowly sat back and whispered something to the other men, then our teacher. He finally stood to face us again, cleaning his throat.
"We'll be announcing the winner shortly." He nodded to both of us and directed the group of judges away from our table. I sighed. I could breathe again.
"Do you think that went well?" I asked Peter. If anyone could know if Mr. Osborn was impressed, it was Peter.
"I hope so. He didn't say anything negative about it, at least."
"Yeah. I guess that's good, then."
"And now we wait." Peter moaned. I joined him.
It wasn't too long before a loud voice filled the giant cafeteria. Norman Osborn.
"I would like to congratulate each one of you on making it to this special event. It is now my pleasure to announce who I would like to give internships to, the winners of tonight's fair."