𝐓𝐎𝐗𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 | 𝖠𝖵𝖤𝖭𝖦𝖤𝖱𝖲 𝖲𝖮𝖴𝖫𝖬𝖠𝖳𝖤

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟖

𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚

We took almost a days full journey on the highway to Washington as we practiced some flash cards.

"Focus up. Our topic is the moons of Saturn." Liz begun and I pushed my bell, knowing the answer.

"The second law of thermodynamics." I answered quickly.

"Frank Sinatra."

"Fort Sumter."

"Flash is wrong."

"Okay, let's focus. Next one." Liz flipped her card, Mr. Harrington gave her a tip not to over work us.

"Uh, strontium, barium, vibranium." Peter answered a question I didn't listen to when I had sat with Ned and checked the tracker. It was still somewhere in Washington.

"Happy, I gotta say, tracking me without permission is a complete violation of privacy." Peter said as he got a phone call from Happy. I pointed at the tracker questioning the tracker.

We're in complete violation of their privacy, even though they probably deserve it.

"That's different.- Nothing. Look, it's just the Academic Decathlon. It's no big deal." Peter waved it off the tracker and continued. There's a slow pause before he hang up.

I had stayed with the boys for a couple minutes before I moved over to Celeste who was asleep. I sat beside her.

"Leste? Celeste? Celeste Jamie Kim?" I asked before I sighed as she was in deep sleep. That was until she pushed my face to the side.

"I should have read through the permission slip about the time we were supposed to get up by. What kind of school has to get kids up to field trips that require getting up before 7." Celeste said as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Wait. You looked well rested when we got there, what changed?" I asked as I fixed my arm around her.

"Tons of make up." Celeste said but was still tired with her eyes closed.

"I knew I should have brought coffee, but no, you just had to get us here in a hurry." Batts said as he sat on the outer side of me.

"Im sorry, but how is this my fault?" I asked raising my arm in confusion.

"You know none of us do good in the morning. Especially after a night of drugs." Batts made sure to whisper the last part. I look at him before I took out my iPhone.

I played Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey for the rest of the trip and shared my earphones with Batts or Celeste if they wanted until we got there.

⁂

As we arrived, we all looked around the Academic Decathlon place until we left and headed to the hotel.

"Hey, the rest of us are gonna sneak out and go to the pool. You wanna come?" Liz asked as we walk side by side and the others head to their rooms.

"Yeah. I'll bring the others and we'll meet in the hallway in. . . 5 minutes?" I asked her and she nodded before we depart. I told the others and they got ready.