The European Act (2)

2- Mr. Boomer

The students filed onto the plane, chattering away excitedly about the journey ahead of them, the teachers and flight attendants bustling about, helping out with the light luggage and seating.

"Yeah! Can you help me get my stuff up here?"

"Oh, sorry, that's mine."

"No worries."

"Middle seat gets both armrests. Give me a tablet."

"Do you want the first shift or the second? I could take either."

"Give me the third shift. I took an Ambien."

"I can't chaperone these kids alone."

"Yo, Parker!" Flash's haughty voice cut through the murmur, drawing Peter and Ned's attention. The smug boy held what looked like a glass of something alcoholic, in his hand. "This is called an airplane. It's like the buses you're used to, except it flies over the poor neighborhoods instead of driving through them."

Without missing a beat, MJ immediately raised her hand, catching the eye of a flight attendant. "Ma'am?" She nodded at Flash, a bored expression on her face. "He Blipped, so technically, he's 16, not 21."

With a light smile, the flight attendant snatched the drink out of Flash's hand at MJ's words. "I'll take that."

Flash's mouth fell open. In a weak effort to prove her wrong, he protested after the attendant, "She's lying. I don't even know this girl!"

Peter smiled gratefully at his girlfriend, who was seated a little distance from him and Ned's current position in the line. MJ flashed him a quick grin back.

Brad Davis, one of the students who haven't blipped, squeezed past the two. "Classic MJ, right?" He beamed, then gently nudged Betty into the seat next to MJ and surprisingly plopped down in a seat right in front of the two. MJ looked inquiringly at Peter, who, after a second thought, although he badly wanted to say something, tried to wave carelessly like he didn't mind and forced a smile.

Peter and Ned chose another pair of seats, a few rows more in the front than MJ's.

Peter frowned behind. "Did you know Brad was coming?"

Ned glanced at the black-haired boy, who was occasionally shooting glances at MJ. "It's so weird. One day, he's that kid who cried and got nosebleeds all the time, and suddenly, we Blip back, and he's totally ripped and super nice and all these girls are after him."

"Not all the girls are after him." Peter defended indignantly.

"No, man, they're all after him." Ned sighed sympathetically. "Anyway, on to more important things. It's a nine-hour flight. We can play Beast Slayers the whole time! Are you excited?"

Peter, though, was only half-listening, as he was still staring behind at MJ and Brad. "Hm? I need your help to sit next to MJ."

"Seriously? I thought you let Bread sit close to MJ?"

(It was a typo but I let it stay :))

"Yes, seriously. You didn't think I was serious when I said that, did you?"

Ned looked perplexed. "I honestly am not sure of when you're serious and when you're not anymore, dude. What about our plan? American bachelors in Europe!"

"That's your plan. That's a solo plan. Come on, this is my plan." Peter gave Ned a pleading-puppy-eyes look. "Please?"

"Hey, guys." Ned shuffled in front of Betty and MJ, plastering an expression as truthful as possible on his face. "There's an old lady in front of us wearing a crazy amount of perfume, and it's kind of setting off Peter's allergies. Betty, if you could switch seats with him, that would be-"