APODEMIA ➣ ||P. PARKER||

•chapter seventeen•

"Come on, what is up with those two?" Flash grumbled and checked his watch. "We're going to be late!"

"Calm down, drama queen," I coughed at Flash, making Cindy and Liz hold back a laugh. "I'll go get them and you guys go ahead," I told the rest of the group, they got into the elevators and I walked to their room door.

I hesitated, still worrying about last night, but sucked it up and knocked. "Ned, Peter? We're going to be late."

"Okay- okay!" I heard Ned's voice reply, seconds later Ned opened the door and closed it after him. His backpack in his hands and he seemed to be fumbling with it.

"Where's Peter?" I demanded, voice rising.

"He's sick," Ned replied without missing a beat.

I had enough, I for one knew that he is not sick and what Ned just said was a flat out lie. I grabbed Ned by the shoulder and pushed him back. "Where is Peter?" I repeated without skipping a beat, but then snapped out of the mode I was in when I saw the nervous look on Ned's face. "Fine, whatever, let's just go- but you will be explaining to the team."

• • • • • • •

"Here you go," I handed the lady my phone for safekeeping during the tournament, she murmured a 'thanks' and placed my phone in a plastic bag and into the basket.

I got seated next to Michelle, in front of us were papers and two pencils, within a few minutes we got started.

Question after question and the red button was pressed multiple times. "We have now entered sudden death, the next correct answer wins the championship," the announcer lady told us, making the room dead silent, the question was said and within three seconds MJ had pressed her bell.

All eyes were on her, the announcer made it forward. "Midtown Tech?"

"Zero." MJ answered as if it was obvious.

"That is correct," and the whole room erupted in cheers. "Midtown takes the championship!"

I let out a joyous cry and jumped out of my seat along with the rest of the team, we all hugged MJ while she was still seated, and Flash had gone crazy and ran across the stage.

After the tournament, as a reward from Mr. Harrington he took us to the Washington Monument, which was right across of the decathlon.

"Guys, I'm so proud of you!" Liz gushed to the whole team.

"Told you we didn't need Peter," Flash said smugly, holding onto the trophy in the air, waving it around.

Ned scoffed, "Flash, you didn't even answer a single question."

"Why don't you wanna go, Alice?" Mr. Harrington asked as we approached the building.

"Oh, I've been here before, plus I have a fear of heights so better not," I shrugged, he nodded in understanding and went to Michelle, who also wanted to stay.

I sat on the stone benches, texting Zane about how the competition went as the team went inside the building. MJ said that she doesn't want to celebrate something that was built by slaves, it was a fair reason.

"So how's the book?" I asked her.

"Interesting but it's not my favorite, maybe on the top twenty list," MJ answered, her eyes fixated on the pages.

My phone vibrated and it was an incoming call from Peter, reluctantly I answered the call. "Hello? Peter, I swear- like, where were you?"

"Okay- Alice- you have to listen to me-" Peter sounded rushed and almost out of breath, I instantly knew something was wrong. "-I need you to put Ned on the phone! Hurry now!"