Beating Pulses [Peter Parker] {2}

11 - The Hotel

Thea walked down the bustling hall with Peter and Ned, stepping in time with them.

"So what you're saying is that my journalism prompt should be on the academic decathlon?" Thea queried. Her wide eyes looked over to Peter as they continued on their path to her journalism class.

"It would be the perfect way for you to come! Don't you think?" Peter asked.

Thea's mind paused for a moment as her body continued on its course.

"Yeah, I guess that would work if Ms. Torres allows it."

Her eyes stared straight forward at the door in front of them.

Thea pushed open the door and looked back to the pair behind her and smiled. She then shut the door and looked into the empty classroom and locked her eyes onto Ms. Torres'.

~~~~

Thea and Peter ran to the yellow bus that was being loaded up by students in yellow jackets.

Ms. Torres had allowed Thea to create her journalism prompt on the academic decathlon team's trip to Washington DC. Of course, Thea wouldn't be actually writing about it the entire trip. She had something more important to deal with.

"Guys," Peter said, out of breath. He wore a basic flannel shirt, paired with a backpack filled with items he would need.

Thea stood by silently, with her own filled backpack, watching as Flash stepped forward when Peter asked if he could rejoin the team.

"No, no way. You can't just quit on us, stroll up, and be welcomed back by everyone," Flash said.

The aggressive tension that Flash dished out was quickly subdued by Mr. Harrington who stepped out of the bus and happily welcomed Peter back to the team. The shock and disbelief on Flash's face were enough to make Thea smirk and it only grew larger as Mr. Harrington announced that Flash would be back to first alternate. Flash's disbelief was cut short as the rest of the team chuckled to this news.

"Excuse me," MJ interrupted, appearing from the back of the group. Her hair was unkempt and her eyebrows furrowed as she pushed through the group. "Can we go already? I was hoping to get in some light protesting in front of one of the embassies before dinner... so," she stated boldly.

Thea sidestepped from her place next to the bus over to MJ, where she laid a hand on her shoulder and smirked up at her. Her hand placed firmly on her shoulder was a friendly gesture and MJ saw it as that. Thea then dragged her hand off of MJ when Mr. Harrington stated.

"Protesting is patriotic. Let's get on the bus." He pointed a thumb toward the open doors of the yellow school bus.

Thea waited behind the group and eyed Flash as he begrudgingly threw his mustard yellow jacket over to Peter. She rolled her eyes and walked over slowly to Peter as his sight followed the back of Flash as he entered the bus.

"So," Thea bumped her hip against Peter. He angled his gaze downward to look into Thea's piercing eyes. "You're not going to leave Ned and me for Flash right? Cause I could be mistaken but that was some pretty intense sexual tension there." Thea tilted her head back and laughed as Peter's eyes widened ever so slightly and his face dusted with a light red. She sauntered forward to the bus and paused, one leg on the first step. Her brown locks cascaded over her shoulder as she looked over at Peter. "Come on homewrecker, let's go finish some shit." She laughed out with a wink.

Peter's hands clenched tighter around the yellow jacket in his hands as his face heated up. His steps closely followed after Thea's as he entered into the bus and sat down.