A New Hero - Peter Parker (BOOK 1) | Spider-Man: Far From Home

Chapter Nine - We're Going to Prague!

Peter ran up to Clara, the girl heading down the hallway with her small suitcase rolling behind her. "Hey, Clara!" He called out, reaching forward to wrap a hand around the top of her arm. She span around to face him, an eyebrow raised as she glanced down to the hand. Peter quickly pulled it away as she did. "You can't tell anyone, okay? Please."

"I won't." She said plainly.

"I'm begging-" He stopped himself, thinking it was going to take her longer to agree not to say anything. "Wait, what?"

"I said, 'I won't'." Clara shrugged, turning to continue down the hall, stopping at the top of the stairs to lift her case, taking tedious steps down while hovering her hand over the splintered railing, ready to catch herself if she were to fall. "Are you looking forward to the Eiffel Tower?" She asked Peter, the other student looking instantly nervous as he heard the question.

"Yeah. Yeah! Absolutely."

"Are you going to throw up over the railings?" Clara grinned, poking fun in a feeble attempt to lift his nerves.

Walking outside, they approached Ned who was in the process of watching Betty walk away from him. The dazed smile stuck to his face even as he turned to see whose footsteps he could hear.

"Hey, man. Are you sure you're good?" Peter asked his best friend. Peter had already told Ned about Clara seeing him in his suit. Ned had instantly asked whether Peter told Clara he had come back from a costume party, but Peter just looked bewildered by the completely reasonable question.

"Oh, Dude, I'm fine!" Ned seemed ecstatic, obviously seeing the events of the night before in a much better light than Clara did.

Peter let out a puff of air, reassured by Ned's smile. "Okay."

"Okay? Don't worry. Seriously, getting tranq'd in the neck by Nick Fury? Probably the coolest thing to ever happen to me anyway." He pointed out before looking at Clara suspiciously, the girl remaining a few feet behind Peter, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.

"It is pretty awesome." Peter agreed, he too noticing Clara wasn't by his side. "You okay, Clara?"

Clara looked up at the sound of her name, seemingly pulled from a daydream. She had been running everything she new through her mind, trying to understand Peter's role in it all, but all she could figure was that him being in that specific spot in Venice at that specific time was entirely coincidental. "Why was Nick Fury trying to talk to you?"

Peter looked slightly uncomfortable as he explained what had happened, not used to talking so openly about it to anyone other than Ned and his aunt. "He was hoping I could help take down the last Elemental."

"And you said no?" Clara raised an eyebrow. "To Nick Fury?"

"Yeah...?" Peter said, the look on Clara's face making him feel as if he definitely should not have said no. "I'm just happy I don't have to go to Prague."

"Oh, Peter..." Clara said with a sigh, sarcasm coating the sympathetic words. "You are so going to Prague."

"What? No." Peter said waving her off.

As if on cue, Mr Harrington walked out of the archway behind them carrying his coat, bag, and a wad of pamphlets. "Good news! We're going to Prague!"

"What?" Peter muttered, looking at Clara as if she had caused the change in plans. She held her hands up in defence as her expression morphed into one that said 'I told you so'.

"Tour company called. They upgraded us." Mr Harrington announced to the group of students. "You should've heard me on the phone with them. I really gave them hell."

"All I heard was crying." Mr Dell interjected.

"But... The Eiffel Tower?" Peter whined quietly, just loud enough for Ned and Clara to hear him.

"Don't worry, Peter." Ned told him. "I'm sure there'll be another opportunity."

"Yeah." Clara agreed, tilting her head to the side thoughtfully. "I mean, there's Prague Castle, around about a million cathedrals, ghost tours – I bet she'll love that – Charles Bridge..." She trailed off, watching Peter staring ahead and, following his gaze, she saw exactly what he was looking at.

MJ and Brad were walking together, MJ playfully pushing Brad to the side, both letting out spouts of laughter. "It's useless." He said plainly, looking down and kicking a loose pebble on the stone pavement. "I'm useless."

Clara looked over at him, ready to slap some sense into Peter. She stopped herself when she saw the crestfallen look in his eyes and opted to simply hook her arm around his, easing him into a walking pace. "Look, if you can't find anyone to give the necklace to, I'm, like, ninety-nine percent sure it'll suit Ned."

Peter let out a small chuckle at her remark, but it didn't seem his gloominess would be leaving just yet - especially now that Nick Fury was dragging him and his classmates into danger. "Woah." Ned exclaimed, staring at the black bus as it came into view.

"Look at our upgraded ride!" Mr Harrington called out. A series of cheers came from the crowd of students.

"Yep." Clara observed, patting Peter on the back. "Nick Fury just hijacked our school trip."

"Awesome." Ned smirked, making his way towards the coach

"Yeah..." Peter said dubiously. "Awesome." Clara tried her best to hide an amused grin, Peter noticing the amusement in her eyes. "It's not funny."

Clara held up a hand, holding her thumb and forefinger apart by a few millimetres. "It is a little funny." Peter rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You love me really." She nudged him.

"Come on." He said, shaking his head with yet another roll of his eyes. "If we don't hurry Dimitri will probably hold everyone hostage with guns to their heads until I get there."

Dimitri was opening the luggage hold of the small couch when they caught up to the group, most students now inside and taking their seats. Clara and Peter left their bags with the man, clambering up the tall steps and taking their seats at the back of the bus.

Peter sat down first, expecting Clara to sit next to him. Instead, she sat in the opposite corner on the row, using the space available and sitting cross-legged on the stretch of seats. Soon after, the engine purred to life, the brand new vehicle the most luxurious part of their trip so far.

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