trust issues - peter parker

s e v e n t e e n

nothing much to say except we're inching closer into the end!
~

"Are we sure we have everything?" Nova goes through her suitcase one more time.

I zip up my bag. "Yes Nova. You've gone through it twenty times." I grab my iPad too, I could track what stupid stuff Peter is doing, along with what Dad is doing. "We have to go Nova. Happy is waiting for us outside." We both grab our bags and run into the elevator, then loading into Happy's car.

We arrived at 5:50am, ten minutes early, the bus just arriving. I help pack everything into the bus, everyone wearing our matching gold jackets. Finally after a few more people threw their bags, I walked over by Liz, who had the attendance. "I think everyone is here." I say to her.

"Wait!" everyone moves their head to see Peter Parker running towards us. "Hey I was hoping I could rejoin the team." I roll my eyes and cross my arms.

"No, no way." Flash emerges from the group. "You can't quit on us, then stroll up and be welcomed back by everyone." Flash took the words right out my mouth.

"Hey! Welcome back Peter!" Mr. Harrington comes off the bus. "Flash, you're back to first alternate."

My mouth drops open, I can't believe he's back on the team.

"Hey can we go already?" Michelle speaks up. She was not too happy with Liz taking back her leading role, even when Liz said she wouldn't.

"Yes, let's get on the bus." Mr. Harrington leads.

I sit in the back, Nova fast asleep across from me, Ned behind. Peter, oddly was sitting in the front, participating to Liz's questions. I pull out my iPad and notice an alert from Peter's suit. I pull up the map and notice that Peter brought his suit with. Peter had no intention of actually joining the decathlon team, he only came for a ride to his destination. Ned probably knew this the whole time. I turn around to ask Ned, but to my surprise, he had a web shooter in hand with a tracker location popped up on the hologram.

"Ned!" I whisper yell. "What the hell are you tracking?"

"The-the bad guys." Ned stutters.

My attention was taken away from Ned as a phone rings in the front of the bus. Peter's phone. I sit back down quickly as Peter rushes to the back of the bus, sitting behind Ned. I eavesdrop.

"Yeah it's just a school trip. It's nothing." Peter says to the phone. "Look, Happy, I gotta say, you tracking me without permission is a complete violation of my privacy." I roll my eyes at the comment, he's literally tracking someone right now. "That's different." I turn my head towards Peter and made eye contact, holding it for a bit but he ripped away, continuing his talk with Happy. "Nothing. Look, it's just the Academic Decathlon it's no big deal." Peter rolls his eyes, probably at Happy. "Bye." Peter hangs up the phone and looks at me again. I raise my eyebrows and motion to the tracker Ned was holding. He shrugged his shoulders and I sunk into my seat.

We finally arrive and I wake up Nova. She wasn't too happy, but she got up and out of the bus. We walked into this huge hotel, loosely following Peter and Ned. I didn't pay attention to their conversation.

"So I think everyone is planing on just staying in our rooms for the night. We can order room service pizza for dinner tonight. Sound good?" Nova was holding a small pamphlet with our itinerary.

"Yeah sounds good. I just want to relax tonight." I say as we walk into our room, that neighbored Peter and Ned, and Abraham and Flash. We end up ordering our pepperoni pizza, it arriving around 6pm.

"I wonder what the boys are up to." Nova takes a bite of her pizza. "Peter was talking about going somewhere and then he asked Ned if he brought his computer. It was weird."

I sit up straight. "When did you hear this?"

"When we were walking to our rooms. Then Peter put a do not disturb sign on his door. They're weird." Nova finishes her piece.

They're going to hack the suit. "Um do you want the rest? I could give it to the boys." There were two pieces left in the box.

"Go ahead. I'll stay in here." Nova shooed me away and I quickly grabbed the pizza and knocked on the door. There was no answer so I grabbed the master key card that opens all of our students doors in case of an emergency. I'm not sure why they put me in charge of that but whatever, it came into use. I scan it and barge in the door to see Ned on his computer, connected to Peter's suit that he was picking at.

They both looked at me and their jaws dropped, Peter's flashlight falling out of his mouth. I quickly shut the door behind me so no one could see inside. "Oaklynn what are you doing in here?" Peter stands up.

I drop the pizza on the bed then noticing Peter trying to take out his tracker in his suit. I cross my arms and glare at him. "Okay Oak, fine. I'm taking the tracker out of my seat because I need to follow these bad guys and I don't want you dad to find out about it." I knew why he was doing it, I would've done the same thing. Except I need to track him and this was my only way.

"Hey Peter there's a ton of other subsystems in here." Ned says breaking the tension. I walk over to Ned and look at his computer. "But they're all disabled by the Training Wheels Protocol." Ned and I both laugh, me a little harder because I came up with that name and the protocol.

"What? Turn it off." Peter commands.

I shake my head and punch Peter lightly.

"I don't think that's a good idea. They're blocked for a reason." Ned speaks up which I nod with.

"Oh come on." Peter stands up in frustration. "I don't need training wheels. I'm sick of him treating me like a kid." I give Peter a look and it only frustrates him more. "What are you even doing in here Oaklynn? You don't care about me. Get out." Peter points to the door and I stand and walk out slowly, respecting his decision.

I walk into our room and Nova had a messy bun in her hair she she was on her phone. She looks up as I walk in. "Did they like the pizza?" I nod my head when someone knocks on the door. I open it to see Liz.

"Hey Liz. Is everything okay?" I ask.

"You two get your suits on and meet us at the vending machines." Liz says excitedly. Without anymore details she quickly runs off.

"Sweet! I was looking for something to do!" Nova jumps off her bed and grabs her suit, heading to the bathroom.

I go into my bag and grab out my suit, along with a tracker that I brought along in case I needed to. It's super thin and I could easily place it on Peter's Spider-Man suit without him knowing. With both of our suits on, Nova and I run to the vending machines, seeing everyone there, except Peter and Ned. We raid the vending machines and start heading for the pool. We walked in a group, Liz leading the way far ahead. Peter then walked out his door. Liz said a few words and the others ran past but I stayed back. As Liz starts to walk away, Peter turns around to flee, but I was in his way. The tracker was on my fingertip, all I had to do was touch Peter and it would stick.

"Look Oaklynn, I have to get these guys. No one believes in me. Your dad doesn't even think I can do it. He thinks I should just help people with directions in the city. But I'm more than that. I'll be back for the decathlon. I just want to prove myself to someone." Peter looked frustrated and it hit home. Dad has always thought of me as someone who has to have everything done for me. I quit the mad act for a little and put my hand on the back of his neck on his suit then kissed his cheek. He give me a weird look and I just smile. He returns it, "Thanks for believing in me." I pat his shoulder and jog to the pool.

The tracker has been placed.