Parents' House - Kid Bloom

The morning Lila left for the field trip started out relatively quiet. It was sunny, which was deceptive, for the October weather was on the cusp of slipping into chilly. But it wasn't the cold air that awoke Lila. The ball of anxiety sitting in the pit of her stomach propelled her further from sleep and motivated her to leave the warm confines of her bed. Immediately, she treaded over to her desk, where her journal lie open to the checklist she'd made that week. Get ready, Remember decathlon jacket, WATER PLANTS, Pack toiletries, Go over packing list (see next list), and so on.

She was about halfway ready to leave when she heard her phone's alarm going off. Not entirely uncommon, sometimes Lila would find herself awake before her alarm if she had a lot weighing on her mind. Or if she was anxious, and today it was the latter. Sure, she was excited to go to Washington, but she was also still nervous for the competition that was only a day away. Lila took a deep breath as she turned off her alarm, trying to remember her father's words.

You are Lila Landry... You can do absolutely anything.

That mantra was on repeat in her head as calm music streamed from her phone. It was from a playlist MJ had helped her make on a random Saturday afternoon, shortly after Lila had called her for help to come down from a panic attack. Michelle made it collaborative, and was always adding new songs to it, which made Lila smile at the notion that Michelle cared enough to do so.

Speaking of Michelle, Lila's phone chimed while she was double-checking her packing list, and saw a text from her friend light up her screen. Setting down her list, she walked over to her phone and read the message her friend had sent, frowning all the while.

I know you're awake, I'm wondering if I can hitch a ride to school with you. Dad went to work early.

Lila let out a soft hum of disapproval, not that anyone was around to hear it. And not that Michelle ever asked, but Lila's opinion on her dad always lessened when she sent texts like these. No maternal figure in the picture, it was just MJ and her dad, much like Lila and Ted. The only key difference being that MJ's father used his job as a coping mechanism to deal with his failed marriage, and often neglected to be there for MJ. In an incredibly vulnerable evening, Michelle explained that it was her parents' doomed marriage that set her up for struggle when it comes to letting people see her be emotional. That night, Lila joked about how she wore enough emotion on her sleeves for the both of them, and ever since they'd reached a silent agreement that any emotions between the two were void of judgement.

Lila also did her very best to conceal her judgement of Michelle's father, even though she was fairly certain Michelle knew her exact feelings on the matter. It was never talked about, but Lila did her best to include Michelle in as many things in her life as possible with her dad, the open invitation into their household always available whenever MJ needed it. Today was one of those days, apparently.

She heard her father whistling downstairs as he no doubt was cooking breakfast to-go for the both of them, mentioning last night how he'd be heading upstate to talk with the flower farms for new ideas in the coming winter. Quietly, Lila walked downstairs, where the whistling grew louder. Upon entering the kitchen, Lila was hit with the smell of bacon first and foremost. She then saw her dad as he worked on what Lila assumed was a homemade breakfast sandwich. Smiling at the sight of her dad in the flowery apron she bought him as a joke, Lila cleared her throat to signal her entry into the room.

"Mornin' Tulip," Ted said after seeing her leaning against the fridge. "You have everything ready to go? I can start putting stuff in the car."

Lila walked over to the island, and leaned up against it. As her torso leaned on the harsh countertop, she felt a twinge of pain blossom from her still bruised ribs. But she noted how it was becoming increasingly more manageable, and took that as a good sign for this trip. She shrugged lightly, and answered her father, "Almost. But I was wondering if there was any way we could pick up Michelle on the way to school? Her dad went to work early."

Ted being the only person Lila voiced her concerns to about MJ's father understood the need she had to help her friend out. Smiling gently, Ted nodded before asking if Lila thought MJ would want something to eat. He then proceeded to shoo her out of the kitchen and finish getting ready. Returning to her room, Lila sent a quick text to Michelle saying yes she would come get her, and bring food as well.

Twenty minutes later, Lila and Ted were in the car and on the way to Michelle's house, Lila dutifully holding on to the extra breakfast sandwich her dad had prepared. And when Michelle stepped into the car, she gratefully accepted the sandwich with a smile on her face. Nothing else had to be said on the matter, and soon the three of them fell into their same rhythm of ease and comfort. Ted asked if Michelle felt ready for the decathlon, to which she easily answered with a simple yes before showing Lila her new sketchbook she bought the other day.

In no time, they'd arrived at the school and circled around to the back lot where all the school buses were parked. Mr. Harrington and a few other kids were standing around, loading duffel bags into the school bus the decathlon team was supposedly taking down to Washington. Michelle got out of the car and took her bags, thanking Ted before heading over to Harrington to check in. Lila was quick to follow suit, kissing her dad gently on the cheek and sending an "I love you" over her shoulder as she got out of the car.

After checking in, Lila and MJ were left waiting outside the school bus to wait for the rest of the academic decathlon team to show. They said their hello's to each person who showed up, and gave Liz their undivided attention when she ran through the itinerary (though that was more for Liz's sake than their own) before the two made plans to protest in front of an embassy. They planned to do more research as to what embassy in particular while the rest of the team showed up and checked in with Mr. Harrington.

After everyone had gathered around the bus with their things, donning their yellow competition jackets, Mr. Harrington had finalized attendance and went onto the bus to talk to the driver. Lila was still talking to MJ when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone drive into the parking lot, get out of the passenger's side, and run towards the rest of the group. Her eyes widened slightly and her heart began to beat faster at the familiar sight of brown hair and signature plaid. "No way," She breathed, confused at his appearance.

"Hey, it's Peter," Abraham yelled, alerting everyone else of Peter Parker's presence. Most of the conversation ceased as the team eyed their supposed former teammate.

"Peter?" Liz asked questioningly, and with good reason. Most of the people staring at Peter were skeptical that he was there in the first place. Judging by the fleeting stares he gave everyone and the breathlessness, he already knew.

"I was hoping I could rejoin the team," He said, and that was when Lila noticed the duffel bag in hand and backpack he had on his back.

But before anyone could really register what he was asking, Flash was already on him. "No. No way. You can't just quit on us, stroll up, and be welcomed back by everyone-"

"Hey, welcome back, Peter," Mr. Harrington, with coincidental comedic timing, had stepped off of the bus. "Flash, you're back to first alternate."

That was not the response Flash had apparently been hoping for, "What?"

"He's taking your place," Abraham explained, a smug grin on his face.

Michelle stepped up from behind Lila at the sound of everyone's laughter, "Um, excuse me, can we go already? Lila and I were hoping to get some light protesting in front of one of the embassies before dinner." At the mention of Lila's name, Peter's eyes found hers for the first time since arriving with the group. From a mile away she could tell that he was still nervous, and sent what she hoped was a comforting smile his way. It seemed to ease something in him, for Peter gave a thankful smile back to her.

"Protesting is patriotic," Mr. Harrington agreed. "Let's get on the bus."

Lila picked up her small suitcase and helped Michelle with one of hers (she was fairly certain it was just a bunch of other books and sketchbooks packed away), a small smile remaining on her face. She was about to climb onto the bus when Michelle muttered behind her, "Strange taste, Lila."

Whipping her head back around to face her friend, Lila raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Peter," Michelle shrugged, looking impassive as normal. But Lila could have sworn there was a hint of warning in her tone. "Something just seems off about him, is all."

                                   *****

The drive down to D.C. had been filled with beautiful fall trees lining the highways, two bathroom breaks, and Liz drilling them on potential questions that were likely to be in the competition the next day. After an hour and a half of non-stop questioning, Mr. Harrington finally stepped in, citing Liz was working the team a little too hard. By the time they entered the Bethesda area, Lila had already exhausted her knowledge of pop culture, biology, and literature, and she ultimately was ready for settling down at the hotel.

Eventually, the team made it to the hotel, where they had several hours to themselves before regrouping and heading out for dinner. Michelle had changed her mind mid-busride about protesting in front of an embassy, and opted to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture instead. She, Lila, and a couple other students visited the museum, which happened to be near the Washington Monument, and the building housing the decathlon the next day.

Lila and MJ were eager to see everything the museum had to offer, and read in extensive detail just what was what, and before they knew it, they had to leave for dinner. Together, they traipsed through the streets of D.C., back to their hotel. She felt good, Lila felt content with being with her best friend on an educational field trip. And that good feeling lasted through dinner, where Lila and Peter had a detailed conversation about the movie industry both prior to and after Star Wars was released.

So when Liz knocked on her door after everyone retired to bed, Lila's good mood had her less hesitant than usual to follow the rules. Liz asked her and Michelle to join her and the rest of the team for a late-night swim. Michelle, having not brought a swimsuit, took her book and changed into flip-flops, agreeing to stick her feet in the water. Lila did bring her swimsuit, and promised Liz she'd head down right after her.

Humming a song she'd had stuck in her head the whole day, Lila walked down the hallway briskly, the cold air on her legs propelling her to move faster so she could soak in the warm water. She rounded the corner, and stopped in her tracks when she saw Liz throw a candy bar at a hooded figure. For a brief second, Lila thought the person was Mr. Harrington, and they were all caught. But Liz ran away, and the person turned around, coming face-to-face with Lila.

"Peter," She said, her voice pitched higher due to surprise. Suddenly, she grew very aware that she was only in her swimsuit, more skin than she was comfortable with exposed in general. Her grip on her towel grew tighter as her thoughts raced.

Not that Peter seemed to notice, the look of matching surprise on his face only just beginning to shift into one of nerves. She figured it was due to the fact that he wasn't wearing his swimsuit. He was clad in a hoodie and skinny jeans, with a delicate blush on his cheeks. No doubt from talking to Liz, but the sight still made Lila bite her lip. "Lila, what - what are you-" He glanced down at her attire, which only made heat rush to her cheeks faster. "- Swimming."

She nodded her head, taking her time to stare at his appearance. "You're s-sneaking out, too. A-Anywhere exciting?"

"I doubt there will be anything exciting," Peter answered, "I'm just going to the business center to do some extra studying."

It was an almost expected answer to come from Peter, since he was undeniably one of the smartest people on the planet, but Lila paid way too much attention to him. Her nerves of talking to him had dulled in the slightest, and Lila picked up on how he had moved from looking at her swimsuit back to her eyes, to just over her shoulder when he answered her question. Combined with his fidgety demeanor, and how he scratched the side of his face, she knew he was lying. Surely the multitude of podcasts she'd listened to about social interactions wouldn't steer her wrong.

"N-No, you're not." If she wasn't sure before, Lila certainly was sure Peter was lying after calling him out on it. The light flush that sat on his cheeks vanished, and his eyes grew wider. Everything in his body language mimicked a deer in the headlights, unsure of how to proceed. So instead, he kept his mouth shut. "You're v-very good at disappearing, you know. L-Like when you leave school, you - you just seem to vanish."

"Lila, I-"

"Your secret is safe with me," Lila interrupted, her statement firm and meaningful. At the mixed expression of confusion and shock Peter wore, Lila's lips twitched into a smile. "I w-won't say anything about you l-leaving. Just... be safe, okay?"

A large, grateful smile formed on Peter's face, and Lila thought it was one of the most dazzling things she'd seen. "Lila, you're a lifesaver. Thank you. I'll be back before the competition, I promise." He skirted around her, and jogged towards the staircase at the end of the hallway, leaving Lila in the hallway. A cool draft started blowing from a vent she had apparently been standing next to, reminding her that she was in her swimsuit, and she had a place to be.

                         *****

Lila was exactly where she was supposed to be the next morning, but Peter Parker was not. Everyone ate breakfast together save for Peter and Ned, and when they were called to leave, only Ned showed up. He'd covered for Peter by saying he assumed he was in the business center of something along those lines, and Mr. Harrington was too focused on getting the rest of the kids to the decathlon to really give Ned a proper lecture about letting his friend leave.

Lila should've known how disastrous the day would actually be right then and there, but it wasn't like she could predict the future. It wasn't like she knew she would plummet to her death in a few short hours.

                    *****

Peter Parker sat on top of a semi-truck, headed back to D.C., panicking. Karen, the AI that Tony Stark had installed in his suit, informed him that a certain piece of alien technology he'd been carrying around since the night of Liz's party was actually an explosive. The technology, a Chitauri alien core, had been left with Ned. Not that Peter didn't trust Ned to watch over it, but the problem was that he did trust him, and Ned would watch over it like a hawk. More than likely, he would have brought it with him wherever he went until Peter came back.

Peter pulled out his cellphone, and desperately tried to call his friend, frantically leaving a voicemail informing him that the glowy-thing is a bomb.

                        *****

Lila had just handed her phone over to one of the decathlon employees when Mr. Harrington pulled her aside. He kept glancing through the doors in hopes to find Peter race through, but to no avail. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked apologetic when he told her, "Lila, since Peter isn't here, we're going to need you on the table."

Her stomach dropped, and her knees grew wobbly. "W-What? What a-about Flash, isn't he - isn't he first a-alternate?"

"Yep, and so are you. Good luck, and have fun up there!" With one last look through the doors, Mr. Harrington jogged away, leaving Lila practically in shambles. The only person who seemed to pay attention to their conversation was Michelle, and she was quick to get to Lila as soon as she turned around.

"Lila-?"

"All contestants please make your way to the stage." A voice came from above them, and Lila had no choice but to swallow her dread.

"We're gonna be okay," Lila said, though who she was trying to convince, she wasn't sure.

                   *****

Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, Peter chanted in his head, jumping from one car to the next as he hurried back into town.

                       *****

Between all the uproarious cheers, bear hugs, and large smiles, the actual competition was a blur. Lila and her teammates rotated on portions of the decathlon, though after a while, Lila had to participate more frequently, in part because there were numerous biology questions, but also because Flash froze up, unable to answer any questions at all. Ultimately, Michelle was the one who won them the decathlon, staying cool and level-headed throughout the competition, and pulling them out of a sudden death to win the whole thing.

The ceremony afterwards was short and sweet, all of them being granted medals and a large trophy that seemed to develop a superglue as soon as it touched Flash's hand. He was not seen without it for the remainder of their time at the decathlon. Lila was on such a high of winning, and being a part of something so positive, that she completely forgot about how Peter was missing until Mr. Harrington was handed an extra medal, one he was supposed to wear.

Still beaming with pride at the lot of them, Mr. Harrington escorted everyone out to collect their things, and herded them across the street to the Washington Monument.