KAT'S POV

Midtown High students are waiting by a yellow bus, dressed in their yellow uniform jackets. I amongst them, typing away at my BuzzFeed quizzes.

"Hey, it's Peter," Abe says.

"Guys." Peter pants. No way is he going through this plan right?

"Peter?" Liz gasps.

"Hey, buddy." Carter greets.

"Yeah, I was hoping maybe I could rejoin the team." He asks. Nevermind, he's going with this plan. Flash, standing in the back, walks forward to face Peter.

"No, no way. You can't just quit on us, stroll up, and be welcomed back by everyone." Flash snaps. Mr. Harrington walks out of the bus.

"Hey, welcome back, Peter. Flash, you're back to first alternate." Mr. Harrington says. 

"What?" Flash gasps. 

"He's taking your place." I snicker. MJ appears behind them, tapping her foot rather impatiently.

"Excuse me, can we go already? 'Cause I was hoping to get in some light protesting in front of one of the embassies before dinner, so." MJ asks. 

"Protesting is patriotic. Let's get on the bus." Mr. Harrington nods. Flash shrugs off his jacket and sullenly thrusts it into Peter's arms.

"Hey MJ!" I wave, and move over for her to sit. 

"Hi." MJ nods, pulling out a book a reading it. We soon are 128 miles from Washington and practicing for the Decathlon. 

"Focus up, everyone. Our next topic is the moons of Saturn." Liz commands. We are holding bells, focusing on Liz's quiz. 

"The second law of thermodynamics." Cindy says.

"Frank Sinatra." Charles answers.

"Fort Sumter." Flash says.

"Flash is wrong." Abe yells.

"Okay, guys, let's focus. Next one." Liz orders.

"Liz, don't overwork them." Mr. Harrington says.

"Uh, strontium, barium, vibranium." Peter answers, and I tense at the word vibranium. I shake it off, and continue.

"Very good, Peter. Glad to have you back." Liz smiles.

"Glad to be back." Peter nods. 

"What is the current standard unit of radioactive-" Liz asks.

"Can I take this real quick? I'll only be a sec." Peter asks.

"Yeah, fine." Liz nods. "Okay, focus up, everyone." 

The bus approaches Washington D.C. We get of the bus, and above the hotel entrance, I see a banner announcing the "United States Academic Decathlon." We arrive in the check-in area. I and MJ see the interior of the hotel which is filled with preparations for the Decathlon. We look on in awe as they walk in. Liz is at the front, leading everyone.

"Everyone stick together." Liz orders. 

"Yeah." Mr. Harrington nods. 

"You kidding me? This place is huge." Charles gaps. 

"I've seen bigger." Flash scoffs.

"I've seen worse. Be grateful Flash." I spat, walking past him. MJ flips the bird at him. 

"There's a bird in here." Abe points to a statue of a bird above us. 

I and MJ are sitting in our rooms, quietly staring at our respective objects. A knock on the door startles us, and I get up to answer it.

"Kat, MJ, we're going swimming, do you wanna come?" Liz asks. 

"Um, sure." I nod. So that's why LIz wanted us to bring a swim suit. "MJ you coming?" I ask.

"No. You go on ahead." MJ says.

"Alright. Give me 5." I say, and Liz nods.

"We need to wait for Cindy and Sally too." Liz informs. I quickly get my swim suit out of my backpack, and go in the bathroom to change. 

I walk out, taking my towel with me.

"You look nice." Liz says, in a black bikini.

"Thanks. You look nice too." I smile back. The corridors are quiet and empty as we sneak around, giggling quietly. We see Peter up ahead, and Liz comes over. 

"Hey, Liz." Peter greets. 

"Perfect timing. We're gonna go swimming. Come on, come on, come on." Liz whispers, as she waves the other students forward.

"What?" Peter asks, staring at us. We sneak by, trying to muffle our laughter. 

"Hey, Peter." Sally waves.

"Hi." Cindy greets. Flash walks up to Peter.

"Hey!" Peter squeals in a high tone, offended. I stare at him weirdly, and as our eyes meet, we blush at the same time.

"I was, uh... I was gonna go study, um, in the business center." Peter stutters. 

"Peter, you don't need to study. You're, like, the smartest guy I've ever met." Liz sighs.Peter looks at Liz, obviously bewitched. I sigh internally, hoping that he'd actually pick a girl, and stop leading me on. 

"And besides... Um, a rebellious group activity the day before competition is good for morale." Liz says. 

"Hmm." Peter hums.

"Um, well, I read that in a TED Talk, so, I-I heard it in a TED Talk. And I read a coaching book." Liz smiles and nods.

"Wow, you really... This is really important to you." Peter says.

"Yeah. It's our future. I'm not gonna screw it up. Besides, we raided the minibar and these candy bars were, like, eleven dollars. So get your trunks on and come on." Liz beckons. She throws a candy bar at Peter in a smooth arc.

"Come on." Sally and Charles beckon.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Liz says. "You coming?" She asks.

"Oh, I'll try to convince Peter. Be there in a minute." I say, and Liz nods in understanding, and she catches up with the others.

"You, uh. Look great." Peter says.

"Don't lie, I know you're on your way to follow the Vulture guy." I say.

"You do?" He asks.

"It's your body language. Uh, it's something HYDRA had taught me." I sigh.

"Hey, HYDRA's in the past, so now you can enjoy yourself alright?" Peter says, wrapping his arms around me. I gasp in surprise, then melt into it.

"Thanks Pete. Tell me if anything comes up okay? I don't want you to face him by yourself." I smile.

"Will do." Peter smiles. "See you at Decathlon." 

"Bye Pete." I leave, walking down to the pool. I turn back, and I and Peter's eyes meet I wave shyly, then get on the pool deck. I set my towel on a pool chair, and sit next to Liz and Cindy.

"So, you and Parker, what's up with that?" Cindy asks, handing me a candy bar. 

"I'm not sure really." I shake my head.

"Come on, everyone knows that Peter's literally head over heels for you!" Liz groans.

"But, I think he likes you too Liz." I whisper.

"Oh. That's a dilemma. No offense Liz." Cindy says.

"None taken." Liz shakes her head.

"Boys are just confusing." Cindy sighs. "Sally's definitely a man's lady or whatever you call it, she just attracts the male specimen. I, on the other hand, am bicurious. I like both girls and boys, but I don't really know my sexuality yet, so don't tell anyone." 

"Cross our hearts and hope to die." I and Liz chorus together.

"Good." Cindy nods.

"Well, I don't want to come in between you and Peter, personally I ship Kater." Liz shakes her head.

"You too? Ugh, Harry's got a lot to explain." I groan. "If Peter asks you to Homecoming though, you accept. I don't want Peter to be hurt." 

"You're a good friend Kat." Cindy smiles.

"I promise." Liz nods. "Now let's have some fun!" Liz jumps in the pool, splashing I and Cindy. We jump in eagerly, splashing her too.