Castaway [Peter Parker]

11 - London

Hailey packed everything in her suitcase.

Someone knocked on her door. She opened it to see Chase.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she said.

"Do you still some space in your suitcase?"

"Maybe, why?"

"My suitcase is full and I have a few shirts that didn't fit," he explained. 

"Uh, let me put whatever is left in the suitcase and see," Hailey said.

Chase nodded. 

Hailey parked the last pieces of clothing.

"Alright, great," Chase smiled. "That's enough space for my shirts."

"Bring them then, Hailey said.

He nodded. He went back to his room and came back minutes later with his shirts.

Once inside the suitcase, Hailey closed up her suitcase.

"Thank God Mom made us pack in the bigger suitcases," Chase said. "I hate to admit that she was right."

"Yup," Hailey said. "I guess she must've known we were going to buy stuff in the trip and will need some extra space to pack the stuff."

Chase nodded. 

Elizabeth, Justin and Maddie came into Hailey's room shortly after she finished packing.

"My mom is freaking out over the trip," Elizabeth said. "And honestly, I don't blame her."

"Ours too," Chase said.

"My parents are surprisingly calm about the whole thing," Justin said, "but I think it's because they don't want to freak me out or anything."

"Yeah, well, we're leaving tomorrow," Maddie said. "And won't be in danger anymore. We'll be fine, hopefully."

Hailey had an unsettling feeling. 

She glanced at Chase.

"I'm so excited to see London," Maddie said. "It looks so nice there."

"Wait, Chase, Hailey, have you guys been to London?" Justin asked.

"Every time our parents have a trip to London for work, it's always during the school year," Chase explained. 

"Oh," Justin said.

"I wish we were going to London under different circumstances," Maddie said.

"Yeah, me too," Elizabeth agreed. "Maybe in the future we can come back."

"Hopefully," Justin said.

***

The following day, the class checked out of the hotel and headed to the airport. 

After a few hours flight, the class landed in London, England and Mr. Harrington and Mr. Dell.

"Okay, the company set up a city tour," Mr. Harrington informed his students, "and then we'll grab a bit and head to the airport."

"I really hope Peter's okay," Hailey whispered to Chase.

"Me too," Chase agreed. "But, remember, he's Spider - Man. He can take care of himself."

"I know, but still," Hailey said.

Brad took off his sunglasses and stopped walking.

"Is no one else going to acknowledge how crazy this is?" Brad said.

The class stopped in their tracks and turned around.

"Okay, yeah, I get it," Mr. Dell said, turning around to face Brad. "There's nothing scientific about the science tour at all."

"No, no, no," Brad said, "I'm talking about Peter. Has no one noticed how shady he is? Because I saw him in the back room of a rest stop with some woman in his underwear and he's always sneaking away like back at the opera, huh? Now he's suddenly off the trip with his family in Berlin? Is no one else interested in the truth?"

Ned wanted to say something, but Chase stopped him.

"I've got this," Chase said. He cleared his throat. "'The very concept of objective truth is doing out of the world.'"

Hailey noticed Chase wink at MJ, who smiled. Hailey smiled to herself knowing about her brothers crush on MJ.

"George Orwell," Brad said. 

"Thank you, Chase," Brad said.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Well, since Peter's not really here to tell his truth, what about you, Brad? Why do you think it's cool to take pictures of people in the bathroom?"

"Yeah, dude," Flash agreed, "what's that about?"

Flash had his phone held up, live - streaming everything. He had the camera turned on Brad.

"No, no, no, it's not like that," Brad quickly said. "It was - I was trying to take a -"

"Lets just this al this craziness behind us and have a nice, peaceful afternoon," Mr. Harrington said. 

Chase smiled at Brad.

"'Sounds great, Mr. Harrington,'' Mr. Harrington said, "said the class. Okay."

The class turned around and began to walk out of the airport. 

A man was standing outside, waiting for the class to come out. He was holding a sign up, which read, "Midtown High."

"Mr. Harrington, this is your bus," the man said.

Hailey and Chase glanced at each other.

"Chase?" Hailey said.

"We've got a bus all to ourselves!" Mr. Harrington said.

"Yeah?" Chase responded.

"Nice to see you all, come along," the man said.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Hailey said.

"Me too," Chase said.

"This is awesome," Justin said. "We're getting our own bus."

Chase bit his lip. 

Some of their classmates thanked the man and got onto the bus. Hailey looked back as she got onto the bus. She saw the man holding a backpack that belonged to one of her peers and he had a finger in his ear.

He turned around and Hailey quickly looked away as she walked up the steps into the bus.

Everyone settled down on the bus and the man began to drive the bus.