REVIVAL GAME ▹ parker

xii ━━ lana rushman

Ned rolls his big eyes when he sighs, "The new girl? Seriously?"

Peter glances back at Svet again, mind absolutely made up, "Yes, seriously."

"What about our plan? American bachelors in Europe!"

"That's your plan. That's a solo plan!" Peter rushes to say, eyes wide, "Come on, this is my plan. Please."

The pair of best friends eye each other for a moment, Peter looking so desperate that Ned finally rolls his eyes and drops his head back into his seat in defeat. Peter grins in victory.

Then, after a brief moment of discussing the game plan, Ned boosts out of his seat and turns to the two girls finally sitting behind them. Betty and Svetlana are each relaxing into their seats, politely quiet, staring out the window into the airport around them.

"Hey, guys. There's an old lady in front of us wearing a crazy amount of perfume, and it's kind of setting off Peter's allergies." Svet cocks her head to the side suspiciously, eyes quickly flashing to Peter's face as Ned continues awkwardly babbling, "You know, Betty, if you could just... switch seats with him that would be..."

Peter blushes under Svet's stare, and a small smirk tugs at the side of her mouth. But despite the confident bravado she's putting on, she feels a tightness in her stomach. Her heart starts to pound and her fingers start to tingle at the idea. Eight hours and forty—nine minutes, that's how long this flight is. Eight hours and forty—nine minutes of just Svet and Peter. Sitting side by side, holding a just normal everyday conversation, shoulders pressed. The idea is as terrifying as it is exciting.

Svetlana isn't sure she's ever wanted anything so much.

One brow arched, Betty is not convinced, "He's allergic to perfume?"

"Yeah, yeah, because..." Ned is struggling with his cover story now, shaking his head, "It makes his eyes water, and he can't really—,"

Suddenly Mr. Harrington turns around in his seat, apparently having eavesdropped on the whole conversation, "You said Peter has a perfume allergy?"

"Oh, uh..."

Peter and Svet quickly glance at one another, a strange spark passing between them. 

"I'll tell you from experience, perfume allergies are no joke. I can feel hives breaking out already. Lana, could you stand up?" The teacher suddenly gets up from his seat, motioning the kids to follow his instructions, "Ned, take Lana's spot. MJ, you take Peter's spot." He turns quickly to the boy, "Peter, come with me. Let's get you out of there."

Peter stares at the back of his teacher's head in disbelief, mouth hanging open slightly, reluctantly grabbing his bag. Svet swallows back a heavy disappointed sigh and stands from her seat as well.

"Ned, thanks for bringing this to my attention. Your safety is my responsibility. And Mr. Dell's, but he's..." A few rows down, the other teacher/chaperone is fast asleep with his mouth gaping open and snores coming out of his nose, "I got it for now. Let's go, Peter! Let's go!"

Peter and Svetlana squeeze past each other, both doing their very best not to push into the other's space. For a brief second, his fingers accidentally tangle with hers and his touch sends such a shocking jolt under her arm that she drops her bag. Both teens quickly stoop in the tight aisle, gathering up her fallen belongings.

"Sorry," Peter murmurs, and they both know he's talking about more than the bag.

Svetlana sharply looks up, their gazes catching. She softly smiles, "No worries, yes?"