✓ | TWO YOUNG HEARTS◦𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒓

10 - FIELD TRIP

"He is," Alissa agreed. "But you never know, Cindy might be right."

The dark haired girl grinned, a kind one that made Alissa feel as if everything was going to turn out alright in the end. And maybe it would, but, maybe it wouldn't.

"How's hockey season going?" Alissa asked Cindy, well aware of the fact that the girl was a hockey player. Thanks to Brian, she was more knowledgeable on the sport; an all time favorite of hers. She didn't really like any other sport, but hockey was enough for her as she'd grown up loving it. It only increased when her little brother joined a team. "I heard you won your game last night."

Cindy brightly beamed. "Yeah, we did. 12 to zero. It was really amazing, and I scored the winning shot," Cindy proudly gushed, images of that night reappearing in her mind. "Is your little brother still playing?"

"Oh, yeah," Alissa answered. "I don't think anything could stop him. He's really good at it too," she said, smiling sweetly and proudly for Brian.

Cindy grinned, turning to face forward. That was the end of their conversation, but both held a greater appreciation for one another. They might not have been close to each other before or even after that, but they sure felt like it in that joyful moment. Gwen brightly smiled with her white teeth and pulled out her phone, showing Alissa a picture.

"Look," she pointed to her father, a grin under his graying mustache as he stood next to a tanned man, his looks a little too familiar for Alissa's own liking. "He gave Flash's dad a Medal of Honor earlier this morning. He saved two little kids that almost got hit in a drive by when he wasn't even on duty."

Alissa forced a small smile onto her face, remaining silent, nodding along when Gwen said Harrison was a good man. No matter what that man could or would ever accomplish, she could never even begin to like him for anything. He couldn't keep his hands away from his own family, and yet, he would risk his own life to save two kids he barely knew. She thought is was mighty brave of him and a wonderful thing to do that she would always appreciate, but to know he also hurt his own family when he saved others, nothing could make up for that kind of thing.

Alissa turned in her seat, looking to Flash who was frowning down at his phone. The girl sighed, shaking her head.

° ° °

"Why isn't there any food in this pla—Oh, look, a cafeteria, finally!" Alissa rolled her eyes in sync with Mary Jane and Gwen, eyes swiveling to Carter who was eyeing the food line hungrily. Liz Allan laughed, playfully nudging him as he smirked even wider than before. Peter watched from the sidelines with Ned and Harry, a little too interested in Liz for Alissa's liking.

Harry nudged Peter, having seen Alissa frowning when she saw him staring at Liz in the same way she gazed at him. Peter blinked, readjusting his glasses and the camera that was secured around his neck. Ned raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything, smiling when he saw there was ice cream right by the pizzas section.

"What?" Peter frowned, gingerly rubbing the spot Harry hit lightly him. Harry simply rolled his eyes and headed towards an empty table, Peter following suit while Ned went to get some food. "Why'd you hit me?"

"I barely hit you. It was more a tap if anything, and because you were staring at Liz," Harry sharply replied.

Peter gaped at him, shaking his head. "I wasn't—" Harry wasn't fooled, giving Peter a look that told him he knew he was.  Peter sighed and Harry smugly nodded. "I was only staring because I think Alissa has the same top."

Out of all the excuses Harry thought Peter would come up with to try and hide it, that wasn't one of the things he'd thought of—he wasn't so sure it was really an excuse. Peter sounded serious, and even a little embarrassed about it. His cheeks were tinted pink and was fiddling with the camera, not wanting to meet his best friends intense gaze.