monster ψ p.parker ¹

xv. | deadly tourist trap

"That is, correct," she spoke. Salene could feel the relief wash over her tense body as her muscles were unaided against her chair. She looked to her right where Mj sat on the complete opposite side of the table to her. She had a small smile on her face as the team congratulated her and patted her back.

Salene could also see the other team across the stage kicking themselves in the asses at their loss. Midtown was taking home the trophy, and a few members of the team were also going to be granted individual awards for the individual tests that they had gone through beforehand.

The teams had all gone down the stage, Salene had to lead the line since she was on the far left side of the table where the steps were, so she barely had any time to wipe her palms dry before shaking the hands of the losing teams and other staff members of the building and the individual moderators. She knew that she was shaking unnaturally hard and did her best to contact it but the second Ned saw her state, he rushed over.

"Hey, you need to take a few breaths," he spoke in a cool tone that seemed to wash over Salene, she nodded as she tried taking deeper breaths and looked to him, "you're shaking so hard I can see your baby curls waving." She smiled slightly at what her frazzled state is doing to her and she wiped them back, hoping that would be enough to slick them back until she cooled down.

The next thirty minutes were spent with Salene going back to accept her art medal and her literature (shocking) medal with shaky hands and with the host whispering in her ear to get some water when she was off stage again.

"Thank you," Salene mumbled, rushing back where Liz waited with a small hand towel and a bottle of water paired with the biggest smile on her face.

"I'm so proud of you!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the blonde girl, making her fall back on her other foot so they didn't hit the floor.

Salene eventually hugged back, patting the older girl. The two eventually parted and Salene was wiping her face and neck while drinking the cool water. It was the only true relief she's felt all day and soon everyone was on a bus to go celebrate at the Washington Monument despite MJs distaste for it.

Salene didn't want to go with the group but Ned pulled her aside and told her it would help with his fear of elevators if she was there with him. Her heart could've melted there. She didn't realize how close of a friend Ned considered her but considering he was one of four people who knew his secret, she did feel like she was closer to him than she was with most of the people she considered friends.

The group was going through the security, Ned, Salene and Liz were dead last but Ned's phone went off, Salene recognized the ring tone and she unapologetically took the phone and answered it. She stepped out of the line to make sure she had time and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Peter oh my god," she spoke, she didn't even recognize her tone but she knew that her elevated heartbeat was from the happiness of knowing she was alive, "I was so worried that something happened I was about to ditch the group and suit up, are you okay, are you hurt?"

Peter was cutting in and out but Salene knew that it was the poor reception Ned had.

"Salene I'm sorry for worrying you but I need you to give the phone to Ned, does he still have the glowing egg on him?" Peter asked, Salene furrowed her brows as she walked up to the line where ned was going through the metal detector.

"He's going through security-"

Liz had walked up to Salene and taken the phone, Salene figured she heard Salene say Peters name and she didn't blame Liz for taking the phone. She listened to Liz rip into Peter about missing the Decathlon. Salene was on the other side of the metal detector and was waiting for her bag to come through the belt. She felt bad for Peter because she knew he didn't mean to miss the competition.