Legal: I own nothing but the idea
Important to know before reading:
*This story is A/U taking place a few weeks after Drew and Clare kissed at Thanksgiving at the start of winter break
*Maya is dating Zig
*Adam didn't die but broke up with Becky because I cannot stand her
*Drew was never with Zoe and she was never raped
*This is a one shot and it is all in Clare's pov
Derby Girls
(CLARE)
BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! Coach blows the whistle and I stop skating along with the rest of the Riverdale Rebels, which would be the roller derby team I joined last month. After finding out Eli had cheated and then making out with Drew because I was upset I decided I needed another outlet. After many many long talks Eli and I had made peace and were tenuous friends again, we decided we could think about a relationship again if I went to a New York school next year. Drew and I were awkward for a couple of days but found our friendship again, then Bianca came home one weekend telling Drew she was still in love and wanted him back. They reconciled, she's home almost every weekend and she and I have even become friends. I needed an outlet though, something that wasn't school or writing, something that wouldn't remind me of Drew or Eli, something that was just for me and no one else knew about.
I had found roller derby by accident actually, I saw the call for tryouts for the new team. After checking with doctors and talking with coach I tried out and made the team. It can get pretty rough, I've only played in one game so far but the coach rotates us all and the doctor said it was fine as long as I was careful. It was great exercise though and even better fun, I didn't even get that bruised in my first game. We had another game last night, we have them every Saturday night and I had a bruise on my leg from getting hit but it wasn't that bad. Aside from being great exercise and a lot of fun it made me more assertive and able to stand up for myself. I also didn't hold onto anger like I used to because I could let it all go on the track. Of course I had told no one, including Adam that I was a roller derby girl, my mom would freak and well I just didn't feel like anyone else needed to know since it was my thing.
"That's it for tonight, I'll see you all at seven tomorrow for another practice," Coach says.
We skate back to the locker room and shower before leaving. I'm famished after practice but have no desire to heat up mom's leftover chicken in the microwave I head to The Dot.
"Hey Clare what'll it be?" Fitz asks ready to ring up my order.
"A house salad with grilled chicken and a side of garlic bread to go please," I order and Fitz rings it up.
"It'll be a few minutes you want some water while you wait?" He offers after ringing up my order and placing it.
"Yeah water would be great thanks," I smile.
Fitz gives me a to-go cup with ice water and I sit down at an empty table waiting for my food. I sip at my water and look around the café, Jenna and Connor are here on a date it looks like. Luke and some of the other Ice Hounds are here, the only other people here are Maya and her dad and she keeps rolling her eyes. He seems to be lecturing her about breaking up with Zig and calling Tris a bad influence but I can't hear too much. Fitz calls me over when my food is done and I grab it smiling at the freckled boy and leaving the café. The house is dark when I get home, Mom and Glen are out and I eat in my room while watching a movie on my laptop.
As I eat I can't help thinking about Maya, she's a sweet girl but she's not very assertive and she's gotten herself into more than compromising situation. The girl needed to learn to stand up for herself and not be so trusting, learn to trust her instincts. I hadn't wanted anyone to find out about me being a derby girl but I felt like the derby was something Maya could use. She was too young to join the league since you had to be eighteen, but maybe she could come watch the practices and maybe even practice with us a little.
I watched Maya all the next day at school and was more convinced than ever that she needed the roller derby. Even if she just watched us and practices with sometimes. So after school and student council I left early for practice getting there a little early and knock on coach's door.
"Everything alright Clare?" Coach asks.
"Yes Sir I wanted to ask a favor of sorts, I have this friend," I tell him although friend is probably stretching it but it sounds a lot better than saying this girl at school, "she's too young to join but I think the derby could really help her. I was hoping she could come observe practice tomorrow maybe participate a little?"
"She can come observe practice tonight, she can't participate even practices without signed consent forms but bring her to practice tonight and see what she thinks. We'll talk about her being able to participate after she observes a practice."
"Thanks coach," I smile and go to the locker room to get ready for practice.
We run speed drills and then defense drills, it's a lot of work, I'm tired and sweating by the end but in a good way. When I get home after practice I eat some dinner mom left in the oven for me. I do my homework before falling asleep a little after one in the morning. Mom and Glen are already gone when I get up in the morning and I realize I'm running late. I dress quickly, grab my stuff and leave for school slipping into my desk just before the late bell. My first opportunity to talk to Maya is at lunch, she's eating in the caf with Tris and Zig of course.
"Hey Maya can I talk to you for a minute?" I request going up to their table. Maya and I are sort of friends I guess, we've never hung out alone but we spent some time together while Jake and Katie were dating and when she was in Whisper Hug with Adam.
"Uh sure Clare, be right back guys," she tells Tris and Zig getting up from the table. She follows me out to the student council office where I lock the door so we can have some privacy.
"Do you have plans after school?" I question.
"No not really, I was going to hang out at The Dot with Tris and Zig," she answers slowly wondering what is going on.
"Perfect stay there I'll pick you up after student council, just tell your parents you're having dinner at my house," I instruct her.
"Umm okay pick me up for what?" She asks.
"It's a surprise," I reply and leave the student council office.
I eat lunch with Adam and the others, the afternoon seems to drag by and so does student council but finally it lets out. I say goodbye to everyone and drive to The Dot, as soon as Maya sees me pull up she says goodbye to Zig and Tris before coming out and getting in my car.
"Uh so where are we going?" Maya inquires.
"Somewhere I think will do you some good, just one thing you can't tell anyone what you see here," I respond.
"Okay," she answers nodding slowly. I pull up to the rink and Maya furrows her eyebrows, "Uh roller skating is going to do some good?"
"Not exactly and all you can do tonight is watch, come on," I insist parking my car and getting out. I take her through the front and over to the coach. "Coach Jordan this is my friend Maya, Maya this is my coach he'll explain everything I have to go change."
Leaving Maya with the coach so he can explain roller derby I go into the locker room and change. I tell the other girls Maya is in the stands and watching us before we go out to the track. I wave to Maya and practice begins, we do some offensive drills and speed drills and end with a practice game. When coach blows the whistle and ends the practice I skate over to the stands and a smiling Maya.
"That was great, you're so fast, the way the girls were knocking each other and it was like a chariot race almost," Maya says.
"Yeah it kind of is, I need to go shower what do you think Coach can she come back and maybe practice with us sometimes? Assuming you want to of course Maya," I comment.
"Yes I would love to, I've never had any interest in playing a sport but I want to try this one," Maya says.
"You'll have to sign some permission slips and so will your parents," Coach tells her.
I let them work out the details while I go shower and change. I talk to the other girls about Maya and why I think she needs roller derby. When I'm changed I find Maya in the coach's office signing a whole bunch of forms, we all have to sign them, liability forms and stuff like that. I forged Mom's signature since you need parental permission if you're under 18. I'm not sure how Maya's parents will go for it but Katie was in soccer. After she signs the forms, we say goodbye to coach and I take her home, I go in with her to talk to her parents. We explain that she's just going to watch practice and maybe join us for a few, nothing to rough. It takes some convincing but her parents finally consent and sign the forms and I tell Maya I'll pick her up for practice tomorrow.
"Clare guess what?" Maya says happily closing the door to the memorial garden where I'm studying. She's been coming to my practices and working out with me and my team for two weeks now. She also watched our last two games and she's become friends with all the other girls.
"What's up?" I question.
"Coach Jordan just called he's forming a junior league, there's a few others in Ontario, he wants me to join! I'll actually get to jam! His daughters are going to be on the team and he's putting out a call for tryouts at their high school for girls between 14 and 16. I'm so excited, he's hoping to have a team together by the end of the week," Maya practically squeals.
"Hey that's great," I smile hugging her.
"His daughters are coming to practice today he wants us to workout and start practicing. We should have our first game in two weeks," she smiles.
"Awesome right in time for break, you can invite Zig to your game, guys love it," I tell her.
"Are you going to ever invite Fitz to one of your games?" She asks me.
"I don't want anyone to know remember?"
"Yeah but if Zig comes to see me he'll see you and then he'll know, like you said guys love it and I've seen the way you look at Fitz when you're in The Dot," Maya teases.
"I don't know what you're talking about Maya," I refute but it's true I do like Fitz.
"Uh-huh, Owen's in town for break in a couple of weeks maybe I'll subtly drop hints to him about coming to a game bring Fitz," Maya says and I smile.
When we go to practice that night Coach intrudes everyone to his daughters Andie and Devyn, they are 14 and 16. Coach announces the junior league and says tryouts are tomorrow after practice. Maya practices with us tonight and even participates in the practice game. I drop her off at home when it's over and she's really psyched about being on a team and being able to compete. I can already see the change in her, the more assertive nature and she's trusting her instincts more.
"Are you excited about tonight?" I ask Maya when I pick her up.
It's Saturday night, winter break officially started as soon as school let out yesterday. Owen's already home from Carleton, he picked Tris up from school yesterday. Tonight is Maya's first game is tonight, juniors jam first and she invited Zig to her first game. They've been practicing for the last two weeks and Maya's been doing great, not just at the practices but in life and everyone has seen the change in her and me. Adam commented on it the other day that we were both different and it was a change for the better. Maya decided it was time everyone knew so we sent out a mass text to our friends to meet us at the rink tonight.
"So much I can hardly sit still, I can't wait to compete," she says and I smile.
I drive us to the rink and park; we go in and change into our game uniforms. We warm up and we're sitting on the bench by the time people start coming in.
"Oh there's Zig," Maya smiles blowing a kiss to her boyfriend. Clare there's Fitz with Owen, Bianca and the Torres brothers," she says elbowing me.
I turn to smile at them and then laugh when I see their shocked faces. I wave to them, they wave back but they look like they think they're dreaming. Maya's team, The Junior Riverdale Rebels, is announced and the girls are called out by their derby names, Maya is Matlin the Masher. I cheer for her and hear Zig whistling and our friends cheering. Maya's skating as a blocker in this jam, a jam being the short matches we skate. The jammer scores points by lapping the opposing team, the blockers on the opposing team try and prevent her from doing so. One player is designated the pivot who can be designated the jammer during the jam.
The referee blows the whistle and the jam begins, I spend equal time watching Maya and our friends in the stands watching her. Zig's eyes are sparkling with a renewed love, Owen is astounded but he's proud, everyone else is having a good time and amazed at what they're seeing.
The Junior Riverdale Rebels win the first jam, lose the second but win the third. The junior league only plays three jams and Maya is sweating by the end. Zig, Owen and the others stand up cheering and clapping loudly when Maya skates back to the bench. After several announcements it's time for my team to jam and coach puts me in as the jammer in the first jam. I take off when the whistle blows skating around the track as fast as I can, my blockers do their job and despite getting hit a few times I lap the track and the other team making us able to score. I end the jam when I know we're in the lead. I sit out for the next two jams and then coach puts me back in as a blocker for the last two jams. After 30 minutes it's half time, Maya and I skate over to the stands, Zig leans over and kisses his girlfriend.
"That was amazing you two kick ass," Owen compliments.
"Yeah I've never seen this side of you Clare," Fitz says.
"Is it a side you like?" I inquire.
"Very much," he grins.
"Good," I smile biting my lip briefly, "then take me out to celebrate after this."
"Happily," he smiles and I pull at his shirt to take his lips for a kiss.
Coach blows the whistle signaling that Maya and I need to get back to the bench.
"Thanks for showing me the derby Clare," Maya says to me when we're sitting on the bench, "I love being a derby girl."