Challenges

by

J.C. Thomas

(inspired by Kevin and Jessie)

Chapter Four:

The Fearless Blade. The Great Pietro's best friend. The Unconquered Allana. Just a few of the titles she had been given when she was younger. She was only 16 like Pietro with purple hair she kept short and spiked, tanned skin, and she was just as thin and muscular as they came. Hey, she did have to keep up with the great Pietro.

There was only one concept of their friendship that they didn't compete in and that was 'who can date the most' Unlike her playboy best friend, Allana preferred the role of Matchmaker rather than the one getting matched. She didn't understand why after 16 years of not dating this one guy would change her outlook. But despite Pietro's insistence, she wasn't scared, just cautious. With a friend like Pietro as an example, what girl wouldn't be?

She had just gotten out of the school when she heard her name being called from behind. She swiveled around to see it was Rogue and who else was with her, but the new guy in her Geometry class. Oh great, keep your mouth closed this time, Blade! Remain cool.

"Hey, Allana." Rogue smiled. Allana shook her head and shifted her gaze from the tall Dante to Rogue.

"What's hanging?" She asked as if an incredibly hot guy was not standing a foot away from her.

"Not much, have ya met muh brother yet?" Rogue motioned to Dante. Her brother? How... convenient.

"Dante right?" Allana decided she would be friendly, she would not be scared.

"So ya know each other?"

"Yeah, he was late for Geometry. Nice to meet you." Allana held out her hand to shake his, some how managing to come off as cool and collected. He looked at her, nodded but didn't take her hand. She lowered it, trying not to seem offended. What did she care if this guy didn't like her? Oh yeah, the bet. Darn. This guy was cute too. It's just a bet Allana, she told herself. She hoped Rogue didn't notice.

"So, why don' ya come ovah for dinnah tonaght?" Rogue smiled secretivly. Allana almost frowned. What was she doing tonight? She knew she was doing something.

"I can't." She answered automatically. What was her problem? God, Pietro was right she was chicken.

"Oh, why not." Dante asked finally talking. Why couldn't she again?

"Pietro." She blurted out knowing it had to involve him in some way.

"What 'bout 'em?" Rogue asked skeptical.

"I have to study for this test tomorrow in Art." She thought that's what it was anyway.

"Dante's an Art buff." Rogue smiled. Was it just her, or was she trying to get her away from Pietro.

"No, I already made plans, thanks anyway."

"Please." Dante said simply. Allana looked over at him, what was with this guy, one minute he's unfriendly, the next he's practically begging me to come over. Oh, he had the most beautiful gray eyes she had ever seen. She almost melted. Than that part of her, the killjoy part rang out over all else. You have to go to Pietro's!

"Can I take a rain check?" Allana barely managed.

"Sure, we'll see ya latah." Rogue smiled starting to walk away. Dante remained, still looking at her with that intense gray stare of his.

"Too bad." With that he followed Rogue. Allana try as she might, couldn't help but stare after him. She wanted to slap herself, what is your problem, Blade! It was a bet about proving her fearlessness, and what she had just done was anything but fearless. Pietro had just been an excuse. She knew good and well that if she hadn't been to much of a wuss and accepted she just could have gone into the school and told him. Pietro would have blown off the studying thing in a heart beat for a chance like this. Come on, Blade, just do it! But before she could even open her mouth to call after him, he was gone. Disappeared into the exiting high school students. Typical.

Allana sighed defeated and decided it would probably best not to tell Pietro of this little incident. The teasing would be endless. But she did feel like seeing him so she headed back inside to watch basketball practice, a thing she usually reserved for her bad days. Right now, this was definitely qualifying in bad day status.

Pietro of course was dominating the court in the mock game that was unfolding. It being obvious that it was more of a one on one between Evan and him, who was of course on the opposing team. He was the first to notice Allana enter the gym causing him to fumble the ball allowing Evan to steal it. If not for her darkening mood Allana would have laughed. Pietro didn't even seem to notice anything had happened, he called time and jogged over to her.

"You okay?" He ask with concern apparent in his voice.

"I'm fine." She lied.

"Your a bad liar, Blade." To him she was, but she wasn't about to admit that.

"I just wanted to watch, is that a crime?"

"It is when the only time you ever want to watch practice is when something's wrong." He knew her too well.

"Look, if you don't want me here..." Allana trailed off.

"Sit." Pietro ordered pointing to the bleachers.

"Some time this year, Maximoff." The coach yelled.

"We'll talk after practice." He told her before jogging back to his coach. Allana sighed, her acting was getting worse. She took a seat on the bleachers, making she sure she was far away from the basketball groupies aka the girlfriends, wannabes, and cheerleaders. Okay so some of these girls weren't that bad, but they all gossiped about was which guy from the team had dumped which girl. It was dreadfully boring, it was after all one of the main reasons she never did this.

She sighed and laid down on the bench using her backpack as a pillow. She fell into a restless sleep. She dreamt she was in the middle of a crowd trying to go after Dante. All the people were those closest to her screaming "More like the fearful, Blade!" "Chicken!" "Wuss!" "Coward!" She kept trying to push her way through the crowd not letting the tears spill from her eyes. She fell, tripping over something and suddenly they were on top of her, screaming, laughing. She looked beside her and there was Dante. He gave her a disappointed look. "Too bad." he said, then he was Pietro, laughing at her. Not his normal teasing, this was downright cruel laughter. She dropped her head in unable to fight it any longer. Then her name was being called. Softly at first, then louder, it was Pietro. What did he want now? She opened her eyes to see him leaning over her. Where was she? "Where am I?" She asked tiredly.

"School, you fell asleep."

"Oh." She sat up.

"You okay?" He asked concerned.

"Never better, can we go to your house now?" She smiled. For once Pietro didn't question her and nodded.

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Another chapter done!