Greetings, readers! It's a crisp Tuesday morning, and it's a great time for reading fanfiction! I appreciate all the support I've been getting on this story- in addition to being a BATW AU, it also contains many aspects that relate to events I've personally endured. Some are exaggerated or tweaked of course, but this has been a productive means of facing these experiences head on. So without further ado, please enjoy!
The following morning, Kara opened her eyes, smiling to herself as she got out of bed. Once at school, she gave Chase a little wave as he sat next to her in class. Test papers were being handed out, Kara smiling and nodding in approval at her grade. She glanced over, noticing that Chase was quiet. "Hey... how did you do?"
"I can't believe it." He said quietly with shock.
Kara frowned a bit. "Hey... come on. Maybe you just need to study more."
"I passed." He looked at her, beaming. "I passed! I actually passed the test!" He exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his seat.
"No one cares, now will you sit down and shut up?" Wind snapped, rolling his eyes. Kara cleared her throat, snickering as Chase retained the wide smile in his features.
Later on, Kara told the news to Ambrosia as they sat in French class. "Oh, how wonderful, I'm sure he is very pleased." She smiled.
"That's an understatement." Kara snickered.
"Oh, mademoiselles..." The teacher said, glancing over his shoulder. "Unless you are saying lovely things about me, please turn your attention here. I would not wish to see upset faces because of a failed midterm."
"Sorry, Mr. Blanquet." Kara replied, the man moving some of his long hair out of the way as he wrote on the chalkboard.
At lunch, the pair met up with Chase, Jasmine and Rosemary, the group chattering away about the Halloween party they had attended, among other things. Just then, Rosemary blinked when Bonnie wordlessly suddenly sat at their table, appearing very upset. They glanced at one another, Kara sitting across from her as she cleared her throat.
"Hey, Bonnie... everything okay?" She asked.
"Oh... I was so excited this morning. I made sure I put on extra blush and mascara to appeal to Barry... everything was going to be perfect." She replied.
"Perfect for what?" Kara asked.
"Why aren't you sitting at the... other table?" Jasmine asked.
"Don't be silly! Bonnie is more than welcome to sit with us." Ambrosia smiled.
"You're very kind, Ambrosia... it's just... I went up to Barry this morning and asked if he could go to the Winter Ball with me." Bonnie said before her lip began to tremble, taking out a tissue to dab her eyes. "He said he's already asked someone!"
Kara frowned a bit at this. "Bonnie... that really sucks. Look... there's still plenty of time... maybe one of the other Von Ironstones will go with you."
"Well... Night had his heart set on Ambrosia... he's really peeved that Arsenik Holder asked her already. As for Alex, he and I don't... always see eye to eye." She sighed.
"Okay." Kara said then. "We need to get Bonnie a date."
"Uh, what about ME?!" Rosemary exclaimed.
"I'll take you, Rosemary." Chase smiled, the girl groaning as she rested her forehead on the table.
"I think we should all try to get a date. I hate to see anyone feel left out. Don't fret, Bonnie, I'm sure there is a lucky gentleman who would love to accompany you." Ambrosia said.
"Oh, thank you all... thank you so much for being kind to me. I'm... beginning to have a change of heart about all this... I think I'm learning who my true friends are here." Bonnie smiled. Kara's smile faded a bit, worrying about her own pursuit for a date. It was barely November, and already, the pickings had begun. The next time she saw Viktor, she knew she had to ask him before he was snatched up by someone else.
As lunch let out, Kara stopped when she noticed someone staring at her out of the corner of her eyes. She glanced back, noticing one of the janitors looking in her direction as he began to sweep up the cafeteria floor.
"Hey Kara, um- Kara? Hellooo?" Chase got her attention, Kara shaking her head as she turned towards him. He then noticed the janitor look away as he approached. "What's his problem?"
"Nothing..." Kara replied. "Just thought he looked familiar."
"Huh. Seems kind of weird to me. Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask you... I have a track meet after school today. Did you want to come watch?" Chase smiled.
"Sure, I can get started on some light assignments while I'm in the bleachers. It's a nice day out today." Kara nodded.
"Awesome! Coach said I don't have to worry so much now that my grades are going up a bit. I gave you and the Phoenixs' all the credit, of course." Chase rubbed the back of his head.
"You didn't have to do that." She said. "We may be helping you, but you're the one doing all the work."
"Gee... you're a really good friend, Kara." He said, the pair continuing to offer small talk as they headed to class.
After school, Kara joined the group, including Bonnie, as the boy's track team prepared for their meet. Rosemary beamed as she looked upon the new arrivals.
"Maybe Chase is good for something after all! The new runners are total hunks!" Rosemary beamed.
"And the fact that not all of the new ones are freshmen helps..." Jasmine added.
Ambrosia craned her head, blinking in surprise. "Oh... I think I recognize some... I see a few Islanders."
As one of the other boys ran out to the track, Kara's heart skipped a beat. "Holy shit. Is that Viktor?" Kara asked, Ambrosia chuckling.
"Indeed, it seems so! I wonder if Arsenik joined as well?" Ambrosia asked.
"He didn't... he has a bit too much on his plate. I heard he told Viktor to join in the hope of getting some of his nervous energy out of his system." Bonnie said, Kara staring at her for a moment.
"What else do you know about them? Um... Viktor in particular?" Kara asked.
"Oh, just some things here and there, but-" She gasped then. "Kara, you don't... like Viktor, do you?"
"Shh!" Kara hissed, biting her lip. "Look, you can't tell anyone, okay?"
"Oh, my lips are sealed." Bonnie giggled. "He is pretty cute. He's a bit hard to pin down, though, even for conversation."
Kara thought about the Halloween party, how comfortable he seemed when they had spoken. She then remembered what he had asked her, and her eyes lit up for a moment then.
The project. That would be her ticket to getting him alone, and asking about the Winter Ball.
The sheer joy from this revelation was broken when she heard a familiar voice from the group of boys. She shook her head to snap out of her stupor, looking out onto the track. When she saw one of the boys wiggle his brows at her mockingly, Kara slowly closed her eyes, groaning. "This cannot be happening right now."
"Kara? Is something wrong?" Ambrosia asked.
"Yeah, there is." She replied, the boy trying to stick his tongue at her in a sexy manner. "Shit... I thought he was thrown off the freaking team..."
"Who? Oh, that boy is looking at you." Ambrosia pointed out.
"Yes, I know." Kara sighed.
"You should ask him to the Winter Ball and if he has any cute friends!" Rosemary piped.
"No, I shouldn't. That's my ex. I broke up with him back in Sophomore year when he became a class A jerk. He and Candace tormented me last year. Between the two of them, I don't know whose insults were more degrading."
"Oh dear... that's terrible. Shame on him for doing such things." Jasmine replied.
"He apologized over the summer, but now he's been trying to get back with me. I don't want to do this again." Kara said, sighing as she let her head fall back.
The track team began to take their places, the group of girls watching. As the first dash started, Rosemary began to fidget. "Jasmine..." She whined, noticing Candace and Natalie, along with a few other girls in their posse, had come to see the meet as well, sitting further down the bleachers. Natalie glanced over, frowning for a moment before looking on at the track. Chase exclaimed happily when he reached the finish line first, Viktor having made it just behind him.
"I guess he has plenty of practice from running from Onyx." Jasmine said, Ambrosia clapping politely. Just then, hurdles began to be placed on the track for the next dash. Kara glanced over at the other girls warily.
"We can't let them get down there before me. If they do, they're going to probably all get dates and leave US in the dust." Kara whispered to Rosemary.
"Well Ambrosia doesn't have to worry, she's already got a date." She rolled her eyes.
"But Rosemary, don't you remember that Chase offered to take you?" Ambrosia asked, to which she received a flat expression in response.
"I am NOT going to the Winter Ball with a TROLDEN."
The staff had finished setting up hurdles for the next round, the racers once again taking their places. They sped off at the sound of the bell, Chase speeding ahead without even breaking a sweat. Despite rooting for him, Kara could not take her eyes off of how Viktor's hair seemed to shimmer in the wind, flowing behind him like silk. When they raced by, she couldn't contain herself, standing up.
"Go Viktor!" She shouted, smiling when he broke ahead to second place once more. For a moment, their gazes met, and Viktor smiled to himself as he pushed even ahead of Chase.
"Woah, he's in first place!" Rosemary beamed. They did not notice Candace glance over at them for a moment before looking back at the track.
Chase growled to himself, catching up to Viktor as they were neck and neck. He shot a look at the blonde boy, determined to win this race. The group in the bleachers watched as the nail-biting race was coming close to the end.
They did not notice a third person catching up dangerously close to them.
As Viktor and Chase made their way around again, Viktor flashed Kara a quick smile, and she thought her heart had stopped for a moment.
She didn't realize that it would soon feel like stopping again, but for a very different reason.
As they made their final lap, Dan pushed forward, straining as he just managed to move ahead of Viktor. When he jumped the hurdle, his foot caught the edge of it, knocking it into Viktor's path. Not able to avoid it, everyone gasped as Viktor flew forward, nearly falling flat on his face. Chase looked over his shoulder for a moment, not even bothering to slow down as he took first place. Kara's heart pounded in her chest, unable to stop herself as she sped down the bleachers, shoving the gate open to run onto the track. The other girls looked at one another before running after her, Viktor wincing as he nursed his knee. Kara fell to her own, her eyes widening when she saw that a piece of the hurdle was lodged into his knee, pieces of it scattered along the track. "Oh shit." She swore, digging into her pockets to try to dab some of the blood with a tissue. The others eventually caught up, Kara helping him to a bench as the coach ran to get a stretcher.
"It seems I've made a fool of myself yet again..." Viktor tried to chuckle, wincing from the pain.
"Just try to relax. Don't move it, it'll only feel worse." Ambrosia said, taking out some cloth bandages to wrap around his leg.
"There's only one person who should feel worse." They looked up as Candace approached, pointing at Kara. "The only reason this happened is because you distracted him."
At this, Kara furrowed her brows. "That's not true... I was just rooting for him, everyone here was rooting for someone."
"And now he's got a piece of metal sticking out of his knee." Candace smirked. "You just keep sticking things where they don't belong. At least you're consistent." She snickered with some of the other girls in her posse, Natalie staring at the ground.
"I should have stuck something of mine in her place." Dan said as he approached.
Viktor sat up straighter as Kara narrowed her eyes. "Now that is completely uncalled for!"
"Oh shut up, you're practically a girl." Dan spat.
"No, you shut up, asshole!" Kara shouted. "You're the one who pulled that clumsy shit that made him trip in the first place, everyone saw it!"
"Hey, come on, you should be thanking me." He said bitterly. "Now while he's got to be in bed all day, maybe you'll get freaky with him. More than you ever did with me."
Just then, Dan was shoved to the ground, Candace and her posse moving back as Chase stood over him. "Say one more thing about her like that and I'll turn you into dirt." He curled his lip, staring daggers as Dan got to his feet. Not a moment later, he flew a punch at Chase, to which he easily dodged. Candace looked over her shoulder at Kara, motioning to them.
"See? You've just got all these guys fighting over you, whore." She scoffed, Kara tightening her lips as she marched over. Chase withheld himself as she stood between them, their fighting ceasing as she glared at Dan.
"Go home." She said firmly before looking at Chase. "Come on. Coach is coming back, help me put Viktor on the stretcher."
Chase looked on with displeasure, going over as he reluctantly helped Viktor onto the stretcher. He was about to be taken away, when Kara felt something. Her breath was caught in her throat when she looked over to see that Viktor had taken her hand, their gazes locked.
"Thank you, Kara. For being here for me." He smiled lightly, his hand slipping from hers as he was carried away. Kara could only stare after him, her hand feeling prickly tingles from the sensation. The Phoenix girls approached, Ambrosia giggling lightly.
"I do believe Kara has been love struck." She said.
Rosemary sighed longingly. "Lucky..."
Bonnie glanced over as Chase shook his head, beginning to storm off. She curiously followed him, watching as he kicked the dirt angrily. He glanced over when he noticed her there, sighing with frustration.
"I don't know what it is. I'm friends with almost all girls, but none of them want anything to do with me... like that." He crossed his arms.
"Well... have you taken the initiative? Yes, us girls do love to dream of a prince charming, but we just need a reminder than he doesn't always come as a knight in shining armor." She giggled lightly.
"What's the point if everyone's going to just remind me about all the reasons why they DON'T want me to be their boyfriend?" Chase pouted.
"You could always present the reasons why they may want to..." Bonnie tilted her head. "Hey... I know how you feel. I... want so badly for Barry to realize that I'm perfect for him. But... life isn't always perfect, is it?"
Chase nodded, stretching his arms. "Thanks, Bonnie. Boy, all that running worked up an appetite."
She giggled. "I'm a bit famished myself. Let's go before night falls. I don't want any monsters to nibble on me." She joked, the pair heading back.
Going to end it here for now... so, what did you all think? Poor Viktor, he got a piece of metal lodged in his knee instead of an arrowhead! But who will be the one taking care of him this time? Find out more in the next chapter!