(9)

"Don't forget Speed," Lash announced loudly. "Izzy is the enemy."

I scowled. Jerk!

"You have five minutes to immobilize your opponents," Boomer sounded.

The whistle blew.

Warren was knocked to the floor the moment he started up. I saw a blur run around the gym as I looked down at Warren.

"You missed Izzy!" Lashed shouted pointing at me.

I shook my head and walked over to Warren. The blur passed my by lightly pushing me to the ground.

It seems even bullies get bullied, I thought standing up.

Warren was already ignited and launching a few fire balls at Lash. I adjusted my glasses on my face searching for the blur called Speed.

I held out my hand palm up blow my mouth creating a few bubbles. They lingered by my side until I figured out what I wanted to do with them.

"Pop her bubbles, Speed! Quick!" Lash said pointing to me.

The blur rushed up to me and in lightning speed popped all my bubbles. I scowled at him just before a fireball hit his square in the face.

I chuckled lightly seeing him nearly topple over.

I held out my hand again this time turning as a blew out my attackers. I let them swarm around me as I turned and them pointed at Lash launching them into attack. They flew across the field dodging Warren's fireballs hitting Lash where the fire didn't.

Float like a butterfly and sing like a bee, I quoted again.

New catch phrase, I thought.

"Hey!" Speed shouted.

My eyes went wide as he stood up towering over me. I had my hand ready to block whatever normal speed throw he had coming. Instead, Speed just glared down at me with one fist clenched at chest level. If he didn't have such an attraction to me, I'm sure I'd be facing a high speed storm of punches right about now.

I held up my fingers in a circle with my index finger connecting with my thumb blowing out a few bubbles to make an escape. I quickly ran over to Warren hiding on the other side of him for a quick moment.

"What's going on?" Warren asked with his arms fully ignited.

"Speed just looks like he wants to punch me in the face so I'm taking a quick five second break," I explained seeing Lash reach out at us.

"Break's over," I said dashing out from behind Warren.

"Izzy!" Warren shouted.

I ran out creating a line of bubbles to follow me. I pointed for a few to head in Speeds direction while the rest followed me; a moving target. I had no plan for what was to come next, all I knew was that I needed to keep moving in case Lash reached out to me again.

It was then that I saw Lash's hand move over the field to me. I popped the remaining bubbles on the gym floor making it slippery so I would move faster. I began sliding across the floor trying to out run his outreaching grasp.

At first, he just gabbed a handful of hair, then he reached for my most prized possession.

"Hey!" I shouted reaching up to recollect my glasses.

"You're useless without these!" Lash said disappearing from my outrageously bad vision.

I stopped in my tracks knowing I was still near Warren on our side of the field. Better to stand completely blind then run completely blind. I blew out a few thousand bubbles to barricade me against anything I managed to see before it actually hit me.

This has to be against some rule, I thought furiously.

Something bright moved towards me. I reached out hoping Warren would die down his flames before he touched me. My open hand crashed right into his armored chest. He placed one hand on my opposite shoulder throwing a fireball with the free hand.

"What's going on?" I asked unable to see anything but Warren's light.

"I'll get knocked over soon by Speed since that's really the only attack he knows," Warren said launching another fire missile.

I rolled my eyes squinting to try and see anything past my nose; which was a blur.

"One minute left!" Boomer yelled.

Speed zoomed passed us. Warren was only knocked on the head.

"He's being gentle because I'm right here," I thought out loud.

"I figured that out," Warren said rubbing his head. "Here he comes again."

An idea popped in my head.

"Fall down this time," I whispered.

"What?" Warren asked stooping lower to hear me.

"Fall down all the way when Speed hits you," I repeated.

I yelped out as Speed completely knocked Warren down. I took my chance stepping over Warren and turning on my tip toes. I held out my arms creating two circled with all four of my fingers touching my thumb. I spun around moving over the gym floor creating thousands upon thousands of bubbles. I circled the gym floor twice before I whipped around to Warren.

He was standing now as I let my bubbles linger in the air behind me. I grabbed onto Warren wrapping my arms around his torso. I ended up behind him with my hands clasped tightly to hang onto him as I stopped.

"Light 'em up," I spoke coming to a halt.

I felt the heat come from Warren's arms as he started himself up. He slowly raised his arms over his head letting the fire reach it's full potential before he released it. It was tremendously loud when he let his fire scatter in my field of bubbles. Everything grew louder and I even felt Warren take a step back due to the high velocity.

My arms suddenly burned as I cried out. I released Warren falling to my feet behind him. The noise gradually died down as I held out my bent arms before me.

Warren turned and knelt down to me automatically, "Izzy?"

"Why did you burn me?" I cried knowing the water in my eyes was about to overflow.

"I… I didn't try to," Warren said placing his hands on my shoulder and pushing up so I'd meet his gaze.

He looked down at my arms then seeing better than I could. I knew my long sleeves and armor were completely burned off. Even better, I knew my skin at at least second degree burns on the inside and possibly third degree burns. I knew my skin was distorted and I heard it crack and hiss as I moved them.

"Warren Peace still stands," Boomer announced. "Izzy and Warren are the victors!"

"What?" I asked looking up at the ceiling to try and stop the water from flowing down my face. "Warren, can you get my glasses, please?

Warren stood immediately racing across the field to retrieve my better set of eyes for me. I slowly rested my arms on my legs hearing my skin break as I did.

Burned, bruised, and bleeding, I thought letting a single tear escape my large blue eyes.

"Here," Warren said handing my glasses to me. "I truly didn't mean to burn you, Izzy."

I lowered my head to my hands putting my glasses on, "I believe you."

I looked up and around seeing the entire gymnasium effected by the fire. Speed and Lash were out cold on the opposite end. Some of their clothing was burned off as they received urgent attention from the school nurse. The floor had scorch marks on it and Boomer's chair was still on fire. The stands where the students sat had heat markings where it was bare and all the students had smoke smudged all over their faces and clothing.

"What did you do, Warren?" I asked turning back to him.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," he answered shaking his head.

"Well, let's try avoid this move in the future then," I said noticing that the ceiling had burn marks too.

"I don't quite understand though," Warren said in a low whisper.

"I don't understand how it happened either," I said.

"No, I don't understand how I burned you," Warren said. "I knew you were holding onto me, and I had my mind set on not burning what was touching me."

"Warren," I said smiling. "It's fine. I forgive you."

"It doesn't make sense though," Warren said a little sternly turning away to think.

I looked over at Speed and Lash, "Think they'll be okay?"

"Hope not," Warren said.

I opened my mouth to speak but his gaze caught me off guard. He first looked down at my arms and how badly burned they were. Then he slowly met my eyes with remorse filled in his own.

"How could I have burned you?" Warren asked himself more than me.

"Bubble and hot head," Boomer said walking over to us.

Warren and I sprang apart as Boomer approached us.

Boomer glanced fro me to Warren and the back to me with a smirk.

Great, now my teacher think I'm in love with my partner, I thought.

"It's been decided that you will face Lash and Speed at Save the Citizen for the Homecoming game," Boomer said before he turned and strutted away.

My jaw dropped as I met Warren's eyes again.