Okay so… I wasn't sure about this chapter when I first starting thinking about the story. I didn't know how I'd be at it. You'll see what I'm talking about later… So… I'm a little nervous, but we'll see. I think I can do it now…
Time was ticking. The crowd was cheering. Kiki could see the clock quickly running down.
"Go!" She shouted to Jimmie, who, while he wasn't really suppose to, turned and ran. The Wildcats kept people out of his way as he ran to the end of court. He nearly tripped on the way over but quickly recovered and went for the jump shot. It was as if everything had switched to slow motion. The ball arched through the air and swirled the rim before falling in a nano second before the buzzer sounded.
"Yes!" Jack shouted as they team ran over to congratulate Jimmie. He just took the game from a tie to a win.
"Burgers on Zara!" Matt yelled as they headed to the locker room. The team cheered in agreement, going to their locker rooms. Kiki headed for the girl's locker room, stopping when she saw a few of the boys from the Hornets' team.
"What do you want?" She asked.
"You made a miraculous recovery." Scott sneered.
"Huh? Oh, my knee. It was just twisted… and it was almost three weeks ago." Kiki rolled her eyes.
"Little brat, bet you think you're untouchable out on the court." Scott stepped in her way.
"Nope, on the court I'm just one of the guys. Now move." She toughly shoved him out of the way and slipped into the locker room. She quickly changed out of her basketball uniform into a tee shirt and a pair of jeans, torn as usual. She toyed with a rip in the knee for a moment before dragging a brush through her hair and re-tying her ponytail. She looked in the mirror, changing her mind and letting the blonde locks free, framing her face. She shook her hair back and headed out of the room, meeting the guys and Larissa out in the parking lot.
"I'm riding with Evans!" Matt called. They all jumped at the chance to ride with the top down.
"No dice. Mavolio is sitting in the cold heartless garage next to my dad's work. His car wouldn't start so he took mine." She rolled her eyes.
"Mavolio?" Donny asked.
"Yeah, as in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night." Kiki nodded.
"LP, you are a total nerd." McCall decided.
"Then I'm riding with McCall." Matt declared. Everyone spread out, Kiki getting in the car with Larissa, Donny and Jimmie.
Mackey Burgers had recently become a favorite of the Wildcats, seeing as it was one of the few places in town that welcomed the large, loud group of teenagers. They would take business in any way they could.
"Hey guys." Mackey greeted them as they walked in. They all said various hellos and started moving tables around.
"I'm having a La Vie Boheme moment." Larissa commented. Kiki and Jimmie laughed while the others looked kind of confused.
"It's from a movie… Rent… they go to a coffee shop and… you know what? Never mind." Kiki shook her head. It was too hard to try and explain. Mackey knew what do to when the kids were there. He turned up the music as a few more people came in, wanting to hang out with the team and offer congratulations and everything. The Basketball team was the center of attention as they ordered their burgers and whatnot. Kiki picked the menu back up and looked at it.
"Seems a downright shame." She sang gently.
"Shame." Jimmie grinned. They had seen Sweeney Todd the week before and both had fallen in love with it.
"Seems a awful waste. Such a nice plump frame whatshisname has, had, has, and it can't be traced." Kiki stood up, looking thoughtful.
"Debts to be erased...
Think of it as thrift,
as a gift,
If you get my drift!" She placed her fingers on Jimmie's shoulders and he looked up, confused.
"Seems an awful waste...
I mean, with the price of meat
what it is,
when you get it,
if you get it..." She snuck a look over at Jimmie.
"Hah…" He nodded.
"Good, you got it!" She smiled. The others watched, amused with it all.
"Take, for instance, Mrs. Mooney and her pie shop!
Bus' ness never better using only pussycats and toast!
And a pussy's good for maybe six or seven at the most!
And I'm sure they can't compare as far as taste!" She sat down next to him for only a second, getting up as he did.
"Mrs. Lovett, what a charming notion" Jimmie sang with a nod.
"Well, it does seem a waste..." He started walking around and she followed, looking pleased with herself.
"Eminently practical
and yet appropriate as always!" He sang
"It's an idea..." She joined.
"Mrs. Lovett, how I've lived
without you all these years, I'll never know!
How delectable!
Also undetectable!" he wrapped his arms around her.
"Think about it!
Lots of other gentlemen'll
soon be comin' for a shave,
Won't they?
Think of
All them
Pies!" She sang at the same time, putting her arms up as if to waltz.
"For what's the sound of the world out there?" Jimmie didn't know how to waltz so they just kind of spun.
"What, Mr. Todd?
What, Mr. Todd?
What is that sound?" She grinned, holding back a laugh
"Those crunching noises pervading the air!" Jimmie asked, really getting into it.
"Yes, Mr. Todd!
Yes, Mr. Todd!
Yes, all around!" Kiki sang excitedly.
"It's man devouring man, my dear!"
"And who are we to deny it in here?"(1) They kept going through the song and by the end everyone was clapping for them. They sat down to eat their burgers and debate the great debate. Unicorns Vs Zombies. (2)
"Hey guys. I have to get going." Kiki stood up.
"Hang on, I'll drive you." Jimmie offered.
"Naw. I want to walk, I'm just going down to the bookstore then I'm going to have Sharpay pick me up."
"Okay see you tomorrow Keeks." Jimmie said, getting comfortable again. They all said their goodbyes and she headed out. She had walked a few stores down before she noticed the car. It was moving slowly, right next to her. The windows were tinted so she couldn't see who it was. She walked a little faster and the car moved a little faster.
"Okay, back to Mackey's." She muttered, turning around. Before she could get anywhere the door opened and Tommy Ruiz jumped out. He grabbed her and shoved her in the alley. The car turned into the same alley and Scott and another guy got out. Kiki nearly fell to the concrete when Tommy gave her a little shove, but caught her balance.
"What do you want?" She snapped, rubbing her arm where Tommy had grabbed it.
"We know how you work." Scott said, crossing his arms.
"Really and How's that?" Kiki asked.
"You don't play fair, you're a cheating bitch (3)."
"I'm what?" Kiki gaped at him.
"You don't get the ball by being better you cheat."
"I use my brain. Something most of you don't have enough of to stop taking the bait." Kiki snapped, going to push past them. Tommy shoved her back, his beady eyes narrow.
"You said you play like one of the guys." Scott said with a grin. "Just one of the guys. That's what she said, right Omar?" The other guy nodded.
"Yep, that's what she said."
"Good, Just one of the guys." Scott repeated, before balling his fist and swinging at her.
In a perfect world Kiki would have dodged the punch and taken the three goons out, but it wasn't a perfect world. Kiki was 5 foot 5 inches and weight a buck oh five soaking wet. Never mind that she never had to actually fight before. These guys had, on average, thirty pounds and five inches on her.
Scott punched her square in the stomach and she knelt over, coughing. Tommy gripped her by the hair and shoved her roughly against the wall before pulling her back and shoving her to the ground. Omar delivered a swift kick to her stomach. Scott stood over her, smiling sadistically.
"Hope you're okay for the Game." He said, kicking her roughly in the stomach again and Tommy picked her up again, gripping her in a headlock. She had a scrape on the side of her face from the wall and her lip was bleeding.
"Didn't mean to damage your pretty face." He said sarcastically before shoving her to the ground again.
"Come on guys." Omar urged and they ran for Scott's car driving off. Kiki went back to coughing, tears streaming down her cheeks. She coughed into her arm, wincing, as each cough sent pain through her ribs. After a moment she managed to pick herself up and walk through the pain.
(1) Oh and I'll explain the song now… I needed filler, I've watched Sweeney Todd three times today and this will be relevant in the future I promise. I didn't do the whole song cause… it would have taken too long.
(2) For those that don't know, Zombies Vs. Unicorns is a big nerdy thing. Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier are big into it… I've been reading Scott Westerfeld's blog for the past week. He's married to Justine… I'm a dork. That's all that needs to be said
(3) I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
So, how'd I do on the 'Kiki gets the crap beat out of her' scene?