There was a chorus of cheers as we ran out onto the field, helmets on along with our game faces. As long as it had been since I'd played a game, I hadn't forgotten a thing. I was tossed smack back into the thick of it and I loved it. It seemed strange but it was football that brought me back some normalcy into my life. We all did a team huddle like every game, coach saying some vaguely inspiring stuff while the cheerleaders cheered for us in the background pepping us up for the game.
I stood back, feeling a little nervous, just because it had been a while but ultimately remembering I'd been playing sports my whole life, and I'd been a part of the football team since freshman year. I'd been playing since middle school. I looked out into the crowd, surprised a little to see a personal entourage sitting in a taped off area of the bleachers.
Tony was sitting looking unimpressed alongside Steve, Pepper and Tasha. Underneath them Peter was sitting looking more interested in his popcorn alongside Gwen, who, although she was mad at Peter seemed to have buried the hatchet with me. Which was good. I waved slightly and Steve returned it with a warm smile. I got a nod from Tasha and a lighter, smaller and closer to the chest wave from Pepper.
The whistle blew and we had to run out onto the pitch and take our places before the first kick of the ball was made. I took my spot and before I knew it the whistle blew and I was sent hurling towards the ground by the other team. I got to my feet and dodged all other interaction from players who were not my familiars and dug my way into the action.
In no time at all it was half time, Tony still looked unimpressed and vaguely bored and the cheerleaders ran out onto the pitch, bringing it back around for the second half. I jogged over to the water stand and one of the water girls handed me a cup, much gentler and friendlier than they had previously, before I went to the 40s. I smiled at her, my helmet off, white blonde hair a little sweaty and sticking to my head.
"You're doing well Bonnie," she smiled. "Us girls are proud."
I smiled back at her, a little weirded out now everyone was being so nice, seeing as a week ago in this time I was a social leper. Seems a makeover could change everything. Either that or everyone was waiting for me to take down Liz Allen, which I had no intention of doing. Even if she was really annoying.
I started listening to the cheerleaders, watching the ones I recognised perform. I smiled at their ability to dance around, do complex athletics and recite the cheers that probably took a while to come up with.
"We are the panthers, fierce and strong! We're gonna beat you, it won't take long! We're the panthers, lean and fast! We're gonna win while you come in last!" They cheered and I smiled as I sipped my water and then put my helmet back on. I ran out to my spot on the field and waved to the girls from the locker room earlier today before getting my head in the game.
The cheering must have actually cheered me up, because I seemed to play way better in the second half of the game, grabbing a pass from Flash and being guarded by Luke. I managed to kick it through the goal from where I was since our star player couldn't get free and we were up, finally beating the other team by a significant portion. We were no longer neck and neck and that was good news.
"Bonnie, Bonnie, she's our girl! She is gonna rock your world!" I heard Stacey start up a new cheer I'd never heard before and I had to stop myself from eating barrelled over as I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. So this was what popularity felt like.
I waved as I ran past them and got back into position, hearing the whistle blow and then moving out again, ready to win this thing. I think I was covered in mud by this point and I think I heard the commentators say something about me but I didn't register what it was. Before I knew it the game was over and the cheerleaders were screaming with joy. I looked at the scoreboard and we'd won! First game of the season and hopefully the rest. The guys of the team ran around the field screaming, second sting players ripping off their tear away pants and joining us in the party.
Luke and Flash threw me up over their shoulders and the the cheerleaders started doing cartwheels and backsprings before leaping into our cheer again.
"We are the panthers, fierce and strong! We're gonna beat you, it won't take long! We're the panthers, lean and fast! We're gonna win while you come in last!"
Stacey spotted me on Flash and Luke's shoulders and then winked at me. Starting up my new cheer and everyone followed suit. So ether Stacey was coming on to me or I'd done something really important in the last couple of days and the cheerleaders were happy about it. Either that or I hit my head near the start of the game and am suffering a concussion.
"Bonnie, Bonnie, she's our girl! She is gonna rock your world!"
I climbed down off the guys' shoulders and headed into the locker room, wanting to shower up and get home. I ran my hand over my face, washing off the residual makeup from earlier and stepping into the showers, glad I was the only girl on the team for once. The hot water was nice on my stiffening muscles and I enjoyed the piece for a few moments. Relaxation interrupted by someone else coming into the locket room. I shit a brick and then edged out of the shower, leaving the water running while I moved, naked and afraid, to investigate.
I wrapped a towel round me and stuck my head round a wall of lockers. Slowly I made my way down the isle and round the next corner only to have my heart leap out of my chest when I came face to face with Tasha.
"HOLY SHIT WOMAN!" I screamed as I clutched my chest.
"Hey kiddo," she greeted me with a smirk.
"I'm going to die young," I gasped, moving back to the shower to turn off the water.
"Came in to se if you'd need any help with your hair or makeup," she explained as I grounded myself from my shock.
"You're such a fucking creep," I breathed out. "Trained assassin, what? You kill targets with heart attacks?"
"Chill out, you're worse than Tony," she shook her head. "Now come here," she tugged me towards her and started blowdrying my hair while I sat in my towel too tired to care but also really pissy.
