The Pain Game

Nova found her friends in the cellar of the apartment complex; there were a lot of storage rooms in there that were often raided by junkies for stuff to sell which had led to the place falling into disarray. Nobody in their right mind would use these storage rooms for anything valuable, but the cellar was a fun place to hang out in. It had lots of unused rooms with old stuff you could mess with, different pathways and an old bomb shelter.

"Nova! Where the hell have you been, mom grounded you again?" It was Nathan, the oldest of them who addressed her as she entered the bomb shelter. The room walls had a sickly yellow color and it was filled with old bikes with punctures or missing wheels.

"Yep… you know my mom…" Nova said with a sigh. It was a good cover-lie, she got grounded often enough. Truth was her family had spent the weekend in Diagon Alley, getting supplies for her first year at Hogwarts, unfortunately she wasn't allowed to tell her muggle friends about it, stupid rule.

"Hey, check out what Nathan got today!" Reece interrupted.

Nathan pulled a gun out from behind him, smiling and pointing the thing at Nova's face.

"What the fuck!" she closed her eyes and shielded her face with her hands. "Point that thing somewhere else!"

"Chill, it's just an air soft." Nathan laughed at her reaction with the other boys.

"You can shoot someone's eye out!" She saw that he had stopped aiming at her. She felt uncomfortable as he waved the thing around, he could be very reckless. He had brought a can with plastic balls to shoot and there were already a bunch of them covering the floor.

"Let's take the group photo you talked about Nathan!" Reece said.

"Aye! Make sure you look gangsta as fuck!" Nathan said.

The four of them began posing and soon they were looking at the photo with big smiles on their faces. There was thirteen year old Nathan who was the biggest of them, he had had a big growth spurt recently and would soon be as tall as most adults, he looked like an arrogant prick with short copper hair and a strong jawline. He performed the gangsta pistol grip while gritting his teeth and holding his shades slightly below his eyes, looking into the camera. Reece was one head shorter and one year younger. He was quite a chubby boy, he had short hay colored hair and he made the peace sign with a cute smile. Then there was Nova and Jordan who both were one year younger and half a head shorter then Reece. Jordan was a shy, thin boy, all the 'gangstaness' he could muster was a slight smirk. Then there was Nova with her thick platinum white hair, reaching her shoulders. She did the devil horns sign and stared at the viewer as if she was thoroughly unimpressed by them. Her teeth could also be seen, they were a little more prominent then normal, nothing extreme, but enough for bullies to notice and she often received comments about it in school.

"Reece, you were supposed to look gangsta…" Nova said giggling. "Not absolutely adorable!"

"Aaw sheit…You messed up our picture bro," Nathan said and shot an old beer bottle someone had left in a corner of the bomb shelter.

"Can I try it?" Nova said.

"Later maybe," Nathan said as he aimed for a second shot.

Reece walked up to Nova and used his big body and strength to lift her up and hug her, he pressed so hard she could hardly breathe and then he released. It was a little greeting-ritual of theirs, and Nova gasped for breath theatrically. Then Reece cried out in pain, Nathan had shot him in the back.

"What the hell!" Nova walked up to Nathan, trying to grab the gun, but Nathan held it too high for her and pushed her away.

"It's fine…" Reece said, trying not to let tears out. She figured this wasn't the first time he'd been shot.

"What? Can't take a little pain?" Nathan said.

"If we're gonna get shot, then you'll have to as well!" Nova said.

"Sure, but you first," Nathan said. "Move over there and turn around."

Nova wondered why she agreed to stupid shit all the time… Nathan was upping his game when it came to delivering pain… just great… She turned around and steeled herself. She heard him load the gun and then felt him aiming at her.

"Are you gonna shoot or not, asshole?" Nova said as she felt the tension building. "C'mon you piece of AOOU!" At first it was just the shock of getting hit, just below her left shoulder, and then she felt it stinging more and more. It must have hit real good because it hurt so much she had to lean against the wall and gasp for air. She wasn't going to cry though!

The boys were laughing hard, but then they heard someone moving about in the cellars, they all got silent real fast and switched off the lights, they were not supposed to be there. Nova felt her back bulging with pain, it burned real bad. She gritted her teeth while they listened; it was someone throwing old junk away, then they walked out again.

"Your turn!" Nova said angrily to Nathan.

"No it's Jordan's turn," Nathan said. Shy little Jordan was good at avoiding notice, but Nathan never missed a chance to torture his younger brother.

"Ah, c'mon…" Jordan said. "I don't wanna…"

Nathan pushed him over to the spot were Nova had stood and aimed at him, he began hyperventilating and then he screamed as the bullet hit his back. He fell down on his knees and sobbed.

Nathan walked over to him and patted his shoulder. "Hey, it's not that bad."

Nova tried to grab the gun from Nathan while he was distracted but he was too strong and pushed her away.

"Come on, let's go outside and try to shoot something," Nathan said and began walking out of the room.

Nova knew he was trying to get away and she wouldn't let him. She ran up to him and kicked him hard in the shin; it was a nice hit and he fell over with a scream. He dragged her down and the two of them wrestled wildly. Nova was pushed into a bicycle and fell over it with a loud scrambling sound. She felt it hurting in several places but she had no time for that, she leaped upon Nathan again and managed to scratch his arm, he got a hold of her head but she countered with lifting his leg, making him fall, taking her with him. So they continued until they both lay panting for air.

Reece had picked up the gun and Jordan wasn't crying anymore.

"You're crazy," Nathan panted.

"It's… your time… to get shot…" Nova panted.

"Fine… by the way… you could have… broken the gun… crazy bitch."

Nova smirked at him and the two of them stood up, brushing their clothes off. She noticed an abrasion on her left knee, and her stomach and chest were hurting. Nathan walked over to the spot where the others had gotten shot and turned his back towards the others, Nova gestured for Reece to give her the gun and he quietly did. The gun felt a little too big in her hands but she aimed at his back and shot; hitting right at his spine. He yelled out in pain and laughed. She quickly began reloading and shot him again in the side.

"What the FUCK!" he screamed at the second shot.

Nova was giggling in a rush of adrenalin and tried to reload again while backing away from the furious Nathan that came rushing towards her. She didn't manage to reload in time and he tackled her right into the wall, grabbing the gun. Nathan loaded the thing and had a crazy look about him so the other three began running as fast as they could and the chase commenced. They ran about in the old cellar, pulling out doors to cover the escape route for the mad Nathan or throwing debris in the way while he tried to hit shot after shot. In the end, Nova had gotten hit two additional times, one on her thigh, but her shorts had dampened the impact and the last one had hit her arm on bare skin, it had swollen into a red bump. Reece had been a loyal friend in trying to delay Nathan which had earned him a shot in the stomach, while Jordan had abandoned the cause but came sneaking back now that they all had calmed down.

Were this super dangerous and someone could easily have gotten permanently damaged eyesight? Why yes of course, but they were panting and laughing nonetheless. After a while Nathan began taking some selfies with him holding his gun. Nova rolled her eyes and both Reece and Jordan giggled.

If there was anything Nova was proud about, it was her ability to use her big mouth to insult other jackasses with, something that often landed her in trouble at school. She had quite the knack for rapping. Nathan was the only other person she knew who was decent at improvised rapping as well. The text for her opening verse was forming in her mind as she watched Nathan photograph himself.

"Hey Nathan, get ready to battle, biatch!" Nova said.

"Bro, I'm busy."

"So you'll just concede defeat eh?" she said with a smirk.

Nathan faked a yawn. Nova thought she was better than Nathan at rap battles, something he would probably agree with, but never admit. He never admitted defeat in anything after all, which made it all the more fun. She began moving around, doing a few beat sounds and then she began rapping.

"You think you're so cool, are you trying to impress?

Cuz no one ever thought, 'that guy know how to dress!'

At least you can fight, if you fight with a girl!

But a guy of your age, one hit and you hurl!

You got a new gun, oh man; that is great…

Some friendly advice; do not try n' compensate…

Oh why do you need to say, 'I'm completely straight'?

Now please give some bars, above your common rate…"

Reece and Jordan both cheered and laughed while Nova gave Nathan a big grin. She could see him cook up a response for several minutes, mumbling beats and then he began.

"Sorry that it took a while, to come up with this verse.

I had to keep my laughter in, your riming is the worst.

You say I'm a looser, but you know that isn't true.

When I meet a new girl, she sticks to me like glue.

But you're a pretty funny girl, that I can admit.

Not because you're clever, really - you should quit.

But you're funny to look at, makes it hard to think.

Your giant teeth's so ugly, I couldn't even blink!"

Nathan looked as proud as a dad holding his firstborn. Nova thought for a minute or two while Reece and Jordan waited for her response, clearly in support of her over Nathan. She smirked at Nathan, she had come up with a real good one, and so she began.

"Well thinking's not your forte, so no one here's surprised.

Your flaws are so numerous, allow me to summarize!

You're lazy, you're crazy, your room smell like shit.

And every time we battle, you can't give me wit!

You always show us filth, on your stupid phone.

You think you're a king, but where is your throne.

And where are the girls, you claim that you bone.

Is an ego of giants, all that you own?"

She even got an "OOOOH!" from Reece and nervous laughing from Jordan. Nathan actually looked pissed now, but he was hard to read, so you never really knew. After a few minutes he began rapping in a more aggressive tone than usual.

"You know at our school, people think I'm hot!

I ask girls for a kiss, and I get A WHOLE LOT!

While you're just a dork, that need to be heard.

Yet most of us don't; listen to a word.

Keep yapping so loud, thinking you're the best.

You thirst to be popular, just give it a rest.

And if we itch for a fight, we know who to choose.

Since you're always up for it, even though you'll lose!

My name is Nathan, but people call me Nat.

…Cuz I'm a Natural Twenty!"

Nova snorted at his last line, Reece had recently discovered roleplaying games, and they had played several sessions at this point with him as game master. Nathan was way more into it then he cared to admit. At school Nathan had his own group of much cooler friends then Nova, Reece and Jordan. But during their free time he still wanted to hang with them, so Nova had her next verse prepared within the next minute.

"What a dorky reference - your finish, it was weak.

A wannabe gangsta, which is secretly a geek.

It is true, you have fans, they like to call you bro.

But only cuz they know, of daddie's sick dough.

And I defend my friends, when bullies come to fight.

While you cower in fear, I will do what's right!

Even though they're huge, almost twice my height.

I'll hit them where they're weak, and it's - goooood - night!"

And she did a gesture of performing and uppercut. Nathan snorted and pushed her head affectionately, saying "Bro, you're such a dork…" Nova felt proud and couldn't help but smile, she thought those verses were some of her best yet, and based on Reece and Jordan's reactions, they thought so too.

#

The gang was walking the suburb discussing what to do next.

"We should shoot at the windows of that old hag Gallagher, she's awful…" Nova said, but just then her phone rang.

"Where are you? We're going to the seminar!" It was her mother Gabrielle, clearly stressed out.

"I thought it began at nine o'clock!" Nova whined.

"Well, you need to shower and we're going to buy a lot of food to cook, so hurry!"

"I don't wanna go!"

"You better hurry! And by the way, your great grandfather is here." Gabrielle had a sharp edge to her voice and ended the call.

Nova didn't want to challenge her mom this close to the school start, you never knew if she'd think of some crazy punishment.

"I gotta go," she sighed heavily.

Nathan snorted at her. "Mommie called?" he said with a stupid shrill voice.

"Yeah… I…" she had planned to tell them about her leaving for Hogwarts, but now it felt really difficult. She thought she would have more time and now it came so suddenly. Meeting a bunch of new strangers felt scary, at least she knew what to expect from this bunch. "I'm going away soon… to a new school."

Reece jumped with a panic-stricken look "A new school!?"

She noticed how he tried to hold back immediate tears. They had been friends the longest and they had always stuck together in school. Reece had been picked on a bunch and Nova would always defend him. She could not hold her tears back and fell into his arms. "I'm sorry…"

"Why? Why are you going?" Reece sobbed.

"Mom forced me…" Nova lied, she hated that she was forced to lie to her friends. "She wants me in some high class school. I hate it."

They went silent for a moment, just holding each other.

"Well, we can chat online… at least," Reece said eventually.

Nova's heart sunk. She knew muggle technology didn't work at Hogwarts - what was she going to say…

"Man, that fucking sucks…" Nathan said and came over to get himself a hug as well. Then Nova grabbed Jordan and hugged him. It was all strong, heartfelt hugs, which made her feel better about it.

"Well, I have to go…" she said with a hoarse voice. "There's still a few days left before I leave."

"Good, I have some fun pranks planned," Nathan said.

"We should have sleepovers," Reece said, still sobbing.

Nova nodded and walked backwards away from them, wiping tears away. "Yeah, every night!"