Chapter 10
Before they knew it, it was the day of the big game against Germany. The team was really nervous, but they knew that they could do it. They knew that they could win. Before the left for Germany, there was a big pep-rally. Although they were the reason for the rally, the team was really bored. They pretended to be enjoying themselves until they could escape to leave for Germany.
After this game, there would be also be a dance, but it would be different than the others. It would be more formal and there would be the awarding of the trophy to the winners. The musketeers had it all worked out how best to protect Kayla. Thankfully, there had been no problems since that first dance in November. Kayla would only dance with Jason, James, or Jake. She knew that she could trust them. It also meant that Jason had to dance with her. So although it was restricting, Kayla got her way and was able to dance as much as she wanted with Jason.
As they were getting ready in the locker room, Coach MacMahan was giving them their ritual pep-speech. "Okay, team. When we sat through tryouts in the fall, I never dreamed of getting this far. Whatever happens, it has been a great season, and I am proud of each and every one of you. But, let's go prove to the world that the U.S.A. is no school to trifle with. Let's go show the world what we are made of!" That said, the team started to cheer. For themselves, for their coach, for their country.
As they stepped onto the field amidst heavy cheering from their fans in the stands, Jason pulled Kayla aside and gave her a quick kiss. "Let's do this," he whispered before letting her go and taking his position.
At the sound of the whistle, both teams shot into the air and began the game. Germany's chasers were amazing. They zoomed through the field and managed to take an early lead on Bridgeton. Kayla had to wrench her eyes away from the other players and look for the snitch. The German seeker wasn't even bothering to look for the Snitch himself. He was just following Kayla, hoping that she would lead him to it.
45 minutes later, things were looking bleak. Germany was winning 130 to 20 and there was still no sign of the snitch. Then suddenly, Kayla saw it. Hovering near the far goal posts. She glanced at her "shadow" and noticed that he still hadn't seen it. She decided to count on her speed and agility to get it before he did. Kayla turned her broom and sped off in the opposite direction from the snitch. As she expected, her follower did the same thing and over took her. Before he could notice her change in direction, she turned 180 degrees and sped off towards the snitch. Dodging around a bludgers, she outstretched her hand and grabbed the snitch. Bridgeton won 170 to 130. The U.S.A was the number one team in the world for the first time in 13 years. As she landed, the team surrounded her, crying and Coach MacMahan came up and sobbed into her shoulder. She had done it. She had won it for her team.
Soon, they had all changed into their formal clothes and were ready to
go to the dance and accept their trophy. Kayla linked her arm around Jason's
and leaned against him in a way that was bound to make people jealous. After
all, neither of them were bad looking, in fact both of them were really good looking
so their were obviously others who were "in love" with one or the
other. Keri was going to the dance with Jake, and Tori was going with James.
They were just going with each other so that they could protect Kayla better.
And then, the keeper Rachel was going with her boyfriend.
Kayla was wearing this long, silvery, tube top dress and to Jason she looked
absolutely gorgeous. But, then, to Jason, she always looked beautiful. As they
walked into the room, the entire student population heaved a sigh at how
perfect Kayla and Jason looked together.
"It is my pleasure to present to you," projected the voice of an
announcer, "the winners of this year's international competition, the
undefeated team of Bridgeton, U.S.A.: seeker Kayla Osborne, beaters Tori and
Keri Rose, chasers Jason Clayborne, James Curtis, Jacob Rogers, and keeper
Rachel Mitchells! Give them a hand! They have worked hard all season and it is
my pleasure to give them this trophy!" He walked up to hand it to them and
her team pushed Kayla forward to accept it. She raised it above her head as the
announcer shouted, "Now let's get this party started!"
As the music blared, the team went to find Coach MacMahan to give him the
trophy to put somewhere safe until they could bring it back to Bridgeton. Once
it was safely deposited in his hands, the group returned to the dance just in
time for a slow song to start. Jason placed his hands around Kayla's waist as
she circled his neck with hers. Her head was resting on his chest. (She wasn't
that short, he was just pretty tall. She came up to his chin.) Their friends
just stared at them and couldn't help but notice how perfect they looked
together. They seemed to be 2 halves of a whole, not 2 separate people. They
just hoped that nothing would come between their two friends.
Kayla danced happily in Jason's arms for the rest of the night. Before she knew it, it was past midnight, and the American students needed to pile back on the busses to return to Bridgeton.
That Monday, Principal Rosenthal called an assembly of the freshman, sophomores, and juniors. Their were only about 100 students a grade, so it was possible for the entire group to meet in the theater to hear whatever it was their esteemed principal wanted to tell them.
The 6 friends filed into the theater and sat in a row next to each other. Kayla and Jason of course sat next to each other holding hands. Once everyone had found seats, Mrs. Rosenthal walked on-stage and gave a silent command for silence. She then began her speech using her gifts to make her voice seem louder than it really was.
"Let me begin by saying congratulations to the Quidditch team for winning their game on Friday and securing the world championship for us," she paused here to wait for the applause to die down. "As you all should know, the reason why we have the world tournament is to promote relations between the youth of the gifted world. However, this has been severely hampered because of Britain's lack of participation and because France and the Eastern Russian schools did not participate this year. This is because they participated in the Tri-wizard tournament with England. We were asked, but decided it was too dangerous to risk our students.
"However, this is not the point. The point is that while you might have grown close with those of other countries, you do not know the British youth as well as could be hoped. Therefore, I have kept correspondence with the headmaster of the British school, Hogwarts, in order that we might reach a solution to this dilemma. Recently, we decided upon something that we hope will solve our problem. Next year, we will be having an exchange program with the British school. Only the future sophomores, juniors, and seniors will be allowed to go. Yes, the seniors will be able to send their college applications out. My good friend Albus Dumbledore has assured me that sending mail between the countries shall not be difficult.
"While anyone is eligible to apply to be considered for this exchange program, only the most qualified will be accepted. We will also only let 6 students from each grade level participate. This is not on a first-come/first-serve basis, so take the time to discuss this with your parents and decide if this is what is right for you. The applications will be in my office and anybody who wants one can stop by and pick one up. Please have them turned in before spring break, which is in less than two weeks. Any received later than that won't be accepted. We will let you know who is going the Friday after break.
"In case you don't want to go anywhere, but you would like to meet English students, we are also looking for people to be host families for the exchange students that we receive. That, however, is on a first-come/first-serve basis. So if that is what you are willing to do, sign up as soon as possible since there are only 18 slots. That is all. Have a good day," she said as she walked off stage.
The musketeers looked at each other and smiled. They thought that it would be good for England to experience some musketeer magic. As soon as they managed to reach the doors to the auditorium, they made their way to Principal Rosenthal's office to pick up the applications. "Ah, yes," she said when she saw them, "I was expecting you 6 to be first. I have the feeling that you will do nicely in England. Good luck on convincing your parents." It wasn't until they were halfway down the hall that she had practically told them that they would be accepted if they applied. They couldn't wait to get home and try to convince their parents to let them go.
Luckily their parents said that they could turn in applications. Lucky for their parents that is. If they had refused, their children might have disowned them. The next day, the 6 friends all turned in the applications to the box outside Mrs. Rosenthal's office. Now, the only thing they were nervous about was actually qualifying for the trip. They all desperately wanted to go and hoped that they all made it since they thought that it wouldn't be the same without all of them.
Unfortunately, they wouldn't find out for another week. It was the middle of spring break and the musketeers were doing what they had been doing for the beginning half of it. They were all at Kayla's house learning to hone their abilities to best protect Kayla from Hope. They were already more advanced in certain areas than some of the graduating seniors. And their telepathic abilities with each other were incomparable. They could communicate with each other no matter what the circumstances. Nothing could block them from their friends' thoughts, except a shield that they themselves created around their thoughts.
Normally this would be great, but Kayla was getting sick and tired of everyone trying to protect her. She knew that she might be the only hope to stop her father, but she was going to go insane. It was during one of these practices that she snapped completely.
Hope was giving them more advanced self-defense training than they would receive at Bridgeton. They had just told her of their hopes to go to Hogwarts next year on the exchange program. She bit her lip as if trying to decide whether or not to say something. She decided to tell them. "I'm not so sure you should go to England, Kayleen," she cautiously told her daughter. "It might put you in more danger than you are now. I have heard rumors of an evil wizard running around there and I just don't think that you should be their now. It is not the safest of places and we can't risk you accidentally getting hurt."
"That's it! I've had it!" Kayla screamed. "I can't stand you telling me how much I need to protect myself! Thanks to your training I now have 5 fully trained and loyal bodyguards! But for some reason you don't seem to think that this is enough! What else have you been training us for if not to defend ourselves?"
"Now look here, missy-"
"Don't you 'now look here, missy' me! I am sick and tired of you acting like I can't take care of myself!"
"I am just trying to protect you!"
"I know that but if you don't give me room to spread my wings, I can't learn to fly!"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"If you keep trying to protect me, I will never become what you think I already am! I am outa here!" With a pop, Kayla disappeared, leaving a room full of shocked people. None of them had seen her ever blow up like that. Usually Kayla was the one to keep her cool. The stress must really of been getting to her.
Hope whipped around to stare at Jason. Her furious eyes locked on his. "Tell her to get her ass back here, now," she ordered in a deathly calm voice. Jason obviously had the strongest connection to Kayla. That was why Hope asked him to contact her wayward daughter.
After only a few minutes of silence Jason looked up, "She has herself completely shielded off. She has her thoughts sealed in so tight I can't even figure out where she is," he apologized.
"Dammit! Don't any of you know where she is?" She glanced around at all of them. Jason who was sitting cross-legged on the floor with his back up against the wall, Jake who was leaning against the doorframe, and James who was lying on the practice mats all shook their heads no. But, Tori and Keri who were sitting back-to-back on the floor turned and looked at each other guiltily.
Tori spoke up hesitantly, "We might know where she is."
"Tell me," Hope growled.
"Nope, we promised not to bring anyone else there besides us. She would kill us."
"Then you go get her." Before she could tell them twice, the twins jumped up and teleported to Mother Tree's clearing. First, they were hoping that Kayla was there. 2nd, they hoped that she wouldn't kill them. And 3rd, they hoped that they could persuade her to come back. Hope wasn't going to like it if she didn't return with them.