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Second grade…

The bell rang and out stampeded the second grade, eager to get out to the playground and make the most of their recess while they had the chance. Within moments, fifty seven and eight year olds, give or take a few, all stood together, discussing how they should spend today's recess.

"Hide and seek!" A girl suggested.

"Tag!"

"Hopscotch!"

"Soccer!"

"Catch!"

"Hey," A voice finally spoke up. "What about dodgeball?"

Excited murmurs came from the small crowd. Dodgeball it was then, as they fetched a ball, and the game begun. Screams and shrieks filled the playground, as everyone scattered in various directions, trying to avoid the ball, which was held in Sydney's possession. She grinned evilly. 'This was going to be fun…'

One by one, she aimed the ball at each individual person, and one by one, they yelped in pain, grasped their knee, or wherever she had happened to hit them, and hopped away slowly to sit on the side benches.

'Ten down, forty to go,' she thought to herself, as she caught the ball heading towards her, thus eliminating another one of her peers.

Sydney spun around, scanning the playground full of shrieking kids running around for her next target... And he just happened to be someone by the name of Eric Weiss. She smiled to herself, just as Eric turned to look in her direction, whose eyes widened when he saw her with the ball, looking in HIS direction.

'Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap,' he muttered under his breath to himself. He knew he couldn't outrun someone like Sydney. She was quick on her feet, more than likely one of the fastest runners in their grade. He could never outrun her. He was more… On the plump side, he'd prefer to put it. Pleasantly plump. And pleasantly plump people DO NOT outrun Sydney Bristows. Even little Sydney Bristows, who only measured up to be about up to his shoulders in height.

Eric made a mad dash in the opposite direction. He stumbled slowly, his breathing quickly becoming heavy after only a few metres. Sydney giggled to herself at seeing Eric run. Well, try to anyway…

She took off in a fast pace sprint, quickly, yet effortlessly gaining on a puffing and exhausted Eric, and threw the ball at him.

"Ow," he rubbed his neck, as he too, made his way to sit with the others on the bench that were already 'out'.

"Sorry Eric!" she apologised, before running back to the game in progress.

As Sydney dodged ball after ball without much effort, her other peers were slowly but gradually eliminated and joined the rest. Eventually, she managed to gain possession over the ball once again. The odd dozen or so people still in the game, having witnessed her with the ball previously with the other kids, frantically made a mad dash for it. Sydney Bristow plus dodgeball was not a good combination for the rest of them, one of which, included Mister Michael C. Vaughn, who reigned over last week's dodgeball game, one of which Miss Bristow had not been participating in.

"Ooh… Now this is gonna be exciting…" Eric spoke as commentator in an animated voice.

Michael froze as his eyes met hers. And within a matter of milliseconds, she was racing towards him, ball in hand as she prepared to throw it. But to him, his surroundings paused with him. Everything, everyone, all around him, it was all on pause, all except Sydney. His mind told him to move, to run now because Sydney was nearing closer, because Sydney was going to throw the ball at him any moment now, and he'd lose his winning streak of one game to her… But nonetheless, he stood like a loser, unable to move from where he stood.

And now he realises he should've ran. Should've taken the chance when he could of… Because Sydney threw the ball directly at his… You know…

Michael doubled over in pain.

"Ooh," Sydney cringed, jogging over to his side. "Are you okay, Mikey? I'm so sorry…"

'Oh crap,' he thought, putting on his best fake reassuring smile, and stood back up again, trying to prove himself to be all macho for Sydney.

He waved her off, making it like it was no big deal. "I'm fine," he grinned again, but she still looked doubtful. "Really," he added, just in case she didn't believe him.

"If you say so…"

He stood and watched her as she jogged back to the game with the ball. He sighed, before remembering he was in great pain, tears welling up in his eyes. 'Sydney could be watching…' he reminded himself. 'Sydney, Sydney, Sydney.'

Waddling back to the benches, he sat down beside Eric, who smiled in sympathy. Michael chose to ignore him though, it didn't hurt… Well, at least not that much anyway… cough cough

Meanwhile, Sydney was still out on the field, chasing after the few people who hadn't yet experienced the dodgeball skills of Sydney Bristow.

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"YEAH! I WON, I WON!" she shrieked ecstatically, bouncing over to where everyone else sat. She slid onto the bench beside Michael.

"Really?" Michael asked, not surprised in the least. "It was a good game."

"Yeah… It was." Sydney grinned. "You wanna play again tomorrow, Mikey?"

He didn't reply, staring at her in horror.

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