Participation

"What are your plans for this weekend?"

Quara looked up from the paper she had been doodling on. Her expression was vacant. She was facing Jane but seemed to be looking through her. The look always made Jane shudder.

"Why do you do that?"

Quara came out of her seeming trance and focused her eyes on Jane. "Do what?"

"Look through me. It's creepy."

Quara shrugged and looked away. She went back to her doodle.

"So?" Jane asked.

"Umm… I don't know. Why?"

"I have some information you might be interested in."

Quara tilted her head to the side as she examined her doodle. "What's that?"

She felt Jane smiling next to her. "There's a certain… group that's camping in the park this weekend. The park that's across from my house to be exact."

For a minute Quara didn't move her attention from her drawing. But Jane knew how predictable she normally was to someone who really knew her. Three. Two. One.

Quara snapped her head up and faced Jane with an astonished grin. "Really? How do you know?"

Jane smiled again. "You forget who you're talking to."

"But what does that do for us?"

"You underestimate me, Quara. We are also going to camp out in the park. With only a few picnic tables separating us from them."

Quara couldn't fight back her smile anymore. "Who exactly?"

"X, B, J, L, Y and F."

Those were the code letters Quara and Jane made for a certain group of boys whom the two of them had crushes on. "Oh. I'm so there." X was Quara's crush.

"Friday and Saturday night."

Quara smiled for the rest of the day.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Nineteen students. Five rows of four desks. In front, the teacher stood at the head of the classroom leaning against her desk. She was addressing the class.

Jetta sat in the second row, third seat. In front of her sat Wang-mu. Her friend since second grade. She was the complete opposite of Jetta. Jetta's blonde, Wang-mu's black. Jetta's purple eyes; Wang-mu's got gray. Jetta's silent; Wang-mu barely ever stops talking. Even in her sleep. Or now. She was talking to Tess who was seated in front of her.

Diagonally to her back left sat Grego. Another friend since early on. But Grego was quiet too. His reason: shy.

Jetta was only half paying attention to the discussion that was going on around her. She was busy watching Zac, who sat next to her, drawing a one-page comic. His drawings were excellent. And the message, though plain, was humorous.

Zac wrote in one bubble and looked to Jetta. She read it. It was good, but not some of his better work. She shook her head. Zac corrected the problem and looked for her opinion again. She approved whole-heartedly.

The picture was of a large hound dog, wearing a dress and glasses, standing in front of an easel with a stick and talking on and on. Her bubble had blah, blah, blah written in it. While side scene's proved that no one but the three kitten's seated in front her were paying any attention. The story line: Talking for your own health.

Jetta glanced at Grego. He was almost asleep with his head resting on his hand. Wang-mu had stopped talking for the time being. Now she was passing notes and giggling.

Jetta sighed.

"I know this my be hopeless as usual. Jetta, would you like to share your thoughts with the class on this matter?" The hound dog, I mean teacher, asked.

Jetta looked up to the teacher. She sat there unexpectedly. No one gave any attention to her. They all knew she wouldn't talk.

"Alright. I disagree." Jetta said.

All eighteen of her classmates looked to her with wide eyes, some with mouths open. The teacher shared their expression.

"How so?" The teacher asked after recollecting herself.

Jetta took an invisible breath. "Your theory states that man-made items hold the strongest power sources, are the most threatening resources to the human race. But I do believe you are wrong. Nature in itself is considerably stronger. Simply because it cannot be stopped by anything man-made. Yes we can protect ourselves from wind, rain, sun, etc. But there is no man-made machine that can stop a hurricane, a tornado, volcano, earthquake. Read them, yes. Track them, yes. Predict them, some times. Stop them, no. Where as we can shoot down a missile or a plane. That is only one example."

Everyone and everything was silent as Jetta stopped there. You could hear a pin drop. Most students just agreed with whatever the lesson was. Not that everyone agreed with it or didn't have their own opinion. No one just took the time to share it. And countering it was beyond most students' ability. Except silent Jetta.

"Not all man-made things can be stopped. Nuclear weapons. Biological weapons. Chemical weapons. Once launched, they can't be stopped."

"That's irrelevant. They were made. Have you ever tried to stop something completely out of a human's control?"

"How would you stop the missal?" The teacher countered.

"Stop the man from launching it at the source." Jetta said it as if any dimwit could've figured it out.

"Alright. But once it's launched, how then?"

"Which is more probably: stopping a missile or stopping a tsunami?"

The teacher said nothing. Most of the students' eyes were shifting back and forth between Jetta and the teacher.

The bell rang dismissing the class to lunch. Zac handed her a folded paper before they all left. She opened it.

In the center left of the page was a small, obviously shy girl. Herself she guessed. Around her were students gawking, distorted figures. Anime style. The hound dog from his previous comic in the dress was lecturing. The shadow behind the girl was that of a dark angry bird, screaming by the looks of it. Spitting black fire. There were black flames and swirls outlining the frame. The caption read: Silent Wrath.

Jetta smiled.

XOXOXOXOXXOXOX

"Hey O. What's going on?" Julian asked.

Owen turned from the direction he was faced to look at his small group of friends. Or maybe not his friends per se. They were his teammates. Julian the linebacker. Bonzo (Bone so) the tight end. Pol, wide receiver. Himself the quarterback. They were his friends now, of course. But would they still be if he weren't on this team? The question plagued him. How strong was their loyalty? How strong was his own loyalty towards them? After all, his best friend was no athlete. And he would choose her over any of them every time.

"Nothing." He answered.

"Couch is running us hard, lately. He knows something that he's not telling us." Pol said rubbing the back of his legs.

"Yea, that we're getting slow." Julian commented.

"So, what's going on with you and Bethany?" Bonzo asked changing the subject so something more juicy.

"Nothing." Owen said again.

Bonzo laughed a little. "Sure. It didn't sound like nothing."

"It sounded like a whole lot of something." Pol laughed along.

"It was a mistake. We're just friends."

There were skeptical looks on their faces. Owen rolled his eyes. "I mean it. We're just friends."

After a short silence, "Good. There's someone who wants to meet you." Julian said pushing him to the far end of the football field.

Owen looked in the direction they were headed. A group of cheerleaders were huddled together, giggling and talking. "I know all the cheerleaders, guys." He said bored.

"Not this one. She moved here over the summer. And she's requested to make your acquaintance." Bonzo smiled.

Owen sighed. He had made it a point to stay clear of the cheerleaders. It was too cliché. He tried to stay out of his stereotypical jock stature as much as possible.

They stopped in front of the group. Nine of them. All in the same uniform. Green, blue and silver.

"Captain." Julian called playfully.

Bonzo was already mixed in with the girls, flirting like crazy.

A tall slim girl with shiny long black hair turned. Her eyes were sparkling amber-yellow. Almost gold. Once she realized who had called her she smiled and came closer. "Hello, Julian."

"I brought a friend for you to meet. Owen meet Syfte."

Syfte smiled shyly. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Owen gave her a small polite smile. "You too."

There was an awkward silence.

"So… captain? And you just moved here?"

She smiled widely now. "I've taken gymnastics since I was two. I did ballet for three years and dance for seven. I've been in cheerleading since grade two. Ya' know, peewee and all. So naturally, I did my work. I should be rewarded."

Owen nodded. Julian and Pol had left his side to mingle with the girls as well. The group was a few feet away.

"And how about you? I hear you're one of the best players on our team this year."

Owen shrugged. "Nah. Just too stubborn to fail."

Syfte smiled more.

"I hear you wanted to meet me." Owen said already bored with the conversation.

Syfte blushed just a little. "Yea, well. I had met everyone else on your team almost right away. They all seem to flock towards us. But you didn't. Why is that?"

"I don't like cheerleaders." Owen said passingly.

Syfte's smile disappeared almost immediately. "Oh? And why not?" Her voice now defensive.

"Because they're stuck up, think they're better than everyone and that they know everything. They try to run the school."

"And football players don't?" She asked with venom.

"I don't like jocks either."

"You are one, in case you forgot." She spat.

"Yes I am. But you see, you chose your path and here you are. I fell into mine. My parents said I needed the 'team experience.' I needed an outlet for my… destructive boredom I think they called it. This looked promising. Any excuse to hurt people. And what's better, I don't get blamed for it. I just stuck with it. It turned out to be a great anger outlet. So here I am."

"You're still a football player. How can you not like what you are?"

"I told you why. To hurt people. Besides these three, I hardly ever talk to anyone from my team other than on the field."

"I don't have to stand here and listen to this." Syfte said livid. But she didn't move.

"You wanted to meet me, remember? I'm sure you were fairly warned." For the first time since this conversation started, Owen realized everyone else was quiet and listening.

"For someone who doesn't like to fail, you just failed miserably."

"Not really. I succeeded greatly. You just had the wrong objective in mind."

Syfte looked completely put out. "And what was yours?"

"To make you hate me. It's always my goal with cheerleaders."

"I don't hate you. I hate no one."

"How noble of you." Owen mocked.

Syfte was seething. Owen quite enjoyed the sight. Julian, Pol and Bonzo were laughing mildly. The other girls looked thoroughly offended and/or disgusted.

"You know what they say about you? You're a pig headed, stuck up, self righteous asshole. I thought they just judged you from afar, but I see now how right they were." Syfte said with total anger.

"See, I'd have to actually care what people thought of me to let that hurt my feelings." Owen shrugged. "And I just don't."

Owen saw Bethany walk through the grouping making her way over to him. He smiled lightly.

"You ready, Owen?" Bethany asked.

Syfte turned to her. She looked her over briefly. "I wouldn't bother with him. He's a jerk."

Bethany smiled. "I know. It's one of his best qualities, don't you think?" She handed Owen the second bag she was carrying. He took it and hers as well, putting them over his shoulder.

"Thanks." He and Bethany began their way across the field.

When they were far enough away and sure they wouldn't be heard, Bethany asked, "Who's she?"

"New captain."

"Ahh… you must be losing your touch. She only called you a jerk."

"She's made her whole life cheerleading. Sad really. (A?N- no offense meant to cheerleaders. I like them, but Owen is based off a friend of mine and he cant stand them.) So when I told her they were all stuck up and thought they were better than everyone else… and then the fact that I only play football to hurt people. Well, I'm pretty sure she'll think twice before talking to me again."

"At least you didn't send her home crying like you did last year's captain."

Owen chuckled. "The thought crossed my mind. But I like to try new things."

"Then why not give them a chance?" She asked playfully.

"Whoa. Not that new." He said with mock shock.

"You're so mean." Bethany laughed. "If only they knew the real you."

"The real me? I really don't like cheerleaders, jocks or football."

"Maybe. But you're not really a hateful, cold-hearted jerk who just likes to hurt people either."

"No. Just mean."

"To the select few groups. Ask the athletes and they'll say you're a jerk. Ask anyone else and you're a great guy."

"Again, I'd have to care about other peoples opinions. And still, I don't. Only a certain few matter to me."

"Like who?" She asked running a hand through her hair.

"You and the few others I consider to be real friends."

"Well, I think you're a jerk, too." She said.

"Yea, but you also thought I was responsible. I've proved you wrong before."

Bethany smiled. "You still are. The problem is that I like jerks."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOX

"How are Chance's boxing lessons going?" Karen asked as she cooked over the stove.

"Not too bad. He's a natural." Vic answered.

"Are they essentially helping?"

"Maybe. As far as I know he hasn't been in another fight."

"Hopefully we've found something that actually works then."

Victor watched Karen cook while he sat at the table. He had been reading the newspaper but there was nothing interesting to be read. Companies merging. Corporations going belly up. Achilles' newest article. Same thing, day in day out.

"Vic, did you have that talk with Miro?"

"Which?" He asked glancing over the paper again.

Karen turned to face him. "The one I asked you to have with him weeks ago. Tell me you did."

"I did."

Karen watched him for a minute to make sure he wasn't lying. "Good. How'd it go?"

"Fine." He answered simply.

"That's all? Just fine?" She urged.

"Alright. It went great. And he promised to keep me informed." Vic over exaggerated a few key words to make his point.

Karen smirked. "Ok. Ok. I wont intrude in the father son relationship."

"Gee thanks dear." He said with a sarcastic tone and a smile.

There was quiet for a few minutes.

"Karen, its quiet. Where are our children?"

"Miro's at the library. Chance is at Science Olympia. Creah's outside with some friends and Jade's in her room watching television."

"When'll they be home?"

"Miro within the hour, Chance at 6:30ish and Creah whenever we call him in."

Victor nodded. "I think we should go on a trip this summer. It's about time we take a real family vacation. Not just a trip to your mothers."

"What's wrong with going to my mother's?" Karen asked with a glare.

"Nothing at all. But you know what I mean."

"I do have some time coming to me at work. What do you have in mind?" Karen said after a nod.

"I don't know. Something fun for the kids but relaxing for us." Vic said still eyeing the paper.

"Sounds good. But where?" Karen asked taking a pie out of the oven.

"How about a Disney Cruise?"

"Let's run it by the kids and see what they think."

Alright, i just calculated how many chapters this story is going to be and as of now, it looks like close to 50ish unless i start combining chapters. i'm leaving it up to my readers. would you like a really long story or a shorter story with longer chapters? let me know.

i found this chapter really quite boring. the next one should be better. let me know. what do you want to see more of? who would you like to see more of and less of?

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