''Jimmy, please. You have to stop this.''
''Please, you've got to let us go.''
Jimmy paced back and forth slowly, ignoring their pitiful cries. They deserved it, that's what he told himself anyway.
''Just please move me to the other room. That's all I want. Do whatever you want to me, just let me see her.''
''No!'' Jimmy snapped. ''You're not allowed to ask for a thing, which means your Stephanie may just get hurt.''
The voice choked on a sob. ''Please, please don't hurt her. I'm begging you.''
The day before.
''Hey Handsome,'' Brooke greeted, giving her boyfriend a sweet kiss on the cheek at the end of the school day as they walked towards his car. ''What time is your competition?''
''Hey Stephanie,'' Julian said with a smile, which wasn't surprising considering he was walking with the girl he loves. ''Um, in an hour. So I have to go now.''
Brooke raised an eyebrow at him. ''Stephanie?''
Julian shrugged and grinned that grin. The one that makes her go completely crazy. ''I'm tryin' it out.''
''I like it,'' she said, linking her arm through his. ''Just so you know, all of us are going to be there, cheering you on.''
''So what's going to happen then? Peyton is going to listen to her rock music, Nathan is going to fall asleep, Haley is going to pretend to be interested, Lucas will get a book out and you will be cheering like a maniac.'' he guessed teasingly.
Brooke rolled her eyes and scoffed. ''Pfft, like that will happen.''
''Why are we here again?'' Peyton whined as they sat down in the auditorium. This competition took place at Bear Creek high school, so everyone that wanted to watch had to travel there. Not many people are in the audience, just some parents and friends. So Julian would spot them in the crowd. His mom had to go back to LA for a couple of days to discuss something with his father, so she's not here.
''Because I love Julian,'' Brooke said with a playful grin, sitting down on the comfortable seats.
''Why does that mean we had to come?'' Nathan asked, sitting in between Haley and Lucas.
Peyton sat down next to Lucas, leaving Brooke to sit on the end next to her curly haired friend.
''Because you love me?''
Haley grinned. ''Yeah we do, Tigger.''
''How do these things work anyway?'' Lucas asked. ''Does everyone get a question and how do they get points? What do they win? Can the audience answer some of the questions?''
''Shit, Luke. Don't get too excited.'' Nathan grumbled. ''Wait, we don't have to answer questions do we?''
Haley leaned closer to her boyfriend. ''Don't worry, baby, I'll give you the answer.''
''Wait,'' Peyton spoke up. ''I'm not answering any questions.''
Brooke rolled her eyes. ''Guys, we're not answering any questions. Okay, Julian filled me in on all of what happens last night. There will be a guy in the middle, and the two teams will have tables on each side of him. He will ask a question, and they have a little buzzer on their table and the first one to press it with the correct answer gets a point.''
''Sounds borings,'' Nathan and Peyton before declared simultaneously, sinking back into their chairs.
''I think it sounds good,'' Haley lied. ''We should support Julian.''
''We're here, aren't we?'' Peyton asked rhetorically. ''That's supportive enough for me.''
''Same for me,'' Lucas agreed.
Nathan wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. ''Don't worry, baby, I'll be supportive with you.''
Julian stood outside the school, leaning against the wall next to the fire exit. He just needed a few minutes to himself before it all began; he was under a lot of pressure right now. He wasn't nervous; he knew he could do his best. And his friends are here to support him. That's all that matters, right?
''Hi loser.'' a voice said. Great, Jimmy.
Julian rolled his eyes. ''Nice black eye you've got there.''
''Nice cast.''
''At least mine doesn't make me look like a douche.'' he quipped. ''What are you doing here anyway, Jimmy?''
''My offer still stands, you know. If you guys win the contest, then you stay on the team. If you lose, I take your spot.'' Jimmy suggested with a smirk. ''Unless you're too scared.''
Julian thought about it, it would be nice shutting Jimmy up once and for all when he wins. ''Fine. Just try not to cry when I kick your ass, again.''
And with that, he went back through the doors to win this game.
''Welcome to the 2010 mathletic competition. Tree Hill High vs. Bear Creek! Please welcome out teams to the stage!'' the speakers called in excitement, even though the people in the audience weren't very excited. A couple of people clapped for the people on stage unenthusiastically as Nathan already felt himself falling asleep.
Brooke stood up and cheered. ''Woo! Go Tree Hill High!''
''Talk about school spirit, Cheery.'' Lucas teased, fully relaxed in the chair.
Brooke ignored him and continued to clap as people made there way on stage, she cheered for the people she saw walked on the stage. ''Woo! Go Rach-ho!''
''Brooke, I wouldn't say that if I were you, you're going to get kicked out.'' Peyton told her with a laugh.
''Go Julian, you're gonna win this baby!'' Brooke cheered when he came on the stage and took the end seat on the Tree Hill High table.
''Woo! Julian!'' the other four friends cheered, they knew how important this was for Brooke.
Julian grinned at his girlfriend from his place at the stage. Brooke blew a kiss at him in return, still jumping up and down in excitement. She was probably more excited about this than he was. She just couldn't contain her pride, she was so proud.
Brooke sat back down, her eyes never leaving her man.
Nathan let out a snort. ''Imagine it her loses. That would be embarrassing.''
''If the hypotenuse of a right triangle is 10 inches long and one of its legs is 5 inches long, how long is the other leg?''
The Bear Creek buzzer beeped, and a guy with rounded glasses said. ''5√3.''
''Correct.'' Mr. Ericson said, the man who's the question and answer giver of this game tonight.
The contest has been going on for an hour now. And just like Julian had predicted Nathan had fallen asleep, Haley was pretending to be interest in the competition, when she wasn't. Peyton had placed her earphones in and was now listening to her music. Lucas had gotten out a book and started to read the great words of Julius Caesar.
And yes, Brooke was cheering like a maniac.
''The area of a trapezoid is 0.5h(b1 + b2), where h is the altitude, and b1 and b2 are the lengths of the parallel bases. If a trapezoid has an alitude of 15 inches, an area of 105 square inches, and one of the bases 22 inches, what is the perimeter, in inches, of the trapezoid?''
The Tree Hill High sound rang through the speakers.
''That cannot be determined from the given information.'' Rachel said with a cheeky grin.
''Correct.''
Brooke clapped. ''Woo! Go Rach-ho.''
Mr. Ericson sighed and looked out into the audience, glaring at the sight of the boy who was two seats away from the shouting girl and was fast asleep, and his head leaning on the dark blonde girls shoulder. ''Miss, if you don't stop making comments then you will be asked to leave.''
All eyes were suddenly on Brooke, causing Julian to laugh at the situation Brooke has now found her self in.
''Okay, okay. Sorry for being supportive.'' she shouted back to the stage, crossing her arms across her chest in defeat.
Mr Ericson smiled. ''Okay, now we can get back to the competition.''
''Well, well. It looks like we've gotten ourselves a tie breaker. Each team will select one person from the opposite team to answer the following question. Whoever gets the question right first, wins. If you both get the question wrong, then I will select another. Okay, Tree Hill, select who you want to compete with from Bear Creek.'' Mr Ericson explained from his podium at the middle of the table.
''Let's choose the girl,'' Grubbs said. ''She hasn't answered as many questions.''
Julian rolled his eyes. ''That's not sexist.''
''Fine, you choose then.''
''Fine. Um, Adam Reese.'' he said, pointing to the cocky guy from Bear Creek with a huge smirk on his face.
Mr. Ericson looked at the table. ''Tree Hill High, who have you chosen?''
''Adam Reese.'' Grubbs stated. He is the team captain, because he's been part of the Tree Hill High mathletes ever since freshman year. So he makes all of the make decisions, and is their spokes person.
Adam walked to the seat in the middle, and sat down.
''Bear Creek, who have you chosen?'' Mr. Ericson asked them.
''Julian Baker.''
Shit.
Julian stood up with a sigh, now more pressure was on for him to win. He was suddenly extremely nervous about this, if he didn't win, then he wasn't on the team anymore. He would be so disappointed in himself, and so would Brooke. Oh no, what if he did get this question wrong. Then this would all be his fault if the team doesn't come back with a trophy, they would all be blaming him.
He didn't have time to run, because somehow he had already
A shape appeared on the big screen as Mr. Ericson began to read the first question.
''In the figure below ABC is a right triangle. ABDE is a square of area 200 square inches and BCGF is a square of 100 square inches. What is the length, in inches, of AC?''
Julian thought about it, as he stared at the shape on the board.
But he was too late. ''10√2.'' Adam shouted in excitement.
Rachel grinned as she gave Mouth a high five, she knew the answer, and that wasn't it.
Brooke didn't know whether this Adam kid had gotten the question right or not, but she was so scared for Julian. She knew how much this all meant to him, she just wants him to do well. Even if he doesn't, that isn't going to stop her being extremely proud of him like she still is now. She always will be.
''I'm sorry,'' Mr. Ericson said. ''That's incorrect. Julian, if you get this right then Tree Hill High will be the winners and move onto the next round.''
Julian had an answer in mind, but he didn't know if it was right. But this answer was better than saying nothing at all. ''10√3?''
''Correct! Congratulations Tree Hill High, you're now able go to the next round of the Mathletic Championships next months at Oak Lake High School. Well done!'' Mr. Ericson shouted, and handed Julian a small trophy.
Brooke beamed with pride, standing up and cheering loudly. ''You did it, baby!''
Julian smiled at her. As cheesy as it sounded, he knew at long as he had her, he could do anything.
''I'm so proud of you!'' Brooke squealed for the fourth time, pulling him into another bone crushing hug. They're all now at Karen's Café celebrating Julian's victory. Rachel, Mouth and Chase had joined them too, who had invited Mia who was at the contest anyway cheering Chase on, but she had stayed near the front and the others hadn't spotted her.
''Brooke, you're going to be the death of me.'' he mock-complained from his seat at the big booth in the corner of the café.
''I think you will be the death of you,'' she said, eying the cast that was still on his hand which he's still got to wear for the next two weeks.
Peyton threw her french fry at them. ''You two better not start being gross and loved up.''
Brooke instantly felt guilty; all of the people here were couples, except Lucas. So she nudged Julian lightly, forcing him to move the arm from around her. ''We won't.''
Julian leaned to her ear, his hot breath made her shiver. ''If it meant protecting you, then I would willingly let you be the death of me.''
Present.
''Where is he? What did you do to him? If you've hurt him, I swear to-''
''Stop, this isn't the time.''
Jimmy slammed his fist on the table. ''Shut up! Shut up, both of you.''
He heard a sigh from the corner, and saw the guy run his hands through his hair. ''Why are you doing this to us? Some of us have barely spoken to you.'' he said, referring to the petrified girl next to him.
''That's the point. We're all here today... to teach you a lesson.''
AN: Doom! Doom! Doooom! Oh, I bet you're confused now aren't you? This is all happening in the next few chapters; the next chapter will be on Monday or Tuesday.
I got all the maths questions online, and all my mathlete knowledge is from Mean Girls, I bet you picked that up, huh?
Merry Christmas! And Please review:-). I'll send you a preview...