Chapter six

take no prisoners

--

"Good afternoon, BOCHS. This is Alicia Rivera here with your afternoon announcements!"

"In activities: The Knitting Club will be, um, knitting for charity this Friday in the center room." Alicia snorted over the loudspeakers and muttered, "Don't miss that one," in a very sarcastic tone.

"Also, Homecoming is this weekend. This year's theme is undecided—er, a surprise—so be sure to go and check it out. Tickets are $40 for singles, and $60 for couples, so guys, make sure to ask that special someone before tickets run out.

"At the rally today, we're going to announce who your grade princes and princesses are. And, what you've all been waiting for," Alicia paused, probably for dramatic effect. "Your Homecoming King and Queens!" She squealed. "Your nominees are as follows: Prom King: Josh Hotz, Derrick Harrington, Mark Flanagan, and Chris Carelli. For Prom Queen: Claire Lyons, Amanda Jameson, Alicia Rivera, and your final nominee is… Massie Block?!"

"What?! Are you shitting me?" Claire shrieked in the desk next to Massie.

"What?" Massie echoed in surprise.

"That can't be possible," Claire protested. "Voting was closed even before she got here!"

"Looks like someone feels a bit… threatened?" Coral McAdams murmured loud enough for Claire to hear.

"Puh-lease," Claire sniffed, viciously glaring at Coral's red hair.

"Anyways," Alicia's voice came back on the announcements. "In sports: Boys Varsity Soccer is playing the Abner DoubleDay Wolverines. Come show your Tomahawk spirit and we'll see you in the stands. Captain Derrick Harrington promises a victory, Hotz says nobody's getting through his defense, and Fisher promises a hat trick that will end in a win.

"The rally today will be during school, and I have orders from Principal Burns that all Varsity soccer players, Band members, cheerleaders, and ASB officers please go to the gym now.

"This has been Alicia Rivera for your BOCHS afternoon announcements. I heart you," She finished sweetly.

It was Mr. Jermillo's fifth period, and Massie had moved as far away from the side of the desk she had to share with Claire as possible without being too noticeable. After that escapade at the park yesterday with Derrick, Massie was just waiting for Claire to start a catfight and claw her to death.

But still, nothing, except for that outburst a few minutes ago. Claire was taking notes as if nothing was wrong, except for the occasional glare at Massie's paper.

"Teachers please pardon the interruption. All juniors please proceed to the gym on the athletics side of the campus. Thank you," Principal Burn's nasally voice came over the loudspeakers.

"Alright guys, you're excused," Mr. Jermillo announced to the class, grabbing his keys and suitcase full of tests that his earlier classes had taken. "I'll go out last after you all."

"Yeah, because we wouldn't want you trapping us in here if you got stuck in the door," Kemp snickered to Plovert as they stood up from their seats by the window and grabbing their backpacks. "Massie, you coming?"

"Mhmm," she answered, gathering her books and putting them in her forest green Kate Spade tote. "Wait a second for me."

"We're gonna miss the rallyyyyy," Kemp whined childishly.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Massie grumbled.

--

Everyone filed into the bleachers on both sides of the gym; freshmen and sophomores on one side, juniors and seniors on the other. The blowup Indian warrior entrance thing (or whatever it was that all the football guys ran through at big games) had been lent to the boys soccer department, and was placed at the end of the basketball court. Columns and arches of balloons in red and black, the schools' colors lined the areas as well.

"Massie!"

Massie looked around for the person who called her name. There was Layne Harrington a few rows down, sitting with all of her senior friends. Massie gladly made her way down over to her.

All of her junior friends were a part of the rally; Derrick, Plovert, Cam and Josh were on the soccer team; Alicia and Claire were on cheer, Dylan was in band, and Kristen and Kemp were on ASB.

"Hey Massie," Layne greeted, moving over and making a seat for Massie. "These are my friends." Layne gestured to the group around her. "Harris, Chris, Skye, say hi to Massie."

"Skye Hamilton," A gorgeous blonde smiled to her. Her long curls accented her perfect tan and perfect teeth. "Congrats on being nominated. Quite a feat, especially for being here for such little time," she said, nodding as if she understood.

"Thanks," Massie said, smiling brightly.

"I'm Cam's older brother," a boy explained with the same jet-black hair as Cam and bright green eyes. "Nice to meet you."

"And I'm Layne's twin, and Derrick's older brother, Chris," another boy said with the same green eyes as Layne and the same hair as Derrick. "He's—well both of them—have said a lot about you."

A look of confusion crossed Massie's face. "I thought Derrick said that you were a freshman at Dartmouth?"

"I am," Chris explained. "I came down for the big game. I played as captain last year against ADD, and Derrick doesn't know I'm here."

"That's really cool of you," Massie gushed. She opened her mouth to say more to Chris, but Principal Burn's voice came over the speakers, along with blasting music.

"Hello BOCHS!" She cheered. "Please welcome your Class President, Kemp Hurley!"

Kemp, clad in a tomahawk/Indian costume, walked out of the Indian blowup with his hands up, clutching a microphone and an envelope in each hand. The student body cheered, and the juniors stood up and hooted in support.

"Alright Briarwood-Octavian Country High School, you ready for the game tonight?" Kemp asked the screaming crowd, grinning and holding out the microphone. "Let's welcome your own BOCHS Cheer Squad!" He punched his fist in the air and muttered, "Damn…"

And there was Claire and her little squad of blonde wannabes. They were in a V formation, dancing in unison to a remix of "Burning Up." Then, they scurried to another formation where Claire was at the top of the pyramid, then Claire and Alicia were the flyers, and then Claire and Alicia were in the middle of the roll-off. It was sickening to watch.

The music cut, and Claire led the usual BOCHS cheer.

"I need a BO," she shouted pronouncing it like "boh," and clapped three times. The school caught on, and three loud booms followed.

"C!" Clap, clap, clap.

"H!" Clap, clap, clap.

"S!" Clap, clap, clap.

"Boh, C, H, S, Fight, fight fight!" She cheered with a fake smile plastered to her face. Pom-Poms up, she did one of those leg-lifts that annoyed Massie to tears. She couldn't believe she ever had anything to do with cheering.

"All right, and that was your BOCHS cheerleaders," Kemp said, grinning at the troupe of girls running back to their spot on the stands. "And now, our boys soccer team has something to say to you guys. But first, let's give your VP Kristen Gregory a warm Tomahawk welcome!"

Kristen jogged out to the center of the basketball court where Kemp was standing. "Hey guys," she greeted into the microphone. "Say hi to your Varisty Tomahawk Soccer team!"

Derrick and his team jogged out of the blow up Indian, right as streamers and balloons rained on the kids in the bleachers. "Space Jam" blasted from the speakers as the soccer boys lined up, clad in their letterman jackets.

The music tuned out, and Kemp handed Derrick the mic.

"All right you guys!" Derrick shouted, soaking up the limelight. "My boys and I gotta little… surprise for you," he grinned. At the beginning of the line of soccer guys, he ripped open his jacket, which revealed a black "V" painted on his toned, tan abs.

"V!" he shouted, flashing an Oscar-worthy grin. Claire stood up in her spot on the bleachers, clapping. "Ow!"

"A!" another guy followed, ripping his jacket open and bearing his toned stomach to the screaming girls.

"R!"

"S!"

"I!"

"T!"

"Y!" Josh shouted, his olive skin perfectly sculpted.

"Exclamation point!" Cam finished, as Alicia stood up in her bleacher and followed Claire's lead.

"Kicks Ass!" they shouted, finishing their "surprise", their voices deep and burly. The guys kept their jackets open for a few more seconds, then as Principal Burns glared at them, buttoned them up.

"Now," Kristen said, trying to get everyone to quiet down. "Kemp and I have the results for the Homecoming Court. You ready?" she asked the crowd, who screamed in response.

She opened up the envelope. "Freshman Prince: Joey Hickman. Freshman Princess: Kelly Karaldi!" They two freshman climbed out of their spots in the stands and accepted their crowns from Kristen.

"Sophomores," Kemp said. "Stephen Morrison and Laura Anderson."

"Juniors," Kristen continued. "Dylan Marvil and Troy Kimbell."

"Seniors," said Kemp. "Jessica Bennett and Kevin Fitz."

After everyone collected their crowns and sashes and stood on the red carpet in front of the blowup Indian, Kemp and Kristen were handed another envelope by Principal Burns. "And now," Kristen smiled.

"Without further interruptions," Kemp continued.

"Your Homecoming Queen and King are…"

"Wait." Kristen said, remembering something. "Let's bring out the nominees. Claire Lyons, Alicia Rivera, Amanda Jameson, and Massie Block, come on up!"

"Good luck," Layne said to Massie, giving her a hug as she got up.

"Yeah, you're gonna kick Lyons' ass," Chris assured her.

"Thanks," Massie mouthed, and stepped down to the gym floor.

Alicia and Claire were glaring at Massie as she took her place next to them. And Massie had no clue who that Amanda girl was, but she didn't look all that friendly and welcoming, either.

Derrick, Cam, Josh and that Chris kid soon joined them on the gym floor as well.

"Please give a hand to your 2008 Homecoming King… Derrick Harrington!" Kemp said, giving Derrick one of those high-five knuckle things that Massie didn't understand.

Derrick glanced her way, about to smile as an ecstatic Claire Lyons pulled him in for a congratulation kiss. Massie watched in disgust as Claire did one of those cheesy, Disney-movie foot pops.

Ugh.

They finally pulled away, as Kristen ripped open the second envelope.

"And your 2008 Homecoming Queen is…"

--

Derrick Harrington was sitting on the bench in front of his PE locker in the guys' locker room. He had about twenty minutes before the game started to give the guys a pep talk to pump them up. But his mind was blank. There was nothing he could think of, at least not right now, that could get him excited for the game ahead of them either.

After that stunt Claire pulled in front of the entire school as soon as he won the crown, he was sure he was gonna break up with her. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. As Massie had said, why would he want to mess that up?

He buried his head in his hands and took a deep breath.

"D-man, you okay?" Cam Fisher asked him. Of course Cam could tell when something was wrong. He was the exact definition of a girl… just more—er, manly.

"Let me guess," Josh Hotz mused. "You're into the new girl, but because of traditional dating between the jocks and the cheerleaders—and Claire's wrath—you don't want to end your existing relationship."

Derrick looked at him weirdly. "Pfft. No."

Josh and Cam rolled their eyes in unison.

"Well… yes." Derrick admitted, mentally hitting himself on the forehead for sharing his "feelings" and acting like such a chick.

"Everyone can tell you like her, D," Josh said.

"And everyone can tell how much you don't like Claire," Cam continued. "You know you don't. And you both know how often you cheated on her. I just don't get what's stopping you from either—"

Josh cut him off. "A.) Keeping your relationship with Claire and just hooking up with Massie behind the scenes, or B.) dumping the bitch!"

"You know that's not fair to Massie," Derrick told him.

"That hasn't stopped you before," Cam reminded Derrick, smacking him on the back of the head. Derrick glared at him and rubbed his head.

"I don't know, guys," Derrick pulled his hair in frustration. "Massie's so much… better. In every way. She's nice, funny, smart, a good kisser…"

"So you did cheat on Claire!" Cam exclaimed.

"Not the point."

"Harrington!" A voice barked. "Get your team together, or you'll be on the bench this game!"

Derrick snorted. Like Coach Karr would dare bench his star player at this game. Not against ADD.

He stood up, pulling on his black number 26 jersey. "All right guys, gather up!" he barked.

Once all the guys were sitting on the bench outside of coach's office, Derrick was mentally preparing for his usual pep talk. "So you guys know that we're playing our rivals. And we have a lot on the line," he said.

"Because if we lose this game, our chances of going to State are really small."

Derrick gulped. "We can do this. ADD only has two good players… Danny Robbins and Griffin Hastings. Numbers 16 and 2. Hotz, I want you to delegate the defense to be on them constantly. Jefferson, you're on sixteen. Colten, you're on 2.

"Fisher, you and I can dribble through their defense easily. Use your skill. Be smart. Midfield, stay aggressive and on the ball at all times. Goal kicks and punts are yours. I'll take all corners on the right side, Fisher, you take them on the left."

Derrick scanned his team's faces for signs of fear. Fortunately, there weren't any. Just chiseled, confident faces of take-no-prisoners soccer players.

"Good. Now who's ready?"

I based the pep rally on what really happened at my first pep rally at my school. Except, it was the water polo guys who ripped their jackets off. But hey, I didn't complain (:

Review? I've been so good updating recentleeeey!

-Logen