Chapter 53a: Ess: Desperate for by warelander

Today was a big day for Primp High. The first friendly basketball match against another school of the year was to take place. Primp High converted their front yard into an event with concession stands, flyers for Primp High, and don't-walk-on-grass signs, you name it. As arrows led you to the gym building at the back of the School.

The senior teams of both Primp High and Bluo High were to compete against each other in a heated match in front of an audience of very differing levels of enthusiasm.

Some like Rafisol sure didn't want to be there. These kinds of big crowd events were not for her at all. At least she had Silv as company to make it tolerable.

Same could be said for Yoko, who sat there with Panotty on one side and Sig on the other. Yoko still preferred to not be in large crowds, but with two friends by her side the prospect was at least a little more tolerable. Panotty tolerated the older boy's presence, though not without the occasional, icey look.

In the row above them sat Marvett, who herself, couldn't help but notice Marle to her left, looking very not into it.

''Not into sports?''

''It's not that, it's…it just feels weird watching when your team has the bullies on it.'' Marle had to admit to herself.

''I don't blame you.'' To the right of the two girls sat Arle who, despite her usual rep as a sports fan, did not seem very excited herself.

''There's this one guy on the team…I just don't even want to think about him.'' Arle wrapped her arms around herself, her gag reflexes making a pulse. She was visibly uncomfortable.

Lagnus wrapped an arm around his now on-again girlfriend to comfort her and Marvett also looked visibly sympathetic. Marle meanwhile felt more than a little out of the loop.

There certainly were people excited for this very day though, more than possibly any other.

Ess could feel her heart beat harder than she could ever remember, though she couldn't let it show in front of the others. Ally, Jaan, Raina, Amitie and Draco all seemed so much more relaxed about it than her. Was it really that or was she not thinking straight?

Taking some deep breaths, Ess collected herself. This was not the time to lose courage, it's the day she was waiting for. The day where she'd finally achieve her goals.

''Uhm, girls. You're up.'' The timid voice of their teacher Otomo called to them.

That was it. With one motion of her arm, Ess commanded her squad to join her out into the gym hall.

Just looking at all the filled seats felt so overwhelming, the entire school was present for this very event.

All eyes would now be on them.

His eyes would be on them now.

Indeed, many of the more disinterested Primp students suddenly perked up upon seeing their cheerleaders enter.

Sig, Yoko, Panotty, Arle, Silvana, Raffina, and other friends and family all directed their attention to their loved ones.

Emii, Shosu, and Merigu led a cheer for the incoming squad that would domino into a series of welcoming shouting for the cheerleaders.

Even Rafisol couldn't help but to be far more captivated now.

With both feet firmly on the ground, in position with her whole squad. The time had come and Ess addressed her school's crowd.

''Hey Primp High! Are you ready to watch our team kick major butt!?''

''Yeah!''

''Do you want a good show!´''

''Yeah!''

''Then here it goes! 1! 2! 1! 2! 3! 4!''

With that final command, the music started and the girls likewise could finally begin their act.

They shook their pom-poms as hard as they could. Captivated many with their high kicking dance moves. They pulled off their choreographed sections like planned.

The crowd was into it. It was like a dream come true for Ess.

But was it really?

Ҽʍɑ-μɑ μɑ-μɑɑɑ!

Doubts began to creep up in Ess' mind. Did he notice her or did he have his eyes on that stupid genie again? Now that she thought of it, most of their routine put her far into the back. What if she was going under and barely got noticed?

Determined to not let that happen, Ess jumped more to the front of the squad, to ensure everyone knew who the leader was. Amitie, Jaan, Ally and Draco were confused, but chose to not let it break their performance.

Raina did not feel the same. She took a quick stomp forward to keep herself in the front, letting Ess know in no uncertain terms that she did not approve of what she was doing.

Jaan immediately caught onto what was going on and had to suppress the biggest expression of Oh Crap! of her entire life.

'I can't believe they're pulling this now!' She thought to herself in absolute disbelief. This was absolutely not the time for this nonsense.

With one quick maneuver, she put herself close behind Ess. Just close enough to be in her hearing range.

''Listen up. You can't b-'' She couldn't even finish whispering her thoughts before Ess accidentally knocked her over with a spin.

Even worse, it knocked her straight into Draco, who let out a stray fire breath escape from her mouth from the sudden impact. This stray flame just so happened to hit one of Amitie's pom-poms.

With a shriek, Amitie threw the still burning pom-pom to the ground, with Jaan rushing to it to put it out with an enlarged hand. Ally meanwhile ran up to Draco, to ensure she wasn't hurt too much.

The audience watching was in disbelief at what they suddenly witnessed, not helped by Ess and Raina derailing into a heated argument. Most were in shock, some stray ones like Alucard and the bullies of the basketball team, and some Bluo randos on the other hand, found the debacle highly amusing.

Coach Satan placed a hand on his forehead in utter frustration. This was a new one for sure. Without even needing to be told, Otomo knew how unsalvageable the situation was and asked the girls to kindly leave to the girls' changing room and pack it in.

''Nice going there, idiot!'' Raina scolded her frenemy from the changing room bench, for once looking genuinely furious.

''Oh stuff it, pinky!'' Ess was just not in the mood for any kind of confrontation now.

''You stuff it! It's you who ruined our big performance! We're not gonna recover from this big airheaded blunder you led us in, oh """leader""".''

''Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad! Right girls?'' Ess hoped for some back-up, surely she could count on at least someone to have her back.

…

No.

Looking around, aside from the seething Raina, nobody else wanted to even comment on the whole thing.

Jaan would have been the second most likely to get on her case, but she said nothing. She didn't even look angry, just deflated, disappointed and humiliated. Half-phased into mist so she wouldn't be seen.

Draco and Ally just looked plain sad. One could tell they had things on their minds, but chose not to say them. Probably not nice things.

And then there was Amitie, the one Ess usually could count on for support. Amitie didn't even bother looking at Ess and it was difficult to read from her body language what she was feeling. The only thing that could be made out for sure was light sobbing as she held the hand which she held the scorched pom-pom with.

For once Ess was completely in shock at seeing the usually bubbly blonde so down.

''Ami-'' The young Tetra attempted to reach out to her, though Raina was not going to give her any leeway here.

''This is all on you! It's you're a terrible leader and led us all down!'' The younger Fielding spoke her mind as clear and razor sharp as could be.

Ess had no retort, she just stood there as Raina got off the bench and took an authoritative stance.

"All in favor of relieving Ess of her leading duties, raise your hand." Raina's words cut through Ess as Raina raised her own hand. The green-haired girl looked at her fellow cheerleaders as she witnessed her upcoming horror.

Jaan who was just a complete miasma of genie mist at the moment rematerialized her arm just to raise her hand, non-enlarged. "As a leader you don't just do your own thing all of the sudden. You just don't." Her voice echoed through the room.

Ally raised her hand with ease, but she looked guilty doing so. "I'm sorry, Ess, but this did lead to you smacking Draco and spooking her. It could've burned Amitie…" Amitie shivered.

"Yeah!" Draco raised both of her hands. "I can be as dangerous as I'm cute, yanno? You don't smack a cute dragon girl in the waist, that's my fifth best feature and it might burn someone! And you ruin our performance! MY FIRE IS ONLY FOR WEENIES AND MARSHMALLOWS!" The half human/dragon was concerningly angry as well…

Ess' breathing grew erratic as she and the others looked at what the final vote was…

Amitie said nothing.

She didn't throw up her hand, but judging by her expression and her holding her pom-pom hand Ess set on fire, everyone just assumed her answer and Ess didn't like it, but couldn't bring herself to do anything about it.

"It's unanimous." Raina stated as plainly as she could while still feeling both embarrassed and humiliated. "You've changed your clothes, now get out! We don't want you! Shoo, get out!" Ess' equal commanded.

Ess left the room without another word, leaving the other cheerleaders behind. Putting up as brave a face she could.

She just wanted to forget this whole day even happened. Perhaps her Papa could find some means to cheer her up. She just wanted to get away.

''Oh, la-ti-da! Look who's running away? 0,-''

Of course, it just had to be her who's been waiting for her here. The arrogant rich girl from the grade above her. The one she disliked most, now with sunglasses for added insufferable smugness.

''I'm not in the mood, Raffina.'' Was all she said. After all this, she had no desire to deal with the other Fielding sibling as well.

Unfortunately for her, Raffina already had her by the arm. Firmly enough to make escaping tough, but not rough enough to hurt her.

''I don't appreciate how you tried to push my little sister around.'' She said in an almost menacing tone, masked by a faked nice voice in case anyone could hear them.

''We just do that to each other sometimes.'' Ess tried to keep her answers brief and to the point in the hopes the pinkhead would let her go sooner.

''Tsk Tsk. Acting like you two are the same. You just want to be the center of attention. I know that when I see it.'' The rich snob taunted the younger girl.

Ess could think of several retorts, but chose to keep them to herself, instead remaining entirely silent.

''Doesn't surprise me though, you are still trying to get with that bug-loving weirdo, aren't you?'' Raffine continued in the most taunting way possible.

Ess cringed just hearing that. Go figure Raina told her about that at some point.

''Leave him out of this.'' Is all she said. Trying to hide her aggravation and increasing distress.

Two things Raffina was good at spotting.

''Oh sure. How about your dad then?''

That made Ess freeze up entirely.

''H-How do you know?'' She stammered, visibly vulnerable now, unable to keep her emotions hidden much longer.

''I got plenty of contacts.'' Was all the elaboration Raffina was willing to give, complemented by an arrogant hair flip.

''How does it feel to call an oversized tin can your father because your real one doesn't even care to see you regularly?''

Those words cut like a knife through Ess' heart. She really just went there.

Zed was her papa.

She loved him like a father.

Despite this, she kept thinking of him.

The dad who she so rarely saw.

The one she stayed up late for as a young child, only to realize he wasn't coming home yet again.

The one she saw basically everywhere, yet he always felt so out of reach, away from her.

Does he really not care? Was that just it? Did anyone ever truly care about her, if her own father doesn't…

Ҽʍɑ-μɑ μɑ-μɑ-μɑɑɑ!

Dark thoughts began to fill Ess' mind,

She was distant from her own father.

Her own cheerleading squad was done with her.

The boy she loved never returned the feeling at all.

Unwanted. Delusional. Out of place. Despised.

That is how she felt.

The tears in Ess' eyes welled up, there was no point in holding back anymore. Not like she could at this point.

Ess ripped herself from Raffina's grasp and ran off.

The tears continued to flow as she kept running. Running through the halls. Empty and quiet except for the mocking sound of Raffina's laugh.

Ҽʍɑ-μɑ-μɑ-μɑ- μɑ-μɑ-μɑɑɑ!

Authors' Notes:

WARE: And with this, the finale of Season 2 is approaching. We hope you look forward to how things will go for Ess!