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Post by tonilous on Jun 28, 2014 13:45:38 GMT -5
Darren stepped out of the school building, loosening his tie as he did, looking forward to returning to Adams for a few peaceful moments before he had to go prepare for Piper practice.
"Hey, there!"
"How you doing, buddy?"
Two dangerously bright and happy voices came from next to him. And the next thing he knew, the twins were on either side of him, grinning. They immediately grabbed onto his shoulders and started leading him to the direction of the library. "You're coming with us!"
"What?" he struggled against them, but they simply pushed him onwards, hands resting on his back.
"We're just going to talk!" said the other twin with that same bright, friendly tone that at times never boded well for anyone receiving it that wasn't a Jefferson boarder. "Don't worry."
Darren glowered at them, shrugging off their hands to no avail, but he let them lead him. He rolled his eyes as they arrived at the Library which was empty at this time in the day.
Logan sidled in first while Lucas kept Darren outside. Logan slipped up to the librarian's desk and beamed adorably, looking perfectly angelic. "Hey, Mrs. B!"
"Oh hello…Logan? Or Lucas?"
The twin laughed. "It's Logan, Mrs. B. So anyway, Dean Lowell told me to tell you to go to her office? Something about the list of books you requested? She said that no, we're not allowed to get the Book of the Nine Gates to the Kingdom of Darkness."
"But I didn't put in—" she stopped and glowered. "If it's Noel again…" She quickly picked up a clipboard and walked out of the counter. "I better go look at what else might have slipped in there. Logan, would you keep an eye on the place? I won't be very long."
"No problem, Mrs. B!" Logan grinned, leaning on the counter. She gave him a smile and exited the door, the oaken wood swinging. When it swung back, Lucas appeared in the doorway with Darren. The twins then hauled Darren across the room and deposited him onto a seat at a table facing them. They each the grabbed a chair, twirled it to place across Darren and planted a foot on it.
In a swift movement, Lucas turned the reading lamp upward, beaming it directly into Darren's face. They weren't smiling now. "All right, Wright. Talk."
"About what?" Darren asked, rolling his eyes.
Logan didn't bat an eye. "Snow day. Storm? Charlotte? You? Together?"
"Wow, you guys are insane," Darren snorted. He brushed his blazer off without hurry. "If you must know, while the both of you were breaking into the cafeteria, Charlotte decided to go to the clinic wing. Which, as you know, is near Washington. Which is the dorm furthest to yours. If I'd let her go on out to there, you both basically would be in her funeral right now."
"As much as we are so deeply grateful to your attempting to help our poor sick Acting House Prefect," Lucas made a saccharine smile, "we can't help but wonder if, by doing so, you were trying to help yourself more?"
"I just helped both Damian and Charlotte and this is the thanks I get…" Darren sighed, giving them a look that clearly showed he thought they were morons. "If I'd've known, I wouldn't have bothered."
"Just tell us why you're messing with Charlotte so much, Darren?" Lucas smiled kindly. "Because really, we all know that deep in your black ice heart that you're not really the first person we'd go to for any semblance of random compassion."
"Not after you ran your first Jefferson girl off campus anyway," Logan added with the same expression.
Darren just shook his head, looking bored and annoyed. "So Damian hasn't told you… I don't blame him, it really must be bad news when you can't really do anything about it."
"And tell us what, exactly?"
"That I'm in love with Charlotte."
That got the twins' attention. They both stared at him, mixed expressions rushing over their faces—which ranged from shock, amazement, and then precursor to fury.
"Darren…" said Logan slowly, as though treading through dangerous water, "…I swear…if you are screwing with us…"
"I'm not joking," Darren said, looking at them directly. "I already told Damian, and even he knew I was telling the truth. I'm telling you now. And at some point, I'm going to tell Charlotte."
"You cannot do that to Charlotte," said Lucas firmly, planting a hand on the table. "You have no idea what she's just been through and if you confuse her now—"
"I know what Charlotte's been through," Darren looked annoyed. "Why do you think I still have this?" And he pointed to the fading bruise around his eye. "That dumb jock who scared the ever living crap out of her during competition? Yeah, I saw him. I caught up to him. And I rather politely asked him to stay away from Charlotte."
"You beat him up?"
"I didn't beat anyone up," Darren shot back.
"Tsk. Pity." Logan sighed.
Lucas agreed. "He could've used a hit—just one."
"He was the one who nearly choked me back there. If people hadn't passed by, I think I'd have more than just a black eye, but then he would be in crutches. But no. I don't stoop to punching people who already have too little brain cells to lose."
Lucas leaned back and looked at his brother. "Starting to think he's telling the truth a little bit."
Darren glared at them. Logan glanced absently at him and said, "No, Darren, the I-can-ruin-your-lives glare doesn't work on us, remember? We're all standing on the same platform here." He looked to Lucas. "Me too, starting to think he is."
The twins looked at him. "You can go."
Darren just snorted and picked up his bag, heading for the door. Before he could open it, however, Lucas said, "Hey Darren."
The prefect stopped. Logan gazed silently at him. "Given your previous colorful history of damage in Jefferson affairs, if at any point Damian and Charlotte get really hurt by your antics… we may not be able to remain as civil."
"We were ever civil…?" Darren raised an eyebrow, gave them a nod, and left.
What do they have to worry about? Darren thought inwardly as he walked off to Adams. Charlotte won't even look at me. All she sees is Damian. And it's really starting to tick me off.
-8-
"For first lead…" Arabele looked down at her sheet of paper. "Darren and Damian will duel again."
Murmuring in the Pipers' hall. Darren had dueled twice now—did it mean he was getting back on his feet? Damian remained the rational choice, however.
"And for second lead…"
This made them look up. They seldom had second leads and not even they knew so much about it. Arabele smiled, "It'll be Charlotte…" sound of approving murmurs, Charlotte beaming, "…and Grace."
This was followed by surprise and confusion. Grace wilted back onto her seat, but Charlotte threw her a reassuring glance. Arabele said, "The four of them have until tomorrow. Then they will perform, and you all will vote."
"Whoa, Grace," Patrick said, looking at his friend with a grin. "You're going to duel?"
"Yeah, we've never heard you before," Diana agreed.
"Speaking as someone who heard and with a very discerning ear…" Charlotte said importantly before giving Grace a smile, "I think she's a worthy opponent."
"Ooh, I definitely have to see that," said Patrick, nodding with a grin.
"Now let's just hope Damian's well enough by tomorrow to do anything," Diana remarked.
"I'll go see him later," said Charlotte. "I'll make sure he eats and drinks his medication."
"How about you give him a nice warm snuggle?" Patrick suggested, and Diana's snorts were checked by Charlotte's glares.
"So it's kind of like a date?" Grace said with a grin. "You bring dinner to him, don't you? And you eat there too?"
Charlotte colored to her scalp. "It is not a date—he's ill, you all need therapy."
"I think the Florence Nightingale gig looks cute on you, Charlotte," said Patrick with a laugh.
"Shh!" Charlotte elbowed him when Arabele looked their way. Arabele gave them all a look before saying, "Everyone, I expect all of you to practice tirelessly. Distinguished guests and alumni are coming to the Winter Fest, and I'd like them all to see you at your very best. You'll want to really shine here—these people can really help you."
The students nodded.
"That said: this is an open event. We have made the necessary arrangements and have sent your parents their invitations."
Charlotte's eyes went big. Her mom and Henry…coming to campus? On Winter Fest? "Our parents? Here?"
"Isn't this great?" said the twins, draping their arms over Charlotte's shoulders. "We get to see the wonderful people who raised us…" Snort. "This should be good."
Grace bit her nails anxiously and Charlotte fidgeted. "Now everyone, please rise." Will said, coming in. "Positions please."
As he did, Arabele went up to Charlotte and touched her arm and Grace's. "If you girls would like a hint… it would be nice if you sang a duet with someone, just so we could see how effective you would be as a partner."
A duet with someone…? Charlotte wondered. And then she wondered, heat rising to her face, Maybe…I can ask Damian to sing with me?
"Oh and Charlotte," said Arabele, whispering to her with a smile. "Try and add a little…glitz. Like Huntington does. It might be nice to have something different."
"All right…" Charlotte nodded, thinking. So it's a duet…with some pizzazz… then she realized that her mother and Henry would be watching. Would she be able to duet with Damian at all?
"Charlotte," Grace tugged on her sleeve anxiously. "Don't look now, but Darren's looked at you."
Charlotte sighed deeply.
When she said she wanted someone to notice, she didn't think it would be this much.
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Hawthorne
Jun 28, 2014 17:29:10 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by HburgEagle44 on Jun 28, 2014 17:29:10 GMT -5
Ooh duets! That's exciting. I'm so glad you're back
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Post by tonilous on Jun 28, 2014 20:20:10 GMT -5
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Post by tonilous on Jun 29, 2014 0:18:37 GMT -5
Okay, so the little cast listing was so much fun to make! On to the story.
Warning: I will be vigorously updating tonight from this point on. You do not understand how excited and inspired I am to write this story.
Hawthorne Answers
I'm Charlotte and this is Hawthorne Academy.
The Pipers and I are working towards the Winter Music Festival, where we'll perform in front of everyone and our parents. No pressure right there.
I'm to perform my first duel for a solo, and it's against Grace. Whoever wins will take lead with whoever wins between Damian and Darren. And it all comes down to today.
The morning of the duels found Charlotte up early and in the kitchen making pancakes. There was breakfast in the Dining Hall, but she wanted to stay in the warmth of the House. It was snowing softly outside. After the snow day confinement, Noel had been very twitchy about snowflakes coming down, while the other students were incorrigible and ran out the moment they saw the drifts.
She was singing softly to herself, in French, as she cooked, looking almost unbearably quaint as she did so.
Les rêves des amoureux sont comme le bon vin
Ils donnent de la joie ou bien du chagrin
Affaibli par la faim je suis malheureux
Volant en chemin tout ce que je peux
Car rien n'est gratuit dans la vie…
The young man leaning by the door was smiling as he watched. Finally, he decided to speak up. "Le Festin? You? Seriously?"
Charlotte looked up and laughed. "Well you have to admit, it's a little bit fitting. That, and due to severe training, I now have the unbearable ability to get even French songs stuck in my head."
"You're up early," said Damian, coming into the kitchen, attracted by the smell of actual cooking. It felt as though every other time he found a reason to be there, it was because of black smoke or pungent smells. Some of the students in Jefferson simply didn't know how to exist without a staff waiting on them. Only a handful of them were actually domesticated.
Charlotte just smiled. "Yeah. I guess I got a little too excited."
"First duel," Damian nodded with an understanding grin. He walked up to the counter, resting his guitar onto the side of the stool. Charlotte smiled and handed him a plate of pancakes. "Thanks."
"What's with the guitar?" Charlotte asked, smiling a bit.
Damian shrugged. "I've been up late rehearsing, actually… Seeing as how you and Grace barely even stopped singing into the night." He smirked as Charlotte looked embarrassed.
"Sorry… I guess we both are just a little more anxious about dueling than we'd care to admit. Well…Grace more than me." Charlotte sat, sighing. "She is actually really good, you know. She doesn't have my range or my, well…diva but she's, you know…charming." She shrugged. "And at the same time, it's my first one too. The last time you guys have heard me sing was when I auditioned, so I think I have some expectations to surpass."
"I know what you mean…" Damian laughed. "You know, I could barely sleep back before my first one. I felt beating Patrick and Diana for convincing me to go through with it. But I went and sang anyway."
"What did you sing?"
Damian smiled, leaning forward onto the counter. "You want to hear it?"
Charlotte blinked, pleasantly surprised. She leaned behind her and turned off the stove. She faced Damian again, who was strapping on his guitar, and Charlotte leaned forward. "Let's hear it, then."
"You remember what I told you?" Damian said as he adjusted, "About the situation I was in, which was why I came here?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, it kind of comes from that. What I might have wanted to hear… And…I've been thinking maybe I ought to have sung this to you at some point. Just to…just to help, I mean." He made an awkward cough turning red. "I know it's been rough on you and the song is…I mean not really in the sense that…well…" He waved it off. "In any case, just listen to it."
Charlotte flushed. She turned her eyes away for a moment, and then glanced back as Damian started to play, guitar strums being the only sound in the morning air. The older boy carefully lifted his eyes to her, and began to sing.
I've been alone
Surrounded by darkness…
and I've seen how heartless
The world can be…
And I've seen you crying
You felt like it's hopeless…
I'll always do my best
To make you see…
Charlotte sat gazing at Damian with wonder as he sang. It wasn't just his voice, or how well he played—it was his music and his words that reached out to her.
'Cause you're here with me
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down
'Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you…
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
Our love is all we need to make it through…
Damian flashed her a small smile as he sang and Charlotte flushed to the roots of her hair. She ducked her gaze, smiling. At least now, she had no doubts. She was the only person in the room, and Damian was singing to her. He was singing a song just for her.
Now I know it ain't easy
But it ain't hard trying…
Every time I see you smiling
And I feel you so close to me
Tell me…
Charlotte bit her lip to stop from smiling any more than she already was. Damian seemed to enjoy this, and grinned at her bit more. Distantly, she wondered if this was how the girls felt whenever their boyfriends sang to them.
She lifted her eyes and met Damian's again.
Now I still have trouble
I trip and stumble
Trying to make sense of things some times
I look for reasons
But I don't need 'em
All I need is to look in your eyes
And I realize…
Baby you're not alone
'Cause you're here with me…
As the song started to come to a close, Charlotte was simply unable to keep her eyes off him. Damian hadn't been looking at her the whole time, but at some point in the end, as he ended the song, he caught Charlotte's gaze again and it remained there.
In the silence that followed, Damian smiled and rested his hand on the counter. His fingertips lay just inches away from Charlotte's. The other girl just stared at him.
After a few moments of this, Damian smiled a bit more. "Well…? Aren't you going to say anything?"
Charlotte came to. "Oh…yeah, I mean… It was…" What does a person say after hearing something like that? She felt like Alex, looking for words, and she simply found none that sufficed. There was too much to say and too little time to think. So she just laughed a little and said, "Well…if you sang that, then you definitely must've won."
"I did, yeah," Damian admitted. "That was my "dueling" song for last year's Music Fest. And it got me my spot as lead." He put down the guitar. "Of course I can't sing that again this year. Still trying to work that out."
Charlotte gazed at him for a moment, deliberating within herself what she was about to do. But it was Damian and that song…she felt as though she just wanted to keep that song and that kind of moment just for herself. If she couldn't have Damian as a boyfriend, as a lover…couldn't she have just that? And maybe…
"Please sing with me."
Damian looked up, surprised. Charlotte forced a laugh. "Uh…I just… Well Gregor told me that if I planned on really getting some leverage, I should sing duet. I mean because everyone does a solo and the point of the two leads is for a duet. It would make sense to duel as a pair. Right?" She sure hoped so, because she was pretty sure she was just nonchalantly rambling on by now.
She looked at Damian, who seemed to be considering this. She quickly said, "It's just an idea. I've seen how you and Darren look like you prefer to personally rip each other's throats off and I wouldn't want to get in the crossfire."
"Nothing that severe." Damian smiled. "The duet idea, though… sounds great. I've never actually seen anyone duel like that and it sounds…interesting." He grinned. "That, and I'd love to sing with you."
"Great!" Charlotte exhaled as though she felt all life would exit her at that moment. "We're set, then."
"Good." Damian stood up, picking up the guitar. "Talk about it on the way to class?"
"Sure," Charlotte nodded. Damian grinned and left, closing the kitchen door behind him. As soon as he was gone, Charlotte sank her head onto the tile countertop in relief. I can't believe I asked. And I can't believe he said he'd do it! Alright then, Whoever-Is-Up-There-If-There-is-Even-Anyone…you get a point.
From where he had closed the door, Damian walked to the entrance hall, leaned back on the wall and groaned as he slid down it onto the floor. "…great job, Damo," he muttered. "Sing to her and all that." "Would you like to hear it?" I said. She looked like someone hit her in the face! With a million other songs on the planet, it had to be that one. And then she asked me to duet. Wow, there goes all my concentration for the rest of the day… He groaned. "I thought I said I wasn't going to do this…?"
He heard a sound. He knew that sound—it was the sound of slush dripping onto the floor. He slowly looked up from where he was, praying to anyone listening up there that it was not what he thought it was.
Patrick, Diana, and the twins stood there along with some other Jefferson students, still in their wet coats and shoes, each and every single one smirking mercilessly at him.
Damian stared. "…please tell me…that you did not hear all of that."
"We've actually been here since the song," said Patrick sweetly.
"We found it unbelievably charming of you, Damian," added Diana.
Lucas was grinning from ear to ear, "And of course you'll have our Alice…" he took his twin's hand, gave him a dramatic dance twirl and Logan pretended to faint into his arms, "…falling into your arms in no time!"
"Oh for the love of—!" Damian just ducked as the students in the hall exploded into laughter and catcalls.
-8-
"Charl, you're starting to worry me," Grace said, raising an eyebrow as she sat with Charlotte in the sunny cafeteria during lunch period. "You haven't stopped smiling all morning and I think that's why Murdoch gave us so much homework!"
"What are you talking about?" Charlotte answered, giving her an incredulous look. She stabbed at her salad. "I haven't been acting differently," she added, glancing to the door.
"Waiting for someone?" Grace smirked as she observed.
"Just…wondering about the other guys, they should be here by now. Where are they?"
"Oh…" Grace sighed. "They're hatching a plan."
"For what?" Charlotte asked, looking at her.
"Oh, it's Noel's birthday," Grace answered. "Apparently, he locks himself up when that happens, so the others coax him out with some…persuasion."
Charlotte wasn't sure about what to think of that, but said nothing. She smiled at Grace. "So, are you ready?"
"I think so…" Grace fidgeted. "I've just really been practicing."
"I know, I heard you. You'll do fine." Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Don't be so nervous."
Grace smirked. "I heard about you and Damian dueling with a duet, you know. Are you nervous?"
Charlotte choked on her latte but shot her an incredulous look. "Why should I be?"
"Because you like him? And that if you lose you won't get to sing opposite him?" Grace grinned. "Honestly, Charlotte—I don't see why you and he won't just come out with it. I think Damian likes you."
"We're friends, Grace," Charlotte sighed after swallowing a bite of lettuce. "And he just…he's more like a teacher to me than a boyfriend."
"Doesn't change the fact that you want him to be your boyfriend," Grace said happily.
Charlotte rolled her eyes. "Ha ha, very funny."
"Well you like him, he likes you, you're going to sing together. I can hardly wait."
"And you are about to have your first solo, Grace. And that, I would like to see."
-8-
"Noel!" "Noel!"
The voices pounding at his door sounded terrified and desperate. Instantly grabbing his holy water spray and pulling on a few more pendants, he grabbed a bag of blessed rock salt and shoved it into his pocket before running to the door, tearing it open. "What? What? What's happening?"
"Noel—" Diana looked like she was going to die, she was breathing so hard and she was white in the face. "—Noel, you know the old greenhouse at the West Corner? Where the low fence going into the wood is?"
"Yeah…" Noel turned pale, hands turning cold.
"Well…" Patrick gulped, gasping for air, "Diana and I—twins dared us to get that statuette in the fountain—"
Noel looked horrified. "The replica of Angel Uriel?"
"That one—Patrick he—he grabbed it—" And here Patrick held up a small stone statue of a female angel with wings, looking time worn. Noel backed away from it like it was radioactive.
"And then all this black stuff started to pour into the fountain!" Patrick cried, flailing the statue around. "What do we do, Noel? What's happening?"
"You unlocked a seal, that's what!" Noel howled back, furious. "How many times do I have to tell you people to not move any ornament more than fifteen years old in this campus? Stay there!" He ducked back into his room to grab his emergencies-only stash of some of the most formidable weapons against malignant specters.
He didn't see Patrick and Diana shoot each other a look. They looked pale and scared when Noel turned back to them. "All right, take me to that fountain and tell me where exactly and what position you found the statuette in." He grabbed it from Patrick's hand and carefully wrapped it.
"What—you're going out there?" Diana gasped. "Don't do it, Noel! What if there's something dangerous in that water?"
"I have to go," Noel said seriously, in the tone of a warrior on a noble cause. "I mean, it's scary as heck and I'm totally about to wet my pants as we speak, but if I can't let whatever it is take the campus! It's what the Winchesters would've done!" And with a dramatic flounce of his coat, he ran down the hall.
Diana and Patrick looked at each other and grinned. They ran down the hall after him, Diana muttering into her cufflink. "All right, boys, the Auror is out of the Ministry. It's all yours."
Noel threw himself outside Jefferson doors, with Patrick and Diana running after him, the doors swinging open as they went.
Silence fell in Jefferson. The two doors swung backward to reveal the twins standing behind them with identical Cheshire grins. Lucas said, "Patrick and Diana aren't bad."
"No, they are not," Logan agreed. The twins glanced behind them and Logan took out a walkie talkie. "Alright! Bring it all in! Set it all up!"
A veritable mass of students started pouring into Jefferson, carrying massive party decorations, drinks, food, furnishings and the like. The Jefferson students in the dorm started to help out as well, hauling things indoors. Everything looked rather dark and menacing, and when Damian walked in, looking confused, he turned to the twins. "I thought we were going to do Left 4 Dead."
"We decided that would be too easy for Noel," said Lucas happily. "So Silent Hill it is."
"You should see our animatronic Pyramid Head," grinned Logan, ignoring the mass of people milling around.
"And the waitresses who look like the nurses."
"And the peeling flesh walls."
"And I can't wait for him to find the eyeballs in the bloody punch."
"I don't know if you're trying to make him happy or trying to kill him with fright," said Damian, shaking his head as he headed upstairs. "Tell Patrick and Di not to go overboard."
"Well, they won't be back until practice—they're going to send Noel on a wild goose chase first to kill time until we all get out of Pipers." The twins looked up at him, "Aren't you joining the fun, Acting Prefect?"
"I'll catch up," he answered. "I have to go rehearse with Charlotte for the duel."
"You're talking about singing with her, though, right?" grinned Lucas.
"You kissed her yet?" Logan yelled. "You keep looking at her lips when she talks!"
"I hope you both choke on an insect-coated candy apple!" Damian called cheerily back from upstairs.
The twins grinned and checked their lists. "We did get some of those, right?"
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Hawthorne
Jun 29, 2014 2:04:13 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by HburgEagle44 on Jun 29, 2014 2:04:13 GMT -5
Ah. So cute. <3 (the winchesters. Nice touch.)
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Post by tonilous on Jun 29, 2014 2:05:32 GMT -5
Damian and Charlotte were walking down the corridors after their rehearsal, in the hall. They were rather certain that it would be something interesting, at least, for all the Pipers.
It was Damian who suggested doing a bit of theatrics for the song, sensing that was what Gregor was looking for after her hint of pizzazz to Charlotte. It was Charlotte who chose the song, saying that she'd wanted to try it out just once, but never found a partner willing to do it.
All the same, they both found something in the song that meant something to them, though they decided not to tell the other this. Practice had been done with very little of the acting, nevertheless. The real game begins during duels.
The Pipers arrived all present and early to the hall in recognition of the duel's magnitude. With a battle between Damian and Darren, and then one between Charlotte and Grace, it promised to be quite a spectacle. A few Washington students claimed hearing Damian and Charlotte singing—but only one song.
The moment Charlotte walked in, someone grabbed her elbow. It was Darren.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked. Charlotte stared up at him—she had seen that look in his eyes before. It was during competition, when he asked to be trusted. Apprehensive, Charlotte glanced to Damian a moment. "Um…"
Damian stared hard at Darren, looked at Charlotte and said, "I'll wait with the others."
Charlotte nodded. And though Damian may have walked to where a tired-looking Patrick and Diana sat, he kept his eyes on the two talking low in the corner of the Hall. "What's that about?" asked Diana.
"I don't know," Damian answered, gazing at them.
At the corner, Darren looked at Charlotte and said, "I wanted to formally apologize… I didn't get to back when we talked during the storm."
"Apologize for what?" Charlotte inquired, crossing her arms.
"For…exploding. During competition. I just…" Darren sighed and gestured helplessly. "I get angry. Really easily."
Charlotte's expression remained neutral. Darren swallowed and continued, "I shouldn't have accused you without knowing what was going on…but you have to admit, you did the same to me. Everything you've heard about me is still second-hand information."
"Darren…" Charlotte shook her head, shifting her weight.
"One chance, Charlotte," Darren said, looking intently at her. "Please. …please don't let me be too late."
"Too late to what?" Charlotte asked, confused.
Darren looked at her with grim determination. He reached out and took one of her hands. "Charlotte—I know you're not going to believe me, because quite frankly, I don't either—but hear me out. I have to tell you something."
Charlotte looked at him, thoroughly unsure of what was going on, but at that instant, Pentland walked in. "All right everyone. Please settle down."
Darren clenched his fist but said nothing. He released Charlotte immediately. Damian was halfway to getting out of his seat, but he sat back down when he saw Charlotte head back towards where they were sitting.
"What did he want?" asked Diana as soon as Charlotte sat with them.
"Just to talk," Charlotte said, still confused. "He said he wanted to tell me something."
Damian turned immediately to Darren, who was not looking at him.
Arabele walked to the piano and Will took control, looking over the mass of the singers waiting for the singing battle.
"All right. Without further ado, let's begin the duels. Will Darren, Damian, Charlotte, and Grace come forward please?"
Grace made a barely heard sound of surrender. Charlotte grinned and grabbed her friend's hand, pulling her towards the front. Darren and Damian followed, and they each drew a marble from the bag held out by the choir director. Darren once again earned the red marble. He would go first.
"We begin with the first soloists," said Will with a nod.
As Darren went to the front, taking his spot, he kept his eyes on Charlotte long enough for Charlotte to be aware that he was doing this on purpose. Darren sat on the piano and seemed to consider what he was about to do for a moment, before laying his hands on the keys and beginning to play.
His playing was flawless as they had always been, but there was a new emotion in his vocal tone.
I saw you there
And looked you straight between the eyes
And said I'm leaving
And I don't care
And I don't know if they were lies
But I don't need them…
Cause standing still
Isn't easy …
When the world's moving backwards
The world's moving backwards
So get your fill
But please believe me
That the world's moving backwards …
The world's moving backwards…
The Pipers were pleasantly surprised. Even Patrick had to admit that after the blatant forwardness of the Aerosmith song he had sung last time, there was a subtle message in this rendition of a Ben Rector song, and sung marvelously with the use of words and the color of Darren's tones.
This wasn't lost on Charlotte, who was deep in thought. Was this what Darren was trying to say? Was he trying to apologize after what happened? Their eyes met.
So I pray that you'll give me grace if you can hear me
That you'll give me grace if you can hear me
And I pray that you'll give us grace if you can hear me
You'll give us grace
You'll give us grace
You'll give us grace…
At the high note, the Pipers sat up, looking deeply fascinated, some of them starting to smile with exclamations of impressed voices. This was definitely the Darren who was their lead singer from many performances ago. Damian simply kept watching neutrally.
"Got his game face on," Diana nodded, Grace biting her nails.
Charlotte watched, somehow impressed by such a performance.
Cause standing still
Isn't easy …
When the world's moving backwards
The world's moving backwards
So get your fill
But please believe me
That the world's moving backwards …
The world's moving backwards…
The song came to a close. As soon as the last delicate notes faded, the Hall burst into applause with more conviction than last time. Will and Arabele also applauded, congratulating him with their eyes. Darren smiled at the others, turned to Charlotte and nodded.
Charlotte sighed and nodded back slightly, clapping for him as well. He did do more wonderfully than she'd heard before. So this is the Darren they talk about…
Arabele stood again. "Damian? It's your turn."
"Ms. Gregor?" Damian said as he rose with Charlotte, "if you all don't mind… Charlotte and I have planned to perform together."
The Pipers nearly broke their necks with how fast they turned at this, looking up at him in surprise. Even Darren looked stunned from where he sat. The two professors seemed to discuss for a moment, and then nodded. Will looked at the two. "Proceed."
Charlotte and Damian gave each other relieved glances and proceeded to go up front. Damian hurried up to Arabele and whispered something to her. She looked surprised, but nodded and turned to the piano. She would play for them. Then Charlotte and Damian stood apart from each other, on either end of the performance area, the lights dimming for a moment, under Patrick's control.
When Arabele began to play, a soft light came on to Damian as he looked up and began to sing, "I should tell you I'm disaster… I forget how to begin it…"
Charlotte appeared into the spot of light, taking Damian's hand carefully, looking at him in pleading, concerned, "Let's just make this part go faster… I have yet to be in it... I should tell you…"
"I should tell you…" Damian reached up and held Charlotte's hands.
"I should tell you…" Charlotte glanced away a moment.
"I should tell you…"
In the minds of all the Pipers—one word flashed: Rent.
Charlotte and Damian were performing Rent. Everyone immediately sat up to pay stunned attention to the pair in front of them, performing Roger and Mimi's duet. As the Jeffersons' jaws dropped, not having expected this, Darren's heart sank at the realization.
Charlotte sang, looking up at Damian, "I should tell I blew the candle out just to get back in…"
"I'd forgotten how to smile until your candle burned my skin…" Damian admitted with a faint smile.
"I should tell you…"
"I should tell you…"
"I should tell you…" "I should tell you…" their voices came together in harmony, rising in hope, looking intently at each other, standing close. The light began to illuminate the room again. They were almost smiling, nervous, hopeful, afraid:
"Well here we go…now we…"
"…oh no…" Charlotte lowered her eyes.
Damian tried to catch her eye again, making her look up at him. "I know—this something is—here goes—"
"Here goes…" Charlotte began to smile, Damian doing the same.
"Guess so…It's starting to—Who knows…"
"Who knows…"
Hands held, their voices began to rise again, filling the room:
"Who knows where…Who goes there…Who knows…Here goes…"
Damian released Charlotte's hands and they almost dance as they move, singing to one another.
"Trusting desire—starting to learn…
Walking through fire without a burn…
Clinging—A shoulder a leap begins…
Stinging and older , asleep on pins…
So here we go…"
The song softly began to close, their hands carefully holding as they stood in front of one another.
"Who knows where - who goes there
Here goes - Here goes…"
Silence fell in the room as the song ended. The two in the middle stared at each other, as though lost for just one moment. Then they seemed to come to their senses and tore their gazes away with awkward smiles.
The Pipers were all in shock at the unprecedented performance. Charlotte and Damian looked up at them, blinking into the light. And then Arabele leapt to her feet, losing all propriety in spite of herself, and began clapping. The Pipers erupted into applause and laughter—with some of the obligatory cheers, hoots and catcalls.
"Yeah!" Patrick yelled, clapping hard as Diana laughed. "That's a performance!"
Bright scarlet, Charlotte dropped her gaze a little, laughing softly to herself. She glanced to Damian and saw him grinning back at her. "We did say all or nothing…" Damian said.
Charlotte nodded with a laugh and the two made deeply exaggerated bows to their teammates. Charlotte pretended to wave them on as they pretended to throw flowers. Damian just stood and laughed, bowing deeply to the others.
"All right, settle, settle…" Will smirked at them. He looked at Damian and Charlotte, saying, "You two certainly put on something…new…"
The two just grinned up at him. Will now looked up. "Which brings us to the final competitor, another first-timer—Grace."
The Pipers all turned to look at the girl who looked pale with fright. Charlotte got up and gave her a hug before urging her on. Some of the students clapped encouragingly. Each of them had been waiting for this, hoping to hear Grace sing solo for the first time. They had always heard her as chorus vocal, and this was her defining moment.
Grace was intimidated by Darren, Damian and Charlotte, but her friends in Jefferson nodded encouragingly at her, and she smiled tremulously. She was unnerved and it was obvious. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She hesitated for so long that Will and Arabele looked at each other, rather concerned.
In a burst of inspiration, Damian suddenly got up and snatched up an acoustic guitar from the instrument rack. He ran to the front and asked Grace something, and Grace answered. Damian nodded and motioned for Patrick and Diana to come down. The three of them prepared to back Grace up, smiling at her.
Grace laughed a little, grateful, and turned to the audience with a bit more confidence. As the music started, she deep breath, and began to sing.
I'm driving around town
Kinda bored with the windows rolled down
See a girl on the bus stop bench
Dressed to draw attention…
Hoping everyone will stare
If she don't stand out she thinks she'll disappear
Wish I could hold her, tell her, show her
What she wants is already there…
Charlotte was smiling so much she couldn't stop if she tried. She watched as Grace smiled up at her teammates and continued to sing the country song with her own tones and take on the words.
A star is a star
It doesn't have to try to shine…
Water will fall
A bird just knows how to fly…
You don't have to tell a flower how to bloom
Or light how to fill up a room…
You already are what you are
And what you are is beautiful…
And Charlotte realized, the song was meant for Grace herself. She was singing it for her sake, as she enjoyed the thing she loved the most at this moment—singing. Even the other Pipers could feel the conviction in her voice, and, moved by the music that Damian, Diana, and Patrick were playing, were starting to move along to the beat unconsciously.
(You'd say) Gravity is gravity
It doesn't try to pull you down…
Stone is stone
It can't help but hold its ground…
The wind just blows, though you can't see
It's everywhere like I'll always be…
You already are what you are
And what you are is strong enough…
The song came to an end. And the Pipers burst into the loudest applause of the day yet, with Damian, Charlotte, and even Darren, applauding along with everyone else. They cheered and threw music sheets. "Grace, good job! Yeah! Way to go, Grace! Encore, encore!"
Grace stood in the middle of it all, looking as though she were about to cry, smiling up at them. The Jeffersons descended on her, grabbing her into hugs and patting her shoulders heavily. Grace just laughed, shaking her head.
Arabele looked like a mother who just saw her child walking—astonished and delighted. "Grace, we had no idea!" she exclaimed.
Will nodded, smiling a little and clapping along with the others before saying, "All right…all of you. Settle down, settle down. A great job from all of you—each one bringing something different. Now it's time for the Pipers to decide who gets to be first and second lead."
Grace sat back down next to Charlotte and the two of them grinned at each other.
-8-
"We have come to the vote," said Arabele. But she looked strange, as though trying not to laugh.
"We have our first and second leads," said Will, who kept the poker face up better than she did. Charlotte looked around and saw that a lot of the Pipers were grinning ear to ear, jostling each other's elbows as though they knew an inside joke.
Charlotte looked at Damian, who just shrugged, not knowing either.
Will cleared his throat. "As it would appear from the names written on the votes… Our first and second leads are…" He looked at the slip of paper and held it out, as though evidence. "Charlotte and Grace."
The room burst into cheers of triumph as the students leapt from their seats.
"What?" burst out Charlotte, looking around in confusion at the announcement. "Wait—how is that possible?"
"Mr. Pentland—Charlotte and I are both second lead!" said Grace, looking utterly blown away. "Why are we the pair?"
"Why don't you ask them…?" Will sighed, motioning to the cheering students—Damian and Darren could do no more than just laugh at this. "When Arabele and I were checking the slips, they all had the name of the first and second they voted for, but underneath, everyone wrote "but if you could make it Grace and Charlotte, then it's them"."
"What?" Charlotte looked at the twins, who were falling to the floor in laughter.
Lucas was gasping for air. "I knew they'd bite! I knew it!"
"We figured the two of you would look adorable onstage together!" said Logan.
"Alice and the Dormouse! This should be awesome!"
"We told everyone—they loved the idea!"
"No offense, though, Damian, they loved your performance," said Lucas quickly.
"But you've got to admit, our two first-timers knocked it out of the ballpark and they should get at least a shot."
"Besides, you and Darren have gotten the lead so many times…"
More near-hysteric laughter followed, leading Charlotte to question all their sanities. She looked at Grace, who just looked befuddled, and said, "We…we're performing in front for the Winter Fest…I don't believe it."
-8-
It was dark and the Pipers trooped out to their Houses respectively, still talking about what they could make two small soloists "do" for the fest, which included having them sing all sorts of girl band songs. Charlotte shook her head—when she fantasized about getting the lead, she didn't think it would be this way. And because it was Noel's birthday, Jefferson felt generous enough to invite Adams and Washington over to their house for the celebration.
When Noel—after being misled by many many clues that had been left for him around campus by Patrick, Diana, and the Twins (it was supposedly an "ancient puzzle" that unlocks secrets within school)—finally managed to get back to the house, he looked furious.
Until…
"Happy Birthday, Noel!" the entire group yelled as the draggled spiritualist walked in. The entire house was frankly terrifying—it looked like something out of Silent Hill all right, with the twins sparing no expense. Noel stood, staring with wide eyes and looking shell shocked.
"What…the…" he gaped.
The Jeffersons scooped him up and started tossing him around the crowd. "Give him to Pyramid Head!" some of the boys started yelling. And the celebrant, who was both happy and horrified, was yelling as they led him near the giant animatronic monster.
"How can they still have all that energy…?" Charlotte wondered aloud. Damian, who stood next to her, said, "We don't think they're human anymore."
"They? Aren't you one of them?" Charlotte grinned.
"So are you," Damian laughed.
"Fair enough." Charlotte got up from the couch, hoping to get some punch when she felt her phone vibrate.
It was a message from Austin.
Charlotte, meet me outside, ASAP.
"What is it?" asked Damian.
"It's Austin—he wants to see me outside. He's out by the gate, I guess." Charlotte's brow furrowed.
"It's a bit late, isn't it?" said Damian, concerned. "Want me to come with you?"
"No, I'll go see him, it might be important or private or something." Charlotte immediately grabbed her coat, leaving her things on the couch.
"Are you sure?" asked Damian.
"Yeah! Be back with him." Charlotte fled the house.
Damian was a little worried at the suddenness of the visit, but he looked around and spotted Darren among the guests, and for some reason, that eased his mind somewhat. At least Darren didn't follow Charlotte outside. He tried to control the madness in the house for a few moments until he realized it was futile and let the students throw the candy eyeballs around.
His own phone started to ring, and he picked it up. "Hello?"
"Damian? This is Natasha! I got your number from Austin! It's an emergency and Charlotte isn't—"
"Natasha? Wait—Charlotte already left to see—"
"Charlotte's not answering her phone! Damian, Austin said that he forgot his phone on the courtyard—and Andrew just told me that he saw it—"
Damian's blood turned ice cold.
"—with Fitzpatrick!"
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Hawthorne
Jun 29, 2014 2:14:41 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by HburgEagle44 on Jun 29, 2014 2:14:41 GMT -5
Nooooo. It was beautiful until it wasn't.
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Post by tonilous on Jun 29, 2014 20:25:56 GMT -5
Hawthorne Boundaries
I'm Charlotte and this is Hawthorne Academy.
I just won the lead in our next performance in the Pipers. And so did my friend Grace.
We were celebrating Noel's birthday, winding down the long day.
But if you had told me that this was going to happen before the night was out…
…I would've never believed you.
"Hey, Austin—don't forget to invite Charlotte over for a Christmas party, okay?" Mia said as the choir ended practice and were packing up. Practice ran late—they had been doing Christmas songs. They had the distinct feeling that Hayes was going to strut them out and make them go caroling.
"Yeah, she might want to come along when we crash Mr. Hayes' house," Mark added, putting away his guitar.
"Breaking and entering is part of the Christmas spirit now?" Rose raised an eyebrow.
"Come on, you guys," Natasha said, straightening up the music sheets. "It's Christmas and no one should be alone."
"I'm definitely sure that she'll be on board—you know she can't stay away," Austin grinned. "Hang on, let me go call her or something." He fished inside his bag as the boys pushed back the chairs. He rummaged around with a frown until he muttered, "Where the heck is my phone?"
"You were holding it back at the courtyard during lunch," Hunter said, blinking. "Where'd you put it?"
Austin groaned. "I took out my sheet music because Natasha kept saying that she's the only one who could hit the high note. I think I must've put it down there and forgot to pick it up after the football team came after us for the second time."
"Ugh—don't remind me," Mia grumbled.
Alex suddenly spoke up, "In the courtyard?" He looked a bit lost in thought. "Is it silver with a sticker of the Hogwarts Crest on the back?"
"Yes!" said Austin, looking up. "You found it?"
Alex looked uncomfortable. Natasha looked at him. "What?"
After a terse pause, Alex said, "I was in the locker room—I heard the other guys talking. I saw Fitzpatrick at his locker, and he had that phone—I thought it was weird that he did, it wasn't like he was a fan of Harry Potter anyway—"
"Fitzpatrick has my phone?" Austin demanded. "Look, coming after us was one thing, but if he knew that was my phone, then that's just stealing—"
"Why would he take your phone?" Kassie snorted.
Rose looked back at Justin. "Can you make him give it back?"
"I could," Mark said with a growl, getting up. "I'm the only one allowed to steal from you guys."
"Wait—wait, you guys!" Natasha suddenly exclaimed, making them all look at her. She was white as a sheet and staring far off, looking as though something just occurred to her. "He's got something in his head. You guys, you said it yourselves—why would he take that phone?"
"Because he's a stupid jerk?" Mark suggested.
"Not that!" Natasha was digging through her bag frantically. "Austin—tell me you know Damian's number. You know—that guy from Hawthorne Charlotte's always with."
"Damian?" Austin looked confused as he looked down to his notes. "Yeah, I wrote it down when Charlotte gave it to me—why?"
Natasha looked up, a grim look on her face. "I don't know if I'm being neurotic after watching all those splatter films with Alex, but I'm not taking any chances." She was drumming her fingers nervously onto the piano. She made an impatient, anxious noise. "Charlotte's not answering her phone. Austin, give me that number."
"What—? What's going on?" Austin handed it to her, confused.
"What are you doing, Tash?" Alex finally asked, brow furrowed as he walked up to the others.
Natasha looked at him, swallowing hard as she punched in the number and held the phone to her ear. "Austin is the one who's always in contact with Charlotte. And...and I just have this terrible feeling that Fitzpatrick may have stolen that phone to find her.
"What…?" Alex turned pale.
"Damian? This is Natasha. I got your number from Austin! It's an emergency and Charlotte isn't—" In the silence of the room, they heard the boy on the other end answer, confused.
"Natasha? Wait—Charlotte already left to see—"
"Charlotte's not answering her phone!" Natasha blurted out. "Damian, Austin said that he forgot his phone on the courtyard—and Alex just told me that he saw it—with Fitzpatrick!"
The silence on the other end told them everything. "Damian, please tell me Charlotte's there," Natasha whispered.
There was the hiss of a curse and then: "She's gone—Charlotte's gone, she—" his voice was shaking,"—she thought she got a text from—I'm going now—" And the line died.
Alex came to life and sprinted out of the room at full speed, with Mark and Hunter tearing after him. "Let's go, come on!" Natasha cried as the girls rushed after them.
-8-
Hawthorne had its very own charm at night. With all of its archaic architecture, ornamental gardens that transformed during the seasons, it was dim without being foreboding (as opposed to Noel's claims that mentioned that Hawthorne looked like the college out of the Exorcism of Emily Rose at night).
Hurrying through the crisp winter air, past ornate lamps that lit the Hawthorne walkways in their orange glow, Charlotte looked around frantically for any sign of her friend. "Austin!" she called. She ran along the South and Main, hoping to spot him somewhere at the iron railings or gates.
She hugged her coat closer onto herself, squinting in the wind and into the gloom. "Austin, where are you?" She dug into her pockets to look for her phone, until she realized that she must have left it on the couch back at Jefferson with her other things.
She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Great…" She resumed her brisk stride, jogging along the path to warm herself somewhat. "Austin!" she called as she came up to one of the annex buildings. "Hey, what is going on he—"
A figure in a familiar jacket came around the annex building corner. Charlotte's heart plunged and she skidded to a stop with a gasp, paralyzed. Fitzpatrick was striding up to her with an intent look on his face. With a choke, Charlotte turned to run.
A powerful, vise-like grip closed onto her elbow and pulled her back with great strength. Charlotte nearly flew off her feet as Fitzpatrick grabbed her back and pulled her around the dark corner, shoving her right onto the ivy-covered brick walls.
Before Charlotte could even take a breath, a large hand clapped over her mouth. "Shh!" came the urgent hiss. "Be quiet!"
Charlotte's words were stifled down into a whimper as Fitzpatrick bore down at her, pinning down one of her wrists. The larger boy glowered down at her. "Don't. Scream." He looked at her intently, eyes hard. "…I'm not here for what you think, Summers. But if you scream, so help me, I'll—"
"Charlotte!"
Charlotte's eyes went wide as she heard Damian's voice carrying from across grounds, over the wind. Fitzpatrick looked up. From where they were, they were out of view, but they could hear the sound of feet running over the grounds. "Charlotte, where are you?" Damian was crying out desperately from the distance.
"Charlotte!" Patrick and Diana's footfalls were sounding after Damian's, alarmed. "Charlotte, where are you?"
"This way—!" she heard one of the twins say.
Charlotte choked out from where she was, looking up at Fitzpatrick in terror.
"I think I heard something!" Even Darren was running.
Fitzpatrick immediately turned back to Charlotte and grabbed her shoulder, keeping his hand on her mouth. He pushed her into a dark alcove—like a dead end alley—between two buildings, where everything was pitch black.
-8-
"Charlotte, where are you!" Damian cried over the dark. His heart was in his throat pounding so hard he felt that he would throw up if a matter of minutes. He saw nothing over the grounds—no movement. Charlotte had just evaporated into thin air after walking out of Jefferson.
When Natasha had said that terrible name over the phone, he thought he was having heart failure. He hissed a curse under his breath as the worst scenarios came flying through his mind. It must have shown on his face and on his entire body, because Darren, who had been watching him, now frowned and began to approach. But it was Diana and Patrick who reached him first.
"Damian, what's wrong? You look like someone died," Diana said, worried.
Damian had choked out into the phone, "She's gone—Charlotte's gone, she—" he took a shaking breath. "—she thought he got a text from—I'm going now." And he threw off his phone and broke into a run.
"Whoa!" Patrick exclaimed, chasing after him as he pushed through the bodies crowded in the party hall. "Damian! Damian, wait—what's going on?"
"That jock from Huntington—!" Damian had rushed past his schoolmates, who looked baffled at their haste. "I think he just called Charlotte from someone else's number and he's called her outside!"
"Crap!" Diana hissed in horror. The twins came running down from the staircase, seeing their alarm and looking confused. "Come on!" Patrick shouted to them as they leapt over the banisters and followed.
Damian rushed out the doors. "Charlotte!" he cried out the moment he hit the outside air. His fists were clenched and he raced through the grounds, praying desperately that he wasn't too late.
They were a couple of yards off when Noel and Grace, having seen their frantic exodus, arrived at the door, breathless.
"What's happening?" Noel gasped, watching them go.
"I don't know—but we better help!" Grace said, running out into the night air.
Noel hesitated for only a moment, and at that moment Darren reached him. Darren had seen Damian and the others and immediately came running out. "Noel—what happened?"
"Something about Charlotte being in trouble—Damian and the others just tore out of here!"
Darren turned back to the house. "Felix! Felix—come here!"
At this, a tall brown-haired boy in a red Hawthorne pullover looked up, confused. "What—?"
"You're the Washington prefect, right—keep an eye on this madhouse! We've got an emergency!" Darren fled the house, calling back, "And watch your phone! I'll ring when we need the police!"
"Police?" Noel cried, and immediately ran after him, leaving the Washington prefect standing and looked absolutely confused.
That was how all the students got to where they were running across grounds, searching anxiously for any sign of the new student. Damian stopped for an instant in the middle of one of the gardens, panting—his breath leaving his lips in heavy clouds. "Which way?" panted Diana, skidding up next to him.
"I don't know," Damian panted, looking around desperately. There was just no sign of Charlotte anywhere, and it was too dark. He turned to the twins, who came running from another direction. "Any sign of her?"
"No," Lucas shook his head, breathing hard.
"Not a soul," panted Logan.
"Crap!" Patrick snarled, pounding his fist on his knee from where he was bent over. "Where is she?"
-8-
Charlotte was waiting for her life to flash before her eyes. That's what everyone said happened when you were looking down potential death, but she couldn't see anything except Fitzpatrick over her, holding her mouth tightly closed with his hand, as he looked around quickly for anyone coming into the short alley.
Then he looked back at Charlotte. For the first time, Charlotte thought she saw a flicker of fear cross the other boy's face. Fitzpatrick muttered, "All right, Charlotte. I'm going to let go of you, all right? But if you so much as even try to scream…" He didn't finish the sentence. It wasn't necessary.
But his next words surprised her. "I'm not going to hurt you." Charlotte gave him a confused, disbelieving look, and considering the situation, it was well deserved. Fitzpatrick glared. "I just want to talk. Do you understand? Nod if you understand."
Charlotte swallowed and nodded, eyes staring up at him. Fitzpatrick glowered down at her. "Don't scream, I'm telling you…" And very carefully, lifted his hand off Charlotte's mouth.
Charlotte was breathing hard, heart echoing into her ears, as she stared up at the hulking form in front of her. No matter what Fitzpatrick may have said, there was no way she was putting him past hurting her or worse. He'd already threatened to keep her quiet that way once—he could very well still be serious about it. The truth was, Charlotte was so terrified that she couldn't make a sound even if he wanted to.
Her heart sank as she realized he could no longer hear the feet of her friends, and that their voices had faded off some distance away. They were looking in the wrong direction.
"Charlotte."
She looked back at Fitzpatrick. "I had to get you alone like this. I wasn't in the mood to have to beat down your bodyguards." He glared off at the other direction. He had clearly meant the other Jeffersons, who had formed the first protective barricade around Charlotte when they saw Fitzpatrick watching at competition.
"What do you want?" Charlotte hissed, fear and fury fighting through her in a manner that made her want to hurl. "What are you even doing here?"
Fitzpatrick glowered at her in response. Charlotte felt with her hands behind her and only felt brick. There really was no way out. At the sight of her fear, Fitzpatrick only snorted. He glanced around, "Well this is a nice place you ended up into at least. Must be your own personal utopia."
"Why?" Charlotte snorted with reckless courage. "Are you hoping to transfer in and make my life miserable in here too? I seriously doubt your dead GPA could handle that!"
The hand that smashed to the wall next to her face nearly made her scream and all her strength nearly fled her. "Don't push me, Summers, I swear, I'll—" Fitzpatrick snarled.
"Or what? Punch me? Stab me? Get it over with already and leave me alone! Why are you even following me?"
"Because you're the only one who knows about me!"
Those words scared Charlotte more than anything else uttered so far. Fitzpatrick stopped leaning down into her and just looked angry, confused and completely lost. He looked as though even he had no idea why he was there. Charlotte waited for his hands to stop shaking as she responded, "I didn't tell anyone."
"Yeah? You told your boyfriend," Fitzpatrick spat the last word out as though it were poisoned. "That guy you brought to school. And the rest of those guys looked like they knew. If you didn't tell them, he did. Or that kid you sent after me during competition?"
"What?" Charlotte stared. "I didn't send anyone after you!"
"So I guess that blond prep snob just decided to prance after me to protect you like some knight in shining armor? Boy, you get around, Charlotte—that's two guys after one move!"
Charlotte couldn't even process that insult. Her mind was stuck on "blond prep snob". It wasn't the twins—they never went without each other. Which left…
"What happened to your eye?"
"It got hit by a fist! Nothing unusual!"
Charlotte's heart stopped. Darren…?
-8-
"Charlotte!" yelled Damian over the grounds. Composure was gone a long time ago as the minutes ticked by. It had been ten minutes since Charlotte had vanished. A lot could happen in that time. He ran a hand nervously through his hair. "She's just not answering—where is she…?"
"If she was in trouble, wouldn't she scream?" Noel asked, looking around the darkness, holding a small flashlight that he kept with himself at all times.
Diana looked grim. "Yes, but…if she was in trouble, she also might not have been given the chance to."
"Shut up, Diana!" Damian snapped.
"Don't take it out on me, Damian!" Diana shot back angrily. "I'm just worried about her as you are!"
"This isn't happening…" Damian sank his head to his hands, willing himself to be calm, trying and failing. "I didn't think it was that bad when she moved here. I thought if she moved here, she'd be all right. I didn't know that guy had threatened to come after her."
"Why did he suddenly come here…?" Grace asked, fearful as she glanced around. "Charlotte hasn't done anything to him!"
"Or maybe someone pissed him off," Lucas said darkly, and Logan looked at Darren.
Patrick looked at Darren, then back at them and frowned. "What do you mean?"
The twins just kept staring hard at Darren. Darren glared back at them, still breathing deeply from running. Damian looked up, his eyes flashing dangerously, and he grabbed the taller boy's lapel with a strong arm. "What did you do, Darren?"
"What do you think I did, Damian?" Darren snarled back, jerking his hand off him. "I did what you couldn't do! I went to him and told him to leave Charlotte alone!"
"What?" Diana burst out. "How did you even know?"
"I saw," Darren said depreciatingly. "I saw how scared to death she looked back onstage when she saw him. I knew that kind of guy would just keep following her so I went after him during competition! I told him to back off!"
"So my friend is out there and it's is all your fault?" Patrick snarled, lunging at him.
Damian grabbed Patrick back and almost threw him to Diana. He was the one who stepped forward to Darren with eyes blackened by wrath and voice dangerously low. "Darren…if anything happens to Charlotte right now, I swear I will have you expelled back to where you came from! I don't care how I do it, but I swear, I will ruin you if I have to! You're not doing this again, you hear me?"
"You stand there on your high and mighty pedestal, all but trying to be seen as some protector but all you ever do is hold her hand!" Darren shot back, moving forward. "You can't protect her at every turn, Damian—I had to do something you didn't have the nerve to do!"
"Hey!" Grace screamed, shoving them off each other. "What is the matter with the both of you? We don't have time for this! Charlotte is out there with that psychopath and you're standing here screaming at each other! We don't have time for your crap right now—figure it out later! Right now just do something!"
Grace hadn't looked or sounded angrier in her life. Darren glanced at her briefly before glaring back at Damian, who was pulled away by the twins. Damian shrugged their hands off and stood with Patrick and Diana. He looked as though he were pulling back all that anger again and just trying to calm down and think rationally. Darren, who had never felt the need to properly control himself, simply stood fuming.
"Easy," Diana said to Damian who was calming down quickly. "Just breathe. Think."
"This can't be happening to me again, Diana—this just can't—"
"Hey!" Noel started yelling. "You guys!"
Patrick looked up as he came running. He was holding a printed Hérmes stole.
"Where did you find that?" Grace gasped, recognizing it to be the one she'd given Charlotte.
"That way." He pointed to the direction of the sprawling Main. He now looked wildly animated and in control. "She must've gone that way. We've got to split up and search around it. I'll take Grace. Diana and Patrick take Damian, Tweedles take Darren. I don't want to have to be responsible for having to resurrect them if they end up killing each other—I haven't practiced getting souls back yet."
And as there was no better recourse, the group split up and ran into the gloom.
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Hawthorne
Jun 29, 2014 22:12:33 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by HburgEagle44 on Jun 29, 2014 22:12:33 GMT -5
Ahhhhh this is incredible!!!
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Hawthorne
Jun 29, 2014 22:12:44 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by HburgEagle44 on Jun 29, 2014 22:12:44 GMT -5
Ahhhhh this is incredible!!!
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Post by tonilous on Jun 30, 2014 0:28:43 GMT -5
Charlotte closed her eyes, willing calm to come to her, but it was still a long way from coming. "You threatened me, Fitzpatrick. It doesn't matter if they know or who told them, they were just trying to protect me," she said in a low tone. "No one even knows you, or cares about you, in this school."
"Even you?"
If there was a trick question from the Devil, it had to be that one. Charlotte didn't even know what context to look at that in, much less answer it. She was trapped in an alley with her ex-tormentor and potential murderer, and he was asking if she cared about him?
"You're the only one who knows the truth about me, Charlotte," Fitzpatrick said in a tone that was almost irritated. "You know what that's like? Keeping all that in, and then one day just having someone strutting around the whole school knowing it—and you're just waiting for the axe to fall."
Charlotte glanced away, trying to get all her thoughts settled. She licked her dry lips and swallowed, determined to push down the knot in her insides.
"That day you got me expelled? You were that close," said Fitzpatrick, stepping a little closer. "You were in front of my dad, your family, and the principal. You had me in a corner, Charlotte. You were that close to destroying everything I built up around me."
Charlotte looked up at him, pressing herself to the wall.
Fitzpatrick stopped. "…but you didn't."
The atmosphere seemed to change with that. She raised her eyes to Fitzpatrick and took a deep breath, standing a bit straighter. "It wasn't my secret to tell."
Fitzpatrick stood shaking his head a little, hands shoved into his jacket pockets. "I was so sure you would."
"And like I keep telling you…I'm not going to tell."
Silence fell between them.
Charlotte lowered her eyes, shifting her feet. "Why are you here, Fitzpatrick? Can't you…can't you just leave me in peace?" She gestured wildly upward. "To some degree, I'm happy here. You've won, okay? You've driven me out and ensured your everlasting safety. Is that what you wanted? Some fricking closure?"
"No."
That was surprisingly blunt. Charlotte fell silent, staring at him.
"You're unbelievably vain," Fitzpatrick glowered at her. "It's always about you, all the time. I actually can't stand you. You just went around doing as you pleased all the time back at Huntington. Even when I shoved you around, you just went on and did whatever you wanted. You just didn't care. I bet around here, you still do just that."
Charlotte flushed with anger. "I—"
"Don't you get it? You're actually the only other person in Huntington who would have even the tiniest idea of how I feel!" Fitzpatrick suddenly said. "You're the only one kid in Huntington that didn't give a single crap about what anyone thought! You scream it all the time! You just went about and did your stupid business! And now you're gone. The entire Charlotte Summers Extravaganza show just moved house. Which left just me in Huntington."
"What are you trying to tell me here? Are you just trying to insult me, or—"
"Would you shut up?" Fitzpatrick shoved her back against the wall. He looked as though he truly hated what he had to say next. "…what do I do now that you're here?"
Charlotte stared, wondering if he'd gone mad.
"You're the only one who got it. Anyone else would've told the whole school, but you didn't. You saw my dad, Charlotte. I don't know how he'll react. I can't do anything or say anything that'll give me away."
Fitzpatrick sighed, his breath turning into a white wisp. "So no matter how frustratingly annoying you are—you were still the only person who would've remotely got what was wrong with me. And I haven't even settled with it myself."
Charlotte pursed her lips and shook her head slowly, wondering if she'd actually passed out in fear and that this was all hallucination.
"And now you're gone. You're…here." He looked disgusted at the surroundings. He looked disgusted with himself more. "And I don't know what was wrong with me, but I guess I just wanted to see what you were doing in here. And just maybe…figure out what I'm going to do with myself."
Charlotte glanced at him. "So you went to competition…just to watch?"
He didn't answer immediately. "…it's annoying to watch you sing. Or hang around with those rich brats like nothing was wrong. Like you forgot everything. Like you just weren't scared anymore. I preferred you scared. Because then it was…easier…" He trailed off.
Because then…it would be how you feel? Charlotte thought as she watched him. She pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose, trying to take this all in. "Fitzpatrick—"
"Whatever, Charlotte—I'm out of here, I said my piece."
"You're not alone!"
Fitzpatrick stopped. He turned to her slowly, as though not sure if he'd heard that right.
Charlotte took a step forward. "It's all Damian and I were trying to tell you. We aren't like those ignorant, close-minded jerks back at Huntington. I know you hate it, and I know you think it's stupid and totally cliché but you're not alone. You're the one who makes yourself alone, Fitzpatrick. If you'd just stop pushing people like you do—"
"Did you ever think that maybe I don't want to be like them?" Fitzpatrick asked suddenly.
Charlotte stopped. "Don't you ever think that maybe I push you around because I don't want to be like you? Going against that stupid crowd and gallivanting around that school with no absolute care in the world? It matters to me what they think, Summers. I care how people see me." Fitzpatrick added.
Charlotte stared at him silently. "If that were true…you wouldn't have come here to see me. You came here to make some degree of peace. If not with me, then with yourself. Because you know that I'm somewhere you won't get to if you keep going down your direction."
Silence. She and Fitzpatrick stared each other down in the gloom, the wind rustling the dead branches.
-8-
And then from behind the trees, Noel Montgomery appeared. At the sight of the jacket that stood across the slim figure pressed to the wall, he started to breathe hard. He quickly felt for Grace's arm behind him. "Go get the others."
Grace who had just laid her eyes on the scene, looked startled. She nodded to Noel and immediately fled, swatting away dead branches as she went.
After a moment of fervent praying, Noel went running towards the alley. Now or never, chickenheart! he told himself.
"Hey!"
Fitzpatrick whirled around to find an unnervingly pale, skinny boy with messy black hair rushing at him wielding a flashlight and what appeared to be a water sprayer. He looked badly scared but he aimed the sprayer at him. "Get away from her!"
"Noel?" Charlotte stared.
"Charlotte! You all right?" he held up the sprayer like a gun to Fitzpatrick. "Did he—did he hurt you?"
"You've got to be kidding me," Fitzpatrick glowered at the boy who looked as though he could be broken like a stick. He took one step towards him and Noel started yelling in panic, giving him two sprays—which did no good—and throwing rock salt—which also did no good. But he ran around Fitzpatrick until he was right up next to Charlotte and he aimed the sprayer again to the heavyset boy.
"Get away from my friend you—demon!" Noel yelled, the last word having the least conviction.
"Is everyone in here insane?" Fitzpatrick demanded to no one in particular.
Noel actually answered, "Yes! I mean, no—not everyone. I'm sane. At least."
Charlotte was definitely sure she was having a hallucination now. Either of two things could happen: she could wake up, or she and Noel were about to be beaten to dust.
Noel shifted his feet, tense, "weapons" still aimed. "The others are on their way. They'll be here in a minute—and they're all going to kick your butt!"
Of that, Charlotte had no doubts. But it wasn't what she wanted. She moved Noel aside a moment and stepped forward. "Leave," she told Fitzpatrick.
The other boy's eyes narrowed. Charlotte continued in a low, shaking tone. "You've been expelled once. You break into a private school—I don't think they'll be letting you off with a slap on the wrist. Get out of here before the others come."
Fitzpatrick hesitated onto for a moment, looking at her with suspicion. But it only lasted for a moment. He "lunged" at Noel—who fled behind Charlotte but still had the sprayer aimed—and stepped back from the alley. With a last long look at Charlotte, he turned and vanished out of sight.
The two Jeffersons stood until the sound of his footfalls faded.
"Oh thank Castiel." Noel looked like he was about to faint in relief. He slumped against the wall as Charlotte did the same next to him. Both slid to the ground, devoid of any energy. "I can't believe we lived."
Charlotte looked and smiled faintly at Noel, though her hands were still shaking uncontrollably. She gave her friend a quick, tight hug and a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Noel. You're my hero."
"Yeah…" Noel looked awkward, flustered at the uncommon action. "You're welcome, but uh…could you not tell Damian and Darren that you hugged me? 'Cause, they're really…aggro…? And I don't want them to think that I'm making the moves on you, because there is just no way… Not that—not that you're terrible!" he quickly added, flailing. "You're a great girl—person— But I don't like you. I mean, I like you, but not like you that way. I mean... you're like pretty and stuff, don't get me wrong... but you're not my type. If…there were actually any girls interested, I mean—I mean there haven't been much, like, ever, but—"
"Noel?"
"Yeah?"
"You can stop talking."
"Oh." Noel fell quiet. He was reduced to trying to catch his breath. Charlotte leaned back to the wall, closing her eyes and willing her hands to stop shaking. They still felt cold, and the knot in her stomach hadn't gone away.
A brace of flashlights came through the dark, signaling the arrival of the Jefferson triad of Damian, Patrick, and Diana. "Charlotte! Noel!"
"Here, over here!" Grace cried.
The beams arrived at the alley, all aiming at the two on the cold ground. They squinted up to the light from where they were sitting.
"Oh thank God," Grace breathed as Damian ran into the alley and to Charlotte, kneeling next to her. "Are you all right?" he asked, face contorted in concern.
Charlotte looked up at him, heaping gratitude with her eyes and hugged him. She held so tightly that Damian was startled. "Shh…" he whispered, patting her. "You're okay. We're here."
Charlotte swallowed and nodded, and she, Noel and Damian now rose. "What happened?" Diana demanded.
"Fitzpatrick he…he just grabbed me. He only held me down to keep me from screaming. But he just wanted to talk. He didn't actually hurt me, he just—wanted to talk about some things." She glanced to her holy-water-wielding friend with a small smile. "Noel was great, he ran in and helped me, um…scare him off."
Noel smiled tremulously, not exactly sure if his performance merited the credit. But he looked proud all the same. Patrick patted him in the back.
"Okay…" Damian nodded and hugged Charlotte tight again. "All right." He paused, staring into the blackness of the evening.
"You stand there on your high and mighty pedestal, all but trying to be seen as some protector but all you ever do is hold her hand!"
The words echoed in his head even as he struggled to fight them back. Damian closed his eyes. "…I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you."
Charlotte put her hand on his back, and Damian could feel it there, still cold. But Charlotte said, "Looking at it from here…I think I didn't need you there then. I think that he was just someone I had to face by myself. Like you said…I had to confront him." She looked at him with a faint smile. "Courage. Right?"
Damian would've smiled, but it would have looked too bitter, so he just dropped his eyes. From their sprint, the Twins and Darren finally arrived into the scene.
"Alice!" the twins immediately ran to her, tearing her off Damian and hugging her like a rag doll in relief. Charlotte managed to get an emotion across—annoyance. "Guys—let me go for goodnessake. I'm not dying."
"We totally thought you were! Damian went running out of Jefferson like he was possessed!"
Damian only smiled faintly as he stood.
"Did you see him?" asked Lucas.
"What did he say?" Logan demanded.
"What did he do?"
"Did he hurt you?"
"Speak to you?"
"Breathe on you?"
"We have access to real guns."
"And shovels."
"And large tracts of land!"
"Immediately, even!"
"Could the both of you just let go of me?" Charlotte snapped irritably, carefully peeling herself away from the twins' grip. "I can't breathe."
The twins promptly dropped her. Charlotte brushed herself off almost nonchalantly as she sighed and looked up tiredly. She met Darren's gaze. And for the first time, it was Darren who looked away.
Charlotte did not. She only looked at him and said, "Darren…I know you were just trying to help me but…there are just certain boundaries you shouldn't cross."
"So it was about what he did?" Patrick said angrily, looking at Darren. "That guy came here because Darren pushed him around?"
"Darren didn't do anything—it was Fitzpatrick who swung at him," said Charlotte quietly. "But Darren did go after him and…I think it prompted him to come here in some way." Charlotte looked away. "Maybe because he wanted to see what kind of a place accepted and defended people like us."
Charlotte sighed. She looked at Noel. "…sorry about your birthday, Noel. I really am—I'll make it up to you."
"Oh shut up, Charlotte, you know I don't care about my birthday," Noel said irritably, though he looked happy at the attention. "You can't help it that you're cursed and as a hunter my job is to suppress any side effects of that." He sighed, smiling at his weapon. "Besides. I got to be the hero."
After that statement, the perfect mix of awkward, reassurance and inanity that only Noel could achieve, no one actually had anything to say.
Without a word, Damian put an arm around Charlotte's shoulders and led her back to Jefferson, the others following.
-8-
Jefferson was still rattling to its foundations, crammed with students enjoying the party. It was as though the others had even left, and not many people had noticed that they were gone at all. Felix Bancroft, the Washington House prefect, stood waiting at the door when they arrived. As the house was still standing, he'd clearly managed to keep some degree of control.
"You guys all right?" he asked, worried. "Do I still need the police?"
"No," Darren answered, shaking his head. "It's been…dealt with."
"Is Summers all right?" Felix asked, glancing at Charlotte's pale face as Damian brought her past. The twins followed closely, like a pair of bodyguards. "She looks shaken." He looked at Darren. "You guys get into a fight?"
"Sort of," sighed Patrick as he passed them.
"Kind of ongoing…" Diana nodded as she went by.
"I was the hero," Noel said with a bit of a grin as he followed.
Grace just sighed.
Felix and Darren looked at each other and the former just shook his head as though he couldn't give a more accurate interpretation of what went on. Derek appeared next to him and he looked at Darren. "You disappeared again. Where did you go off to now?"
"Problems," Darren muttered.
"Don't tell me it's Summers again, Darren, because you just don't need this crap anymore—"
"Darren, I think Derek's right," Felix said, glancing at him. "I'm all for you trying to turn a new leaf when you came back, but if you get any angrier, you'll end up on the edge again. You'll get expelled for real, Darren, I'm not kidding. Lowell's watching you like a hawk. You put an inch out of line and you'll end up—"
"—back home," Darren muttered. "And Michelle and the old man wouldn't bail me out again."
"Fine way of talking about your parents, man. Really nice," Derek said sarcastically.
Darren wasn't listening. He was looking into the house, watching Damian sitting with Charlotte on the couch. Charlotte looked better already, and she was almost smiling as Damian talked to her. Darren considered the situation deeply.
He remembered how Damian had gone over the edge earlier, how tense and angry he had been, almost losing all the composure that he was so well known for. Stiff as he was, he never actually swung or lunged at Darren the way his two lesser friends, Diana and Patrick, did. He threatened Darren with expulsion and not death.
Nevertheless, the Jefferson Prefect now had a very obvious flaw in his solid armor. That flaw was Charlotte. But it was a double-edged weapon to wield—because Charlotte defended Damian. She clearly favored him over Darren. In the end, it would have to come down to who was stronger between them. Charlotte didn't have to choose—he'll make the decision for her.
Because Darren refused to be placed second best again.
-8-
Walking down one of the halls the next day, Charlotte found Alex's concern almost touching. "Alex, I'm all right. I think you made your point after you and Mark nearly hurled Derek out the house."
"Well he wouldn't let us in," Alex sounded a little irritated over the phone the next day. This was after the entire Huntington choir crashed the Jefferson party approximately fifty minutes after the initial phone call they had given Hawthorne. Mia dutifully reported that Alex had nearly been arrested for excessive speeding. But by the time they got there, the issue was long over. "What the heck, dude—he wasn't even in your dorm. The other dudes in your dorm didn't look happy either."
"Oh that's only because they wanted the chance to do that to him themselves, don't worry about them," Charlotte waved it away, juggling her bag, books and notes as she walked down the hall. "It was nothing personal. Thanks for coming all the way here, by the way. Kassie seemed to have gotten a date out of the trip, though—that woman could make a priest sin." She rolled her eyes. "And tell Fiona that no, Noel can't turn animals into water goblets."
Damian materialized beside her wearing a smile, and Charlotte's chest felt warm at the sight of him. Damian, taking some of her books from her, wordlessly asked who was on the phone. Charlotte held her hand level a distance over her head, miming someone of great height. Damian understood it was Alex immediately.
"I'll keep an eye on Fitzpatrick from here. Mark says he will too, and the rest of the guys."
"Commendable, brother-from-another-mother, but unnecessary. He didn't actually hurt me. And I don't think he'll be coming back."
"We know. Just…trying to be sure." Alex seemed to hesitate. "Listen, about that guy, um…Damian, right?"
Charlotte lifted her eyebrows. Were they about to have a "talk"? Her brief glance to Damian told the other boy that he was the topic of discussion. "What about him?"
"He, uh, just acts kind of…protective around you…" Alex sounded delightfully awkward and Charlotte enjoyed every moment. "Have you talked to your mom about it yet?"
"We go to the same school, we're both Pipers, we live in the same dorm, he's my…friend." Charlotte turned red and turned her face away. "What would mom want to know?"
Damian smiled faintly. That was the official standing. The Jeffersons tease mercilessly, but that was how the stand remained.
"I don't know…Natasha said he might be your boyfriend."
Charlotte colored to her scalp. I'm going to drive to Huntington and demand answers from that girl. "You're crazy. You, your dad and mom are still coming to Winter Fest, right?"
"I think the folks are going. Mr. Hayes wants us to go caroling for poor kids, so I'm not all sure… Wait—but you're changing the topic—I just want to make sure that Damian's…you know, on the level."
Charlotte rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "One second." She looked at Damian and smiled. "Since the topic is you, I need to take this outside so I can make scathing retorts towards my stepbrother at my leisure. I'll be right back."
Damian just laughed and watched her enter through one of the empty forums. He was relieved when the next morning, Charlotte had looked relatively herself again. He still had no idea what she and Fitzpatrick had talked about, but whatever it was, Charlotte may have been lifted a weight off her shoulders by going through with the confrontation and coming out unscathed.
He moved to put down his things at nearby couch and it was then that he saw Darren in the hall, watching him. Damian straightened up and looked at him. "What?"
"We've got to end this," Darren said directly.
"Funny, I thought you were the one who started it."
"She's not property," Darren said plainly. "Especially not yours."
A shadow crossed Damian's expression. He walked to Darren silently, stopping a few feet away, but he murmured. "You…are the last person I want to hear lecturing me about treating people like property."
"That was last year, Damian."
"And we're here like it's yesterday, Darren. Aren't you tired of this yet? Because I am. And I don't want Charlotte involved." He looked at him directly now. "I didn't fight back before. Because I thought it was for the best. But this time…"
"You can't do this to me, Damian," Darren snarled under his breath. His fist clenched but he refused to move an inch while there were still students in the hall. "Last year wasn't about her. It was about you and me and you well know it."
"Do I…?"
The hallway finally ran out of students in blazers, and an unsettling silence fell as the echoes of their chatter and footfalls faded. The only people who looked down upon them now were the great portraits of dead men and women who must have once been vital to the school. The curtains from the half open window settled.
Darren never broke eye contact. "...don't, Damian."
Damian looked steadily back at him, as he'd finally come to the crux of the matter.
"Do not. Do this. To me." Darren said silently. He could have only been heard in that new silence.
Damian considered without expression. He slowly shook his head, still looking at him.
"No."
A pause, unnerving. Just like from long ago.
"We were friends once, Darren. We tried. And it didn't work. It didn't work when you manipulated her. I didn't fight you back. I let you run off with her, and her with you. And then you ruined her—just tore her down like she meant nothing." Damian took one step towards him, those usually warm eyes now hard. "Things are different now…" Darren looked back with equal coldness.
Damian never wavered. "...and I'm not going to let you take Charlotte away from me."
Darren's eyes narrowed just so slightly at the challenge.
-8-
And from where she was shaking by the door, Charlotte slowly lifted the latch with trembling hands and closed it, sliding down onto the floor.
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Post by tonilous on Jun 30, 2014 1:17:49 GMT -5
Hawthorne Cheer
I'm Charlotte and this is Hawthorne Academy.
Fitzpatrick came after me. I'd like to think I came out on the better end of it.
And then I heard Damian and Darren talking, and I realized that I didn't really know them as well as I ought to.
Tonight is the night of the Winter Fest. But it looks like I have something else to look into before that.
Morning had always been cold, but the way Charlotte was buried was under that lavishly thick comforter made Grace wonder if it was only the cold she was hiding from and not the sunlight of the morning altogether. The smaller girl grinned and leapt on the lump under the covers with a great thump. Charlotte grunted in shock and pain.
"Up and at em!" Grace said cheerfully, sitting on what presumably were Charlotte's ribs. "Come on, you can't stay cooped up there. Today's the last day! Then school's out!"
She only received a grunt without conviction from under the covers. Undeterred, Grace flopped over on top of the covered lump, forcing her weight down. "I was thinking, Charlotte. What do you think about me moving in here as your roomie?"
A pause. "…I would say babysitting you, oh hazard-prone one, requires some serious compensation other than your less than welcome early-morning personality…"
"I hereby postulate providing you with complete unbridled access to eighty percent of my wardrobe upon the day of my move."
Another pause. "…I could be persuaded."
"Deal!" Grace grinned and leapt off her. She shook Charlotte's shoulders. "Get up! Come on, you've been cooped up in here since yesterday afternoon. You've got to come out before you grow roots. Let's do a last practice—tonight's the big Winter Fest! We're singing lead! This calls for great outfits!"
Charlotte just groaned. "…not really in the mood, Grace."
"You haven't been in the mood to hang out after class, you haven't been in the mood to hang out and join the dorm in our first night out together since the arrest lifted, and you're not in the mood to get out today either?" Grace stared at her, perplexed. "What's wrong, are you sick?"
At the risk of being even more dramatic, yes, I'm sick. Heartsick. I feel like some of Austin's crazy had rubbed off me. Charlotte sighed. "Not exactly…"
Grace considered. She carefully pulled away the covers from Charlotte's head and received no struggle. She blinked down at her friend, who was staring into empty space with contemplative green eyes. Grace sighed. "Is this about Damian and Darren?"
Charlotte quickly looked up. "What?"
"About the other night, after that visit from that Huntington jock. You're upset they're fighting."
If that were all… Charlotte just sighed. She had to wonder, though, if Grace knew the whole story behind Damian and Darren. She wasn't sure how long Grace had been in Jefferson, but all the most likely candidates to be aware of the scandals (Patrick, Diana, and the Twins), were all nixed from her list of inquiries. They would paint the situation with bias and she wasn't altogether sure if they would really tell her anything.
That fight that Damian and Darren had in the hall was less of a fight and more of an ultimatum for one another. Darren continued to push the boundary and it seemed as though he had pushed Damian to the edge of his patience and control in more than one way.
And the realization that Darren and Damian had both been involved with another girl was jarring, which at the same time begs the question: How many Jefferson girls had Darren gone after? The man certainly got around.
"You okay?" Grace asked after Charlotte's moment of silence.
"About Darren…"
Grace raised her eyebrows. "What about him?"
"…what was he like before he was like this now?"
Grace wasn't quite sure how to answer the question. But she sat down and said, "Well…the thing is… Darren's always been that way. Actually…he's actually dialed down a few notches since last year."
"This is Darren dialed down?"
Grace fidgeted. "I don't want to talk badly about anyone… but Darren was unpopular for many reasons—with many of them founded."
"What about Damian?"
Grace stared now. "Damian…? You mean, what he was like last year?" She tilted her head. "Why are you curious?"
"I just…wanted to know more about him… Without having to ask him. I figured you might know something."
"As far as "somethings" go, Patrick and Diana know more than I do. I met Damian couple of months after he transferred. That was when he had moved to Jefferson. We hadn't talked so much at first. He kept to himself, and Patrick and Diana kept bugging him until they became friends."
Another pause. Charlotte hesitated for a long moment.
"…did Damian and Darren always fight like this?"
Grace froze. Her hands gripped the sheets. "…no. They…we were all Pipers and…they seemed to get along okay in the Hall. Kind of friendly… Outside, it was just the usual staying with their respective houses. I don't know very much."
"Mm…" Charlotte nodded. She finally got up and sighed. "Last day. I'll go get showered—I feel like emptying a bottle of Clinique and scrubbing off all of Murdoch's contempt from my skin. " She gave Grace a small smile and walked to her bathroom.
Grace smiled back and watched her go, but as soon as the door shut, a tense expression came over her face. She didn't want to lie to her, but the Jeffersons always protected their own—and they weren't ever to talk about this anymore, more for Damian's sake than anything. But she had no doubt:
She knows. There's just no other reason for all the questions. Charlotte knows.
-8-
"Soccer game?"
"It's called football for the rest of the world," Patrick bristled as he stabbed at his lasagna. It was lunch period and the cafeteria was starting to fill. The windows were full of lances of sunlight pouring into the room as a multitude of students discussed trips during vacation and the last of the activities for the day. "But yes, there's one today. The last one for the year. We're getting out early for it. Maybe they're sending out everyone early to spare us all the shame of having to watch our team lose."
Charlotte was confused. "But I thought your team was great."
"It is," said Diana with a sigh. "But we're fighting St. Patrick's Lions. And every year, even if the Hawthorne Kings guns down the rest of the tournament, St. Patrick ruins the parade."
"They're that good?"
"That and it's depressing to fight them," said Patrick with a dramatic fling of the arm. "Their cheer block is killing us!"
"It didn't seem that way during the fencing meet," Charlotte frowned as she put down her salad fork. Without looking, she swatted away Lucas' fork—the twin was once again trying to shovel cheese into her salad in an attempt to have Charlotte "gain some more weight" after all the school toll. Charlotte maintained that she can handle herself. As soon as Charlotte was distracted with Lucas, Logan dumped cheese into the salad from the other side.
Diana, used to the odd things happening on the lunch table, ignored the look of murder that Charlotte was bestowing on an innocent-looking Logan, and said, "Well they don't allow cheerleaders into their fencing meets."
Charlotte gave her a narrow-eyed "I-don't-follow" expression. Patrick, mouth full of pasta, said, "St. Patrick's is a co-ed school, too and they have cheerleaders on their end. They drive the whole crowd nuts. Their whole school comes out to watch their girls shake it—and they like driving our school crazy because, well…we don't get any of that! It's the only thing Hawthorne doesn't have!"
"Pipers once sang during the half time," Grace said, blinking, mouth full of fettuccine.
Even Charlotte joined the others in rolling their eyes at that one. The Pipers were rockstars all right, and there was no doubt that the Hawthorne students thought very highly of them. But in the middle of an impassioned football match, with a crowd of girls shaking booties at the other end, a campus with filled with half of hormone-driven male adolescents would be more compelled to appreciate other worldly sights.
"It's not just the Banshees, then," Noel grumbled as he pushed around his baked beans on his plate. "The girls are pretty roasting hot, yeah, but the thing is, the team just needs all the morale it can get! Not only did Damian quit already, but Charlie—he's the real prefect, you haven't met him yet—he's the team captain and he's out! He's in the hospital recuperating."
"What happened to him?"
"Unfortunate paintball incident," supplied Lucas with a sweet smile.
"We had no idea that the cannon was going to be that strong," Logan added.
"Bad luck, really—what with the stairs—"
"—and that squeaky mallet—"
"—nasty mess on the landing, you know…"
Charlotte impatiently waved it away and said, "So what you're telling me is that all of Hawthorne is positive that they're going to lose the football match—"
"—for the fourth year—"
"—because you don't have cheerleaders?"
"And star players," Patrick pointed out. "As of right now, I'm the best the team's got."
Diana stared at him. "What? I just defended us to the death back then!"
"But they still scored that one in that had them win 1-0!"
"Well if you'd listened to coach instead of looking at girls—"
Charlotte turned away from all this good-natured squabbling to see Damian approaching them with his lunch tray. As was usual, Lucas rose from his place to change seats—he would sit next to Logan—so Damian could sit next to Charlotte. But the moment he made to rise, he felt Charlotte grab his wrist to hold him down in place. Lucas stared at her, and Logan looked, seeing what happened.
Charlotte said nothing, holding Lucas down to exactly where he was sitting, eating with her other hand as though nothing was happening. Damian arrived with a smile, not seeming to notice the fact that his usual seat next to Charlotte was occupied by one puzzled twin.
"You're not arguing about the match again, are you?" Damian frowned at the two. "So what if St. Patrick has those Banshees? Just don't pay attention to them."
"It's easy for you to say that as you're not inclined and you're all gentlemanly with standards and crap," Patrick grimaced at him. "Now if it had been Charlotte out there—"
An epidemic of choking went over the table as the students all but spat out their food all over the table. As they proceeded to throw wadded up paper napkins at Patrick, the person in question—Charlotte herself—did not have that reaction. In fact she looked rather contemplative.
Hmm…it's not as though I can't… Not alone, anyway…
"You all right, Charlotte?" Damian asked.
This roused her. Charlotte turned crimson and said, "Yeah. Fine." She flashed him a bright smile and resumed stabbing her lettuce leaves.
The twins glanced at each other, a little concerned. Logan didn't need Lucas to say anything—he knew that Charlotte's hand was still on his twin's wrist. Grace, who watched, shifted a little uncomfortably. Noel, who could sense dread atmosphere acutely, at least, now bristled. "Now what? We're going to lose the game for the fourth year in a row? I told you guys, just let me curse them or something. I got this book that—"
"You can curse them all you want at the stands—it's not going to make them stop doing whatever it is they're doing," Diana rolled her eyes. "Damian's right. Let's just focus on the game. If we win, we win, if we lose—"
"It would be normal?" the twins raised their eyebrows.
"Upside, we get to watch the Banshees," Patrick grinned.
"Patrick's girlfriend is in St. Patrick," Grace whispered to Charlotte. "She's a Banshee. Remember Tabitha?"
"It would take amnesia to make me forget about Tabitha," Charlotte snorted. "And wasn't she his ex?"
"He's angling to take her out again," Lucas sighed.
"It's a cycle," Logan agreed.
"I have a thing for cheerleaders," Patrick admitted.
While this was happening, it is well worth noting that each one of the students had a hand under the table holding a cell phone. As the presumably ordinary inanity continued, a flurry of frantic text-chat was going on between the conspirators of Jefferson.
MHare: What the heck Lucas, stop being a jerk, move seats already.
Tweedles: Alice made him stay sitting down.
MHatter: Why?
Tweedles: Don't know. Doesn't want to sit with the Rabbit?
MHare: Wait, WHAT? Is there a problem here?
Dormouse: Guys, stop being so obvious or the two will notice.
WKnight: They fight or something?
Dormouse: I think Charlotte knows about Darren and Damian from last year's.
Tweedles: Oh…
MHare: Crap.
MHatter: Crap.
WKnight: Awkward…
Tweedles: Emergency maneuvers?
MHare: Stat.
There was a terse pause.
WRabbit: I think you guys forgot to take me off the list.
Everyone on the table looked up as though deer caught in headlights. Damian was frowning at them. "Whoah!" Lucas leapt off his seat before Charlotte could stop him—he landed right next to his twin, and both proceeded to scoot as far away as possible from Damian.
In the finest show of feigned composure yet, Damian slid to the seat next to Charlotte and the two proceeded to eat their lunches with barely obvious tension. "Are you going to watch the game?" Damian asked.
Charlotte nodded, considering. "I was thinking of it… You guys sound like you need all the help you can get."
"The team isn't really that bad at it. They wouldn't have gotten this far in spite of Patrick and Diana trying to imitate Shaolin Soccer half the time—"
"Hey!" the two chorused.
"—but the boys' hormones just rage when the Banshees start getting it on... and there are a lot of boys on the team."
"Hmm…" Charlotte contemplated for a moment, and seemed to make a decision. She stood up. "You guys go on. Grace, come with me. We'll both see you guys later at the game."
"What—me?" Grace looked startled, but got up. "We're not going to afternoon class? Why?"
"We have to practice for tonight," Charlotte just gave her a look that told her to go along with it, and towed her away immediately out into the halls.
The rest of the others stared after them, puzzled, and then Damian spoke up. "What do you mean she knows about me and Darren?"
"I don't know, it was Grace who said it," said Patrick, staring at him.
Diana frowned. "Grace's not the gossiping type, so I'll assume you and Darren may have dropped a rather large hint on Grace at some point."
"Like I would tell him about my phase of insanity." Damian grumbled. He didn't want his food anymore and pushed it around his plate. "No matter what I do to put it away, it's catching up to me."
"Maybe Darren's kind of like an infection that really doesn't go away even after you're supposedly "cured"…" Noel said, earning himself the most awkward statement of the table yet.
After bestowing a withering glance at the spiritualist, Patrick looked at Damian. "Did you two do or say anything?"
Damian considered—he had only seen Darren yesterday in the hall where they had that stand-off. He glanced to the others. "Darren and I had another confrontation in the hall… Charlotte had left to talk on the phone, but maybe she overheard us."
"What were you talking about?"
"…that thing that happened between us last year, you know... when he dropped all of his friends and how he ruined—"
He had not the chance continue as all the students groaned and threw their napkins and forks onto the table. The twins looked exasperated. "What is the matter with you, Damian…?" Lucas sighed. "Have we taught you nothing? If you must discuss highly suspect topics of controversy, it has to be done at least a whole zip code away from your issue."
"That's what we did when we talked about pouring itching powder into Darren's jockstrap."
"Unsuccessful, but it was a good try in the end."
"Charlotte definitely must've overheard," said Diana, frowning. "Did you say anything else?"
Damian hesitated. Patrick and Diana waited expectantly. Finally, the prefect sighed. "…I told Darren that I won't let him take Charlotte from me."
Noel dropped his fork, staring.
"Oooh, inadvertent confession, I see," Lucas was grinning broadly now.
"Would've been better in a setting that didn't involve a rival…" Logan considered.
"Wait—so she's now avoiding me because I pretty much just said that I liked her?" Damian really didn't want to eat his lunch now and he threw his fork down. He put his head into his hand, trying to wonder what the first thing to do even was. Before he knew it, the twins had plopped onto either side of him and draped their arms heavily over his shoulders.
"There, there, oh panicked Rabbit."
"You're not quite that late."
"Cheer up! Maybe she just doesn't know how to act around you."
"While you say that, clearly it only means she doesn't feel the same way," Damian grumbled without looking up.
"That's just not true," said Lucas sensibly, making them all look at him. "Charlotte obviously likes you. She keeps rejecting Darren. You should've seen the smackdown during competition."
"Still not making me feel better." Damian stopped. "What smackdown during competition?"
The twins exchanged conspiratorial grins. "The Knave may have said some expressive statements questioning new one's morals. Alice slapped him. Beautifully." Grins were exchanged around the table. "Consequently, we're to assume Alice likes him far less than she likes you. The first rejection is always so priceless."
Damian frowned and sat up. "I think I've got to go talk to Charlotte while I still have the chance."
The twins hauled him back down. "Sit. You have time. Darren won't make a move until he manages to get Alice alone. While Alice is with the Dormouse, he'll keep away. For now, we need a battle plan."
"Which is?"
"Tonight is Winter Fest. You're presenting for Jefferson along with others…and Darren presents for Adams like he always does. It's time to steamroller us some Adams and have you completely win over Alice."
"This is in front of her parents," Damian blanched, remembering Charlotte saying that they were coming to watch. "And my parent."
"Fortune favors the bold," Diana smirked.
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Post by tonilous on Jun 30, 2014 2:06:17 GMT -5
"Why are you avoiding Damian?" asked Grace as she followed Charlotte into the courtyard. Compared to the Huntington yard, this courtyard was roughly the size of a ballroom with tiling that seemed as though they were imported from Europe. Right now, everything was cold outside, with Grace rubbing her hands on her arms to keep warm.
"I'm not avoiding Damian," Charlotte answered tersely as she pulled out her phone and began dialing.
"But you didn't sit next to him," said Grace, blinking. "You made one of the twins stay."
"I'm not avoiding Damian, Grace," Charlotte sighed, putting the phone to her ear. "I couldn't if I tried and I don't want to. I just have this idea that I should do before Jefferson madness wears off and I realize what the heck I'm doing—hello, Mia?"
"Charlie? What's going on?" she asked, sounding quite surprised.
Grace flailed, "But you've been acting funny since—"
"Grace!" Charlotte snapped. "Stop flopping like a fish on the bottom of a boat. I'm not avoiding Damian. I can't avoid someone I'm in love with. Now be quiet!"
Quite effective. Grace stood staring at her, mouth hanging open in what might have been absolute shock and delight. Her friend's knack for bluntness continued to stun her.
Mia was less receptive. "I'm sorry, what is going on? Am I in some kind of Hawthorne talk show?" There was disturbance in the other end and Kassie came on. "In love with whom—and details are necessary. Have you had him?"
"Kassie!" Charlotte scolded. She let the fact that she put her on speakerphone pass for the sake of necessity. "Where are you guys right now?"
"Club room…Christmas tree…Mark eating popcorn that's supposed to go on the tree."
"I need a favor that you all can use as a Christmas gift for me."
"What does you all mean?" Kassie sounded suspicious.
"It means Christmas…" Fiona piped up from somewhere. "Hunter said Yule means Christmas."
"No, Fiona—she meant—" Hunter began.
Charlotte shook her head and sighed. "Just the cheerleaders. Do you girls know the Banshees?"
"From St. Patrick?" she could almost see Mia raising an eyebrow.
"Head cheerleader is Margot. Her boyfriend's in the Marines and she drills the Banshees the same way. She's missing a toe on her left foot and has a fake one," Kassie added, proving that the cheer coach's network of intelligence was bordering on obscene. "Returning to the previous question, in love with whom?"
"Charlotte, I not sure I like what I'm hearing very much—" Alex started to say awkwardly.
"I need the cheerleaders to come here for some serious retribution," Charlotte declared. "Turns out that the Banshees are giving the all of the Hawthorne males a hard time by seducing them from across the field. We've got a game tonight—and I was hoping I could get a little backup."
Mia responded, "A little backup? So you plan on getting in the uniform again?"
Grace gave her a confused look. Charlotte smirked at the phone. "Just get over here and get ready. Bring any cheerleaders you can spare. Me and one more person will join you." She grinned at Grace.
The smaller girl blinked. Charlotte gave her a raised eyebrow in answer. Grace wasn't sure what was going on, but she had the feeling that she was about to get dragged into it. She glanced around uncomfortably, and thought she saw someone vanish around the corner of the building.
Someone with a red shield on his lapel.
-8-
"Darren."
The prefect sitting on the tree branch having his own quiet lunch looked down to see Derek frowning from below, arms akimbo. "Can I help you?"
"You should give up on Summers," said Derek bluntly.
The sigh that came from Darren was sincerely exasperated. "Derek, I don't care how many times you have to say it, but nothing will make it go away. You think I like chasing after someone that difficult? And have you seen the way she dresses when not in uniform? I swear, I wouldn't be able to take her to a country club without—"
"Country club? Darren, you're making plans on introducing Charlotte to your parents?" Derek stared, stunned. "What, are you planning on getting engaged? No offense, but this is starting to get insane, even for you."
"Michelle's coming to watch me perform tonight. If she and the old man are coming, I don't see why I shouldn't tell them about Charlotte."
"You are crazy. I'll say it as many times as I have to. I thought that you were going to be all right as long as you were "interested" but this is overboard. You're making plans out of air. And you know that Mr. Wright won't be thrilled to hear about this."
Darren dropped down from the branch with a dull thump. "He's never thrilled to hear anything about me that involves another female, Derek. He's relieved that I actually have you; he's hoping that you'll 'make me into a better gentleman'."
"You're too volatile." Derek crossed his arms over his chest again. "You're being rejected soundly by Summers, Darren. Plans on whisking her away to the East Coast and introducing her to the country club is so out of the question—"
"This isn't like last year, Derek!" Darren threw up his arms. "And I don't know why, and I don't care! It's driving me crazy, I don't chase people, they come to me. You think this is easy? You try it!"
"Darren, Charlotte's made her choice. She's in love with Damian."
Darren stopped. He slowly turned to his friend, who was looking firm and almost sympathetic. "…what did you say?"
Derek sighed. "I saw Van Kamp and Summers on the courtyard. They were arguing or…something. But I heard her tell Grace how she felt about Damian. She said she was in love with him. If she's strong enough to admit it to someone else, I think it means game over."
The next thing Derek knew, Darren had hurled him onto the nearest brick wall, arms planted on either side and hazel eyes blazing. Darren looked—for lack of a better word—positively murderous. "What?"
"Darren!" Derek shouted furiously, pushing him off. "Get a grip!"
"No!"
Derek grabbed him by the jacket and flung him into the wall in turn with a crash. The hazel rage in his eyes dimmed. Darren seemed to come to his senses, breathing hard and moving a hand through his hair. There was a tense pause as he regained composure. "Thanks…"
"Have you been taking your medication?"
No answer. Derek angrily pushed him. "Have you been taking your medication, I asked!"
"…not…regularly." When he saw the look on his friend's face, Darren added, "I don't want to! I don't like being numb! I want to feel something, anything! It was awful being so incredibly numb—especially during that storm! I was with Charlotte and I didn't feel anything! It's stupid and it makes no sense but she makes me feel something!"
Derek looked furious. "You're letting her ruin all the progress you've made! She's not worth it, Darren! Think about what you'll lose if you don't start trying to control yourself. You remember why you're in Hawthorne, don't you? Why you're in Northampton instead of the Upper East Side?"
"…yes."
"You're just not capable of having a docile relationship back then—and right now Charlotte won't be any different either," Derek snapped. "She's not worth all this!"
Darren slumped down onto the ground the way he did during competition, after Charlotte had slapped him and fled his presence, leaving him cold with nothing to grasp on. It was like a candle going out, leaving him in the dark, angry and confused all over again. He put his hands to his temples. He wanted that light back.
"…yes she is."
-8-
The students of Hawthorne began to pour into the stands of the massive field. They had shed their uniforms in favor of coats, watching as the St. Patrick Lions supporters started to rapidly fill the other side, their white, green and gold bannerettes and flags waving. Some of them bore lime green vuvuzelas and were starting to trumpet noisily.
The Hawthorne Kings supporters waved their own flags—the gold-slashed blue flaglets from Jefferson, the white-crossed red flags for Adams, and the gold-trimmed white from Washington—creating the colors of Hawthorne on their stands. They too were armed with vuvuzelas, determined to drown out the chants of the St. Patrick Banshees who were starting to gather before the St. Patrick stands.
"S.P.! let's hear it!" the cheerleaders were clapping in rhythm.
"Lions!" the crowd roared back.
The twins dragged Damian over to the seats in spite of his vociferous protests to watching the game. Quite frankly, he preferred to be out of Murdoch's line of fire—he had loathed the coach since he began working with them, and his quitting the team due to his decision to avoid his torment and put in more attention to the Pipers didn't put him in the best light either. However, the twins wouldn't have it and wanted him to sit and watch Patrick and Diana, mainly to see if they were to attempt any more physics-defying stunts.
"What did you talk about with Charlotte earlier?" asked Damian as they sat down.
"She's on her way with Grace. They just wanted some…equipment." The twins looked wildly animated, odd considering that they were not at all fond of the sports teams (in spite of their obvious talent for physical activity). "You have to be here, Damian, I'm telling you. It's going to be good."
"You two know something we don't?" Noel, who had also been coerced to sit in (with threats of fire towards his extensive collection of Demonology books), now frowned at the twins. "Did you rig the game or something?"
"Or something," Lucas said, barely able to keep sitting.
"Won't know what hit them," Logan grinned.
Felix came down the aisle and sat near them. He nodded to the Jefferson prefect with a friendly grin. "Good party the other day, Noel. All right there, Damian?"
"All right, Felix," Damian nodded. "What brings you here?"
"Checking up on you. Darren worries me. He's fuming again." Felix gave him a brief smile. "Might have thought he'll be after your blood. Never quite had as much trouble with an Adams prefect before. Makes me demmed uncomfortable, honestly."
"It's your last year," Damian warned. "You should try to take it easy on getting involved."
"Between Jefferson and Adams and the way they are?" Felix snorted, his cockney accent more pronounced when annoyed. "I could hardly stay out of it. It'd be like running away from a fire instead of putting it out. Have you any idea how glad I am that Washington's peaceful? Or at least—has been since Patrick left. I promise you, the man was meant to be one of you."
The twins looked rather proud of that. "'Adams believe in pure expertise! Washingtons are keepers of the peace! Jeffersons break the boundaries'!" they said, happily reciting the common demarcation between the three Houses, quoting the speech of Herman Hawthorne, the school founder.
The stands bursts into cheers and trumpeting as both teams came out onto the field. The Lions were in their green with white trim while the Kings had donned their predominantly white and blue uniforms. Diana was the only one different; her bright red goalkeeper's jersey stood out among the others and after their caucus with Murdoch, the team went into the field.
The kickoff was had and the game began amidst wild cheering from both ends. From the other side, the Banshees started to go to formation and began to dance, waving pompoms. Their uniforms hugged their bodies in the best ways possible, and they wore green tanks with short tube skirts that may have well been scarves for their size. With every high kick, the Hawthorne boys marveled at their shiny gold chrome spankies that were barely hidden by the skirts.
"Saint Patrick, let me hear it!" they would chant.
"Lions!" the crowd would roar back.
"Saint Patrick, come on, roar!"
"Lions!"
With every crowd scream, the Banshees would fly into the air, completing perfect double axels in their basket tosses. A whole line of Banshees made simultaneous herkies to delight of the crowds from both schools. The Hawthorne Kings, watching the eyes of their own cheer block fastened onto the Banshees, looked on in disgust. The few girls with conviction kept trying to drown them out and distract others with the maddening sound of vuvuzelas.
"Where are they…?" Lucas muttered, scanning the crowd.
"The Banshees are owning it. The Lions just got a stolen ball again."
"Do you think Grace chickened out? It was in under five hours."
"Grace would never chicken out. She may be a little skittish, but she'd never chicken out."
"Well all right. She's also a Piper, so routines shouldn't be that hard for her…"
"Except this one involves tricks…"
"What are you talking about?" asked Noel, confused.
"Where are Charlotte and Grace?" Damian asked, a little concerned. "They said they'd be here in time for the game." He looked around. It was worth noting that Darren was not in the stands among the Adams block.
The twins waved away his concern. "Relax, Rabbit—just focus on your performance for later tonight."
Diana, out on the field, was starting to look truly annoyed. She was a particularly excellent goalkeeper and was loathed by virtually the entire league for her incorrigible defense of the Hawthorne goal. But even she was starting to get tired swatting away attacks when their own players would get distracted by a flash of spankies and a saucy wink from some daring Banshee at the other end.
The score remained at a stagnant 0-0, and it was starting to get obvious that the Kings' morale was not as great. Diana was furiously holding the defense nearly by herself as attack after attack by the Kings failed on the Lions' end.
"If by some act of God we win this stupid farce, screw the Best Goalkeeper Award; I'm petitioning the league for Diana to get MVP," Patrick panted to one of their best strikers as they ran down the field.
"We'll get the stupid trophy engraved with her name if we have to," the other boy answered breathlessly. He glanced to his left and punched Patrick in the arm. "Patrick! Come on—get your head in the game!"
Patrick, distracted by Tabitha's flirty smile and wave from across the field, all but missed the pass. Diana dropped her face into her palm as Patrick struggled to recover and kicked the ball across to another striker. From the Banshees, a severe brunette with "captain" sparkling in glitter at the back of her uniform snapped her fingers at Tabitha's face. "Come on, Adams! And when you do that basket toss, suck it in, you understand?"
Tabitha fidgeted. "Yes, ma'am."
Noel winced as, with a sickening crunch, a striker from the Kings collided with another from the Lions'. There were problems on the field as people tried to sort it out. "What is happening…"
"Any minute now…come on half time…" the twins muttered.
As the players retreated momentarily to their respective locker rooms at the end of the first half of the game (the Lions perhaps were to rest and plan the slaughter of the Kings, who were probably on the receiving end of Murdoch's infamous wrath), the Banshees started to run into the field to formation. The Hawthorne boys, no longer entirely too depressed by the two goose eggs sitting on the scoreboard, perked up to watch the "league's hottest cheerleaders" prepare to perform.
The Banshees were talented—they had won second and first runner up titles for the past four years—and they started off a halftime performance. The Pussycat Dolls blasted from the stadium sound system and St. Patrick's side started to cheer madly.
Comprised of basket tosses and gymnastic stunts, the Banshees danced and ground to When I Grow Up with perfect allure, whipping their heavily hairsprayed curls through the air and waving not only to the St. Patrick crowd but also to the Hawthorne one. The latter block happily responded.
-8-
"How did you get Coach to say yes?" Mia asked in the dim women's locker room.
"I sold my soul," Charlotte's voice answered. "I'm yours for Regionals and Nationals. I'm to undergo some nightmare training every Friday night, without complaint or excuse—which includes mutilation and critical illness—to keep up with your routines. Coach also has permission to use the Hawthorne field for whatever top secret performance operations she should need it for…and apparently there's a "burying-dead-bodies-in-it" clause somewhere in the contract she drew. …that and Grace agreed to buy the whole squad gift certificates to free dinners in Olive Garden for the next month."
"I love you, by the way," Kassie said from somewhere.
"Right…" Grace sounded awkward and shifted. "If it'll get us to win this one game for Hawthorne, I would've bought for two months. Charlotte, are you sure you want me to do this?"
"You look fine. You'll do fine. You managed to keep up with the whole thing. You don't need to do anything that complicated."
"And besides," Kassie said wickedly, "We'll only toss you two stories high. No big."
"Charlotte!"
"Kassie, stop scaring her; she's not used to that succubus that inhabits your skin. You'll be fine, Grace."
"The Banshees are out…" said Fiona from near the door. "They're almost done…"
There was a crowd of bodies at the door now. Kassie snorted. "Hottest cheerleaders in the league my butt. Those Banshees are going down—we won't even need Coach's new routine for this one. Our 'limber up' routine is good enough."
"Hawthorne won't know the difference anyway," Charlotte answered. She watched as Margot, the head cheerleader walked up front like a supermodel and started blowing kisses to the crowd, even to the Hawthorne one. Her eyes narrowed.
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Hawthorne
Jun 30, 2014 2:09:16 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by HburgEagle44 on Jun 30, 2014 2:09:16 GMT -5
This is the perfect mixture of hilarious and serious love it! Keep updating quickly
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Post by tonilous on Jun 30, 2014 2:33:56 GMT -5
Hawthorne almost never had halftime performances (except for the one time the Pipers performed), and so the Banshees fully expected to make an encore. As they finished their performance of When I Grow Up, they started to attack the crowd to get them warmed up for the second one. They were ready for their next performance—Stripper, by the Soho Dolls, designed to effectively kill the entire stadium—but the opening bars only barely managed to get out before the stadium lights died.
The twins looked up and grinned. "Yes!"
There was confusion in the stadium as the crowds murmured. On the grounds, however, the Banshees were startled to find other bodies invading the field, dutifully pushing them out of the centre ground with definite authority.
"Move. Move." The other girls, vague in the darkness, pushed them off like drill sergeants.
"What the...?" Margot demanded, looking furious as she nearly stumbled, shoved into the rest of the Banshee crowd at the St. Patrick sidelines.
Mia, Fiona, and Kassie only smiled and turned, walking to their position facing the Hawthorne crowd.
The lights flickered—and began to change color wildly. When the music started to blast from the speakers, the lights moved in time to the rhythm. A crowd standing in perfect, flawless formation was standing in the middle, heads down, shadows bouncing in the flashing lights.
Though at first confused, the students realized what they were looking at—girls in cheerleading uniforms. They were aided by a small smattering of boys—lifters—in the same. The red and white cheer uniforms flashed with each light beat. The second team of girls was now facing the Hawthorne crowd, tight ponytails high on their heads, waiting for the cue.
I make them good girls go bad
I make them good girls go—
Good girls go bad
The Hawthorne stands erupted into wild cheering as confetti exploded from cannons and the cheerleaders began to move, right as the music kicked up. Unlike the Banshees, only the backup Cheerios had pompoms. The main phalanx had none, putting all the focus to their hypnotic dance. The Kings, having heard the music and the mad cheering from the Hawthorne stands, started to pour into the sidelines, watching in shock.
Mia, Fiona, and Kassie up front; the girls moved with purpose and shot the crowd smoldering looks as they performed their flawless dance moves—Fiona's twirling and hip moves receiving special attentions. Kassie threw them a smirk before doing perfect back handsprings and into the other cheerleaders, where she was caught, lifted and given a basket toss that must have been three stories high. The stands went wild.
But it had just begun. It was when a small strawberry-haired girl in red-and-white strode forward with a grin that was almost a smirk, wearing a mic, came striding forward and began to join them in the dance, taking the lead and raising her voice:
I know your type
You're daddy's little girl
Just take a bite
Let me shake up your world
'Cause just one night couldn't be so wrong
I'm gonna make you lose control—
"Is that Grace?" Noel burst out in utter shock from the stands as Damian, mouth open in shock, leaned far over the rail.
"It's Grace—I don't believe it!" Patrick yelled, laughing with the rest of the amazed team.
The twins were yelling at the top of their lungs, cheering with all their might as the Jeffersons went crazy, the Pipers from all houses throwing their flags into the air. Grace was clearly not as expert as the hardcore cheerleaders, but she kept up in fine style for the hyped-up chorus dance.
I make them good girls go bad
I make them good girls go bad
You were hanging in the corner with your five best friends
You heard that I was trouble but you couldn't resist
I make them good girls go bad
I make them good girls go
Good girls go bad—
The cheerleaders bumped and thrust to the beat, causing both the St. Patrick and Hawthorne's cheer blocks to go mad as they peeled off in military precision. Grace joined the girls in the dance moves before stepping back and pointing to the group behind her, ducking down to make room afterwards.
An entire V-shaped group lifted girls in liberties before they dismounted cradled off—and as they fell away, the middle dancers knelt down to reveal Charlotte Summers in her old cheer uniform standing with a smirk, singing:
I know your type
Boy, you're dangerous
Yeah, you're that guy
I'd be stupid to trust
But just one night couldn't be so wrong
You make me wanna lose control—
She finished her lines with a smirk and a wink that nearly had Damian going into heart failure. The twins smirked mercilessly at him, pretending to shake him back to reality.
"Yeah!" Diana yelled, clapping her gloved hands.
I make them good girls go bad
I make them good girls go bad
You were hanging in the corner with your five best friends
You heard that I was trouble but you couldn't resist
I make them good girls go bad
I make them good girls go
Good girls go bad—
Charlotte, having been trained far more rigorously than Grace, was moving almost perfectly with the others now as they performed a succession of dance moves combined with gymnastics. From behind her, Grace mounted and was thrown into the air in a backflip, causing the Hawthorne students to cheer like mad. Grace would go on record later to say that she had never met girls who were so ferociously strong in her life.
Grace and Charlotte performed simultaneous front handsprings—Charlotte adding a roundoff to hers—before they stood up front and the group mimed a military march in their dance, the cheerleaders chorusing with them.
Oh, she's got away with the boys in the place
Treat 'em like they don't stand a chance—
And he's got away with the girls in the back
Acting like they're too hot to dance—
Yeah, she's got away with the boys in the place
Treat 'em like they don't stand a chance—
And he's got away with the girls in the back
Acting like they're too hot to dance—
With every line, Hawthorne responded with a deafening cheer. The song continued with this same effect and even the players on the sidelines were starting to dance. The St. Patrick crowd had started to join in and their stunned Banshees could hardly react.
A final pyramid and pose from the entire squad, along with no less than four erupting confetti cannons, reduced the stadium to pandemonium, and vuvuzelas trumpeted in all directions as the students pounded at the rails with their flags. The cheerleaders stood triumphant, with Charlotte and Grace panting in the front with Mia, Fiona, and Kassie.
"I can't believe we just did that," Grace muttered, holding the pose and looking at the animated Hawthorne crowd. "Look at these guys!"
"If it was this easy to get these guys riled up, I'd've done this sooner," Charlotte smirked.
There was a furious commotion from the back. "Excuse me—let me through here—HEY!" The last word came from Margot, who, up close, towered over Charlotte as she stood a full six feet tall with solid limbs and rock hard abs that rivaled Fiona's.
"What is going on here?" she demanded. "You guys deliberately interrupted our performance—you're not even from Hawthorne!"
"All right, Miss Sandpaper-Skinned Amazon, if that's how you want it…"
The Huntington cheer coach, Laney Thibault approached with a cool expression, giving the Banshees a once over as the cheerleaders stood at sane distance—Charlotte gathered Grace up under her wing and moved her away from crossfire. "Interesting assortment of frightened baby mice you've gathered here—I'm sure they'll be killed swiftly yet painfully once we decide to weed out the competition for Regionals this year. Or maybe we won't have to once they break their necks from those hideously executed deadmans you've been doing all afternoon. My shares in funeral parlors will soar."
"That doesn't change anything!" Margot blurted out. "You're not—"
"It just so happens that I have leverage in these matters after six straight years of winning nationals with our ridiculously overproduced routines—I have it on good authority, based on extreme blackmailing, creative torture methods and my contract, that the Huntington cheerleaders will cheer for whoever we want to cheer at any given time, which includes cheering over the forthcoming demise of your squad if we feel like it. If you like, we may even use pompoms made of your greasy, unwashed hair as a sign of mourning."
She leaned over to Margot. "Now turn your little implanted butt cheeks around, and go back to your basecamp before we throw our emergency rations of high-protein powder at you and eat you alive."
Margot colored scarlet and purple. She whirled around, snapping her fingers—and the Banshees followed her, looking back frightened at Laney.
The fearsome coach now turned to Charlotte. "Summers. I expect you to be in the field by Friday."
Charlotte just smiled. The cheerleaders looked amused. At this point, the Kings had torn into the field started throwing themselves onto them. "That was great!" Patrick said, wildly elated.
"I had no idea you cheered, Charlotte!" Diana exclaimed.
"That was hot—definitely hot," Patrick agreed, grinning broadly. He turned to the team, "Come on, let's go get these Lions!"
In a united battle cry, the Kings ran into the field. The Jeffersons started leaping over the barricades and to Charlotte and Grace on the grounds, where they were subsequently smothered by hugs of gratitude.
-8-
Hawthorne won the game with their single goal coming from Patrick's furious charge through the field with only seconds left to the game. The whole time, the Huntington cheerleaders jumped up and down cheering on the sidelines, urging the Hawthorne students to cheer along and rousing the Kings' spirits. Diana held on to the end—not a single goal went past her, even if she did end up concussing herself on a post.
Confetti fell from the sky as the Hawthorne students leapt at their team's first victory over St. Patrick's in four years, firmly rooting in Charlotte's mind the power of hormones over a a single gender community.
It was after the game, when the team had been back in the locker room and the Jeffersons were escorting the cheerleaders to their bus, that Mr. Pentland came up to them.
"Hello, Grace, Charlotte." He was smiling broadly. "Interesting performance."
The two just laughed, Charlotte sliding a hand carefully over her hair. Will continued, "If you two manage to pull off that same energy for your other duet later this evening, I'd be very glad to put that particular song into our repertoire."
"Seriously?" Grace laughed, surprised.
"You two also seem to be quite good at movement. Ms. Gregor and I would like to look into the possibility of a bit more movement in our routines as the Huntingtons are clearly able to move and sing."
"Sounds great!" Charlotte said, grinning. "I already have ideas."
"Not too overboard, all right?" Will smiled. "Shall we be expecting your parents? Both of you?"
"Yes," Charlotte nodded, and Grace did the same, but she looked a trifle uncomfortable. Will looked at her, and put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll do fine." And he left.
Charlotte glanced at her friend. Grace glanced up at her and smiled. "I really liked performing with you out there. I didn't know it was that much fun to be the center of the performance."
"Of course it is," Charlotte grinned. "And you'll dazzle your mom, I'm sure."
"Yeah…" Grace just smiled. She looked up to something behind Charlotte, then grinned. "Gonna go make sure the twins keep their creepy off the girls and vice versa with Noel." She fled.
Charlotte was a little surprised, and she turned and found Damian standing there with a smile. "Nice performance. Pretty unexpected."
"What can I say…I have many sides to me." Charlotte smiled, turning a bit red. She was still wearing the fitting cheer uniform that showed off her body in devastating style. Damian was contemplating it. He gestured to it.
"You should keep that, you know."
"Why?"
"It looks terribly good on you."
After hearing what he said in the hall, Charlotte colored to her scalp. "Right…well…don't get used to it. It's not going to happen again."
"Who knows? Maybe it will. You've given the students a taste and they'll want the cheerleaders back. And I kind of like seeing you so lively." He smiled. "You looked happier as the center."
"And that, you'll definitely see again tonight."
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