Chapter 3

Chapter 3

At lunch the next day Zach walked past his usual table and went to sit with Gwen and Kate.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked when he reached them.

Immediately Gwen’s normal smile broadened, unlike Kate who sighed irritably.

“Would you listen if I said yes?” Kate groaned.

Thankfully, Gwen gave her a look that even the cutest puppy couldn’t match and Kate bit her tongue. Zach hid a grin as he took the seat across from Gwen. You would think Kate was the dominant one of the two, but a mere look from Gwen rendered her silent.

“Humph, that was fast,” said Kate annoyed.

“Huh?” Gwen asked.

“Attention, it came within seconds of him sitting down,” Kate answered.

Zach glanced around and sure enough there were several sets of eyes watching their table intently.

“Just ignore them,” Gwen advised coolly. “No reason to cause trouble if they leave us alone.”

Zach couldn’t think of anyone who could write off that many looks so easily.

“How’s your hand?” he asked biting into a French fry.

“Better,” Gwen replied poking at her salad. “I’m a quick healer.”

“I hope Coach isn’t having the class play baseball again,” he said.

“He told me we’d have soccer today,” she said lightly.

“Oh?”

“I guess he felt bad about those laps yesterday,” she answered. “I can’t understand why, he said ten.”

“How many did you end up doing?” Kate asked opening her can of soda.

“Er, actually I lost count,” Gwen confessed.

Zach choked in shock.

“Gwen,” said Kate disapprovingly.

“Zach?”

All three looked up to find a girl with long blond hair standing next to the table.

“Oh great,” said Kate sarcastically. “Kelli with the i.”

Gwen elbowed her friend playfully.

“What’s up Kelli?” Zach asked.

“Wouldn’t you rather sit at our table?” she asked with mock sweetness. “Claire’s planning a party for the end of the month.”

“That’s cool, but I think I’ll stay here,” said Zach kindly.

Defeated Kelli walked back to her table and Gwen hummed thoughtfully.

“She’s pissed, isn’t she?” Kate asked.

“Feels like it,” she replied lightly.

“What do you mean?” Zach asked.

“Call it intuition,” said Gwen coyly.

Kate snorted with laughter, “Right, intuition.”

“Your powers?” he asked softly.

“Yes and no,” Gwen replied. “Yes, it’s a Hex thing, but it’s not exactly a power.”

“More like a sixth sense,” Kate added.

“Wow,” he said.

Gwen appeared embarrassed, maybe he was overdoing it, but he couldn’t help it, this was a whole new world.

 “Do you think she’ll be a problem?” Kate asked.

“Kelli? I doubt it, but I’ll keep my eyes open,” Gwen answered.

“Isn’t she in your gym class?” Kate asked concerned.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

Kate didn’t mention it again, Zach wasn’t sure why she was so nervous, Gwen was hardly an open target. Even if Kelli did lash out, Gwen didn’t strike him as being anyone’s victim. Before long it was time for gym and as promised they assembled in the field for soccer where Coach named him as one of the captains. Zach was in good shape so soccer wasn’t a problem for him, but for those who weren’t he could see the looks of dread on their faces. Gwen on the other hand didn’t seem to care. In fact, unlike the rest of the class she wasn’t even looking at the two captains, choosing instead to stare at the bright blue sky. Zach decided she just wasn’t interested in the game so he and the other captain started to build their teams with her choosing first. After they went through the obvious choices, aka the students with any skill, Zach found his thoughts wandering back to Gwen. He really didn’t want her on the other team, he would hate to play against her and felt they would ignore her injury.

So once it was his turn he picked Gwen.

She wasn’t the only one who looked shocked, the whole class was likely to trip over their fallen jaws. Gwen recovered her senses and walked over to him and the team. She stood next to him shyly as the last of the students were chosen.

“Okay, who’s going to play goal?” one girl asked once the two teams were assembled.

“Let useless do it,” said Brent, an infamous jock, pointing to Gwen.

“Are you blind or just stupid?” Zach asked angrily. “She can’t be goalie with her injured hand.”

“You’re so naïve Wallace, everyone knows she’s faking,” Brent said mulishly.

Gwen gazed at her feet downhearted which irritated Zach.

“I don’t, I have seen what’s under those bandages,” said Zach as evenly as he could. “I can assure you beyond a doubt she is not.”

Gwen smiled gratefully and Zach took control of the conversation by saying, “Kale has good reflexes, he can take goal.”

“Right.”

Kale walked over to the net while everyone else took their places on the field. The game was fairly monotonous, neither team could keep the lead for long and stayed tied for the majority of the game. He had to give Gwen credit, she may not be a soccer star, but at least she didn’t shy away from the ball. Unlike some others who constantly moved in the opposite direction. She did her best, but every time she kicked the ball it was intercepted by the opposing team. Even with Gwen’s cheerful nature it was clear she was frustrated, so were the other members of the team. She wasn’t the only one failing to score, since she was the most unpopular blame automatically fell on her.
As the period neared its end the two teams were still tied and the ball was moving toward the opponent’s goal. A player kicked it high in the air, Zach gazed down the field, Gwen was close to the net and the ball was headed her way. She ran to keep up with the ball, it looked good, not that she had high hopes of scoring. Looking over her shoulder as she ran Gwen didn’t notice someone step out beside her until she felt a kick to her ankle. Determined not to hit the ground she went into a handstand with her good hand in time to notice Kelli jogging away. Glancing toward the sky Gwen saw the ball coming straight for her and an idea entered her mind, but it was a long shot. She twisted around to face the net and at the perfect moment kicked the ball in mid-air. It flew toward the goal as Gwen returned to her feet only to fall on her side. To the surprise of everyone on the field including Gwen the ball flew past the goalie and into the net. The team cheered as Coach blew his whistle signalling the end of the game. Zach ran over to help her to her feet.

“That was wild.” he said once she was upright. “How did you do that?”

“I have no idea,” Gwen laughed.  “I recognized the situation I was in and remembered the move from a sports’ drink commercial, I figured I’d give it a shot. I honestly didn’t expect it to work.”

“You made the best of a bad situation, and then some.”

Gwen giggled, Zach glanced toward Kelli who looked angry enough to kick a kitten when Brent suddenly barged up beside them.

“Impossible,” he yelled. “No normal broad could ever do that.”

Gwen stopped laughing, her face turned neutral in shock, undoubtedly the closest thing to a frown she could muster.

“What’s your problem?” Zach asked crossly.

“Nobody with a damaged hand could pull that off,” Brent raved.

“Everyone saw she only used her good hand.” Zach retorted.

The class gathered around the scene making Gwen very uncomfortable.

“Nobody was watching her, they were following the ball, and I’m telling you she’s faking.” he said.

Before Zach could stop him Brent grabbed her hand and ripped the bandages away. Poor Gwen couldn’t hide her hand fast enough, the whole class saw her burns which were now accompanied by a pair of scratches. Zach noticed they appeared much better than they did before, but that was quickly overshadowed by rage.

“Are you crazy!?” Zach hollered.

“I . . . I . . .” Brent sputtered as Gwen wrapped her slightly bleeding hand in her shirt.

Unlike Zach she wasn’t angry, she was embarrassed, Gwen hated being the main spectacle. This was sure to be a tall tale everyone in school would hear.

“I thought . . . I mean . . . everyone said it was a lie,” said Brent who sounded truly horrified.

“You just reinjured a girl’s hand because of gossip?” Zach ridiculed taking a threatening step toward him.

Gwen instinctively stepped between the two, placing a hand on Zach’s chest and pushing him back slightly.

“Please, don’t make this any worse,” she whispered looking at him with pleading eyes.

Her touch was very gentle, but her eyes revealed the panic she felt and begged him not to make a fuss. Finally, Coach stepped in to halt the drama.

“Okay, that’s enough, you okay Booker?” he asked standing next to Brent.

“Yes sir, just needs to be re-bandaged,” she said calmly, with her hand still on Zach’s chest.

“Fine, Wallace take her to the nurse,” he said grabbing Brent by the arm. “I’ll deal with this idiot.”

“Sure, Coach,” Zach said.

“Class dismissed!” Coach yelled as he dragged Brent toward the main office.

Reviews

[Lost in Wonderland]

I love how your building the charectars personalities! Very nice!

[Calypso]

There a lot of dialogue, but who am I to say that? I'm guilty too. Haha. Well done Emi.

[Wolfwind Words]

Well, I've read the first three chapters so far and I must say that you have a fantastic story line. What really kept me glued into this, was the very realistic and active dialog that goes on between the characters and how your characters a full of expression. It's as if they pop right out of the screen and into a three dimensional world.

Fantastic Ink so far! I shall read more later.
Wolfie

[NinjaPi]

very nice chapter. You are feeling your story more now. I can tell. that is great and you writing is way powerful and super engadging. Very nice and very interesting.

[Kanattas Atir Enomo]

love it love it love!!!!and im impressed at the speed at which you write. you've gotten three chapters up in less than half an hour!