Opening

Opening scene, sets the tone.

Opening

 

The gravel crunched, disturbing the peace. Footsteps raced along the back of the gym. Another pair followed. A marching band and cheering crowds faded with every step he took. Landon Huntzburger turned his head quickly and realized that he was being followed. He grumbled, thinking that he’d put the argument to bed with his last sarcastic remark. A smattering of applause erupted in the distance and Landon rolled his eyes.

 

He headed for a picnic table nearby, stepped onto the table and sat on top of it as he lit a cigarette. The lighter’s dim light illuminated his features. Landon inhaled deeply and breathed out a cloud of thick smoke, calming him instantly. When the smoke cleared, Lincoln Fairland standing there startled him. Landon collected himself and sighed in frustration.

 

“I’m busy now, can I ignore you some other time?” Landed said before taking another drag.

 

Lincoln widened his broad-shouldered frame to be even more menacing.

 

“P***y’s run away, you know!” he stated. He ran his fingers through his perfect blond Ken-doll hair.

 

“You would know that,” Landon retorted.

 

Lincoln narrowed his eyes but then shook his head because he didn’t know what Landon had meant.

 

“You’re such a F****t.” was all he could say.

 

“Do you even know what that means? I’d think it’s too upper class for you.” Landon joked.

 

“Did you just call me stupid?”

 

“No.” Landon paused, a smirk on his face. “I didn’t have to.”

 

Landon got up and stepped onto the tabletop again, turning away from Lincoln.

 

“Turn around and sit your a*s back down.” Lincoln stepped closer. Landon swiveled to face Lincoln, smiling teasingly as he squared himself on his feet. From on top of the table, Lincoln didn’t look so big. In fact, his Cleats looked rather small.

 

“I’m not finished.” Lincoln continued.

 

“Do you ever?” Landon said archly.

 

Lincoln was furious. “Are you...sassing me, fagot?”

 

Lincoln reached out and dragged Landon off the table. He flung Landon to the ground and immediately restrained him. Landon’s head hit the ground hard and he felt muzzy.

 

“Where’s that big mouth now?” Lincoln asked bullyingly.

 

Landon felt like his head had exploded. His hair was in his face and he coulnd’t comprehend the weight on him.

 

“Where do you want it to be?” Landon collected himself. He blew his hair from his face and looked up at Lincoln with a sneer.

 

Lincoln suddenly crushed his lips against Landon’s and forced his mouth open. Landon inhaled sharply and tried to move away. His movement shot a wave of pain through his head.

 

“You’re...” Landon mumbled as he stared at the jock. Lincoln silenced him with a forceful kiss.

 

Lincoln’s gay, Landon quickly thought through every encounter he’s ever had with the beefcake and everything made sense.

 

Landon pressed his hands against Lincoln’s chest to push him away but wrapped his arms around his neck instead, giving in to the kiss. Lincoln unlocked Landon’s hands and pinned his wrists to the ground.

 

Landon frowned at him as Lincoln reached down to unbuckle his pants. Landon tried to push him off but Lincoln clawed at his skin, turning him around. Landon pushed again, more forcefully and Lincoln stopped abruptly glaring at Landon.

 

He suddenly closed one hand around Landon’s neck in a chokehold. Landon’s eyes began to water as he struggled to catch his breath. He thrashed against Lincoln’s hold. And then Lincoln hit him. Choking, Landon rolled onto his side and tried to get up but Lincoln pushed him down. He hit him again. Landon sagged to the ground and Lincoln grabbed him, clutching Landon’s face in both hands. Breathing heavily, they stared at each other. Landon tried to twists away from him but Lincoln dragged him down, shoving him facedown onto the grass. Lincoln clambered on top of him but Landon quickly snapped his head back and knocked Lincoln off. Lincoln rolled to the side, swearing loudly and clutching his bloody nose. Landon lurched to his feet and staggered away from him, panting.

 

***

 

At the field bleachers, the crowd buzzed with excitement while Parker Riley barked instructions at the group of cheerleaders huddled around her. Chiara Wentworth hovered in the corner, busy on her phone. Parker motioned for Chiara to hurry.

 

“Ash, I thought we agreed on the triple twist tuck? You’re not landing those jumps.” Parker barked frustrated.

 

“Yeah. I know but…” they tiny Ashley tried.

 

“No buts, okay.” Parker interrupted. “I’m not going to say it again. Do the double. And smile, please! No one wants to see how much pain you’re in.”

 

“But...” Ashley tried again. “You’re not the captain.”

 

Parker leered. “You still have to do what I said.”

 

Ashley gave a curt nod. Parker bounced up to Chiara, the cheer captain, and tapped her on the shoulder. Chiara tore her focus away from her cellphone with difficulty.

 

“Where the hell is she?” Parker asked.

 

“I don’t know. She’s not responding to my texts. Or answering her phone.” Chiara felt like something was off. She couldn’t shake the feeling.

 

“Perfect.” Parker scowled.

 

Chiara frowned, checking her phone again.

 

“You know that Remmy wouldn’t have blown us off like this for no good reason.” Chiara tried to reassure herself that her roommate was just stuck in traffic after her shopping trip.

 

“Well, I don’t really care what that reason is. No excuse is good enough.” Parker glowered. “She’d better be maimed and bleeding on the side of the road.”

 

Chiara swallowed hard. It wasn’t like Remmy to miss a rally. And Parker, her vice captain, was being particularly bitchy, which probably just meant that she was between boyfriends again.

 

“Parker.” Chiara reproached.

 

Parker cast a look at the crowd and pursed her lips. Chiara knew that all that Parker wanted was her position as captain.  But there was no way that Chiara would ever give up her place.

 

“There’s no way that we’re going to be able to do the carnival pyramid without her.” Parker complained. The Pyramid was all her idea to start with.

 

Chiara sighed and motioned for the team to gather around her.

 

“Okay, so Remmy’s not coming.” She became eager. “Rachel, you and Alice do two doubles instead of a single, to compensate. And we’ll do the six-person pyramids, instead of the fifteener. It’s safer anyway.”

 

“But that’s not what we practiced!” Parker wined. Chiara turned to Parker and gave her a threatening glance. Chiara was the Captain after all and everyone had to listen to her.

 

“We’ve done it before. It’ll be fine.”

 

Chiara looked at the male cheerleaders. “You guys know what to do, right?”

 

They nodded and the image of cheerleader bobble heads came to Chiara’s mind.

 

“Okay.” Chiara sighed, and then motioned for the team to form a spirit circle.

 

“Ready.” The team clapped in unison then dispersed. Parker folded her arms, giving Chiara a disapproving look before joining the team on the field. Lincoln shoved past Chiara without looking back at her or apologizing. Chiara lifted an eyebrow, taking in his disheveled appearance. He notices her and rearranged his expression.

 

“F*****g queer.” Lincoln mumbled nodding his head in the direction he just came from.

 

“Who?” Chiara asked. She didn’t like Lincoln one bit, but he was the team captain and main jock in the University.

 

“That...hamburger guy.” Lincoln answered.

 

Chiara paused, realization dawning.

 

“You mean Huntzberger?” She asked. Landon Huntzperger was her neighbor when she was a child. In fact their parents still were, but they had move into student housing or apartments near campus.

 

“Whatever. He’s disgusting.” Lincoln growled.

 

“Oh.” Chiara was slightly uncomfortable. She used to be friends with Landon before puberty happened.

 

Lincoln rushed off to join his team. Chiara stared after him, lost in thought.

 

“Right.” Chiara took a minute to collect herself.

 

Damian McCauley approached Chiara. He was one of the male cheerleaders and in the works to becoming her boyfriend. He twirled her long blond ponytail and turned her to face him.

 

“You okay?” Damian asked.

 

“Yes.” The orchestra stopped playing and loud music suddenly blasted from the speakers, indicating that the cheerleaders were about to start. Chiara smiled brightly at Damian, pecked him on the lips and then hurried out onto the field.