Teams

            Damian sat back in his Beamer, slowly sipping his drink. They were taking way too long. In a matter of minutes they’d have to get back, or they’d be in more trouble than they already were. Idly he stroked the permanent print on his wrist--a formation of four intricate S’s. It marked him, told everyone who he was and what they were dealing with. He was a person who didn’t have remorse for what he did, what he got himself into, because he knew exactly what he was doing. So naturally he felt proud and indifferent about the mark. Proud, because he knew he was a powerful person.

            Bored, he peered out of the window. He finally saw them running towards the vehicle"but there was still relief in how they ran. No one was following them and they weren’t doing it so desperately.

            Gabe, Joshua Bratcher, and Billy climbed in, laughing like animals. Gabe’s face was red, Josh was biting his lip and Billy’s hat was askew.

            “Okay, what did you do?” Damian demanded. They paused, then laughed once more.

            “The officer was dead asleep,” Gabe choked out, “And oh GOD…”

            Damian’s eyes dimmed. He knew what they did.

            “Alright, whatever. Let’s just go.”

            They drove away, and Dame thought about how tomorrow morning the officer was going to wake up to a silly markered-up face in the mirror.

            At least we won this night’s game, he thought. Their rivals would be quite displeased to know they’d lost again, and it made his mouth curl into a smirk. Vandalism was another part of the game and usually on the easier nights. It was one of his more favorite factors… but he was really looking forward to the brawl next week. His team was more brutal, more merciless, which usually meant they won more often. He wasn’t even worried about their rivals’ new recruits. They could be easily beaten.

            Gabe rummaged through materials in the back. “Hey Dame, where’s the beer?”

            Dame glanced at him from the rearview mirror. “It’s back there. Keep looking.”

            “Hand me one too,” Billy said. Gabe pulled out a couple beers and tossed one to his mate. This was a night to get wasted for their newest victory.

 

            Team 1, Scarecrows: Damian, Gabe, Richie, Joshua, Billy, Mikaela, Brandon, Elizabeth, Mark, Nathan.

 

            “I can’t even… I just… UGH. Three losing nights in a row.” Kaiya ranted in the morning. She, Ronnie, Darian and Skye were at her locker. “We need to do something. We have to find ways to be faster than them.”

            “We need to leave before them really,” said Ronnie. “And here comes Gabe… and Lizzy.”

            Gabe and Elizabeth, or Lizzy, approached them, looking rather smug. Kaiya and Ronnie may have loved them to death but at that moment they wanted to stuff their throat full of… soap or something.

            “Hey gorgeous!” Said Lizzy as she embraced Kaiya. “You ready for next week?”

            “Sure. Because the fact of beating your face in makes me excited.” Kaiya said. Lizzy only laughed. Ronnie turned to Gabe, who looked rather tired.

            “You got wasted didn’t you?” She knew the drill.

            “That we did, that we did.” He stretched. “We just got here, too.”

            “You’re already giving me a headache,” Darian mumbled. Ronnie laughed.

            “So I guess I’ll just annoy Billy and worsen his headache.” She smiled. It was a funny thought, but a mean one. Glancing at Gabe’s watch, she gathered her stuff and said to them, “I’ll see you guys later. Gotta get to Art and talk to people before the Middleton yells at us to shut up.”

 

            Team 1 looked forward to the brawls. Team 2 was either indifferent, afraid, reluctant and rarely excited. It was basically friend against friend, sometimes lover against lover, but the rule was this: in battle, feel nothing for your opponent and forget all ties you have with them. For a few it was the hardest rule.

            But it had to be followed to be fair.

           

            Upon entering 2^nd period, Ronnie had to hide her smile when she saw Billy. As expected he looked very tired and unenthusiastic being there. Oh, hangovers.

            She strode over and sat down in front of him. “Hey, in the end you still have something biting your a*s.”

            A glare was all she got, and it satisfied her. She leaned back. “It’s okay, because next week you’ll get to punch me in the face.”

            He puffed his cheeks up and blew out the air. “Yeah. Fun. Now turn around and do your work.”

 

            Kaiya and Brandon loved each other, and they loved each other very much. Every time they were in a Fight, they would purposely avoid each other and try to beat up their other opponents. It was sort of like that with Ronnie and Damian, but with them a blow had to be exchanged at least once. Kaiya sat in class, worried about how her team’s new recruits would fare in the upcoming event. Lindsey and Logan weren’t exactly fighting material. Anything could happen to them. Even though they all referred to it as a mere game, it was so far from being one--it was a dangerous dispute between teenage gangs. They were like the Green Street Hooligans.

            She prayed the two of them would back out at the last minute.

 

            Team 2, Ravens: Kaiya, Ronnie, Nathaniel, Skye, Darian, Josh Richardson, Skyler, Lindsey, Logan, William Ruiz, Kenny, Ashley.