Stormz on the Horizon

Jump Scare

Diamond
Halftime

Per usual our performance was riveting. However, during the band's music and our routine, it was hard to tell if the crowd loved or hated us. The Arabia fans that made the journey to ten-buck-two are excluded from that thought. We knew they were holding it down for us in the stands, but these other folks...the hate was real. Let me be clear, the undercover fandom. They were giving their all to be the rudest, nastiest people ever to us, but they know deep down they liked what they were seeing. It was giving real entertainment as it should and you could tell they were mad they appreciated it. It's okay. We know. We know. I think it made us perform better honestly. Whitlock climbed down from the podium with the widest grin on his face knowing his band had just burnt a hole in this field. And we were the guests! How embarrassing. This school was downright cruel in the way they treated us, so there was no reason for us to be ashamed of a good performance. We were crammed into a corner in the stands, looking like it was busting at the seams with us in it. They caution-taped the smallest section off for our supporters and when it got full, they were forced to stand atop the stadium to oversee the game. Not that it affects me much, they had the nerve to claim their visitor locker room was indisposed, making our players regroup on the sidelines for halftime. Everyone knew what was going on. They did everything to count us out. We marched off to the sidelines and into the football team where they were forced to congregate. It created a very cramped and chaotic space. Like the opposers intended. Jabari stood out the farthest from the team while we performed our routine because he was gonna clock any mistakes. He made the entire thing up, so I'm sure he wouldn't like any. It's not like Williams plus Bodae plus his mama wasn't watching us from every angle. It was hard to get away with too many mistakes without being caped or cut. There were always gonna be eyes.

He found me in the mingling of the players and the band members whose instruments took up even more space. What's funny is that the two organizations could never be this close in proximity without conflict. They had to pretend to like one another at this moment for the sake of the game. I didn't think they were capable but they were doing it.

"Y'all did great. There were some mistakes. Too many. At least you didn't fall out of that walkover," he patted my back. "I'm gonna kill CoCo."

"You said it yourself, I never fall," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Just say thanks and call it a night."

"Why thank you. I'm sure we will have laps on Monday. No, but seriously the only reason I didn't is that I know I would cry if I did."

"See. You know don't nobody wanna be crying in front of a bunch of people. If that helps then keep it up I guess."

"Trust me I will." I so happened to glance at the board while we spoke. "The score is looking real neck and neck. And the white walkers don't look happy." I surveyed the dispositions of every person that wasn't black. They hadn't looked happy since we stormed the stadium.

"They don't and that's fine. Maybe their wack-ass band will help them calm down a little."

Suddenly, Quentin popped up between us cartoonishly. "If it isn't my least favorite duo."

I rolled my eyes and Jabari braced for agitation.

"Didn't I tell yo lil hard head ass I don't want you talking to him?" He bucked at me.

Jabari nearly broke his neck at the audacity. "You did what?"

"I told her to shut the fuck up and mind her business. Ever since she came around she ain't been nothing but trouble for you." He looked me up and down.

"Nobody is causing trouble for him but you," I squinted my eyes at him.

Jabari agreed. "Right. All she been doing is giving me advice."