The bad boy and the broken girl

Chapter 3 - Dodgeball

Ashton POV

Kallie and I are getting changed while Brittany and her minions mutter and glare from the other side of the room, we ignore them. Just cos I don't talk to people doesn't mean I back down easily and I hate being threatened, by people that couldn't take me on anyway. I kind of took some self defence classes after everything that happened and though I couldn't fight off the trained group of guys that caused all of this in the first place, I can take on a school bully. We head out into the gym to find most of the boys already there, waiting and joy of all joys, Cade and his crew are in this class. I've never really paid them much attention in the few weeks we've been in the same class but it's different now and when Cade looks up at me and smirks I just glare and pull Kallie away to wait. Once most of the girls are out, with the exception of Brittany and her two favourite minions, Coach appears and gathers us in a circle but then realises he has forgotten something. As he walks out the door, Brittany walks in with two equally fake girls behind her. She struts towards the group and stands with the rest of her girls. I mutter under my breath and she looks at me, damn, didn't realise I was so loud.

'What did you say?' She asks and steps towards me as everyone goes quiet. I shrug and she takes another step.

'What did you say.' I sigh and step forward so now we are face to face basically in the circle of people who are all now watching.

'I said, why do you bother putting make up on. It doesn't make you any better at sport and the boys don't care about that when we are in gym, or the fact you cut your shorts so they don't cover anything.' I say, gesturing my hands at her legs. She clenches her jaw.

'Just because I put in effort to look good and you don't.'

'I don't care what other people think, least of all the boys.' She smirks

'Oh do you care what the girls think?' I frown and then realise what she is insinuating.

'Are you a lesbian. Ewww, to think you watch us all get changed and everything. Such a creep.' I shake my head.

'Honey, I'm straighter than the pole you danced on last night.' All of the boys burst out laughing at that and even some of the girls are sniggering while Brittany shoots daggers at me. She takes a threatening step towards me but then the Coach walks through the doors and gives us all a weird look.

'What's going on?' He asks and I look at Brittany before turning back to Coach.

'Nothing sir, Brittany just wanted to check that she could be captain of whatever came we played and I agreed to be the other captain.' Brittany normally comes up with some reason to avoid playing the games but if she is captain and 'volunteered' she won't be able to. Coach smiles.

'Good, some female volunteers, I'd thought we'd play dodgeball.' The boys cheer and Brittany shakes her head at me while I smirk and step back towards Kallie who slaps my arm.

'What the hell has gotten in to you?' I look at her.

'I have no idea, I think I like knowing that I can stand up for myself and no one can really do anything. It feels good, besides, it's Senior year.' I tell Kallie and she shakes her head at me.

'You're crazy, picking a fight with her.' I laugh but then Coach is calling us over and Brittany and I stand either side of him.

'You're picking your team, Ashton, go first.' I nod and gesture at Kallie who smiles and walks over to me. Brittany picks her best friend, minion, whatever. I look at the group in front of me and realise if I want to win, and I do, then I need good people. And I know who the best person is at dodgeball, damn him.

'Cade.' I say and he smirks while Brittany glares. We take turns and I make sure to also pick Noel who is second best. Soon our teams are completed and I have Kallie, Cade, Noel and Drew who is another of Cade's friend along with other people and Brittany has her minions and the jock from this morning who I had forgotten about until he turned up a few minutes late. He and Brittany were shooting daggers at Cade and I but I ignored them. Noel was standing slightly to the side while Cade and Drew were talking and I walked over to him.

'I'm sorry, for earlier. I was rude and it was uncalled for.' He looks down at me before he shrugs.

'It's okay, you were right, we aren't friends so I shouldn't have been so curious.' Coach blows the whistle before I can respond and we quickly get in position before the game begins. Most of Brittany's minions get out within the first minute along with a couple of people from my team. I notice that Noel occasionally steps in front of me and catches balls that were being thrown in my direction and I smile to myself. Soon it is Brittany and the jock against me, Cade and Noel after Drew and Kallie got hit. We face off an their are balls flying everywhere when I see a ball heading right towards me. A hand darts out and grabs it and Cade winks at me before throwing it back over the net with a fair amount of force. As Cade bends to grab a ball on the floor, the jock uses it to his advantage and aims a ball towards him.

'Cade, move.' I shout and without hesitation he whips up right and moves out the way just as the ball hits the spot where he just was. The guy scowls at me and Brittany glances at him as I aim and throw the ball at her. It hits her square in the side of the face and she stumbles a bit before walking off the court with her rapidly reddening face. The jock takes in all three of us and obviously decides that I'm the weakest link and throws a ball at me. I'm standing in the middle with Cade off to one side and Noel on the other and as I catch and deflect the influx of balls coming at me they look at each and nod before picking up a ball each. Simultaneously they draw back their arms and launch their ball. They both fly at the jock who realises too late and launches one final ball at me with a lot of force before both balls hit him in the chest. The ball hits me in the stomach. The jock through it with a fair amount of force, a lot of force actually and it winds me as I bend over coughing. Coach blows his whistle and then I feel a hand on my back.

'You okay?' Noel and Cade are both stood over me. Noel looking at me with concern and Cade with blank disinterest though he glances over his shoulder with a quick glare at the jock. Noel rubs a hand over my shoulder as I nod and stand up wrapping my arms around my stomach.

'Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks.' They both nod before Kallie runs over and tugs me away.