Boy Oh Boys! (Season 1)

Chapter 15-4

"Come on, Charlie!" Apollo cheered.

"You can do it!" Demeter nodded.

Charlie smiled slightly and looked to the crowded stands.

"Let's go, Charlie!" Posey was jumping up and down holding a hand-painted sign which read 'Go Charlie! Love, The Encore Cheerleading Squad!'.

"What are you waiting for, Klutzy?" Nix, the high jumper for Sparta had stepped up to the field and was now smirking at her. "Let's see how bad you mess this up!"

"Yeah! She'll probably knock down the pole before she even jumps!" Bradford laughed nearby.

Charlie frowned, but the supportive cheers from her own team resumed.

"Show 'em, Charlie!" Rib shouted, shaking a fist at Bradford.

"You will be great!" Max called with a reassuring smile.

At this, Charlie took a step towards the mark, but the continued taunts from the Spartans were shaking her confidence.

"Our first jumper is Charlie from Athens!" she heard Sugar tell the audience.

"Go on, Chaos Charlie! Jump!" Bradford screamed as Madsen, Zenith and Kane chortled malevolently. 

With a gulp, Charlie positioned herself in front of the bar, then glanced around once more.

The Athenians were looking on anxiously. The Spartans were watching in arrogant amusement. Noticing Printz, he gave her an unfriendly eye. Then, turning back to the bar with a sigh, Charlie spotted Pace, who was standing just off to the side of the field. In the smallest second, so only Charlie could see, he gave her a tiny nod- and a smile.

Charlie smiled back, feeling infinitely encouraged, now remembering what she had to do. 

"Okay. Here I go," she breathed, preparing for her takeoff. "You can do it! You have to!" she told herself, sprinting towards the mat, springing into the air, over the bar, and landing beautifully on the other side.

"9 points to Athens!" Star called and the stands went wild.

"Yeah, Charlie!" Rib nearly tackled her in his excitement as he, Max and the twins sped to her side.

"Woo! I know her!!!" Posey cried proudly from the stands as the next contestants prepared to jump.

"Great job, Charlie!" smiled Max.

"That's our cheerleader!" beamed Demeter as Apollo patted her on the back.

Soon it was time for the final participant to jump- Nix. Feistily, he went springing into the air and over the bar.

"8 points to Sparta!" Star read Nix's score and the crowd erupted once more.

Just then, a faint scoff from nearby caught Charlie's ear and she saw Printz angrily stalk off towards Nix, but once more, she also glimpsed Pace. He was smiling again, but this time, it was for longer than a second.

However, before she could return the grin, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Charlie spun around to see Sugar and Star had now joined them on the side of the field.

"Hey! Nice job!" Sugar beamed.

"Yeah! We think it's so cool a girl is competing!" nodded Star. "I'm Star, by the way."

"And I'm- Hey, wait a minute," Sugar paused. "Don't we know you?"

"Oh, that's right! You're that girl who wanted a picture!" Star giggled. "How are you liking the dress?"

"Oh, uhhh..." Charlie blushed, but a sudden panting noise began to issue from the twins.

"Hey, Charlie," Demeter poked her. "Aren't you gonna introduce us to your friends?"

Apollo wiggled his brows in firm agreement.

"Uh, sure," Charlie began embarrassedly. "Sugar. Star. These are my dormmates Apollo and Demeter."

"The Princes of Olympus Academy!" the twins finished in unison.

"The princes?" asked Sugar.

"That's funny," said Star. "Because we're-"

"The Princesses of Pop," the girls now spoke together too.

"And now I think the kingdom is complete," Rib chuckled as the twins linked arms with the pretty girls.

~~~

"Okay," Apollo and Demeter's dad stepped into the commentator box. "It seems our grand marshals have disappeared, so I guess I will announce the final event. And then have a talk with my sons," he added under his breath as he spotted the twins still flirting with Sugar and Star. "The last event in this year's Olympics," he continued, "is the marathon! Runners, to your marks!"

"Thanks to Charlie, we are tied!" Max smiled as Pace stretched his legs on the track.

"Yeah! Come on, Pace! Leave that jerk in the dust!" Rib cheered as Printz stepped up next to Pace.

"You can do it!" the twins called, the girls still beside them, cheering as well.

Finishing his warm-ups, Pace stood up tall and shot his team a glance.

"Are all contestants ready?" the King of Olympus shouted into the mic, but Charlie suddenly rushed over to the track.

"Pace!" she cried and he turned in surprise to see her throw her arms around him tightly.

For a long time Charlie hugged him, then finally pulling back, she smiled up into his face.

"Good luck!" she said, and as she returned to the sidelines, a grin of strong determination crossed his lips.

"'Good luck'?" Printz scoffed. "You're gonna need it."

"On your marks!" the twins' dad yelled. "Get set! Go!" 

The race began instantaneously, and the runners zoomed down the track at rapid speeds.

"Go Pace!" the Athens Dorm screamed.

"Go Printz!" shrieked the Spartans.

Charlie and the others watched with bated breath as the marathon continued and the crowd went wild.

"Come on, bro!" Printz's little brother shouted.

"Come on, Pace!" Delilah called, to the irritation of her Spartan-girlfriend friends.

The race continued on. Pace took the lead. Then Printz. Then Pace again. The atmosphere buzzed with the tension as the two boys fought back and forth to stay in front. As they neared the finish line, Printz started to gain on Pace once more. 

"It's over," Printz grinned evilly as he finally caught up to him.

Now they were neck and neck- and the goal was only a few feet away.