Book 1: Awakening (The VIth Element Series)

Chapter 19: Alex

As soon as Miss Beast had finished handing out our bibs and explained the rules of the game, she motioned for us to go to our positions. Whilst we sluggishly moved, she mentioned one other rule that wasn't on the normal list.

"Oh and one more thing," Miss Beast added. "No one – I mean no one, is allowed to use their powers for help throughout the entirety of the game, or they'll have me to deal with. Do I make myself clear?"

After hearing this last threat, all of us nodded, swallowing.

Then, the game began.

Slowly, I jogged over to my start position on one of the yellow lines, for I was playing the position of Goal Attack. This meant that I was in charge of getting the ball into the net, although I still needed to help my team against the other players.

As I sussed out the defence, my heart sunk. There, playing Goal Keeper, someone who would be preventing me from scoring a goal and was set about making this game as lethal as possible, in my respects, was Vanessa. As soon as our eyes made contact, she scowled at me. I saw rage burning in her eyes. Therefore, sighing, I knew that this was not going to be a simple and easy match. However, I decided that I would cross that hurdle when I came to it.

Before I knew it, the whistle to signify the start of the game had been blown. Game on.

I was on high alert.

Not long into the game, I relaxed. Soon, I had switched off all interest in the matter completely. The bulk of the game went by so...painfully...slowly. This was because the majority of my team were clearly terrible at Netball and I will add that this was almost certainly because most of them were afraid of any harm coming to their beloved nails.

As a result of the appalling lack of enthusiasm and skill, Miss Beast would often go beetroot red and shout unthinkable threats to members of my team – threats that could, in some cases, borderline on obscene. Nevertheless, mercifully, right towards the end of the match, this sluggish atmosphere changed.

"Alex – catch," Jasmine's voice rang about the gym.

As if I had been struck by lightning, my head shot up and met the joyful sight of the ball hurtling towards me. As soon as it had made contact with my hands, I acknowledged that the game for my team had finally begun. Turning sharply around on my heel, I threw the ball back to Jasmine who was playing Centre. Luckily, she caught it just before the opposition could stop her.

Then, I entered the shooting area.

I came face to face with my archenemy.

"You're going down!" Vanessa snarled at me, her eyes flashing, as they met mine.

"Not if I can help it." I retorted back before I nodded to Jasmine to pass me the ball.

In a flash, the ball came hurtling my way and I ducked under Vanessa's flailing arms. Much to my delight, the ball touched my fingers and I pulled it against my chest, claiming it as if it was the most important object in the world. This was not before I cried out in pain, as Vanessa's perfect fingernails caught my skin, clawing down my hands like vicious talons and leaving bloody trails across my bare flesh. She smirked when she noticed her handiwork and I threw her a heated glare filled with venom, wincing as my hands stung. Even so, as I positioned myself to take the first and only shot of the game for my team, I forgot her temporarily and focused on the hoop. Taking a deep breath and muttering a prayer, I threw it towards the post.

At first, my team mates let out an excited cheer, as it looked like it was going to be a fantastic goal – our only goal. However, as soon as I had thrown the ball, our joy was blotted out by Vanessa's tanned hand. I watched in despair as her fingers touched the ball, before she knocked it off its desired path. Furthermore, where one favourable path had been ruined, another was made. The ball came hurtling off course and straight into the side of my head.

I collapsed onto the floor in agony.

Whilst I groaned and saw stars, I felt what was going to be one heck of a bruise begin to form. Through the pain, I could faintly make out what sounded like an explosive argument happening nearby.

"She used her powers." I heard Jasmine raging. Painfully opening my eyes and clutching my head, I saw the drama unfold. "She used her powers to gain the extra height she needed to stop that ball and then made sure it hit Alex!"

Slowly, I noticed that Miss Beast had called the game to a halt the moment I had been hurt. She now stood between Jasmine and Vanessa, preventing them from clawing out each other's eyes and listening to what the two of them had to say in weighty silence.

"Nonsense," Vanessa retorted, flicking a loose strand of golden hair off her face angrily. "As if I'd do something like that. It was simply an accident."

Jasmine threw her a venomous glare.

"What a load of crap," Jasmine swore, pointing her finger at Vanessa. "I know you did that on purpose. After all, you made it very clear yesterday that you despise Alex and therefore, you played dirty."

I noticed how Vanessa's eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, she flung herself forward.

"Why you –" Vanessa retorted.

Before she could finish speaking, Miss Beast had heard enough. She pulled Vanessa back with such strength that she was almost thrown over to the other side of the hall.

Then, she let rip.

"SILENCE!" Miss Beast shouted, fixing both Jasmine and Vanessa with a warning look, filled with fury. "Why...the two of you argue like an old married couple."

Then, she fixed her attention onto me.

I softly moaned in pain and, at seeing my agony, she closed the gap between the two of us in a matter of seconds, thanks to her gigantic strides.

"Now," she looked at me, checking me all over. "I think that you need to go to the nurse."

No shit Sherlock. I thought back, as the pain doubled ten-fold.

All the same, as soon as she had finished, she picked me up as if I were no lighter than a feather, squishing me against her bulky, sweaty body and causing me to prevent myself from gagging. Perhaps she had heard me and this was my punishment?

She sharply turned back to Vanessa and Jasmine.

"As for you two, I'll deal with you later." She growled.

Subsequently, Miss Beast walked out of the sports hall, with me wincing in tow, praying that her beloved gym would not become a war zone in the time that she was absent.

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AN:

Well that certainly WAS an eventful PE lesson. I hope I was clear in my description of the game Netball. We play this in England, which is where I live, so I am aware that not everyone may know this game. If you aren't sure, then you could always look it up on Google as it is man's best friend if you wanted to. Also, in case you were working, PE stands for physical education. I wonder if Alex will be OK after Vanessa's foul play? At least Jasmine has her back!