wrath of the wounded // a.banks

two.

The large "Wheaties" box towered over us. It was orange and rather bigger than a normal cereal box. It read, "WHOLE GRAIN, WHEATIES," and just below it said, "The Breakfast of Champions!" The picture of our team gleamed proudly on the box. We were the champions.

Everyone gaped and gawked at the sight of us. They yelled meaningless words at the box that tried to express their amazement of seeing their face reflected upon it. It was sweet.

Dwayne pointed out that it was, in fact, all of us on the box. A beautiful observation. I stood next to Fulton and he rolled his eyes and made a snarky comment about Dwayne. I tipped my head back and I laughed. He turned his head and winked at me. This made me scoff. 

"You don't have to fight it, I know I'm irresistible." He said with arrogance.

"There's nothing to fight, Reedsy. I wouldn't be surprised if it was reversed, and it was you that is pathetically and utterly in love with me."

He raised an eyebrow, "Damn. What gave it away?" 

I snorted and that caused us both into a fit of laughter.

We were both suddenly ripped from our moment together when Tibbles threw Fulton a jersey. The only way that I could describe the new jerseys was patriotically Hendrix. The red, white and blue colors screamed and begged for attention. They were bright and proudly displayed our love for America and, of course, Hendrix. 

Everyone raced to the box, trying to find their own jersey. I stood with Fulton, waiting for the box to be left with only mine. When it was finally desolate, I strided over, nervous of what name would be on the back. I picked it up and turned it over-

WRATH, it stated proudly. 

I picked it up and smiled at it then I walked back over to Fulton. He admired the name on the back as well. 

I heard the sound of a chair and I turned around to see Conway, slouched and saddened. I whispered to Fulton, he merely raised his shoulders and gave me a curious look. He nodded his head in Conway's direction and raised both his eyebrows. He wanted me to go over there. I shook my head, "Hell no." 

He flapped his arms to point at Conway, "Come on!" He pushed. Then he actually pushed me and I wobbled. It had been three days here with everyone. Fulton was the one who I felt the most connection to, he was easygoing, hilarious but he still didn't take shit from anybody. I loved that about him. Connie, Julie and I had also hit it off and spent most hours with each other. That was the full extent of the people I hung around. Fulton desperately wanted me to become friends with his and I was disinterested. I was fine with the people I had now. He was persistent and did not stop trying to get me to like them. I obliged most of the time with a fight. 

I turned and glared, "I thought you were in love with me or something, you shouldn't just go force me to talk to another guy!" 

"Or something." He grinned. 

I sneered and hesitantly walked over to Conway. I sat down next to him, "Hey, Conway, right?"

He stared at me for awhile. I tilted my head to the side, waiting for an answer, "Oh-uh yeah, Charlie Conway." 

"Andromeda Black." I plastered on a small smile. 

"Anyways, I uh- noticed that you were looking a bit down, everything alright?" I asked, concerned. 

"Fine, yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay that's great-" I began to get up.

He interrupted,  "Oh- I-I don't know, it's stupid. It's just that we're The Ducks, you know, not the Hendrixs or whatever. I liked being The Ducks, we actually earned that title, it took a lot of work too." Everything came out in a large phrase. I looked at Fulton, he gave me a thumbs up and a very convincing look of encouragement.