THE CHAIN, simon kalivoda

ii. memorial fights & car wrecks

Sydney really didn't want to go to tonight's game, but it was mandatory so she had to throw on the cheer uniform and get on the bus. She sat beside Kate, who gave her a smile. "I know you didn't wanna come but that means you can spend the night!" She said cheerfully.

Sydney gave her a weak smile in return. "Would you let me spend the night twice? I really don't wanna deal with my family." She told her.

"Why would I not?" Kate questioned, nudging Sydney. Sydney gave her another smile. Kate understood why Sydney didn't want to go home and she was more than happy to let the Sydney stay the night with her. The bus ride to Sunnyvale seemed to get more peaceful as they got into the town. "You would live here." Kate told Sydney.

Sydney let out a small laugh. "I wish." She mumbled. Kate chuckled at the thought of Sydney living in Sunnyvale. She thought Sydney would fit right it, but of course be a lot more nicer than the other residents.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask if you're cool with Simon?" Kate randomly brought up.

Sydney tilted her head in confusion. "Why would I not be?" She asked.

Kate shrugged. "He thinks you don't like him." She told her.

Sydney shook her head. "I think he's cool, he doesn't talk to me much though." She said. Sydney found it weird that Simon thought she didn't like him. She turned around to look at him, his face was green painted. When Simon finally looked at her as well Sydney flashed him a smile.

He smiled back.

• • •

The memorial didn't feel special to Sydney. Nobody from Sunnyvale seemed to really care about the deaths, since the only people from Sunnyvale who came had to come. None of these people knew the people that died, and they didn't seem to feel sorry for those who did.

Sydney tried her hardest to listen, but she didn't care much about what the mayor of Sunnyvale had to say. As the memorial went on, a Sunnyvaler scoffed at the Sheriffs words. "What we should do is light a fuse and burn down Shittyside." He said, making a few of his friends chuckle.

Sydney ignored him but a football player from Shadyside wasn't having it. "What'd you say?" He asked him.

The Sunnyvale boy looked over. "I said it ain't a tragedy when it happens every week. It's a joke." He stated. He was clearly confident that nobody was going to beat his ass.

This caused the Shadyside and Sunnyvale students to step closer to one another and begin arguing. "Say it again motherfucker!" The Shadyside football player said, shoving the Sunnyvale boy.

The boy from Sunnyvale punched him, causing it to erupt into a huge fight between Sunnyvale and Shadyside.

The last thing that Sydney saw before fleeing was Kate getting elbowed in the face.

• • •

"Pieces of shit!" Kate yelled on the bus as she held an icepack to where she was hit.

"Yeah!" Everyone on the bus cheered.

"They think they can do whatever they want!" She began walking up and down the isle.

"No!"

"They ruin our vigil, then go waltzing back to their mansions, like we're some reject pile that they can step on!" She scowled.