• Blood Bound •||• Simon Kalivoda X Female Reader •

2 - In Loving (And Hating) Memory

I cautiously and awkwardly as possible enter the bus doors. Busses are always filled with the type of people that will kick the back of your seat unless you're not sitting in the back row.
Problem is, back row is usually full. And unless you have a cassette player and some headphones, you'll have to spend the rest of the ride listening to a bunch of screaming and singing and whatever noises the bus makes.

Luckily, I immediately spot Simon, who's wearing a witch outfit. Green face paint and all. I take a seat next to him and chuckle a bit. "What? I'm showing my Shadyside pride," he laughs, tapping me on the head with his witch broom. At least he's putting in the energy as always. I'm just wearing a navy blue outfit.

"You think we'll see Sam?" I wonder out loud. "I don't know. She'll probably hidden in the Sunnyvale side," Simon shrugs. "Oh..." I sigh with slight disappointment.
I lean back in the seat and fold my arms across my chest. I know we don't talk anymore, but it still hurts knowing you might not ever see your friend again. I'm pretty sure Deena wouldn't like me hanging out with Sam, anyway.

"Hey," Simon quickly says, changing the subject. "How about we do something when the game is over?" My heart perks up in my chest. Okay, maybe I have a small crush on him. "Sure! How about we rent a movie?" I say, my smile returning to my face.

----

All of the Sunnyvale players, cheerleaders, and band members are here. The ones who were forced to come. No other citizen of Sunnyvale has come to mourn with Shadyside. The mayor of Sunnyvale steps up to the microphones.

"This isn't how I wanted to be here tonight," he begins. "I wanted to be here as a fan. Our Sunnyvale Devils and your Shadyside Witches throwing down on some good old American football. Instead, I find myself here. As a husband, a father, as a neighbor. And, yes, mayor of Sunnyvale. And on behalf of all the people in my town, I say all of Sunnyvale mourns with you."
Yeah, right. The only Sunnyvale people that came with us are the ones who had no choice. I grip my candle tighter with anger. None of them look like they have a single drop of sympathy.

"Our hearts are broken with grief. And now, we will light our candles for all of the victims," The mayor closes. The field lights shut off one by one as each candle is lit one by one. Simon lights my candle with his, and I light Kate's candle with mine.

Now, the sheriff of Union County goes up to the stand. "My family's been in Sunnyvale for generations, and now my brother is mayor, and I your sheriff. We've prospered here. And yet, I've seen you, our neighbors in Shadyside, suffer tragedy after tragedy. It's easy in times like this to drown in questions of why... Why this happened." He proudly holds his own candle.

"But I know too well there are no answers that will provide relief. There's no peace found in the past." Somehow I haven't noticed the tear running down my cheek. I don't know why. Simon, Kate, and I were all chill about it this morning.

"We must not fall into darkness." He continues as I wipe my teardrop away. Deena storms off, squeezing past the crowd of Shadysiders. "We must look to the light." "Yeah," A boy from Sunnyvale scoffs. "What we should do is light a fuse and burn down Shitty-side!" What the hell is his problem?! "What did you say?" A football player from our side speaks up. "I said it ain't a tragedy when it happens every week," the Sunnyvaler responds, walking closer to us threateningly. "It's a joke."

"Jokes are meant to be funny! And they're supposed to come from people who have something to offer in life," I hiss. "It is funny. It's fucking hilarious that one of you goes bat shit insane all of the time!" he shouts, throwing his candle on the ground along with some other Sunnyvalers.
By this time, the sheriff goes silent, realizing what's happening. Another fight between Shadyside and Sunnyvale. All of the Shadyside players get in front of us, threatening the Sunnyvale players.

"Say that again, motherfucker!" A Shadyside player dares, shoving the Sunnyvaler who spoke up in the first place. Finally, the Sunnyvale boy throws a punch to the Shadysider's face. Then all of the football players break out into a fist-fight.

Everyone forms a circle around them, cheering either side on. The sheriff finally steps into the circle, warning everyone to stop. "Should we get in there?" Simon suggests, holding his witch broom up. I smile and nod. "Yeah, let's teach those Sunnyvale bastards a lesson." We both charge into the circle, letting out battle cries. I body slam a Sunnyvaler to the ground while Simon hits the loud-mouthed one with his broom. Who would've known I would be able to knock down a football player?

"SHADYSIDER TRASH!!!" The Sunnyvaler on the ground screams as he tries to get on top of me. A Shadyside player immediately comes to my rescue, shoving the Sunnyvaler to the ground. I take the opportunity to crawl out of the circle while Simon runs away from the loud-mouthed Sunnyvale player. "SUCK IT IN B-" Kate yells, but gets an elbow to the cheek.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!" The sheriff of Sunnyvale finally shouts on top of everybody. Everyone stops what they're doing and pays attention to him. "All of you are showing complete disrespect to the victims! Now, I want ALL of you to go home!!!" Go home? GO HOME?! All Sunnyvale gets is a slap on the wrist?! They're the ones that started this!

"I'm sorry, Sheriff Goode," the loud-mouthed one says, smugly. If I could roll my eyes farther back than I can, I would. Such a fucking kiss-ass. "Do NOT start with me!" The sheriff turns to him.

All of Shadyside begins to walk back out to the parking lot. "You got any battle scars?" Simon whispers in my ear. "Nope. You?" I whisper back. "Almost," he responds. "My poor broom, on the other hand..." he holds up his witch broom, which now has a huge dent in it.
"Ugh, I just want to kill those pricks!" Kate growls, balling up her fists. She's now holding an ice pack up to her cheek. "Jesus, what the hell happened?!" Deena demands. "Sunnyvale. That's what happened! Where the hell were you?!" I scoff.

"Not anywhere I wanted to be," she sighs, crossing her arms.