Wicked ² ✓

2.03

Chapter 3: Rule Book

"Hi, Jay"

"Hey, Jay"

Mal, Carlos, Evie, Jay, and I were all on our way to class. Jay was practically being swarmed by girls, each one hoping to score him as their date to Cotillion. But, of course, Jay being Jay... well he's a bit of a flirt and he hasn't said yes to anyone yet.

"Why do you torture them?" Carlos smacked Jay on the arm, "Just pick someone to take to Cotillion already."

"I'm going solo. That way, I can dance with all of them."

"Ah! You're the expert... Um, Jay... if you were gonna ask someone, what's the best way to go?" Carlos asked, a bit more seriously.

"Listen, all you got to do..." I simply rolled my eyes at the two, already knowing Jay wasn't going to give a serious answer, "Is look like me."

"Oh, ha-ha."

"Mal." Jane walked up to the five of us, tablet in hand.

"Hey, Jane." Carlos had this look on his face. One that practically screamed 'I like you'. Like a love-sick puppy.

"Hey"

"I was wondering... uh..." He looked around, clearly not knowing what to say, "if you liked the... uh... carrot cake last night."

"I had the pumpkin pie." Jane just watched him confused, clearly oblivious to his feelings for her.

"Oh, cool. Um, uh-" Jay grabbed Carlos' shoulders and dragged him away from the embarrassing scene.

"Smooth," I mumbled under my breath. Evie lightly elbowed me in the side giving me a look.

"I have an opening for a fitting at 3:00. Who wants it?" Evie asked, looking between Jane and Lonnie.

"Me!" Lonnie looked over at Jane sympathetically, "Sorry."

"Perfect. I'll take you later." Evie told Jane before she and Lonnie walked off.

"Hey, I'll see you later, I promised Lonnie I'd help her with something," I told Mal before walking off in the direction of the school gym.

***

"All right, boys. Let's line it up." Jay said, getting the guys to line up, swords in hand, "Carlos, you're with me. Let's go."

"Assembler. Salute. Lower the point. Masks down." They pointed their swords at each other and pulled their masks over their heads, "En garde." There was a short pause before everyone started battling their opponent.

"Keep your center!"

"Eyes on your opponent! Up and over!"

I looked to Lonnie who was standing next to me, the two of us just out of sight from the guys, "Ready?"

She nodded nervously, a huge grin on her face. She slid the mask over her face and ran out into the fray, practically charging for Jay.

"Get him, Jay!"

Most of the other boys were out at this point, so everyone circled around the two watching as they battled it out.

Their swords clashed a few times before Lonnie threw a kick, which Jay barely dodged. Their swords hit a few more times before Lonnie lunged forward and the two spun, just nearly missing each other.

The two spun in a circle again as they blocked each other's hits, the two swords clanging loudly.

"Finish him!"

Lonnie threw a couple more stabs and cornered Jay. She grabbed his sword from him and threw a couple more hits, each being inches away from hitting him. The battle was clearly over, and she had clearly won.

Jay kicked the bottom of Lonnie's hand and grabbed his sword midair.

Lonnie pulled off the mask revealing herself. There was talk throughout the whole gym, everyone was shocked.

"It's Lonnie!"

Most of the girls were cheering and clapping, though most of the guys didn't exactly seem to like the idea of a girl beating the team captain.

"Not bad," Jay complimented her.

"You should put me on the team." She fired back, and Jay didn't seem opposed to the idea.

"Hey, w-what?!" Chad jumped in, clearly not fond of the idea, "No, no, no! We'll- We'll be the laughing stock of the league. A-And what's gonna happen next? We'll have girls playing tourney? Come on, guys."

"So?" I took a spot just behind Lonnie.

"So? Uh, so, have you not read the rule book?"

"I didn't know you could read," I interjected.

Chad pulled a small booklet from his back pocket, "Section 2, paragraph 3, 11-4. A team will be comprised of a captain and eight men. Hmm?" He showed the rule book to Jay before holding it up for the rest of the room to read.

"Why don't you read the rule book?" Chad muttered under his breath.

"Okay, yeah, but you're down a man!" Lonnie argued back, "I mean, since Ben had to leave to do all that king stuff."

"Exactly. We're down a man."

"Do you always throw tantrums to get your way?" I mocked the blond-haired boy, who only scoffed at me.

"Jay," I looked at my friend, hoping he wouldn't listen to these stupid sexist rules.

"I'm sorry. Coach trusts me. I'm not gonna stay captain if I just throw out the rule book."

"If my mother thought that way, she would have lost the war."

Chad just scoffed at her, "Okay. Rule Book."