Clear Lake Academy holds the worst of the worst delinquents from around the country. Each and every student there holds a notorious background that led them there and almost everyone avoids them.
After setting the tenth building on fire, which just...
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"Ready... Get set..."
I braced my right leg forward, my eyes set on the other side of the field which was adorned with bright red tape across the grass. The finish line. An emerald coloured flag was attached to my hip, tucked into the waistband of my silk pyjama bottoms, and an emerald token sat in my pocket.
There were two teams of about 60 people and honestly I wouldn't even remember everyone in my team if it weren't for the flags. I had never played such childhood games with so other pupils but there was a first for everything, right?
A guy named Dylan was lugging our emerald gem—it was nearly the size of his head and looked absurdly heavy. Our plan was simple: clear a path through the sea of Ruby players so he could get that gem across the field.
"GO!"
The whistle blew, and I surged forward. Hurds of Ruby players came barreling at us from the opposite end, and it was only a matter of seconds before collisions happened. Every meter across the field promised crashes, tackles, and chaotic scuffles, turning the game into a full-blown war zone.
I braced for impact as a girl barreled straight at me—but at the last second, she dropped to her knees. I leapt over her, narrowly avoiding the hand reaching for my flag.
Landing, I sprinted, sticking close to Dylan as he trudged forward with the massive gem.
To my right, a pair of players grappled, and on Dylan's other side, I caught a mean punch landing. Bentley's glare pinned a boy in place—dark, murderous, and terrifying—and the kid bolted without a second thought. Clearly, Bentley's reputation preceded him.
A surge of Rubies charged toward Dylan, aiming for the gem, but he flung it over their heads. I snatched it cleanly from the air, adrenaline spiking as yells erupted behind me. My eyes locked on the red line at the far end of the field. Just meters away.
I swerved around a boy lunging for me, shoving another aside mid-stride. A girl reached out, desperate to grab the gem, and I shoved my elbow squarely into her face—hearing a satisfying crunch.
I caught Hendrix's eyes and without a seconds hesitation, I lobbed the gem over people's heads, just before I met the ground. Grunting, I pushed the person away and stumbled up, streaked with mud. Grabbing the collar of one of the boys attacking Hayden, I shoved him Hayden latched onto my outstretched hand, and together we surged toward Hendrix, who left a trail of stumbling opponents in his wake.
The red gem neared the our end of the field, but we continued—our side of the school already handling it.
I watched Hendrix expertly fling the gem under the legs of incoming players, landing it squarely in Liliane's hands. She shot forward like a rocket, hair streaming behind her as she and Adir raced toward the finish line. It seems like luck wasn't on our side as they were soon blocked off by another wall of rubies.
