Flaming Souls

Prologue - A Year Before

"Just because the past taps on your shoulder doesn't mean you have to look back."

A rush of adrenaline ran through my veins as I walked to the field. A smile spread across my face as I look to the benches, a red sea supporting us loudly. Tonight we aren't playing at home, leaving our comfort zone in the familiar spaces of Harper High School. Instead, we're here. In Roosevelt High School, our biggest rival and the only obstacle to the champion title.

This's an important game for the school. A big shot for the jock boys. And even more to me.

Because it's my first game as the captain of the cheer team.

"Girls," I screamed loud catching everyone attention. "Let's show how we rock in red! Ready?"

The game started. Under the highlights red and blue danced around the field at the sound of whistles and hiss from the exciting crowd. And all above that noise there was our voices.

The cheerleader's voices were heard through the wind making our football players glance in our direction and smile proudly by seeing our dedication as we perform. When the ring announced the break time we were all exhausted. The boys soaked in sweat looking disgusting but without losing the spark in their eyes. This game isn't an easy one, I thought as I looked at the board where showed our tied punctuation.

Harper and Roosevelt tied.

The next post it'll be decisive.

When the break time ended I jump to my feet's ready to cheer for the guys again. Everyone was tired but I'm the captain of the cheer team and I won't let the boys down.

Roosevelt wasn't kidding this time. Also Harper. I kept cheering in full lungs with my focus on the game like I was hypnotized. And I was. Then I saw something that pissed me off.

I noticed Mateo running as he tried to give a clear maneuver to Adam. But before they have the chance my Spanish friend was brutally tackled down by two enormous guys. He fell on the field, crushed. His face squirmed in pain while the other two Roosevelt players walk away proceeding the game as nothing happened.

"Mateo? Mateo! Are you okay?" I screamed worried as I ran to him catching the arbiter attention.

I was the first to reach Mateo. The arbiter didn't see what the Roosevelt players did and of course, Harper wouldn't let them escape. The middle-aged man blew the whistle interrupting the game and in a matter of seconds, the medical team joined me to observe Mateo.

"What happen?" The arbiter asked Jesse, a Harper player, beside me.

"They happen!" I pointed furiously to our rivals before Jesse had any chance to say anything. The arbiter threw me a cold stare, thinking I was just a noisy girlfriend cheerleader but followed the direction I was pointing. The two Roosevelt players. "They almost tear Mateo apart."

"Oh, please. We just tackled him. Nothing serious." One of them said indifferently to the scenario.

"It's part of the game. If the little boy can't take it then he should go home to this mama." The other replied laughing.

It's only part of the game. In that, I agreed. And of course, I have also my own tricks like them.

"See?" I looked at the arbiter. My voice was hysterical, pretending to be an incredibly worried and a sensible cheerleader. "They admitted themselves. Both tackled him down without a reason, their words."

At my side, Jesse smiled understanding my plan. "I don't know about you, sir but I call this violence."

The arbiter looked at Mateo. The medical team had put him in a hammock and prepared to leave. "It's true? They both have roughly taken you down?"

His stare was harsh and almost intimidating. But between the arbiter and I, Mateo is scarier of me.

"Yes." His face was sore in pain before disappearing into the locker room.

"See." The arbiter flinched at my frantic voice. "They cheated. They deserve a punishment, right?"

I could sense my plan working as the arbiter silently started to agree with me. His eyes stared at me, touched by my perfect act. I felt a hand on my shoulder. Adam, our football captain, smile to me accomplice.

"What are you doing?" Suddenly a Roosevelt guy appeared from nowhere. "She's trying to sabotage us." He pointed at me.

"Sabotage?" I repeated incredulously. The guy ignored me.

"Tell me, sir. You saw that happening? Probably the dude was just exaggerating."'

"Are you call us liars?" I asked more incredulous and the guy ignored me again.

"Hey, golden kiddo! What did you just said?" I repeated his words, angrier. This guy and all his buddies are going to regret it.

"He's trying to trick you." I defended to the judge. "Don't tell me a full grown man is going to be influenced by some little kid."

"Did you call me a kid?" It was his time to be annoyed.

"What? I thought you didn't hear a cheerleader opinion?"

"Unfortunately, there's a noise that I found profoundly annoying, especially when it's trying to sabotage my team." He answered back walking towards me.

"No sabotage here, kiddo. Just telling the truth." I said as I also step forward.

"Guys no need to fight." Adam interrupted. "Quinn, let it go." He whispered, gently pushing me away.

"Yeah, go back to your pink poms and dance a litter while the professionals play."

"I guess then you won't be playing. This's a high school game, children aren't allowed."

"Stop." The arbiter warned but we both ignored him.

"Oh, I'm allowed to play, unlike you who don't your place."

"My place is to be on my team side."

"Your place is it on your team side or on the jocks side?" He said suggestively, disgusting me.

"Don't have arguments and decide to insult me by calling me a slut?"

The guy smirked victorious, making me more upset. "You said it yourself, not me. So maybe it's true. What other reasons for you to be here?"

At this time we were face to face, only a few inches between us. Glaring each other.

"I am here to defend my team. I am here to support my friends. Any problem with that, kiddo?"

"Well, go cheer on the other side of the line. Off the field!"

"So don't crush my players!"

"And who is the drama queen to demand that?"

"I am the captain of the cheer team. And who the hell are you?"

"I am the captain of the football team." He snapped back.

"Enough!" The arbiter yelled after blew the whistle, piercing our ears. But it was too late, we already planned to kill each other.

In general, the rivalry is between the captains of the football teams. In our case, the rivalry is between the Harper captain of the cheer team and Roosevelt captain of the football team.

Two enemies for life.

Quinn Hill, the drama queen, and James King, the golden kiddo.