Stuck In The Middle

Prologue

   Atalanta didn't see the fist until it was too late.

She was in the middle of a fight, in her school wrestling team. It was only a small team, consisting of seven boys and one girl. Yup, Atalanta was that girl. Why was it so hard to get on the team? It was Velder College in New York, of course. Only the best would get into the team.

Atalanta was currently in a fight with Leonardo Smith, who was considered the best fighter in college. They hadn't met Atalanta, though. And Atalanta could tell you right then that she was going to make a mark – forget the fact that is was her first fight.

Everything had been going in Atalanta's favor, until Leonardo just had to throw that punch. Atalanta hadn't even been sweating, it was just too easy, throwing Leonardo around. With the occasional kick, she thought she had victory. No, Leonardo just had to punch her in the jaw, with all the strength he had left.

It was a heck of a shot. Outside of having the wind knocked from her, which she always hated, Atalanta noticed a fair amount of pain was settling in her jaw. Instead of hurting her, though, she stood up tall and glared at him, a glare that describes the saying 'if only looks could kill'.

"I'm going to kill you.'' Atalanta growled.

She attacked with a big right overhand punch. Leonard stepped out of range, but before he could bring his hands up to defend, Atalanta drove her knee behind his, flipping his onto the ground. Smirking in victory, Atalanta located her sisters in the crowd. Ashley, her redhead twin, was cheering loudly for her. Katheryn, her older sister, was clapping, though Atalanta could tell that she was disgusted. Next to her sisters sat her friends, who was all cheering loudly for her.

Flipping her now sweaty tied-up hair behind her back, Atalanta kicked Leonardo's limp form on the ground, and he groaned. Expecting him to stand up, Atalanta took a step back. However, Leonardo decided to make things easy.

''I surrender!'' He called.

***

Atalanta was smiling brightly, her left arm linked with Ashley's, and her right arm linked with Kate's. She hadn't changed out of her fighting clothes, she had merely thrown on a 'Team Eowyn' t-shirt and black pants. Some of her hair stuck to the back of her neck, but the rest was being blown madly by the wind.

''Well, look who's champ!'' Ashley whoops, happy for her twin. After all, this was only Atalanta's first time going up against the boys.

''There is no 'champ' in Velder, Ashley. You only become champion when the rest of the team is terrified of you.'' Atalanta says, rolling her dark brown eyes.

The three girls walk down the street, arms still linked. It was a busy day, and the stores seemed to be having a field day. Clothing stores were having sales, and all the bakeries had a scent of warm bread wafting from the door. Katheryn, being the stylish girl she was, kept trying to make her way into the shops. Ashley and Atalanta would steer her away, making fun of her.

''Y'know, Kate, if we ever left you alone, you'd come home super late with bags of clothes.'' Ashley says, teasing Kate.

Atalanta snorted. ''She'd probably never come back, Kate could easily live in a clothing store.''

''Just because I have a sense of fashion, does not mean that you have to tease me about it.'' Kate muttered, annoyed.

''Atalanta. Kate. Stop.'' Ashley whispers, yanking the girls to a stop.

''What?'' Kate asks. Atalanta glances around, not sure why they had stopped. Everything was normal, people were just minding their own business. However, for Ashley, that seemed to be the problem.