My Crazy Life. I have a werewolf soulmate...

Chapter 7: The Challenge

*Nikki*

As I was about to pack up and leave, everyone in my group started showing up, looking agitated. Amber was glaring at the ground, grinding her teeth; Scott was cracking his knuckles; even Chandler looked like she was having a bad time.

"What's wrong?" I asked cautiously.

"What's wrong?! You hear that guys, she asked us what's wrong!" Amber yelled, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'll tell you what's wrong, Nikki. You never show up! We need to get this routine down before the D.O. (Dance Olympics) come. But we can't do that when you're missing practice after god damn practice!"

"....I'm here now, aren't I?" I sneered at her.

"Ugh, Nikki, you're so---you know what? You're not even worth my time right now! Just get your crap and leave so we can set new formations for this dance." Amber huffed and walked away. Chandler walked up to me slowly, as if testing to see if I would blow up just like Amber.

"She's not mad at you. She's just trying to get her frustrations out because a certain group came back to this town and decided to challenge us." She said gravelly. "They found us at our usual hang out and ambushed us, telling us we had no talent and that if we wanted to prove ourselves to them, we had to meet them tonight in the Fields."

The Fields. Not a very good choice for a weak group. The Fields were known as one of the most dangerous places around here. Heck, I didn't even go near them if I could help it. That place was known for having murders, suicides, rapes, etc. The fence surrounding the place wasn't very inviting either. The fence was so rusted and twisted you couldn't even tell it was a fence, to some it might have even looked like barbed wire. And the cops hovering around that place didn't make it an easy task to get through there without being noticed. Let's just say the Fields weren't going to be an easy challenge ring.

"Is that why you are all late?" I whispered to her. She nodded slowly.

"Sorry to keep you waiting...." she trailed off.

"Not a problem, I'm already stretched and ready to go, anyways." she gave me one of her small smiles and I went to follow the rest of the group to get formations. Amber seemed a little more calm, but she ignored me the whole time so I set my own formation. I guess she had the same mindset to where I was going because she gave me one brief nod to tell me that was fine.

-2 hours later-

"Alright, guys, that was an okay practice. Meet up here 10pm sharp to get ready for the battle tonight in the Fields. Clear?"

"Crystal." we said in unison to answer Amber.

Chandler and I decided to walk with each other to go to her place; I didn't really want to go back home and have my father question me and throw me around like always, no thank you. Once we were out of ear shot, we almost fainted in shock.

"I can't believe we're going to the Fields." Chandler said in shock. I nodded. "I mean, we could die. Like, seriously die! What if we don't make it out before the cops come in? What if we get cut on the fence?! Think of all the bad things that could go wrong!" she shrieked.

I just stood there, shocked that Amber had actually said she would take the battle. Was she trying to get us hurt? We have already lost half of our group, we can't lose anymore. Maybe me and Chandler should just stay at her place. But then again, that's leaving the rest of our group to fend for themselves against these crazy people who want to do a No-Rule Battle in the Fields. What kind of people would we be to just leave them there? Sane people, that's who...

"Chandler, calm down. Maybe we can just tell them to have the battle somewhere else? You know, compromise. We're not even supposed to be battling while the D.O. is about to start. We could probably be disqualified if we do this. So if we just explain to them the severity of the situation, maybe we won't have to do this." I probably sounded much stronger than I felt. In truth, I was terrified. The people at school had always tried to scare their peers about the Fields to get them going. Some believed, some didn't. I was in the category of the non-believers of the Fields until last summer when I was dared to go in alone. I won't go into detail of that story just yet, but let me tell you, I'm not willing to go back there.

We walked in silence after that, and a few minutes later, we arrived at her cream colored, 2-story home. I always enjoyed coming over to Chandler's. She had people on different sides of her family pay for this new house just for her to live in. I didn't know why they trusted her, though. It's not like she threw parties or got drunk or anything, but they were all willing to throw down thousands of dollars just to help her through the month.

Chandler opened her door and went straight to her kitchen to get the snacks going. Ironically, tonight was horror movie night, insisted by our very own Chrissy Burk. Chrissy and Chandler weren't really friends yet, but this sleepover was supposed to get us all together just to sorta bond and to try and get us on the same page. Chrissy thought Chandler was a thug, and Chandler thought Chrissy was a brat. So I proposed having this "wonderful" sleepover and Chrissy picked the theme.

This wasn't going to end well.

"What are we going to do?" Chandler asked from the kitchen. I closed the door behind me and walked to the living room, setting all my stuff down next to a recliner.

"I don't know. I guess we have to tell Chrissy maybe next time?"

"Nonsense, we already planned this whole weekend out! I bought a butt-load of chips and other sugary items that are bad for our bodies and we are all going to enjoy them!"

"And what about the Battle tonight?" I pointed out.

"Well, umm, I haven't thought that far yet. But trust me, I'll think of something!"

The rest of the afternoon was spent by us making popcorn and putting chips, candy, and soda in huge bowls. We put everything in her upstairs den that looked over the kitchen and living room and had an outside balcony.

"It looks like we're getting ready for a party." I muttered.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to go all out. It's not like we're not going to eat all this junk." she joked.

Chrissy came a half-hour later, plastic bag in hand filled with, what I guessed was, toiletries. "I know I'm late but that doesn't matter. I've got the movies!" she shrieked happily.

Now how do we go to the Battle and keep an overly excited Chrissy happy?

This was going to be one long night.

*Leo*

It seems to me that something big was happening with Nikki tonight.

'She's frightened again.' my wolf muttered. In short, he and I were very annoyed. Just as I was going to approach her, her friends came in. Then, she was snapped at by some girl named Amber and now, she was scared of going to some place called the Fields.

I narrowed my eyes at the mention of this place. What was the big problem with it? I started after Nikki and her friend, I think her name was Chandler, and tuned in on their conversation.

"We could die! Like, seriously die!" her friend shrieked.

'Die? I don't think so!' my wolf hollered.

'Of course she won't die. We'll be there.' he huffed in agreement.

I followed the girls until they reached a quaint 2-story house and walked in. Now that I know where she is, I can get started on how I'm going to do this. I just have to call for back-up to surround the area around these "Fields"

Nikki will not die tonight.