The sound of frantic footfalls alerted Jade that Ash was bolting toward him like a charging bull. He put his hands out to give himself some room and cushion. As Ash crashed into him, he could see how red her face was, almost like lava flowing from a volcano.
"Fuck this, fuck this game, fuck me losing my chance!" she erupted.
"Don't you know not to hit a boy?" Trina snapped back, but Ash didn't care, shoving Jade toward a wall. Jade, realizing Ash was trying to pin him up, wouldn't have it, turning enough to make that not possible. By this point, several of the exiting fans were noticing the throwdown, as were the Mare Todd cheerleaders who had not yet gone back to their locker rooms. An increasing number of eyes looked on at the commotion, with a few phone cameras pulled out.
"None of this is my fault! Why are you taking it out on me?" Jade yelled back.
"Everything is getting worse!" Ash yelled as she increased her hold on the cheerleader. "My life was turned upside down and now this? I just... I just can't!" It took everything Jade had to dodge Ash's attempts, but then Jade saw an opportunity. Ash loosened her grip for a moment, leaving a window for Jade to send Ash to the ground. The other cheerleaders closed in to ensure Ash would not get up and push back. Eventually, Ash sighed, and Jade let go. Humiliated but exhausted, Ash trudged back to the locker room.
"Oh my goodness Jade... I don't know how you did it!" Jonatha complimented his friend.
"You were like Bathsheba slaying Golia!"
"Or Lyn Monroe!" Keitha added.
"A cheerleader beating a basketball player in a fight? Color me impressed, boy," Trina added.
"Boy, that was amazing to watch," an unfamiliar voice shouted. Jade looked up to see two of the Mare Todd cheerleaders. "Sometimes girls need some sense knocked into them, and you did just that."
"She's a hothead, what can I say."
"We're all too familiar with girls like that, aren't we..." he replied, his hand on his hip.
The other cheerleader chimed in. "Oh! We didn't introduce ourselves! I'm Sayah and this is Mianda. What's your name?"
"I'm Jade Duncan."
"Well, tonight you were a diamond. Unscratchable."
"Why thank you...though that's actually my younger brother's name..." Jade giggled, finding the joke to lift his spirits. "You going to be at regionals?"
"Of course! I can't wait to see you there," Mianda added. "Especially where we won't have to deal with so many girls."
"Boys! Time to get moving!" the coach shouted from the other end of the gym.
"Well, that's our cue," Sayah added. "Nice meeting you, and good work!"
Jade turned back to Jonatha and exhaled. "Whew." As the cheer squad headed back to the bus, all Jade could think about is how he might have dodged a bullet. What if I'd dated Ash? Would she have done something to me?
