Chapter Six

  The bell rings and all the students in a class find their way out. It was now time for extracurricular activities. Annie and Genny come out too and walk to their lockers. Their lockers were adjacently opposite. Annie is keeping her books when Carrie walks up to her. 

  "Hey Annie" 

  "Carrie, what's up?" 

  "I'm okay. So I told my sister about you..." 

  "Really?" 

  "She said she wants to see you first". 

  "Oh well here I am", Annie says and shuts her locker. She walks to meet Genny.  

  "Genny, seems like I may be joining the cheerleading squad. Carrie's sister wants to see me". 

  "Oh…. that's nice. So what are you waiting for? You should be on your way" 

  "Oh I wanted to tell you first" 

  "Okay thanks, see you later", she says shutting her locker also. 

  Carrie and Annie leave together and enter the girl's locker room. Many girls were changing all around. Some were cheerleaders, other were on the swimming team and few other groups. 

  Carrie leads Annie to a more secluded corner of the locker room and there was her sister, already on her cheerleading uniform and barking orders at some girls around. 

  "Maddie?", Carrie calls and she turns. 

  "Why aren't you changed yet?" 

  "Madison! You asked me to get the newbie" 

  "Oh right, where's she?", Maddie asks and she points to Annie. "Oh my gosh!! My team is so going to win the championship this year. It's you!", she screams excitedly, attracting attention. Annie frowns. 

 "Have we met?" 

 "Not really. You're the head-cheerleader of the team who took second place in the cheerleaders competition last year". 

 "Umm… yeah" 

 "And you just didn't think of mentioning that huh?", Carrie queries. 

 "I try to be modest" 

 "We only took tenth last year", Maddie informs Annie. 

 "Then it shouldn't take too much to move us to the top", Annie says. "So can I be on your team?" 

  "Gosh do you even have to ask? Yes of course", Maddie replies and Annie smiles. "Hey Brenda, get her a uniform", Maddie shouts at a girl. "Just go with her", she tells Annie.

  "Let's go", the Brenda girl says and she heads out with Annie. 

  Minutes later, Brenda and Annie are walking out of the Cheerleading Coach's office. Annie is dressed in the cheerleaders uniform and they are heading to the field. They pass the boys locker room and the Le cinq guys are coming out. Bob whistles appreciatively as she passes and Harrison nudges him. 

  "I see you joined the squad", Will says and she smiles. 

  "Of course you would, I didn't think you were blind", she retorts even though she was pleased he noticed her for reasons she didn't understand. The guys and Brenda laugh at Will. 

  "No need to get offensive, beauty Queen. You look beautiful you know, like you always do", he compliments and she is unable to hide her gratification this time. 

  "Whatever", she says and walks away. 

  "Going to have a tough time with that one", Kenneth proclaims. 

  "As long as I finally get her" 

  "That's weird, you're not usually that patient", Bob says. 

  "Was that Hannah?", Jake asks just coming out and Will groans internally. 

 "Yes", Will answers and walks away. He was getting really annoyed with Jake acting like they were friends. Well, they ought to be but he saw the way Jake looked at Annie and he didn't appreciate someone else ogling at his girl.

  Jake, Annie and Genny are eating on a table during lunchtime. Coincidentally, they are sitting in an observable distance from Will's table once again. Will is stabbing at his food and his friends are quiet knowing the reason for his displeasure. 

  "How do I get her to leave his company? I don't like this", Will complains as Annie laughs. 

  "You have cheese on your mouth", Jake tells Annie and she tries cleaning it. "You haven't cleaned it". 

  "Really?" 

  "Let me help you", he offers and draws close to her. He is about to clean her face with his table napkin when a hand snatches it from him. Annie jumps to her feet. 

  "Give her some space,I don't like you close to her", Will says. 

 "What is the meaning of this?", Jake queries. 

 "It's exactly what it means; I don't want you touching her" 

 "Why?" 

 "I don't like it" 

 "And so?", Jake retorts standing to his feet menacingly. Will notices his stance and chuckles. 

 "Are you trying to intimidate me with that petty posture? I don't believe you have heard much about me". 

  "I have heard that you are always chasing anything in a skirt. That is why I will appreciate if you stay away from my friend here".  

  "You're annoying me real good but I don't fight in a inappropriate place, like this cafeteria. Annie let's get out of here" 

 "She's not coming with you", Jake counters. 

 "Yes she is", Will argues and takes Annie's hand. 

 "Let go of her", Jake says and tries to separate Annie from Will's grip. 

 "Get off my way" 

 "Let Hannah go first", Jake replies but Will shoves him off his way and walks away dragging Annie along. 

 The silence that had spread like a blanket over the cafeteria immediately Will arrived at Annie's table abruptly transforms into loud gossip the moment he left with Annie. 

 "I know what you're thinking Jake, don't even dare go after them", Genny warns. 

 "Why shouldn't I?" 

 "You can never win a head-on confrontation with Will" 

 "Why are you guys so scared of that guy? Is he a god or what?" 

 "While I am not scared of Will, I will agree that many fear him and it's not because of who he is but because of what he can do. Don't mess with Will, at least deliberately. Will is a childhood friend to my boyfriend and has been my friend for quite a while so when I tell you to give him space, don't think I have no reason", Genny says and Jake sits dejectedly. 

  "So where is he taking her now?" 

  "We can only wait till Annie is back before we find out" 

  This occasion was truly a first of it's kind. Will had never argued with anyone over a girl in all his years of being a student in Brooklyn high school. He had also never refrained from beating someone up as much as he did today. Though Will had self-control, the way Jake challenged him was enough to provoke a fight normally. 

  Who was this new girl causing their school's biggest player to act out of script, people wondered and who was that guy that dared challenge Will, others thought.  

  "Will's getting real weird lately", Bob remarks. 

 "I couldn't imagine Will would do this. He usually doesn't care about any girl", Harrison says. 

  "What if he has caught feelings for her?", Kenneth suggests and the guys burst into laughter. "Guys I'm serious" 

  "That is so... it's literally impossible", Dave proclaims. 

  "But what if?" 

 "It's not possible Ken, drop this stupid train of conversation", Harrison declares. 

  "What I'm wondering now is where he's taking the newbie and what they are going to do there", Bob says and they all cheer excitedly except Kenneth. 

  "Loosen up buddy", Dave tells Kenneth with a nudge. 

  "I can't, Will's behaviour nowadays really bothers me" 

 "Mama Bear", Bob taunts and Kenneth glares at him. 

 "Idiot" 

 "Won't you care about me too Mama Bear?" 

 "You're mad", Kenneth replies and tries to slap Bob. Bob jumps to his feet and is now out of his reach. Kenneth stands up too and they begin running around the table as Kenneth tries to slap him and he dodges repeatedly.