Chapter 5: Operation

February 19th, 2017, 14:30

Late in the day for these sorts of shenanigans, I know, but Tyler tempted my interests. Currently, we're in the boys' locker room, in silence, between two lockers. Dressed in complete black with stupid masks on prepared for the incumbent appearance of the chaotic tornado of the boy's soccer team. We've been tenderly stalking the nightmare on his normal routine for weeks...finally, we worked up the gusto to enact the 3rd step in the plan, or as Tyler has so graciously dubbed it...

Operation Shadow

For the life of me, I couldn't possibly visualize how I let myself agree to this plan.

First, Tyler and I joined the soccer team,  sure, not the greatest way to watch him stealthily, but it gave us free access to the locker room without reason. After finally removing the bandages from my face. We got to work and did enough not to look terrible, but not stellar. Anyway, we've following his routine by gingerly ambling around the school around the off hours searching for any noticeable destruction befitting the misfit's moniker. Of course, we avoided their sight. Soon it was just a matter of getting rid of them and isolating the man, this is where Sandy came in, her collection of airheaded friends love the misfits, I honestly believe they all have dreadful taste in men, but who am I to tell them how to love. Regardless, they get rid of them and I am thankful for that.

Either way, I'm still in this locker waiting for Frankie to arrive after his run. The plan is simple, shock him with shadows

'Or something like that...'

'Be still, Terri'

The door shut and heavy trudging footsteps alert us of his arrival, the sounds indicating he is alone. See we picked a time just before practice when Frankie would be alone long enough for us to...

Convince him.

Between us is his locker...I've taught Tyler the light whispers Ray and I plagued Frankie with under a month ago, only a matter of Tyler's costume design. A slight plonk on the bench in front of us reminds me of our situation. I initiated the plan starting to whisper again...

"Alone in here again...you waste of human flesh"

"Failed to meet it again?... Frankie"

"That freak is after Ava, again..."

"He's stealing her away from me..."

"But she's mine isn't she..."

"Mine! Mine! All mine! we can't let that freak have her"

Our tandem work must be doing wonders, based on the incessant pounding on his locker.

We begin 'rattling the cages' ,shaking the lockers we hid in.

Then both of us popped out and attack him, slugging him in the stomach.

As he fell to the ground, we laughed maniacally as we rushed out of the locker room.

Moments later we arrived with the rest of the team, we came to our locker hiding places beside his to see him changing, quietly as if nothing happened.

He looked at me and greeted me coarsely before leaving the room obviously barring the brunt of our assault. Tyler and I smiled and bumped fists as we continued changing, soon heading out to the field to warm up.

15:00

Now begins phase 2, Coach Hastings tasked us with game practice. 11v11. Tyler and Frankie we're drafted into the same side while I opposed them, in perfect conjunction with our plan. The practice began. During the game, Tyler slipped little slivers of our conversation with Frankie earlier as they passed each other by.

"So, you play with the freak now..."

.

"Is he your Equal now?..."

"You allow him to take our field, what will be next?....."

After some time we had played to a corner. Tyler covered his back, while I pressured the front.

"Get him off our field, Frank..."

"Get rid of the freak, Frank!..."

As the ball flew in I moved back further pressuring him before he broke and shoved me to the floor. I jerked myself up, turning on my heels and raising my hands as if surprised.

"Get off the Field Freak."

"Excuse me? I have as much right to be here as the rest of the team does."

"I said get off the field!" He muttered as he shoved me back further. I then stepped forward, challenging him

"Or what?..."

His fist then raised from his side, clipping my chin with an uppercut as another heavy blow pierced my abdomen. As I regained my composure I slugged him across the face before the team separated us as Coach Hastings arrived.

"Break it up then, Break it up!"

He gazed at us both and spoke loudly

"You two are in a team, you should act like teammates. Terrence, I hope to see better from you. But Franklin, I expect better from you, especially as a team captain, a role I hoped you would take more seriously. As a result, I'm stripping you of your title and suspending you from the team for a month to clear your head..."

"B-But Coach, Y-You c-can't do that, this team is my life."

"I know that all too well Franklin, but until you can learn to accept all of your teammates, I'm afraid you can't play with any of them"

A cold look glazed the Coaches face as Frankie stared at me with burning rage before slinking off to the locker room. I myself saw out the rest of the practice without punishment, as we all retired to the locker room I arrived to see a note plastered across my locker with the ominous message "you're dead " written on it. I viewed the fresh dents in Frankie's locker and grinned at Tyler widely.

"The plan is going swimmingly..."

The two of us collected our things and proceeded to the library for our usual meeting. Sandy and Ray awaited our arrival.

16:45

"So?! Did it go well?" Ray's eyes are glazed with the conflict of excitement and worry.

"Relax, Everything went exquisitely..." He took a deep sigh of obvious relief and Sandy looked to me inquisitively "So he said nothing, that's it..."

"I was banking on him saying nothing about it. With an ego like his...it'll be a while before he even shows the effects visibly. Speaking of which, did you have any trouble finding the breaker Ray?"

His bright smile and now cheery demeanor informed me of his answer "Not a bit of trouble, but we'll need to be quick and silent if we want to evade people's sight..."

"Of course, but that will have to wait for a bit, we got Frankie booted of the team captain roll. He's furious, it would be best to avoid his ire for a couple of hours." I smirked quite proudly for act which would see callous in the mind of another. Of course, there are other steps to this operation. Flickering lights, shadowy figures, mystifying illusions. Which will all come in their due time.

But first we must get through the task of upholding the team. At the game tomorrow.

Despite my lack of interest in it, I do plan on keeping with it, I'm not so lax to start something and not finish it.

February 24th, 2017, 06:00

An early morning alarm awoke the entire dorm as the coach bellowed through the halls. Earning a raucous response from the boys. Despite the early morning wake ups on game days, and the mandatory attendance to games. The boys of the dorm maintain their passion for the fighting Ravenettes.

The academy emblem is a Raven and the team is actually named 'Fighting Ravens'. The academy itself calls us Ravenettes in honor of the first headmistress and founder of the academy. Headmistress Francine Holloway, The Original Ravenette.

The coach called out to us and ordered us to the showers while the rest of the dorm went about their business. Tyler and I were put into the squad, against our opponents, Drake Academy Wolves. The crowd they brought with them was very...enthusiastic.

Inside the locker room, I looked up at the field windows, permeated with feelings of excitement and Nausea.

I felt a hand pat my shoulder

"Those first screams always make you kinda nervous. Just get through it, you'll be okay."

Those words kind of assured me, distilled the mind. I looked toward the towering figure to see my teammate and new captain, Drake Redmond. He laughed loudly and started walking out of the locker room. "See you out there newbie..."

08:00

We all stood lined up in the tunnel in our black purple uniforms. Soon our opponents walked in and stood beside us. I looked to my right at the player on my position and offered my hand. He scoffed and turned away.

"Prepare to be slaughtered newbie."

I took back my hand and looked at the name on the back.

'Al Kaspar...'

'Annihilate this punk...'

'Definitely...'

We stepped out into the field to the sound of both parents and students filled the stands. I searched the stands to see my mother and father, beside Raymond and his parents. I cracked a light smile and kept looking around, Miko waved the Ravenette flag and blew me a kiss. Soon my smile faded away as I caught sight of them.

Ava, Frankie. Together while their parents chatted beside them.

Immediately, the churning of my stomach restarted like clockwork. Drake looked to me and nodded and it subsided once again. I took a deep breath as we took out positions.

Beginning the first of three games today, the whistle sounded and the game begun.

08:50

Half time, The scores remained goalless. While the coach, reminded us of our practice, I kept my eye on the pair in the stands. To Frankie's pleasure, he kept his eyes on me as he sweet talked her in the stands. My attention was only drawn away by Drake's attempt to inspire the team.

"We came here, to play the game, and if we lost it would only be because they were better than us. But only after we played our hearts out. Look at them, they aren't better than us. We have the grit, the determination, the team to beat them and no one can say otherwise."

The team seemed more motivated, from what I could see, Drake was obviously the better captain. During Frankie's reign the team played well out of fear of his wrath if they failed. This time they looked genuinely prepared to do well. I stepped up and tried to help rouse up the team.

"Ravenettes, Ravenettes! Ravenettes!"

Tyler joined me in the chanting, soon followed by the team. Drake smiled brightly, joining the chants.

09:00

We took to the field again. I raced on facing my opponent, Al Kaspar.

"Ready to get your ass handed to you..."

"Just don't cry when they call out my name for a goal..."

He scoffed and the game restarted.

09:15

The hour mark of the game hits. I received the ball and ran down the touch line. In the center waiting to receive was Tyler and Drake. I crossed the ball in toward Drake, to which he responded with a header toward goal, scoring. He got up and ran toward me scooping me up in a crushing hug as our teammates surrounded us. Kaspar looked away in anger as we took our positions again.

09:39

Opportunity presents itself again, I run with the ball on the sideline once again, with my teammates in the center awaiting the arrival of the ball. I crossed again to Drake who responded again attempting a header to only be offset by Kaspar sending him flying towards the goalpost. He hit with a loud pang as the collective medical staff surrounded him. I, myself, was livid with anger rushing towards Kaspar shoving him on arrival. He shoved me back as we exchanged heated words while our teammates separated us. The referee showed me a yellow card, while showing Kaspar a red, sending him off.

Calming myself, I walked over to Drake, who laid stricken on the ground, a long red mark glazed across the center of his face, his nose hemorrhaging blood. He looked to me and removed his captains armband, lifting it to my hand.

"Lead...then...Ter...rence. I...know you...can do...it"

I nodded and took the armband, putting it on as the medics carried him off the field. Frankie stood in the stands clearly distraught as I prepared to take the penalty with the bright white band on my right arm.

I stepped forward and shot quickly, passing the keeper by. Scoring a goal.

I had no idea what to do in the moment, instinct drove me to run to the corner flag, screaming my heart out with my teammates in my stead.

09:45

The game played out to a 2-1 win for the Ravenettes. My teammates proceeded to lift me above their shoulders as if we had just won some final. The crowd cheered loudly, applauding us off, noticeably calling out "Captain T." as we walked off.

10:00

The locker room was abuzz as they team recanted the events of the game. Coach Hastings waltzed in "Terrence, you played out their earning that band. Respect it. The rest of you, I would like to see more of that next week in the Den." He nodded and left the locker room. I dawned my tracksuit and left to the stands.

10:30

I arrived met with a kiss from Miko. She draped her arms around my neck and looked me in the eye

"You looked so cool out there, oh captain, my captain."

"Miko...? Don't do that."

"Can't I surprise once in a while. come you must meet my parents."

Miko dragged me to her mother and father and introduced me as her boyfriend. I spoke calmly trying to diffuse the situation.

Ava's POV

'I wonder where Terrence went. Still have to congratulate him on his victory...'

She scanned the stands carefully and soon spotted Terrence

'There...wait. He's with that girl again, and she's introducing him to her parents?! Ughh....how thirsty can you be darling? Unless...she's serious, about...him. Uh...no, no, no definitely not.'

15:00

Terrence's POV

I spoke with my parents about the games. The team beat them emphatically in the final game with a 4-0 victory.

I waved as my parents drove off, my father seemed more cheerful this time around. He even laughed at the jokes I told. Returning to my dorm, I flopped into my bed as Ray laughed behind.

"Rough day in the office captain ?"

My muffled voice reverberated the annoyance in my words "Shut up Ray..."

He laughed again, "So, no planning today..."

"No, just sleep..."

"Alright well Nighty night, Captain"

I soon drifted off into a deep sleep.