Young Writers Society

Everyone seemed to stop paying attention to Mrs. Johnson when Eric walked in. He recognized a few faces from that morning, some of the kids who had watched his little spat with Matt were in the classroom. He ignored the curious looks they sent him as he took the syllabus Mrs. Johnson handed him and looked for a seat. The only seat available was the one right next to Meagan. Ignoring the look of disdain the girl shot him, he sat down beside her and began to listen to the rest of the teacher's shpeel.

When she came to the end of her course outline, the teacher said, "There is going to be a pep rally after school that you are all required to attend. During the rally our football team will be having a skirmish match with another school's team." At everyone's moans of dismay, Mrs. Johnosn said, "Don't give me that. I expect all of you to cheer on our team." Her bored tone didn't match the words she spoke. It was as though she was just as uninterested in the game as the rest of the class. Eric found it a little odd that everyone would dread watching a football game so much, but he ignored it as the teacher began to run through some english exercises.

(I was thinking we could skip to lunch so Eric could meet the rest of Meagan's friends. I'll let you think up some characters for that this time.)

The day ran relatively fast through the morning, in Meagan's perspective. She accepted the syllabuses for three more teachers - Pre-Calculus, Language, and Government - and found herself in her science class finally. It was the lunch hour, fifth period.

Meagan sat near Anita again, but another of her friends was also in this class. Joshua, better known to the girls as Joshie. Meagan smiled when she saw his spiky frost-tipped brown hair glance past behind Eric. She beamed. "Joshie!" she hopped up, bouncing over to the boy and tackling him with a massive hug. "I missed you!"

Joshie giggled, hugging her back and giving her a squeeze. "Girl, I missed you too! So much!" His tone was relatively high-pitched for a seventeen-year-old male, and he held his phrases a little long and whiny, somewhat like a spoiled black girl. He backed away from her, "Now, lemme see, lemme see. I know, Miss Thang, that you done updated yourself for your senior year! Look at you! Oh!" He waved his hand sassily at her as she spun a circle, letting him see the longer, layered hair, the painted nails, and the new cut of uniform that she had donned, a snugger, more streamline fit. "Girl, compared to last year, you look fa-bulous. You gone get that Homecoming Queen, don't worry! We got you. We got you, honey."

The second bell rang at that moment, dismissing the science hall to lunch. Meagan giggled with Joshie, grabbing him by the arm and proceeding to strut down the hallway.

"Now, Meagan," Joshie dropped his voice down low, almost to a normal level. "Who's that hunk that's been following you?"

She groaned, rolling her eyes in disgust. Did everyone have to remind her of his presence? She sighed, beginning to tell him that long ridiculous tale. Meanwhile, Anita fell in stride beside Eric, walking a little cutely, innocently, with her hands locked loosely behind her back. "So... Your first day hasn't been the best... Sorry about all that. Matt's our star football player," she offered, sarcastically making Matt sound important, "so he thinks he owns the school."

(And yes, Joshie is like that completely Adds some New Orleans flavor to the story, lol )

(Huh, I haven't written any stories with a gay character in them yet. This'll be interesting to say the least.)

"It wasn't a problem," Eric told her. "I know how to handle guys like him."

Anita raised a brow. "Well, you're pretty confident. I just hope you know what you're getting into."

As they made their way toward the cafeteria, Eric stopped by a trophy display case.There were all sorts of trophies and awards behind the clear glass windows. Track, baseball, soccer, basketball, and a lot more. Just about every sport had its own area in the large display case reserved for all of the trophies the teams have earned over the years.

But what caught Eric's attention the most was the football section It was completely empty, save for a single golden trophy awarded by the NFHS and dated ten years ago. Along with it was a picture of the school's football team holding the trophy.

Anita stopped to look at the case as well. "That's the only award the Edgeworth Gladiators have ever won. Since then, all the members of the team have either graduated or moved on to other sports. They've never won a single game ever since. I hear the current quarterback is the younger brother of the team's previous captain that brought the team to the championships, but he's nowhere near as good."

"Hmm..." Without another word Eric turned and continued down the hall, following Meagan and her friend to the cafeteria.

(I was thinking Matt could be the team's current runningback, and when Eric joins and they decide to bring a girl onto the team as a runningback too, he'll get pissed and threaten to quit the team.)

(You think a single gay character is gonna be fun? Wait til you see the Gay Mile on Bourbon Street. XD )

(That'll be interesting.)

Meagan and Joshie took up their places in the cafeteria line. People had begun to file into the large room and line up at the serving line entrances. By the smell of it, fried chicken, mash potatoes, beans, and cornbread were on today's menu. Meagan shuddered at the smell of the meat, but she could suffice with the veggies and a salad instead.

"So how was yo' summer?" Joshie asked.

"It was good," she smiled, nudging him playfully. "Spent all summer trimming my hair and revitalizin' nails and skin. You know a girl like me's gotta keep up her looks."

"Oh, that you do, that you do, honey! But hey, listen. You and me - we have got to get to that mall one of these days and just go nuts. Shoppin' spree! 'Specially since you getting ready to go off to college and leave this grungy old city behind - "

She hushed him quickly, getting suddenly nervous. "Don't say that out loud!"

"Oh... Oh yeah!" He dropped his voice to a whisper. "You're parents still don't know you're plannin' on going up north for college, do they?"

"No, they don't. 'Specially after what I got in the mail the other day..."

"What'd you get?"

She smirked as she ordered her vegetarian plate. "Acceptance letters from Boston and Purdue."

Eric followed Meagan and her friend to the lunch line, though a few people got in before him. Anita stood with him as they waited in line for their turn.

"So," Anita began, trying to spark up a conversation with the boy, "where you from?"

"Plainfield, Penssylvania," Eric told her.

"How are you dealing with the heat down here?"

"It's too hot for my liking, to be honest," Eric stated, and even in the air-conditioned lunch hall felt a bead of sweat rolling down his spine.

She smiled at that. "You haven't felt anything yet, even with fall setting in this is about as cool as it gets."

A wave of dread rolled its way though his stomach. Anita's smile only widened when she noticed the worry in his eyes. "How the hell do you people deal with it?"

"We have our ways," she said after having to stifle a chuckle.

When it was their turn Eric grabbed a plate and loaded it with some chicken, a spoon-full of beans, and lots of mashed potatoes. He wasn't a big fan of chicken, it was always too dry for his liking, and even fried it didn't have much taste to it. He'd rather have a big juicy steak anyday than chicken. At least the potatoes looked good, from the smell he could tell they were cooked with cheese, just the way he like them.

Anita filled her plate with chicken, some potatoes, and a salad before they left to find Meagan and her friend sitting at a nearby table. When they appraoched Meagan shot Eric a not so friendly look. "Go sit somewhere else, Eric," she told him.

Eric merely glanced at her and, ignoring her demand, sat across from her at the same table. Anita took the seat next to him and said, "Relax, Meagan. It's his first day, and he's got no one else to sit with."

(Keep them in the cafeteria, I've got something planned for one of my next posts.)

(I plan to. Joshie's gotta have his fun Xp And if you're wondering where i got the inspiration for him, I have two friends named Josh - one is an artist, one is a singer, and BOTH are gay! XD Joshie is my artist friend, and Josh is the singer. Just to clarify things, lol

But Oh. My. GOD! I've had a hell day today... Message me later, I'll tell you about it... Urgh)

Meagan groaned and ducked her head down, shoveling a spoonful of potatoes into her mouth. She couldn't believe this; Anita, her own best friend, was bringing this trespasser, this outsider, to their table, treating him like one of their own! They didn't even know what she was going through, what she had to deal with for the rest of her senior year now, each and every day!

Anita rolled her eyes, leaning to whisper to Eric. "She'll get over it, don't mind her - "

"It's fine, Anita!" Meagan hissed sharply. "I'm fine! Just, whatever."

Joshie pursed his lips, petting her shoulder almost lovingly, as if he were an older brother watching over a smaller sibling. He looked at Eric, waving a hand at him dismissively. "Don't worry 'bout it, boo, it's all good. You're the new kid, you're that unknown variable that can blow up the chem lab, but it's good. We just gotta getta know you better," he winked at Anita. She smiled, happy at least that someone else was on their side.

Joshie put his hands in front of him and started peeling the crunchy, greasy skin off his chicken. That was his favorite part, and he always saved it for last. "So, boo," he asked, a little more polite and conversational now, "where you from again? You play any sports? Do you want to play sports, 'cause let me tell you, our football team sucks worse than wrinkled, greasy -"

Meagan cleared her throat, cutting him off.

Joshie chuckled nervously. "My 'b', but you know what I mean! I'm just trying to make conversation here, no harm meant..." He fiddled some more, finally spooning beans into his mouth.

Before Eric could answer any questions, he saw the front door of the cafeteria swing open. In marched Matt, and he looked out-right pissed. His gaze swung from one side of the cafeteria, then locked on Eric when he saw him. Suspecting a fight, Eric got out of his chair while Matt approached.

"You!" the kid shouted, jerking a finger at him. He stopped just a couple of feet away, though Eric stayed alert just incase Matt decided to lash out.

"Get out of here, Matt," Meagan said. "We're trying to eat lunch."

"Shut up! This is between me and him." Whirring back toward Eric, he said, "The principle called me back into the office in the middle of first period and started threatening to suspend me for the fight you started this morning!"

Eric merely crossed his arms as he stared down at the kid. "You say that as if I should care."

"You should! I'm going to make your regret crossing me. After school, me and some of my friends are going to teach you a lesson."

His first day at school, and already there was another kid threatening him. He was tempted to go to one of the teachers and tell them about it, if Edgeworth was anything like his own school, threats of physical violence were treated just as harshly as actual violence itself. But then he glanced around the cafeteria at all the kids watching the comotion, then got to thinking. From what Robert had told him, there was more than just one kid hassling Meagan. It was Eric's job to guard her, and if he tattled to one of the teachers it would only make him look week to the rest of the students. Sometimes, intimidation was the best weapon in a situation like this. If he took on Matt and his friends after school and kicked their asses, the rest of the kids would be afraid of him and would be less likely to harrass Meagan.

Eric took a firm step forward, and was satisfied when Matt stepped back out of reflex. He stared hard into the other kid's eyes and said, "Bring anyone you want, we'll resolve this like men."

Eric saw the cracks of fear in Matt's tough front as he started to step back. "I swear, you're going to regret humilliating me this morning. Nobody crosses me," he said before turning and heading out the cafeteria.

(No you can post everyone's reaction to Eric's display of toughness.)

Meagan stared at him, aghast. Her face was bright red as several eyes in the cafeteria wandered toward her, both in curiosity and in sympathy. She inhaled and huffed, sharply. "Why?"

"What?" Eric asked, looking at her as if he didn't hear her the first time.

"Why, Eric! Why!" She stood picking up her half-eaten tray. "Just because your my protector doesn't mean you have beat up everybody!" She turned away from him and stormed out, throwing her unfinished meal into the trash and laying her tray on the counter next to it. She took off down the hall, tears streaming down her face.

Joshie pursed his lips, watching her as she ran off, humiliated and upset. "Boy, I will say that was a sexy display, but you need to chill out! She don't need that kind of drama from you, Mr. Sexy Hot Shot," he waved a finger at him, standing up as well. He patiently walked across the cafeteria and dumped his own tray, making sure to grab one more bite of chicken before it went in the garbage.

Anita sighed. "Sorry, Eric..." she shrugged, playing with her food nervously. "We're all rich kids; we're not used to having a new guy from the Nowhere Up North making such a fuss on the first day... It's a little weird, scary even..."

The cafeteria remained silent for a time, only a few people in the farthest corners proceeding with their old conversations. The people nearest them didn't say a word, they were too afraid of upsetting the giant man more. When they did start whispering, Anita couldn't help but smile.

"If you ask me, Matt's gonna get his ass beat down," was the primary comment.

Eric sat down and continued eating his lunch. He considered following Meagan to keep an eye on her, but lunch was almost finished and just about everyone in the school was in the cafeteria. After the fight that morning and his display just now, he doubted anyone would be temped to make a move on the girl within the next hour at the very least, not while the fear of him was still fresh.

"If that Matt kid is the worst your school has to offer, then you've got it easy here," he told Anita.

"What do you mean?" the girl asked.

"The public school I went to back home doesn't have nearly as much security as this place does, so bullying is a serious issue. On the first day the older kids put the freshmen through what they like to call initiation, which is just an excuse to pick on them, like they needed an excuse in the first place. They usually pull the new kids off to the side, gang up on them, and write '9' on their foreheads in permanent marker."

He remembered then the fight the previous week that had gotten him expelled. He had come across one of the new kids getting harrassed by an upper classman and stepped in to put a stop to it. The older kid got pissed and turned on Eric, and Eric had no choice but to defend himself. During the fight he brused one of the kid's arms, and later he played it up so much that everyone thought he had a broken bone and sent him to the hospital. Eric was already on a first-name basis with the principal, which in his case was not a good thing, so the principal had already reached his limit and expelled him.

(After your next post I was thinking we could skip ahead to the prep rally and the football skirmish.)

Meagan ran halfway across the school before stopping to catch her breath and to just hunker down and sob with her arms around her knees. She cried, throwing a silent tantrum as she struck at the air and bit her lip to keep from screaming and swearing. If one of the teachers saw that, they'd have her daddy on the phone in a heartbeat!

She sighed, staring at the floor as that reminded her. There was so much that he didn't know about her, that he didn't need to know... She wanted him to know, but she knew what kind of consequences it would bring. At the very worst, he could ship her off to a boarding school in Baton Rouge or Mobile, where she had chaperones watching her every second of the day and night, bolted doors, and no access to the outside world. That would kill her...shame her!

She looked up as Joshie came up. He stood over her, looking down pitying with a hand on his hips. "Now, miss thang, you gotta stop this," he teased at her. "Your make-up is streaming all over the place! Come on, let's get to the class early so we can do you some new make-up." He offered his hand to her, and she, finally laughing a little of the shame off, accepted it.

At least, if nothing else, she thought, beginning to relax a little, I still have Joshie.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, though Eric did catch a few people looking at him from time to time. When the bell rang and signalled the end of the last class everyone gathered up their books and went to their lockers. After that, they made their way to the football field behind the school.

Ever since lunch Meagan had stopped speaking to Eric. Even as they went outside toward the bleachers with Joshie and Anita she didn't speak a word. Eric was at the bottom steps when he heard someone shout, "Hey!" Turning around, he spotted Matt coming toward him in a football uniform, numbered 23. "Don't think I haven't forgotten about you. After this game, my friends and I are going to teach you a lesson in respect."

Eric crossed his arms. "I haven't forgotten. Now, go play your game, pipsqueak."

Matt frowned hard. He moved forward to bump his shoulder against Eric as he passed, but Eric stiffened his stance and pushed back when they made contact, throwing the other kid off balance and causing him to stumble. Matt tried to look dignified after righting himself, but didn't quite make it.

With that encounter out of the way, Eric climbed the bleachers to where Meagan and her friends sat.

(I'll let you describe the team's uniform colours, as well as the visiting team's name and colours. There's only going to be 11 players total on the team.)

Meagan was a little brighter, being at the football stadium with her friends. Her parents had not shown up yet, giving her a little extra time to goof around and play it cool. She looked up when Eric's broad form came near, approaching them at the usual, half sulky, half careless pace. She tossed her head, flinging hair out of her face when a breeze blew through.

"We're the Gladiators," she told him flatly, "if you can even call us that. We're a poor excuse for football, in any league."

The stands went quiet as the M.C. for the event came over the intercom in the grandstand, trying to sound a little more excited than his vocal tone portrayed him to be. "Aaaaaaand a good afternoon to all you...lovely, marvelous, and spirited peoples, aaaaand welcome! Welcome to the fabulous, newly refiiiiiiiined Edgeworth Stadium, hoooooome of the Edgewooooooorth Glaaaadiatoooooors!" and he took a breather. The following program consisted of a brief prayer, the national anthem, and more of the deceptively supportive speech.

Meagan groaned, rolling her eyes. She glanced at the grand stand mike box, clicking her teeth in annoyance. "That's the M.C., Duke. No one at the school knows his real name; he always introduces himself as 'Duke,' so... And obviously, he's lying, every single word. The 'Glads' haven't won a single game since the mid nineties. Personally, I think the school should do away with funding for the team entirely, considering what a waste of time and space they are."

The whistle blew and the high school's marching band began to play a brassy fanfare, since most of the band was devoted to trumpets, clarinets, and percussion. Eleven boys came darting out behind a six-girl squad of cheerleaders, wearing navy blue and gold uniforms. Half of the boys looked a little scatter brained and dimwitted. One of the younger ones even tripped over the banner and fell face-first into the ground, his helmet falling out of his hand and bouncing across the turf.

Meagan shook her head, tossing hair back and cupping her hands around her mouth. "Boo! Get off the field!" she shouted, continuing to boo the boys as they ran over to the sideline.

"Why only eleven?" Eric asked, force once showing an emotion.

Meagan huffed. "Because they suck, so the coach literally has to bribe people to join the team. Unfortunately, these bribes only work on the lowlife retards gullible enough to fall for it."

(I just got a good idea. You'll see what it is by the end of this post.)

Eric watched as the opposing team marched onto the field. Clad in gray and brown uniforms, the St. Rita Armadillos met up in the opposite end of the field. The captains of each team met in the middle with the referee for the coin toss. The captain of the Edgeworth Gladiators was a mid-height and somewhat skinny kid. At first glance, he didn't seem like the leader type.

The coin flipped in the home team's favour, and the Gladiators set up for their first play. The team huddled to discuss their strategy, but Eric saw Matt start to argue with the captain. He remembered Meagan's friend mentioning Matt being the team's star player, the kid was probably trying to tell the captain what play to do.

When the huddle period ended, they got into formation. Not even a second after the play began, the enemy team ploughed through the line and sacked the captain, who was playing as quarterback. Eric shook his head. "Their line is too weak. They're pushing with their arms instead of their hips, and they're just being overbalanced by the other team."

"Everything about our football team sucks," Anita said. "If you pick out every little thing they do wrong you'll be at it all day."

Eric continued to watch. The second play ended in a sack as well, but on the third the line managed to stand just long enough for Matt, the running back, to grab the ball from the quarterback. He managed to squeeze through the line, but was taken down at the three-yard line. By the forth play, something about the quarterback changed. While the rest of the team looked resigned, as if they knew they were going to lose, the captain looked more determined.

They set up for the forth play, and when the ball was passed it began. The line held and Matt came in to take the ball. But instead of passing it off, the quarterback broke off and ran the ball himself. He skirted around the line and made for the ten-yard line, but was taken down after only six. Since they were only able to get through nine yards instead of ten, the teams switched and the visitors went on offence, but not before Matt started yelling at the quarterback, possibly for stealing the ball from him.

"Who's the quarterback?" Eric asked.

"That would be Rick," Joshie said. "He's been on the team for a while now, he's probably been on the team longer than anyone else."

"Hmm..." Eric contemplated. So far, the quarterback was the only person on the team who showed any promise.

The game went on as expected for the next half-hour as expected, with the visitors scoring touchdowns and the home team failing to gain any ground. By half-time the Armadillos had scored 21 points, and the Gladiators remained at 0. Tensions within the home team rose high until it finally came to a head when Matt threw a fit and stormed off the field.

"Uh-oh. Looks like the Gladiators' running back has left the field," The M.C. announced. "With only ten players on the field, it looks like our boys will have to forfeit the game."

"Why didn't they just do that in the first place?" Meagan asked. "This whole game has been a waste of time."

Eric saw the team's coach talking with the referee. After a few moments the coach went off the field and started milling through the bleachers and talking to each male student he came across.

"It looks like Coach Ryans is looking for someone to take Matt's place," Duke said over the speakers.

When he climbed further up the bleachers his eyes settled on Eric. Pointing, he said, "You!"

Eric glanced over his shoulder just to make sure he wasn't pointing to the person behind him. "Me?" he asked.

"We need another player, come with me."

Unsure what to do, Eric merely nodded, got up from his seat, and followed the coach down to the field.

(This'll be Eric's first time on the field. At the end of the game the coach and quarterback will ask him to join the team, but Eric turns them down because of his obligation to look after Meagan.)