The Hijinks War

8. Nicely Done, Ladies

Today, pranking was strictly off limits.

Along the edges of the bleachers, catching the sunlight, flags in multiple team colors fluttered in the cool breeze. Otherwise, the benches were a sea of green and white sweatered spectators. I almost felt bad for the visiting teams and the lack of support they'd have while at Waterbridge. Almost. Because if there was one thing we all collectively liked to crush more than our opposing army, it was other school teams.

If suffering a Thunderbird or Hellhound for the sake of a championship was necessary, it would be done. On the field, our Spartans were a team, a cohesive unit, working together to dominate the other players. So, school teams and sporting events were a no war zone.

Hellhounds and Thunderbirds alike lined the stands around the soccer field for the opening ceremony and game of the two day tournament we were hosting. Even Katia, who was still fending off curious glances to her stomach fours days later, sat proudly on the bleachers in our colors. 

Jess and I sat together, midway up the bleachers, clip in green streaks in our hair and little green flags in our hands, anticipating, as our peers did, the start of the game and the arrival of our team to the field.

But as they were announced and Kellen, Jackson and the team trudged onto the pitch, I suppressed a startled giggle. Spectators and the other teams laughed outright.

This was not cool! This was a blatant violation of the code! Our pristine white uniforms were pink. Even the Hellhounds on the team looked disgruntled. 

Only the Hellhounds could have been responsible. We wouldn't very well prank a team that was, save for three students, made up entirely of Thunderbirds. That, and we had come so close to violating the rules of the war with the grey zone of 'Bra-gate'. Kellen would have injured a Thunderbird for even suggesting something that was such a disregard for a clearly black and white rule.

Jess bolted off the bleachers beside me, and suddenly appeared by the side of our team's bench. She whispered something at her brother, who with a stony expression ignored her altogether. As she flitted away, quickly running back towards the residence, I saw Jackson lean slightly to Kellen and mutter something. I considered joining Jess, but stayed where I was watching the reactions of the students. At least Katia and the rest of her Triad had the decency to look as surprised as the rest of us.

Jess returned shortly after the HijINKs blast went out, disheveled and quite out of breath. She was carrying two boxes and sauntered purposefully back to her brother. What did she know that I didn't? I frowned, didn't she tell me everything, even when Jackson told her not to? I watched as she spoke to Jackson, this time letting him peek into the box. With a loud, "Good luck!" she clambered back up the bleachers and sat at my side.

"What was that all about?"

"I had an idea." Her face mimicked the often unreadable mask of her brother's face, and I realized with disappointment that she wasn't going to share. She tucked the boxes under her carefully, without affording me a peek into them and straightened up, watching the field as if nothing had happened. She was excited, though; I could tell that easily.