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Underneath the bleachers, Killy leaned against one of the metal stills that held the climbing rows of bleachers that filled with teens who apparently grew such a speculating liking in the game of football. Shadyside High had once again been against Sunnyvale High during varsity season this fall, meaning Killy had another reason to get out of the house while she was grounded yet again, for smoking in the house. She had been nice enough to smoke in the attic this time around, only because she found such a dictator like her mother profoundly unreasonable for not letting her smoke on her own terms within her home just because the smell was prominently reeking of nicotine. Being grounded meant, of course only leaving the house for school and nothing else, so a football game to support the athletes of Shadyside High had to be the excuse that worked most to get away from home. And plus, Heather Watkins was quite keen on the idea of a cigarette too since all her complaints consisted of, was working another late night shift at Shadyside Mall tomorrow evening.
"You know, I never understand why I can't work a single damn day shift at this job." Heather scoffed. "Unbelievable."
"It's a bookstore, Heather. How bad can it really be?" Killy quirked a brow, taking a long drag from the cigarette between her lips.
"I don't know, maybe it's the dark circles underneath my eyes. Doesn't that say enough?"
"Okay, so quit." Killy chuckled.
"That's ridiculous. My parents don't exactly raise me to just watch money grow on trees, unfortunately." She sarcastically remarked. "I have to keep this job, even if I do end up sleepless. How much of a fucking joke is that, huh?"
"Life. So beautiful." Killy also gave her an uncanny reply. "Meanwhile I'm grounded until I get it through my brain that smoking in the house isn't tolerated."
The girls who were in the deepest nicotine daze were halted from conversation, when the sound of people chanting and jeering loudly from above them dragged onto their attention.
"Then smoke outside, smarty pants." Heather then said when the cheers had died down.
"Have you ever even seen 'Halloween?' Nothing seems right about lingering in the night alone." Killy shrugged.
"That's really superstitious of you, Killy. But maybe you're just afraid of the dark."
"It's not that." She was quick to defend herself, reluctantly tossing the cigarette to the concrete, as she put it out. "But maybe I've got horror movie tactics in the back of my pocket, in case anything ever goes awry in this town. It's Shadyside after all."
"Sure thing." The tiger eyed girl dismissed.
Killy was just about to light another cigarette, before she was stopped by the sight of a red and white cheerleader pom poms in hand. Valerie Vasquez. She knew the smell of a cigarette quite literally from a mile away, and could not stand to even entertain the idea of one being near her. She wasn't far from the bleachers when she smelled it, and just knew it had to be careless Shadysiders who didn't respect the no smoking rule on Sunnyvale's campus.
"Yeah, it's them coach." Valerie pointed, simpering with a snarky undertone. "Shadysiders, I'm pretty sure."
"Ladies, put those out right this instant. Can't any of you read a sign when you see one?" The Sunnyvale coach said.
"Is there anywhere on this God-given earth I can smoke my cigarette?" Killy grimly mocked, rolling her eyes so far, they could've ended up at the back of her skull.
"We're here to watch the game." Heather shrugged coolly.
"And release your damn tobacco toxins so casually? I don't think so." Valerie sassily protested. "Who do you think you are anyway?"
"Killy Corker, sweets—don't wear it out." She smirked at her clever yet assertive one liner.
"Well, Killy Corker I'll have you know, that cigarettes are an abomination—"
"Do we really have to listen to this coach?" Heather scoffed. "We don't need the advertisements, bi—"
"Enough. Ladies, you best settle down right now. Take the smoking elsewhere, and Val, cool it and get back on the damn field."
Valerie narrowed her eyes, her stare cold as ice, saying nothing else whipping around as she swayed away in her mini skirt.
"Bitch." Heather finished her saying, raising her eyebrows. Surprisingly yet not so surprisingly, she ran into a lot of smart-mouthed women in Sunnyside, but Valerie had been on quite the astronomical level that she couldn't help but let profanity trickle from her words.
"Tell me about it." Killy snickered, crossing her arms. "Let's ditch this place, what do you say?"
"Wouldn't imagine doing anything better than just that."
And it were serendipitous moments like these, living on the edge that ignited a fire within such a friendship that Heather and Killy had since quite literally the age of ten. In fact, Sunnysiders would find such a duo like these girls presumptuously rebellious. Though surviving with such a title of being a Shadysider was their heart, their sole drive to purpose. It had been all that they've had.
