The Honey Suckle Champion | Jackie x Reader COTC

(14) Capture The Flag P5 - The Game

We were all waiting in anticipation for the game to start. We can hear the Sousaphone from the overpass, symbolizing that the game has begun. I stand on the side of the King's Keep watching the fight. Xavier was in the keep with me. He was playing piano and it was nice to here something other than screams. I can see in the distance a bunch of kids charge both ways. I can barely see it but there are so many kids that it's hard to miss.

I can slightly see Fort Wisteria from here and the Maze. I wonder what Jackie and Keun Sup are doing to wait. I know that they're bored. I sit there just think about random things for awhile before I land on a topic that sticks. How will I tell Jackie that I like him? I've tried multiple times but every time Keun Sup interrupts us. I sigh. Maybe I could tell him after the game? But what if we don't win? No Y/N. Focus. There is a war going on. I see something flying at Fort Wisteria. Jackie must of found someone. I watch for a while and see....bubbles? And not a normal amount either. I'll have to ask Jackie about that later. I hear screams coming from the maze. Keun Sup found someone too.

I start getting nervous. If both Jackie and Keun Sup found kids that means they know it's not there. I hear a howl causing me to look towards the gate. Then I hear Aggie singing. She used to take voice lessons and she uses her strong voice to her advantage. I hear Craig yell and I know he's close. There's a weird explosion next to the gate. It looks like lightning. I move over to where Xavier was. I put my hand on the speaker so I can feel the vibrations. Xavier smiles at me. I look up and see Craig standing about 10 feet behind Xavier. I clear my throat. Xavier starts to speak.

"Ah, Craig. Welcome. You must be tired. Why don't you grab a seat? Care for any chips? Soda? Candy?"

"I'm here for the flag, Xavier! Where is it?"

"Fresh out of flags, I'm afraid." I shake my head agreeing with the King. Craig glares at me.

"You're lying! I know it's here!"

"You're free to look around. Please, take your time. After all, I'd imagine by now, Maya already has your flag and is on her way back here." Wind blows causing Xavier's hood to lift up. I follow Craig's eyes and see him looking at it. My eyes widen and I whisper to the King, "He knows."

Suddenly Craig runs up to the king. Xavier turns around quickly. "Ah-ah-ah! Not so fast. One touch and you're frozen... remember?" Xavier leans in a few times to touch him. Craig moves away. I block him from one side so that he can't try to go around.

Xavier cackles, "You don't know how good this feels. Everything you've done. All the times you've been a thorn in my side. It's all led to this! You've been outsmarted by me! And now you're going to get tagged -- by me! And you're going to lose your precious creek to me!" We continue to back him to the side. He stumbles a bit. "Well, Craig, this is the end for you. And you have no one to blame but yourself. All because you thought you knew better than a king." Xavier grins. His eyes are filled with the full intent to push Craig. He won't but he wants too.

"You don't know the first thing about being a king." Craig spits back. I watch Xavier's face fall. "You're no Cheyenne. And you're definitely not on Kenneth's level." Xavier is taken back by his statement. He clears his throat. "Uh, what did you say?" Craig walks forward and gets up close to Xavier. "You're not a real king. You're just a bully that gives kids candy so they do what you want." I silently agree with him. "That's why, no matter how much candy you have, deep down you know that these kids only wanna be friends with 'the king,' but nobody wants to be friends with Xavier." I can see this hit a nerve.

"Shut your mouth!" He goes to punch Craig. This is the angriest I've seen him before. Craig dodges the punch and Xavier falls forward. Before he can fall fully both me and Craig grab onto his coat, pulling him up. Xavier falls onto the floor his coat elsewhere. Craig grabs the coat and Xavier slowly stands up. I run to grab it from him. We pull back and forth but he pulls as hard as he can, sending me flying to the ground. I slowly get up.

He sighs. "Look. I know you love the creek. You think I don't love the creek too? That's why I wore that jacket. That's why I accepted my role as king. Because these kids, the need a leader, to know what's best for them. You know it's true. You saw what happened when no one listened to you. Who knows how many innocent bodies have been frozen in the dirt. It all could of been avoided if they had a....strong leader to guide them." Craig looks at the coat.

"Are-- Are you trying to convince me to become king?" Xavier laughs at him.

"I wasn't talking about you. You can't be king. Ha, silly Craig."

"What? Like being king is hard? I could be king if I wanted!"

"Being king requires a firm hand. And let's be honest, you can't handle that kind of burden, Craig. So why don't you just hand over the coat?" Aggie slowly comes up behind him. He sees her shadow and gasps, turning around. "Tag him, now!" Both me and Aggie start trying to tag him. Aggie gets trapped inside of a bubble. Both me and Xavier run after him.

Craig catches a ride with a Ten speed but we cut him off in the woods. The swerve and crash. "Cannonball" tells him to go on and he starts running again with us right behind him. We get to the over pass and he runs into the water. Xavier grabs the coat before I can get to them. The two tug and pull at it as Craig has hold of the flag. Xavier tackles him right as the flag rips off. They fall onto the other side. We lost. We have no more king.

I watch as the Other Siders all come back and celebrate. I sit off to the side unsure of what to do. It's too soon to apologize. They'll just tell me to go away. I feel tears swell up in my eyes. The creek will no longer be the same. I don't know if it's for the better or for the worst. I see Maya's cape hanging from a tree. I might never see her again but I hope she comes back.

The other champions slowly emerge from under the overpass. Jackie is looking around until he finally spots me. He runs towards me and hugs me as tight as he can. We look in each other's eyes. His arms around my waist. He leans in for what I assume was just another hug but I was wrong. I feel his lips against mine and instantly melt. We pull away smiling like idiots. I see Keun Sup gag and Aggie elbow him.

"I like you too Y/N." He signs. "That's what you've been trying to tell me right?" I nod feeling my tears stream down my face. He leans down and wipes them away. 

"Don't cry. We'll make a new start. Together."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry if the ending is a little cringey but that's how i've been imagining it all day.

Word Count - 1294