I'm No Cinderella

20. You Stink!

The basketball game didn't start until about an hour after school had officially ended. In other words, it started at six and it was presumed to end around eight.

Reyna and I had hung around in a random cafe after our day was over for two hours before heading back to the school.

Percy was in practice the whole time, so walking into the full gymnasium and seeing him on the court with other players throwing free-throws, was a very very nice sight indeed.

We sat on the bleachers way in the middle of the building crowds who were already waving signs and screaming "Go Goode". Is it sad that I don't even remember what our mascot was supposed to be? I saw this freshmen named Dakota walking around in a classic Roman toga with a sword and a golden laurel wreath in his hair. Was he supposed to be a Gladiator? Or the host of an ancient Greek party?

I spotted Piper who was sitting by Thalia and some other girls. She waved me down, probably to sit by her, but I was cool -and more comfortable-beside Reyna. I politely declined, shaking my head. Piper's smile dropped and she shrugged. Thalia made eye contact with me-awkward- and she quickly looked away.

"Look, it's starting," Reyna said next to me. The lights dimmed down as if this were a concert and the spotlight was on some random person I didn't know in a suit.

"Welcome to the State Championship! Let' bring out the teams! The visitors, the Yancy Academy Devils!"

A bunch of burly looking kids came out from once side of the gymnasium in purple and red jerseys.

"Percy never told me this was a Championship game," I said to Reyna.

Reyna shrugged. "He usually doesn't like to make it a big deal."

I nodded and payed attention to the announcer, whoever he is, I'm not sure what to call him. I was a sports kind of girl, I just never been to a Championship game or any game at all since I'm not in a school team. I'm lucky I know enough basketball to watch the game.

"And the Home Team...The Goode High Gladiators!" The crowd roared. I think some of the people in this crowd didn't even go to Goode. Yeah, I understand college recruiters, and family, but some people were in Yancy Academy uniforms, cheering for Goode.

Reyna jumped up and screamed, "Slay Percy! If You Don't Slay I'll Slay You! Kill Em! Servir las novellas!"

Reyna had warned me about how crazy she got at games. She was very very competitive. And she said if she got too much of a pouty mouth I could smack her. I probably won't do that.

Percy spotted Reyna, hearing her over the crowd and looked embarrassed. He then locked eyes with me and winked. I merely blushed, but the wink sent the group of young girls sitting in front of me in a fit of giggles. No wonder people think he's a heartbreaker, people think he's flirting!

The game didn't start for another five minutes and it didn't end for another two hours. I was surprised at how much I payed attention. I knew Percy was the captain but he played best when he was defending rather than the occasional brute force whenever he had the ball. Goode played the same play each time. Percy and Leo would try his best to hold off the swiftest player from the other team, while everyone had to try and get the ball to either Jason or Will who articulated the best and the most shots.

My eyes obviously was on Percy the whole time, he looked delicious as he ran across the court. But enough about my open oogling.

Reyna was a potty-mouth, like an even bigger potty-mouth than Thalia and I put together. At random moments she would curse out the players on the opposing team screaming, "Foul! That was a mutherfucking foul! What the fuck kind of play was that? Absolute shit!" and my favorite one was, "You Stink!" but only because it reminded me of Spongebob when that one fish screamed that to Squidward on the April Fool's episode. Yeah, I know, I'm lame for that.