Deviating from the Norm (A "Freaks and Geeks" Fanfic)

Chapter 9 - Assassinating Lincoln and Facing Retaliation

The school was buzzing with adrenaline over the fact that our basketball team had done the impossible and actually made it to the regional finals. Ken seemed oblivious to this fact as we walked down the hall, not that it should have surprised me.

"Who's Lincoln?" he asked Vicki as she and another cheerleader strung a sign across the hall that read 'Assassinate Lincoln'.

I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, that's just how good his delivery was at times, but I could only hope that he was. Lincoln was one of our biggest rivals in just about everything. Basketball, baseball, softball... hell, even the mathlete teams shared a venomous competitive streak between them. Football, it seemed, was their Achilles' heel. Even with the horrid record the Norsemen held, we were always at least above the Lincoln Loggers. Before I could answer for my friend, the head cheerleader looked down in our direction and explained for me.

"Our rivals." Vicki wore a look that said he was the stupidest person she had dealt with all day. I knew that look well, as it was one she didn't even spare her boyfriends from. Well, at least she didn't with this former boyfriend.

I instantly (and desperately) began focusing my attention everywhere and anywhere except in her general direction when she took notice of Ken. Our last run-in was horrible enough, and I certainly wasn't looking for any sort of encore.

Suddenly the other cheerleader chimed in, 'We made regionals. Isn't that cool?', and saved me from any sort of uncomfortable interaction with Vicki. I looked at the girl for a moment, trying to recall her name. It was Stacey. Stacey Lockhart. I had felt bad for the girl ever since the end of summer when I had accidentally placed a target on her back. I had stopped by Vicki's house one Saturday afternoon to pick her up for a party we were going to, and a few other cheerleaders were still there, being scolded by my ex for one reason or another. Foolishly, I intervened when she began picking on Stacey for seemingly doing her routine perfectly. That was the first time I got one of those 'you're the stupidest person I've dealt with today' glares from the blonde cheerleader. I'll never forget Vicki scoffing and talking loud enough for all the other girls to hear, insinuating that Stacey's routine was sloppy and slow, and she wasn't going to allow the girl to embarrass her squad. I'll also never forget the look of pained disappointment that riddled Stacey's face at Vicki's words. The girl looked absolutely crushed. There were only two other times I had been to Vicki's place when Stacey was present, and both times Vicki had tormented the girl to the point of tears. The fact that they had made amends and were now working together shocked me a bit as it brought me back to the present.

Ken, still dumbfounded by exactly what was 'cool' and banner-worthy about being in regionals, asked, "In what?"

"Basketball." Vicki must have looked at him again and spotted me, otherwise I have no idea why she would say what she did next. "You know, our only good team with good players who don't quit for no reason."

It seemed that Vicki's words shook the cobwebs from Ken's memory. I could almost see the wheels turn in his head as he latched onto what he had found out a few months ago, quickly glancing at me with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Well that's pretty harsh, right Donovan? I wonder who she could be talking about. Oh, wait..." His grin spread more and I wanted to smack the back of his head. "Didn't you two used to-"

"No, no!" I sternly reprimanded, covering his mouth with one hand and pushing him forward with the other. "We're done here. Move along."

As we made our way to where Daniel and Kim were, standing in front of a set of lockers, I heard Vicki start to scold Stacey a nanosecond later over jerking the paper banner too much. Vicki never was one to disappoint when it came to irrational snapping.