Holt's Notes: Dedicated To Matthew and WR. You guys are awesome.
To everyone else: Whew! Here it is. Sorry it took so long! Enjoy!
*****
Chapter 1:
You know what feeling I hate the most?
Helplessness.
If you really knew me, you'd know why. I prided myself on being the man, the one who never cracked under pressure. I always wanted to feel in control of how things were and when I was helpless... let's just say I do what I can to not feel that way. It's an ugly feeling.
Except, that was what I felt at the moment.
That feeling that things were totally out of control and you could no nothing except hold your breath and stare. There was no pain greater than to be helpless in the face of someone's suffering. I was absolutely paralyzed with fear. It was like a devastating car-wreck unfolding before your eyes. You want to do something to prevent it, but you can't. You can only watch.
All I could do was gaze in horror as the brightly colored projectile sailed through the air and hit a poor lamia boy in the forehead.
"Durak!" Stasi gasped, looking at Viktor. "What've you done?!"
Although I couldn't tell her full facial expression because her eyes were hidden behind her large sunglasses and I was behind her, I knew the crystal blue orbs I loved were wide eyed in panic and alarm. "Watch where you're throwing those! Ubedites', chto oni na samom dele obrashchayut vnimaniye!"
Viktor was one step ahead of her. He was already leaning off the side of the railing, cupping his hands around his mouth. In true vampire apparel, he was wearing a royal blue baseball cap and large sunglasses, copious amounts of sunscreen applied to his face (although, not as much as Stasi. She had the more sensitive skin).
"Sorry dude!" He cried, apologizing profusely at the lamia over the din of the crowd and the rock music thumping from the bus's speakers. "You ok?"
If the kid heard Viktor, we wouldn't have known. In fact, the kid couldn't have been more happier at the opportunity to get free candy.
"Thanks for the jolly rancher!" He yelled back, before getting swallowed up by a tidal wave of royal blue Belcourt supporters.
The win that had brought the California High School Hockey State Championship trophy to Belcourt had everybody celebrating. As a matter of fact, even the weather appeared to be celebrating. Instead of the gloomy and cold cloud cover that usually blanketed the city, the March Sun had decided to make an appearance, shining it's warm rays on the city of San Francisco. We were on the top of an open-top double decker bus, able to enjoy the weather and the flying confetti to the fullest.
Why were we on a bus, you ask?
Well, it was tradition that after a high school team brings home a state championship, the city throws a victory parade for the school. It wasn't just any victory parade, though. It was a parade that many nonhumans had been looking forward to for a long time. A momentous celebration where it wasn't just a first-year school that won, but a school full of people that humans had deemed inferior.
The turnout was huge. People from all over the state had come to the beautiful city of San Francisco to witness the historical occasion. The massive amount of people that were here weren't just Belcourt supporters. They were Civil Rights advocates that severely outnumbered any pro-DTOSA supporters that tried to show up.
To most, this was the birth of the "Nonhuman" Civil Rights Movement, a fire of hope born through the ashes of hate and destruction.
What a time to be alive.
The entire school was participating in the parade. However, since the hockey team was the one that brought the trophy home, we took the prime spot. The entire team was split up among the first five buses. The rest of the athletic teams and academic clubs were relegated to the remaining few buses. Viktor, Stasi, and I, along with a few other players were on the first bus, as well as a few guests and students. Everyone loved us.
Why wouldn't they?
To these people, we were heroes. The bearer of the few good news that nonhumans have been begging for for years. To these people, we could do no wrong. We brought home glory, pride, and honor to a nonhuman-only school. As 'inferiors', we had proven ourselves champions. It wasn't just limited to the hockey players. Anyone from Belcourt High School was treated with pride and reverence.
Because to them, Belcourt wasn't just a school. Belcourt was much more than that. It was a home. It was a home to us. We were a symbol, a symbol of hope, a possibility of being something greater than the label that was put on us.
So as heroes and champions, rather than stand, smile, and wave for the entire two mile route, we did the next best thing.
Viktor and I tore open the bags of candies that were provided for us and started to take potshots at any kid we could see that was exposed through the metal barricades and bodies of fluorescent-jacketed policemen.
Stasi tried to be the mature and level-headed one, ordering the both of us to have the driver stop the bus so we could exit and walk alongside, passing out the candies in an orderly fashion. But, as soon as she saw how much fun we were having, she joined in, showing off her impressive arm strength and accurate eye.
The kids ate up the candies like hungry werewolves. Once in awhile though, one of us threw a piece at a kid, only to have them not even pay any attention to us and get bonked on the head by a piece of hardened sugar.
"The next time you hit a kid with a piece of candy, I'm taking the bag away." Stasi grumbled irritably. "You obviously can't stremit'sya k der'me."
"I said I was sorry!" Viktor said defensively. "Jeez! No need to say I can't aim."
"Just watch where you're throwing before you actually hurt someone." Stasi huffed angrily, unwrapping a Hershey's Kiss, popping into her mouth, and chewing away furiously. She crumpled up the foil and angrily shoved it into the pocket of her jeans.
Even though we both possessed massive sweet tooths, she only ate chocolate and candy that vigorously when she was stressed out, angry, or when something was really bothering her. Something had her wound up and on edge. I didn't need to be her best friend to know what the problem was.
I tentatively reached for her soft, cold hand, wrapping my fingers around it. Stasi immediately relaxed, looking at me with her big, crystal blue eyes through the fringe of her long raven hair. "You ok?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm fine." She snapped. When she saw me wince, her look immediately softened.
