Targets

Chapter Three The Ending

“Decided yet?” The coach asked.

“I decided the first time, my answer is still no.” Bella said.

“You would fit in well.” The coach said.

Everyone came in slowly while Bella slowly danced and bounced the ball around her.

“Phone on the counter. Class is about to begin.” The coach said.

Bella nodded and skipped across the court to the counter near his office window. The mean girls were about to walk in. Bella fixed her hair and walked over as she swayed her hips and hummed a song.

“We are going to play a quick game of dodge ball. We have to see if someone can defeat our reigning champion. But this time, we are going to make it more challenging.” The coach said.

“How challenging can it be?” Vince asked.

“We are going to have three teams. It’s going to have three balls and your main objective is to hit the reigning champ.” The coach said.

Bella’s jaw drop as she stood there.

“Who’s the reigning champ?” Logan asked.

“Sir! You want me to get hit with balls?” Bella asked.

The class laughed.

“Get your mind out of the gutter.” Bella said.

“Yeah, it will be fun. You can even play with the music in your ears.” The coach said.

Bella sighed.

“Fine, but if a ball is out of bounds then it stays out of bounds.” Bella said.

“Deal.” The coach said.

“Three balls, because there is three teams?” Bella said.

“Yep, three captains, and three teams, against you.” The coach said.

Bella gulped. She’s alone against them.

“So, who are the captains?” Bella asked.

“I’ll need a moment to decide.” The coach said.

“I’ll need to do a f*cked up dance to evade without looking like a rigid statue.” Bella said.

“Yes, yes you will.” The coach laughed.

“Butthead.” Bella said.

“Should have joined the team when I asked.” The coach said.

“I can’t.” Bella said.

“Why not? Your mother isn’t around, you aren’t her nurse anymore. So what’s the excuse now?” The coach asked.

“It’s personal.” Bella said aggressively.

“Good, get riled up. Win.” The coach said.

Bella looked at him with a cold stare. She walked to her phone and put the earphones in. They watched closely.

Vince, Logan and Kieran were picked as captains. They started picking their team mates and with that, the game began.

Bella had the coach standing in front of her and nodding. She nodded and she started dancing, as she started dancing and avoiding the balls that started being thrown at Bella.

Bella was catching the balls when she could. They were getting taken out.

Bella was throwing it at them and smirking an evil grin. Bella even dropped to the splits then jumped up when they all aimed at the same time. She jumped up to avoid any quick throws. Bella quickly caught the balls and kept throwing the balls. Soon Vince’s team was taken out. Then Kieran’s team was taken out. All that was left was Logan with Mitchell and Stacey. She was hiding behind Mitchell.

“Whoo! Go Bella!” Kieran cheered.

Logan shot him a look. Bella’s earphone fell out and the music blared loudly.

“Pause, I need to get my earphone.” Bella said.

“No, there is no pause in real life.” The coach said.

“Pause, don’t be a sh*t coach.” Bella said.

“Keep playing.” The coach said.

“Asshole.” Bella said.

Mitchell threw the ball, Bella slid across the floor to avoid it. Her other earphone fell out. She grabbed her phone and slid it across the floor after disconnecting the earphones.

“Why fight the system, change it instead.” Bella said.

The coach hates her music so he groaned in annoyance. Logan threw the ball, Bella avoided it. Stacey kicked it at Bella, Bella caught it.

“Bye bi*ch.” Bella mocked.

Stacey did a pout as she fake cried. Bella grabbed a second ball. She held them in front of her.

“You lost your balls.” Bella joked.

The class laughed, even the coach found her humour amusing still. Even though he tried to make her angry. Mitchell avoided her throw and fell. He twisted his ankle.

“Right, swap with someone to take your place. Make it fair.” The coach said.

The coach helped him to the side to elevate it while a student grabbed a nurse and an ice pack from the nurse.

“Kieran, you are almost like Logan. This will be an interesting match. You should take my place.” Mitchell said.

Kieran nodded and smirked at Logan.

Meanwhile Logan looked at him with an angry look.

“I will do anything, if you get him out quickly.” Logan mumbled.

Bella laughed, she was standing next to him when they checked on Mitchell.

“I’m not doing it on purpose. I am only catching the ball if it is safe to do so. If I won’t risk getting the ball to the face. Can’t damage this masterpiece.” Bella joked.

Logan laughed as he saw Bella gesture to her face.

“Game on.” The coach said.

Bella walked backwards and they each had a ball. Kieran’s ball rebounded and hit a screw loose in the wall. It popped the ball which made everyone except Logan and Bella jump. Logan and Kieran noticed Bella didn’t jump to the sudden burst of air.

“Well, you burst your ball. Two left.” Bella said.

Logan nodded. He threw his and Bella avoided it on purpose, Logan noticed it. He smiled. Bella threw the ball and it just missed him.

Bella ran to get the ball behind her while Kieran grabbed the ball behind him. They grabbed the ball and threw it at each other. Kieran’s rebounded and hit the beam up above the gym. It got stuck. Logan laughed.

“You suck with balls. Oh my god Kieran.” Bella said.

“You suck balls.” Logan said.

The class laughed.

“Why are you targeting me?” Kieran asked.

“Cause you popped the ball, you make it fun. It’s clear that Logan and I are at a stalemate.” Bella said.

Logan smirked at Kieran.

“Oh, I get it now.” The coach said.

“What?” Kieran and Logan said together.

The coach laughed.

“You two want her attention.” The coach said.

“You are senile.” Kieran said.

“Bella, don’t think about it.” The coach said.

They looked at her.

Bella had the ball aimed at him.

“Fine.” Bella said.

Bella aimed at Logan. He dodged.

“See, stalemate.” Bella said.

Logan grabbed it and threw it. Bella dodged it, it rebounded and she dodged it again. It hit the coach in the nuts. The coach groaned as he went down to the ground.

“I think we should call a pause for a few.” Bella said.

“Yeah.” The coach groaned.

Logan tried to not laugh and smile, but he was failing. Bella was looking at the wall behind her. She was unaware that the class and the coach was watching her as she wiggled her hands. She ran to the wall and started running up it. Bella gripped the window bars then lifted her feet to the metal pole. She wrapped her feet around it. Bella swung her body, holding on with just her feet, onto the horizontal pole. Bella gripped it with her hands as everyone watched her in shock. She was gaining momentum. Bella swung and released to grab the beam.

Bella nearly slipped. She wrapped her feet around the beam. Logan was filming this to send to his dad. They saw Bella dislodge the ball. She did a roll as she fell from the beam. The class gasped as Bella rolled upwards to her feet. Bella bounced the dodgeball and started to kick it on her foot, balancing it with each kick as she stood on the ground. Listening to music by Anna-Marie on her playlist. Bella was humming along as she kicked to the beat.

“Play on.” The coach groaned.

Bella nodded. She grabbed the ball and waited until Logan was back into position. Logan had the other ball.

Bella threw the ball at Kieran and got him. Logan threw at her, she caught it. They gasped as she won instantly.

“Turns out I just needed the extra adrenaline.” Bella said.

Logan laughed then mimicked Bella's words.

“I’m a psycho.” Bella mimicked from the song.

She laughed as she grabbed her earphones and her phone. Bella stopped her music. The coach stood up.

“She’s still the champ.” The coach said.

“Because I focus on my surroundings and don’t underestimate my opponent.” Bella said.

“What do you mean?” Kieran asked.

“Both of you were interested in me, worried about me, when I jumped. So, you were being cautious. That’s the only reason you didn’t dodge, and the only reason Logan didn’t expect me to catch the ball. Because you assumed I wouldn’t. I ended up winning. Never let your guard down and you can win against me next time.” Bella said.