Stolen Hearts; Chapter Six

Cala’s dress was torn and singed. She lay on the floor quivering with the effort to stand up. Voices around her taunted and jeered at the game.
The group had all sat down, Cala included, and eaten a magnificent feast. Cala said nothing all the way through. She could feel Ruffelm gazing at her from across the table and she had smiled mischievously all throughout the meal. James nudged her occasionally and tried to smile kindly out of the corner of his mouth. But they had all seen it coming, the second Ruffelm had openly hit Cala, they all knew. Most got excited, some even seemed embarrassed but the two who had come down hardest on her seemed to fear for her like brothers would. They didn’t like anyone beating her down but themselves, and at least Cala could say they did know when to stop.

Now she had been beaten from all sides each person taking their turn in the name of lost loved ones. Cala gave no cries of pain, no plea for mercy, or any defense of any kind and just smiled back audaciously like a child with a secret you simply wouldn’t understand. That was the unspoken deal. No retaliation of any kind in exchange for the chance of forgiveness. A chance she was determined to seize with both hands.
After every strike to the floor she would stand up and take it again. It wasn’t terribly hard, not one of the pupils there could so much as scratch her. That was until it was James’s turn; she could see it in his eyes he was going to object to Ruffelm. Cala didn’t know what to do, the natural reaction taking control as if by reflex. So she provoked him by putting hate in her eyes and spitting at is feet. Once was enough, she knew it would be, James had become furious at her attitude and slapped her with a force. She hit the ground harder than ever and as her body collided with the floor she found she couldn’t bring herself to stand.

Please, stop. It was that voice again, Simon.
What?
Stop acting like they have the right to hit you.
They do.
Why, you didn’t hurt half the people they do it in the name of?
Cala was shocked, Simon couldn’t know that but she let it go. He was probably just guessing.
Because, then they let go of the past and move on.
Simon fell silent in her mind.
"Get up Cala," It was Ruffelm. Cala didn’t have the energy; she didn’t want to carry this on. James’s hit had been one of exploding force, he’d wanted t do that for a long time Cala realized.

"Oh don’t be so dramatic! Go home Cala. For once do something that you would actually benefit from," Ruffelm gazed down at her with a kind of sorrow in his eyes. Cala didn’t for one second think Ruffelm was as horrible as he acted towards her. In fact he was almost kind in his own way to her by showing her a new way forward. He was constantly hinting what to do next, guiding her through small troubles. Letting her be beaten tonight meant that she was less likely to get it in the corridors the next day, Cala knew this, and Simon knew this. James failed to see it and that is why she had provoked him, besides a large part of him had still wanted to hit her. Ruffelm was right, now it was mostly over. But in telling her to go home, she was confused, she had no home as such.
Ruffelm stared hard at Simon for a millisecond, time enough for something to have passed between them. Cala looked curiously around at her company, quite obviously more relaxed around her already and once again attempted to stand. James strode over and helped her up, obviously regretting his outburst but Cala grinned at him and Ruffelm winked at Cala as bewilderment spread throughout James’s expression.

"OK I’m still confused," Hannah said. Cala had spent the last hour explaining what had happened and why to Hannah, Nicole, James and Luke. Connor and Simon seemed to understand almost instantly. It was strange as soon as Cala had started to explain to Hannah and Nicole what had happened the others had just ambled over and Simon dropped in a point she may have missed every now and again.
Hannah however didn’t accept them as easily and it had taken the boys ten whole minutes of pleading before she let them sit down and apologize. At which point Cala and Simon were having a private talk in her mind in which Simon explained that Ruffelm had told Simon and James to ruff her up but for him to make sure it didn’t get out of hand. Cala understood but knew he was leaving something out.
Cala noticed something sticking out of Simon's pocket.

You need a wand? She thought sceptically.
Most people used something to channel their energy through, it makes power easier to control but when you get good enough there isn’t much point in carrying one. Simon had to be adept enough not to require a wand.
No, but we all have to use one if we want to do magic in his school. Besides most people need one here, it would be a bit harsh to rub it in their face that I didn’t need one. Simon thought back.
Pft. There is no way I'm using a wand. It’s degrading. Cala retorted to herself. They both went back to the others conversation.
"Forget it Hannah, your brain just wasn’t built for intelligence," it was Sam, Hannah's older brother, followed by Max. Hannah rolled her eyes.
"How long have you been listening?" Simon grinned whilst receiving an affectionate clap on the back from both of them.
"Long enough to know Hannah doesn’t have a brain cell to her name and Cala ain't so bad; in fact she’s rather an idiot," Max laughed.
Cala took it as a compliment and laughed at Hannah as she aimed a cushion at Max’s head, which he ducked with ease.
"Seriously Cala, I can’t believe you didn’t stick up for yourself. No offense, but usually wouldn’t you beat the crap out of anyone who touched you?"

Cala shrugged "It hurt too much, I am human after all…besides I would have gotten it all tomorrow anyway," she said lying through her teeth.
Simon’s eyes had guilt in them and James was just shocked. Unlike Simon he seemed unable to keep a certain expression; his face showed his every emotion. Simon hid it in his face but Cala had known people just like him and was learning how to see it in his eyes.
Sam lightened the mood in a way Cala would soon come to expect. "So James, are Icenuk trials tomorrow morning?"
James livened up again, gone was the seriousness of the fighting and the war outside.
"Yeah, actually we better get off. I’ve got to hand in my History essay first thing before trials and I haven’t actually…well, started it," He grinned shamefacedly and looked at Connor, obviously imploring for help.
"It’s like having a six year old," Connor rolled his eyes.
Simon smiled cheekily "Actually Connor, I haven’t done mine either,"
Connor seemed to laugh and groan at the same time "Correction, two very lazy, immature six year old,"
Simon laughed and along with James, Conner and Luke made his way up the stairs to the boys’ dorm.
Once they had retreated completely up the stairs Cala turned to Max and Sam "What’s Icenuk?"

Max laughed outright and Sam looked bewildered "Your joking right? Even the Black Nation play Icenuk, how can you not know about it?"
Cala shrugged, Nicola intervened quickly "The Black's probably call it something else, like glacies for ice?"
"Oh! You mean Glacienon?" Cala got excited.
"Eh, what the hell is Gla-si-non?" Max scoffed.
"Glacienon is a game you play on top of and ice rink but you don’t usually play on the ice, it’s an airborne game. Just like ice hockey only you control the puck with your power stick, I don’t know what they get called, its sort of raw energy in a long stick shape with a large inward curve on the end. Anyway I guess the main aim is to get the puck in the oppositions net," Cala explained.
"The Black's call the sticks navirgas," Nicola stated.
"Whatever, that sounds like Icenuk. Do you want us to explain the game to you?" Sam was clearly happy to have the opportunity to discuss his favourite sport.
Cala shrugged as Hannah groaned, leaning back in her seat and covering her face with a pillow.
"Sure," Cala smiled.

"First off it’s a ten a side game. Three attackers, one mid, two enforcers, like defenders but they can get really ruff, one goalie, one racer and two decoyers," Max said.
"Now the racer and decoyers are a completely different part of the game. All the other positions are aiming to score the puck into the opposition’s goal any let none in their own. The racers job, well, have you ever seen Dana Bell?" Sam asked. Cala shook her head.
"Never mind then. It’s the racers job to catch the arrow, a tiny wee blighter that’s damn hard to catch because it’s so bloody fast. On top of that the devilish thing is only ten centimetres long, has a diameter of one centimetre and some idiot decided to make it even more difficult by sticking two very sharp wings on it so that even if you catch it you better be wearing gloves or the thing slices you hand open," Max carried on.
"It can do anyway," Sam sighed. "Oh, and it’s the decoyers jobs to stop these things called razzors slicing you open or pummelling you to death,"
"This game sounds god awfully violent," Cala cringed. Sam laughed.
"It ought to be; over a thousand students go to watch the matches. Imagine how many turn up at the professionals,"
"So what do razzors look like?" Cala asked, still increasingly curious.
"Horseshoe shaped with sharp ends. They fly fast enough to break a bone if the blunt curve hits you or pierce a good five centimetres into your skin if you get the sharp ends. Good news is they only start attacking the racer and only if she is going for the arrow-"
"She?" Cala interrupted.
"Tradition, the racer is always a girl. The razzors are like the arrow’s bodyguards just like decoyers are the racers. As soon as the arrow is caught the racers team gain five points. There are two twenty minute half’s and the arrow can only be caught once but you can score with the puck as many times as possible. I think the highest ever score at the school is 38-1, professionally its only 24-2 but that’s because the goalies are better," Max took his turn to explain.
"It’s a 3D game and that’s why it’s so hard to control the puck, although you only have to be level 2 to control it. You understand it all now?"
"Yeah," Cala nodded and quietly started to think hard.
"I’m trying out for right attack tomorrow," Hannah announced. Max and Sam started laughing until their jaws ached. Hannah ignored them. "Shut up guys I can get the puck past you now and if you’re as good a pair of enforcers as you claim to be then I should be in with a good chance," Hannah said with dignity.
Max shrugged "You’re too skinny, the other team will snap you in two. I doubt James will disagree,"

It was Hannah's turn to shrug. Still laughing Sam turned to Cala and Nicola "How about you two. Are either of you two going to try out for something ridiculous?"
Nicola rolled her eyes; she obviously took very little interest in the sport.
"I'm going to try as racer. It sounds good. Is anyone else interested in this house?" Cala decided, still thinking of ways to earn trust.
Sam stopped laughing "You’re serious? Cala that position’s jinxed for this house. Every year we go through eight or so racers and they all end up in the school hospital,"
Cala considered again "So is nobody trying for it?"
Max stuttered "I doubt it, but you girls are crazy so you never know,"
"Then I’m going to have a go," Cala settled stubbornly.
"Girls," Sam rolled his eyes and he and Max started to make their way up the flight of stairs to the boys’ dorm leaving Cala, Nicola and Hannah on their own to discuss the ten million reasons why it would be too dangerous for Cala to try out.
Max called back over his shoulder "Hey Cala, you got something going on with Simon?"
Cala felt herself go red as the heat rose to her face. She shook her head and muttered "No, I don’t know anything about him,"
Max nodded and looked at Sam for reassurance before adding finally "Word to the wise, I’d steer clear. Simon's a lot of boy to handle if you know what I mean,"
She didn’t but Cala nodded anyway.