Ari was fed up with all the unnecessary drama going on around her. There was Kat and Harry, who really needed to get over their freaking egos, kiss, date, and go on with their lives. Nessa, who continued jabbering about how she was a failure when it came to her and Marcel's love story. Plus, factor in Marcus's inability to catch the hint to leave Ari alone and the underlying tension between Marcel and Edward, and it would be understandable as to why she was three seconds away from ripping her hair out and punching someone!

"Ari, wait up!" Ari paused on her journey to grab her stuff from her locker on the way to Art.

"What could you possibly want, Marcus?" Ari huffed already agitated because she woke up late, skipped breakfast, and already had a migraine.

"To talk to you about us," he said with his cocky grin.

Ari rolled her eyes, "There isn't an us. Nice chat, but I have class."

She began walking past him, when he grabbed her arm and gently pulled her back in front of him.

"We were such an amazing match, Ari. Do you really want to let that go?" Ari pretended to think it over, before smiling.

"Very much so. I am over you, Marcus. The quicker you do the same, the better off you would be. Now if you'll excuse me, I have Art," with a fake smile, Ari detached her arm away from Marcus's loose grip and walked to class.

"Do you really like that punk freak?" Marcus called before she could walk too far.

Ari paused.

"He's not a freak, Marcus, and, I think it is in your very best interest to never call him that ever again," she called back before going to class.

***
After getting her school stuff gathered after the last school bell rang, Ari sluggishly walked to the soccer field. Seeing that she was the first one out there, since practice started 15 minutes after school ended, Ari sprawled across the bleachers to take cat-nap.

She was awoken by gentle shake of her shoulder. When Ari opened her eyes, she saw a slightly nervous Marcel standing over her.

"Practice is about to start," he said with a soft smile.

Ari grinned in response as she sat up. She looked around and saw the majority of her teammates passing, shooting, or dribbling the ball around the field. She shifted her glance and found Edward, who was separate from everyone else, glaring at Marcel, who happened to be focusing on Ari.

"Need any help standing up?" Ari shrugged and held her hand out.

Marcel grasped it with his and pulled her up. Ari stretched, cracking her back and neck, which caused Marcel to wince slightly at the sound.

"Well I have a practice to lead, don't I?" Ari asked as more of a rhetorical question, though Marcel nodded anyway.

Ari walked over to her girls, leaving Marcel behind, "Let's do two laps around the field, and the real fun can begin."

***
While her girls were running shooting drills, Ari walked over to the boy's half of the field. She smiled at Edward working with his mini team during their half field scrimmage against the other half of their team. She watched as Edward passed the ball to Alex who shot and scored. They did a chest bump before getting back into their positions for the restart.

"I'm happy you fought for him. He really is starting to become more social," Freddie said from her right side.

She glanced at him with a small smile, "It's not like you didn't help. Thank you."

Freddie nodded before his eyebrow creased and a troubled expression formed. "Guess we spoke to soon," he muttered.

Ari looked back at the boys and saw Marcel and Edward yelling and pushing at the other. Marcel, standing inside the goal because he is the second string goalie, pounced on Edward, and by the time the two captains could intervene, punched Edward in the face.

Ari grabbed the still swinging Marcel and pulled him to the sidelines. "Since when do you get into fights, Marcel?" Ari exclaimed.

"He started it," Marcel mumbled.

"What are you, a kindergartner? It doesn't matter who started it, it shouldn't have happened the first place! You are lucky that Coach had an emergency and didn't see this, or this would've been your last day on this team!" Ari yelled before taking a breath when seeing Marcel's eyes water.

"Listen, Marcel, I don't know what's been going on between you two, but you need to figure it out and end it. Next time you may not have anyone there to intervene, and, no offense to you, I am pretty sure Edward could kick your butt without breaking a sweat. Go hit the showers."

Head down like a scolded puppy, Marcel walked into the building to clean up. Ari ran her hand through her black hair, that had blue and purple highlights, before walking over to the Freddie and his triplet.

"I've got this," Ari said to Fred who then walked away to get his team back on track. Ari looked at her own team to make sure they didn't need her before turning her attention to the dark blue haired punk standing in front of her.

"What happened?" Ari asked her migraine coming back.

"Friendly smack talk turned into violence," he said with a smirk.

"Smack talk is rarely friendly, and it definitely isn't good sportsmanship, which may have gotten you carded in a real game. Whatever crap is going on between you and Marcel needs to resolved now. It is getting in the way of this team and getting on my freaking nerves. Get some ice for your face, and then hit the showers."

Ari turned to walk to her own team.

"I don't remember you becoming the boys' captain, therefore, darling you aren't the boss of me. Maybe you need to focus on your own team instead of sticking your nose in others' business," Edward said in a condescending tone before walking off the field.

And, though she'd never admit it, that comment stung Ari's heart a bit before she shook it off to go and practice with her team.

Notes