The two arrived at the game ten minutes prior. The ride had been filled with Ewan chattering excitedly and Ben had only listened, humming 'yes' or 'no', and it was fun because Ewan could feel the different vibrations in his chest, where his hands were.
When Ben parked, Ewan got off the bike and sighed, running a hand through his hair. He definitely would need a beer.
"This is going to be very sad," complained Ewan. He reached into Ben's bag and popped open a bottle, chugging about half of it very quickly. Then he hissed out a breath, handing the bottle to the other. "You'll be cheering, right?"
"I think the other team needs it more than you do," admitted Ben.
A grin spread over Ewan's face. He was astoundingly happy to be in the presence of Ben. It felt wrong for some reason, but right, too. Of course, he knew it wouldn't last. He knew that once the Enchantment was completed, that would be the end of it and he'd be back in Hell with Aliyah. It would be like nothing changed or happened. But the experience at the moment was nice and flirting with Ben felt like riding a bull with no safety precautions.
Rolling his eyes, Ewan sighed dramatically. "Fair enough."
It took him a good few minutes, but he eventually found the locker rooms. He wasn't surprised to find it after he followed the stench, leading him to a room with sweaty men and unwashed jerseys.
Ewan went to the locker marked with Stirling's name and opened it, sucking in a sharp breath. There was an outfit there for him, folded neatly. The smell of clean linen flooded his nose. It was a massive relief to smell something so pure.
He stepped back, pulling off Ben's hoodie. For good luck, he took a sniff of it and smiled. It smelled like him. Like roses. He put the hoodie along with his shirt and jeans in the locker, putting on the jersey and shorts. Just as he got the sports shoes out, the locker slammed shut, making him flinch.
His gaze flicked up to find Trent and George. They were smiling broadly. Their eyes shined with pure joy, their bodies practically radiating an intense energy that Ewan was drawn to.
It occurred to him that this was actually a big moment in their life. Basketball was their life. Maybe this was the only thing that mattered to them, maybe it was all they thought about.
"Pre-game ritual, Wager," said Trent. "You ready?"
"Sure," Ewan replied.
A pre-game ritual? Would he have to draw blood?
The team was made up of 11 tall, sweaty, hormonal teenage boys who couldn't stop smiling. They all got in a circle, and Ewan watched as they all held hands. It was a surprising thing, really. To see boys interact like this. It fought the stereotype he'd figured out.
"Hyenas!" yelled Trent, putting some sort of Spanish flair to it. "We are going to do great tonight! This is going to be the best night of our damn lives! Are you ready?!"
The team yipped and howled like hyenas, and Ewan couldn't help but pitch in through a grin.
When the team quieted down, Trent continued. "I love you all. Even George. Even little Daniel. Even Charlie, who couldn't make it. Even Wager, who somehow managed to be point guard. All of you. You're all great. You hear me?!"
This inspired yet another round of howls from the team. Then they all raised their hands and collided in a very uncoordinated 11-person chest bump that nearly knocked Ewan to the ground. But he couldn't stop the massive grin on his lips or the giggle that bubbled up from his throat.
As they jogged out, continuing to make noises, Ewan glanced up to Trent. "How do you decide who makes the speech before the game?"
"Whoever messed up the best during the last game," replied Trent, laughing. "Makes you feel good even if you lose, right? Because then you get to pump up the team the next game!"
Ewan grinned, then grimaced as they got into the gymnasium. It was brighter here, but Ewan could pick out that two walls were covered in bleachers, where very many people sat. The other two walls had basketball goals.
Once his eyes adjusted, Ewan could see Ben. He was sitting on the top row, on the left, next to Gabrielle. He grinned at them both.
Stirling's parents were there too, accompanied by his little sister and older brother, all smiling proudly. Oblivious to just who they were rooting for.
Everything had gone great with Jamie - he'd accepted that it was a strange, realistic fever dream, though he still felt like he needed to beat Ben up. Ewan wanted to change that, wanted to just make them get along, but Elizabeth had said it was better to not alter his mind too much, else people might get suspicious.
Which he didn't want to obey, considering the suggestion came from an angel, but before he could protest, she'd given him a seething glare that sent chills down his spine. And he agreed to leave it at that.
The other team came out soon enough. They were dressed in green and blue jerseys, making Ewan pay notice to his own school's colors - black and white.
"Wager!" snapped Trent. "Get in your spot!"
He pointed, thankfully, and Ewan got in place just as the whistle blew.
Needless to say, the game was easy. He scored every time he was passed the ball, and once the other players noticed that, they threw him the ball every time. It was effortless. And once the whistle blew, signaling the end of the game, it was no surprise to find they'd won.
It wasn't his team. It wasn't his school. Hell, it wasn't even his body. But it felt good to win, and he couldn't help but congratulate everyone as they congratulated him. It was a rewarding experience.
Once the hype died down, he glanced over to the top row, to Ben, and found he was gone. As was Gabrielle.
Ewan sighed, feeling a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to find Stirling's family.
"You did good," said his father, raising his voice over the other people in the crowd. "Have you been practicing?"
"Mostly," replied Ewan. He wasn't even sure what that meant.
Anna catapulted herself into Ewan's hips, and he chuckled, wrapping a hand around her back. She was screaming something, and Ewan decided to tune her out, assuming it was just about how well he'd done.
Jamie gave a knowing smile. "Good job, dude," he said. "I'm really proud."
Stirling's mother had flowers in her hands. Her eyes were crystal with tears, and she handed them to Ewan with a shaky hand. "You were so good out there, my beautiful boy. I remember when you first took up basketball just to fit in with Charlie. And now look at you. Point guard and scoring the most out of everyone!'
It felt perfect. It felt right. It felt like an experience Ewan should have had before but had never gotten to. And now here he was, able to.
Part of him, though, felt fake, as if he shouldn't have accepted the flowers or the congratulations. And maybe he shouldn't have. But he didn't care. He pushed that part out of him.
"We gotta get Anna home to get her to bed on time," said his mother. "Are you coming?"
"I can catch a ride," Ewan replied, shrugging.
Stirling's mother gazed at him with a look of pure appreciation and admiration before stepping forward and hugging him, a bit awkwardly since it was over Anna. Then she stepped back, allowing his father to pat his shoulder.
Then they were gone and Ewan set to finding Ben. He first went to the locker rooms to get changed, feeling better in Ben's hoodie. He glanced around at the others talking before smiling and leaving, going outside to Ben's motorcycle.
He found the boy standing by his motorcycle, talking to Charlie and Gabrielle. Neither of them looked happy. Gabrielle was speaking very quickly in French for some reason, and it wasn't until Ewan got closer that he realized Charlie was angry.
There were four boys in total surrounding Ben. Two of which were holding Gabrielle, the fourth was Ryan, and Charlie was facing Ben.
Ewan approached hesitantly, clenching his fists.
"What business do you think you have showing up to my school's game?" growled the boy with the scar. "Huh?"
Ben didn't look intimidated. In fact, his eyes were twisted into a look of exhaustion and amusement. His movements were slow and exaggerated.
He was drunk.
Ben met Charlie's gaze head-on with a grin and a glare, gaze wavering, shifting. "More business than you. Grayville High isn't your school anymore - Mommy sent you to Arkansas."
This earned a punch from Charlie, sending Ben to the ground. He groaned, getting to his knees.
The flowers fell from Ewan's hands as he leaped to action, lifting a hand to send Charlie across the parking lot, but nothing happened. A sudden sense of lethargy came upon him and he grunted, collapsing against a light pole.
"Stirling!" called Charlie. "Awesome! How about you come over here, too? I'll show you the pussy you left me for."
Ryan, with a shit-eating grin on his lips, dragged Ewan over to the group. The closer Ewan got, the more it felt like the ground was tugging at him. The more it felt like his legs were going to break if he stood.
What the Hell...
His gaze landed on Gabrielle, earrings adorning her ears. They were, conveniently enough, both crosses. She also had Elizabeth's Enchantment on, but that didn't impact his power.
But why wasn't she doing anything? Why wasn't she helping? Elizabeth was an angel - she should be able to do something. But he saw the fear in Gabrielle's eyes, and he knew it was hopeless. She was in the presence of a satanic symbol.
Ben was soon enough to his feet, propping himself up against his motorcycle. He had a bloody nose, but he was grinning.
"What are you gonna do, Charlie? Punch me until you feel better?" asked Ben, raising an eyebrow. "Because, I hate to break it to you, but your ego will never heal from one boy taking on three of you and your friends and blinding you."
Another punch. Ben got to his feet faster this time, seeming relentless.
It was a painful scene to watch. Ewan felt outrageously useless, merely sitting on the ground, arms held by Ryan. He wanted to scream. He wanted to squeeze his fist until Charlie's head imploded. He wanted to yell at Ben for making the situation worse, but his voice wouldn't work.
"You just don't know when to stop, do you, Ben?" announced Charlie, raising an eyebrow. He held out his arms wide, emphasizing the situation. "What happens when I start messing your friends up, too? The way you messed me up? Ben, what happens," he spoke slower and softer, "when I start messing up your little girlfriend?"
"She'll kick your ass," retorted Ben, spitting out blood.
Ewan sighed, knowing this couldn't end well. Gabrielle wouldn't do anything - she couldn't do anything. No one could do anything against Charlie. No matter how much Ewan struggled and writhed, there was nothing he could do.
The sickening sound of another punch being thrown was heard followed by a cry of pain. Ewan lifted his gaze to find Gabrielle on her knees. Tears streamed from her eyes and she clutched her stomach. However, her arms were drawn away as the two men holding her shoved her to her feet.
Charlie retracted his hand, wringing it out.
"Skinny bitch," he spat.
"Don't you dare hurt-"
Ben was cut off by another punch, hurling him to the ground again. And although his face was contorted into a look of only pain, he began to claw his way towards Gabrielle.
Only to have his face be met with Charlie's foot, sending him on his back.
Ewan gasped out. The sickening sound of a bone being broken sent chills down his spine and he looked around earnestly. "Someone!" he yelled, voice breaking. Ryan dragged him to his feet, trying to shut him up. "Great Hell - someone! Help!"
But there was no one. His eyes cascaded around the parking lot to find absolutely everyone had left, leaving them to fend for themselves. Though they couldn't. There was nothing any of them could do to save themselves.
His outburst earned him a punch, and the man holding him made sure he didn't collapse. It didn't hurt, but his whole face felt like it was vibrating for a moment.
"Great Hell," mumbled Ewan. His head felt fuzzy.
"Hey," slurred Ben. "Stop."
Ewan's heart melted momentarily until he heard another heavy thump, and then Ben fell to the ground. This time it took him longer to get up, but he managed. Blood was running from his nose and mouth.
He got up again and again, relentlessly.
"Were you saying something, Ben?" asked Charlie. He leaned closer to Ben, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe something smart, like, 'Man, Charlie, I'm so sorry I blinded you in one eye. Should've known it'd come back and bite me in the ass. Because, frankly, you're a badass, Charlie.'"
"Gee, Charlie," slurred out Ben. "Frankly, you're a piece of shit that deserved everything you go-"
Another punch.
"Arrêtez!" screamed Gabrielle.
"And you," said Charlie, turning to face Gabrielle. His eyebrows twisted in pity. "You had potential. It's such a shame you wasted it on someone like Ben but... but maybe you're just using him. I mean, that's the only logical explanation for being with someone like him, right? Are you using him, Gabrielle?"
To this, Ben didn't have a retort. His face was covered in blood and he used to look angry, ready to fight, unharmed. He used to look like a badass. But now his gaze was tinted with pain and betrayal, his body trembled, and his mouth gaped.
He was hurt. Because Gabrielle had used him.
"I am with him," Gabrielle said firmly, "until the end." She shifted her gaze to Ben. "We are together in this."
Ben spat out blood as if in reply, then squared his shoulders as Charlie turned back to face him. Charlie scoffed, shaking his head. "You're so pathetic. Do you believe that this French foreign exchange student actually wants to hang out with you? Look at her, Ben. Hm? She's out of your league. Chances are, June told her about what you do and now she just... doesn't want to get hurt. Could that be right?"
He turned to Gabrielle, who glared and spat on him.
This only made Charlie chuckle. "Funny."
Another punch, this one delivered right to Gabrielle's gut. She wheezed, collapsing to her knees. The satanic symbol somewhere around them weakened her to the point where she couldn't get up. She remained on her knees, tears in her eyes, hair strewn across her face.
"Look at what you've done to her anyway," continued Charlie. He motioned to the body on the ground. "Look at what you've done to your so-called friends. I'm sure you'd like to know what'll happen to Stirling next. And then... Ezra. It's really a pity he couldn't be here with us today. But I guess a basketball game wouldn't be that interesting to him, would it?"
"Shut up," growled Ben.
"Or what?" yelled Charlie. His voice rose levels, booming. There was a glint of moonlight in his eyes accompanied by rage. Otherwise, they were endless black. "Or what, Ben, what are you going to do?"
Ben leaped to action before Ewan could tell him better. He shoved Charlie back, landing a punch square to the jaw. He didn't stop there. He got in two more good-sounding hits before one of the boys holding Gabrielle pried him off.
Effortlessly, Charlie punched Ben in the throat. The boy began choking, collapsing to his knees again. Charlie took the advantage in his moment of rage and tackled Ben to the ground. Sitting on his chest, the other pummeled Ben's face. Punch after punch. Blow after blow. Relentless hits that soon sounded like a fish on land.
It felt familiar.
Ryan's hands loosened on him and Ewan knew this was his chance to help Ben. He had to help him. He had to get to him. Save him.
He shoved himself forward and grabbed Charlie's shoulder, yanking him back.
Charlie was in a frenzy, and without even thinking, he reared back to punch Ewan in the face.
There was a sizzle instead of a punch. Ewan had pressed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the impact, but when nothing came he opened his eyes and found Charlie's fist pressed to some sort of... black shield surrounding Ewan.
And there sat Ben, blood dripping from him, a hand raised. Pain in his eyes.
He'd created the shield that was now burning Charlie's fist. There was no denying it.
The antagonist growled in pain, pulling back. He turned to his companions but they had already fled at the sight of the shield.
Charlie turned to Ben with a merciless glare.
"Some sort of party trick?" he hissed, wringing out his burned fist. Smoke billowed from the flesh.
Ben didn't reply and just watched helplessly as Charlie approached. Ewan couldn't help, not when he was trapped in the bubble. And Gabrielle was useless, still sobbing on the ground. However, her hands lifted to her ears. Removing her earrings looked to be difficult, though, considering how shaky her hands were.
"Stop," breathed Ben.
Charlie continued to approach. "You can't scare me anymore. I don't care about whatever you just did. I can still hurt you, Ben. I can still make you scream."
"Charlie," warned Ben, beginning to crawl back.
The other wasn't hearing it. He drew a knife from his pocket, flipping open the blade. He knelt in front of Ben.
"I'm going to make this slow," said Charlie.
Gabrielle flung one earring to the side with all her might.
He raised the knife. Gabrielle didn't have the earring off, not yet. Ewan couldn't help him.
"Ben!"
The knife dropped.
Everything seemed to stop. Time was done moving forward. Rather, everyone sat in shock as the sickening sound of Ben mumbling, "Shit." was followed by a hollow choking sound.
Charlie's throat was constricted. His eyes were rolled back.
He was dead.
Gabrielle let out a breathy exhale and Ewan fell to his knees.
He'd killed Charlie.