SERENDIPITY | chase davenport

09, chicken dance

NINE

❥

KATE FOUND HERSELF surrounded by a herd of sweaty teenagers, all with miserable expressions on their faces. They were standing around a giant circle, covered in an even bigger tarp, listening to Principal Perry babble on about her newest fitness challenge—something that Kate and Leo continuously failed.

Adam had his elbow on the blondes shoulder, forcing all his weight—well, some of it, on her smaller figure. "Well, say what you will about her, but she sure knows how to bring the sizzle." He admitted, keeping his eyes on the Death Spiral.

Kate's lips formed a straight line, watching in utter fear as the Vice Principal was thrown onto it, and thrown back off into some chairs.

"I just wish it was sausages that she was sizzling." She quietly sighed, earning a reassuring smack on the head from Adam.

He moved away from his best friend, walking towards the unusually short authority figure. "So, how does it work?" He wondered, going back to grab Kates hand and pull her to his side. "Will Kate die? Because I can't lose her."

Principal Perry sent them both a disgusted glare—absolutely sick of Adams dramatics. She then went into detail about the challenge while wearing that scary, wicked grin she rocks.

"You wrestle your opponent as it spins you silly. It'll test your strength, reflexes and ability to hold your bladder against centrifugal force!" She laughed, skipping away with pure excitement coursing through her veins.

"Centragoofball what?" Kate—kind of—repeated, looking at Adam for an answer.

Adam shook his head in response, focussing his full attention on Kate. "Pretty sure it's pronounced golfball." He confidently corrected, emphasising each syllable.

Kate just nodded her head, assuming that he was probably right—and choosing not to question his intelligence.

"If you have the guts, partner up, and choose carefully. Your survival depends on the decision you make, and there are very few options. Ha!" Perry taunted, letting out a belly laugh while she made her way over to tease Leo further.

"You're gonna try this again? Last year you threw your back out picking your wedgie!"

Adam scrunched his face up at the thought, giving the younger boy a questioning frown.

Brushing off her comment, Leo latched onto Adams arm. "Well, this years gonna be different because I have a secret weapon." He told her.

"Oh, cool." Kate smiled, facing her best friend. "What is it?" There was clear excitement coursing through her as she impatiently bounced back and forth on her feet.

"Adam." Leo snapped his head to look at the taller boy, sending him that creepy—cheesy smile he does when he's excited. "I'm replacing you with a newer, better model." He lightly tapped her shoulder, running behind Adam to try and push him forward—obviously not getting him to budge even a tiny bit.

"I'm not a model." Adam told him with furrowed brows. "I could be, but i'm not." He added.

Kate, for the second time in a very short period, nodded in agreement with Adam—something he doesn't get quite often, unless he's with Kate.

"You kind of are..." She trailed off, memories of last week flashing to the front of her mind. "You modelled your new clothes off to me."

Adam smiled at the memory of them singing Taylor Swift songs, and strutting down an imaginary runway in Kates bedroom, showing off their new outfits.