"TARA!"

"Eep!"

She immediately ducked, the ball sailing into the wall behind her. She quickly scurried over to the source of the voice and hid behind him as he propelled the red ball back across the court.

"You really need to pay attention sometimes…"

"Dodgeball is not my best sport!" Tara retorted, dodging another one as it nearly hit her in the face.

"Even if you can't throw…" Erin grunted, only to narrowly miss getting hit himself.

"Like you were saying?" she asked, smirking a bit.

"Never mind."

"Darn you! Stand still!"

Both nearly came to a halt as Tika came skidding across the court, launching a ball right into a boy's stomach before leaping to avoid another one headed her way. The whole team continued to stare at her in awe…before realizing at the last minute that they were being targeted and ran every which way to avoid the speeding red objects. Tara ducked again, only to see that the only person who was really aiming at her was the one person she didn't want to see.

Emiri, a 17-year-old with long brown hair with deep bangs that framed her face and narrow (but sinister-looking) green eyes, only smirked evilly as she prepared to launch another attack, only to screech and fall to the ground as a ball nearly made contact with her face. She glared at Tika, who only smiled at Tara before returning her attention to the game. Tara breathed a sigh of relief and continued to try her best to stay abreast with the rest of the team. Noticing Blaine out of the side of her eye, the words of warning had nearly escaped her lips before he had caught the ball, standing as still as a statue. The other teen only voiced his aggravation before walking off the court, not expecting for the ball he threw at the blue-haired teen to hit another teammate. Matthew and Blaine took the opportunity to high-five during the other team's brief moment of anger.

The game continued in a fast-paced plethora of throws, yells, hits and near misses. Soon, Tara found herself among Tika, Blaine, Matthew and Kira. The other team consisted of Emiri, Dru and 6 other boys and girls. Tara stood stiff, only moving when a ball came her way.

"How can you do this?" she screeched to Kira, who was currently dodging a ball of her own.

"What are you talking about?" the Japanese-Mexican calmly asked. "It's easy."

"Are you kidding me? !"

Kira shook her head, expertly weaving out of the way of two other balls by mere inches.

"This is no time to do the Matrix!"

"…That's what I was doing?" Kira asked, narrowly dodging another one.

"Ugh! Never mind! Eek!"

"Just relax!"

"I'm trying!"

"Guys!" Tika yelped, catching a ball and launching it across the court. "The more you talk, the less you move! Focus!"

"I never thought you were the sports type," Tara yelled sarcastically.

"Try living with two guys as roommates," Tika replied once she was close enough, seemingly not wanting anyone else to know. The mentioned teens only glared at her briefly before returning their attention to the game. Tara raised an eyebrow and ducked as a ball grazed her head, not expecting the ball to ricochet back across the court. She turned around to see Matthew give her a thumbs up.

All failed to notice that the weapons were on the opposing side. The other team then launched a frontal assault, throwing all six balls at the same time. Tara screeched as a ball whizzed past her left side. A certain squeal let her know that a teammate had been hit and she saw Kira kneel on the ground in pain before smiling and walking over to the bleachers.

She never saw Matthew straighten up and pick up one of the fallen projectiles, rearing back.

"Tara, get down," Tika nearly commanded, kneeling. Blaine was doing the same.

"What? Why?"

"Don't say I didn't warn you…"

Then she saw all six balls fly out from behind her in rapid succession. Caught off their guard, the other team voiced their agony as they were bombarded with the balls. Only Dru and another boy could get out of the way fast enough.

Tara could only stand there, frozen in fear and admiration for the crimson redhead, until she noticed a ball barreling towards her and ducked a little too late.

PF

"…"

"Aw, c'mon, dude! That's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"Who else is offered to be quarterback on the football team for the next season?"

"…"

Erin and Tuesday tried their best to break Blaine out of his self-induced stupor. The teen only sighed and buried his head deeper into his hands.

"Blaine?" Tara asked, emerging from the locker room

"…"

"Blaine, what's wrong?" Tika asked.

"…Is he okay?"

"Hm?" the redhead asked, confused.

"Is the guy I hit okay?"

"Oh, Dru…" Tara looked behind her. "He's fine. Still a little shaken, though."

"He's not injured, is he?"

"Why would he be injured?" Tuesday questioned, his interest peaked.

"…Never mind."

Blaine only figuratively crawled back into his shell, his head drooping towards the floor once more. Tuesday only sighed and, surprisingly, patted his back before sitting next to him on the bench.

"Hey."

All four turned to see Dru, his upper right arm wrapped with a bandage. Behind him was a short African-American female, who wasn't chubby, but not slim either. She had shoulder length brownish-red hair with short bangs slightly covering the rectangular glasses that she wore on her small, child-like face.

"Name's Dru." He extended his left arm, showing that he had no malice towards the teen that nearly injured him. After a few minutes, Blaine shook it. "Blaine. Is your arm…"

"Sprained, but working," the Japanese-American replied, smirking. Blaine seemed to ease up a bit and straightened." I didn't mean to…"

"Ah, man," said Dru, putting his hand up. "Don't worry about it. I wish I could throw like that."

"…You sure?"

Dru chuckled. "You worry too much, dude. Besides, I have Cici here to take care of me." He held out his arm to the girl, who immediately smirked and accepted the gesture eagerly. She shyly introduced herself as Cecilia.

"I guess you can fool people with your looks, too, huh?" she asked.

"You have no idea…wait, too?"

Cecilia only smiled and returned to Dru's side, leaving Blaine a little confused. She then suggested that they sit back down, to which he agreed silently. Just before turning around, he waved to Blaine with a flick of the hand.

"Be glad it was Dru," Tara replied, nearly scaring Blaine out of his wits. Catching his breath, he glared slightly at his newfound friend, who only raised an eyebrow.

"I'm serious."

"I know," he said. "Just don't appear out of nowhere like that…"

"Be warned. You should know that the more someone asks me not to do something, the more likely I am to do it." She plopped down next to him. Blaine only rolled his eyes before straightening up and looking across the gym.

"What's up?" Tara asked.

"Tika…where is she?"

"I think she went outside. Why?"

"Hey, babe."

Tika turned around to see four boys, all eyes on her. She immediately glared at them before turning towards the gymnasium. The tallest one immediately blocked her way, smiling deviously.

"Aren't you going to say 'hi?'

"Didn't your parents teach you some manners?" she growled.

"I think I should be the one asking you that."

"Listen, man," she began. "I'm going to class. I ain't got no time…"

"Time for what?" he asked, walking towards her, purposely backing her into his group. "Wait, who? Me? All girls have time for me, babe."

"I don't," she nearly snapped.

"Oh, feisty." He lifted her chin towards his face. "I like you."

His hand immediately flew as her teeth nearly snapped it in half. Backing up, she angrily hissed at the boys, causing them to back off a bit. Her assaulter glared. "What was that for?"

Tika returned it. "What do you think?"

"Hey, man," one of the guys said. "I don't think this is a good idea…"

"Shut up," the boy snarled before turning his attention back to Tika. "You're coming with me…"

"And what if I say no?"

"Did I say you were telling me anything?"

"Did I say you were going to tell ME anything?"

His patience wearing thin, the teen nodded his head towards his comrades. Tika weighed her options, ready to do anything to escape her predicament as they closed in.

"Hey! She said no, jackals!"

The leader turned around to see Tara, her arms crossed as she bravely faced them.

"Stay out of this, b-!"

"OW!"

"What the crap?"

Whipping around, he turned to see one of the boys holding his arm in pain.

"Hey, man, this girl's crazy," the boy from earlier replied.

"I…I agree," another gulped, looking at his friend as he tried to nurse his new wound. Tika stood over him, her eyes devoid of emotion. She nearly screeched as she felt her arms being pinned behind her back.

"You're gonna pay for that…"

"She's not going to pay for anything," Blaine sneered from behind him. "Not while I'm here."

"Dude, just give it up," his wounded friend groaned, taking his hand off to reveal a wound in the shape of claw marks. Blaine's eyes widened, his expression turning to anger. Pulling Tika out the guy's grip, he grabbed him by the scruff the neck, undeterred by the teen's fake unfazed expression.

"LEAVE HER ALONE," he growled, watching as the boy's expression turned into pure fear. "Or else."

Dropping him, Blaine approached Tika, who was currently curled up in a fetal position on the floor, her hands over her head.

"Tika…"

"I didn't mean it…"

"I know…"

"I overreacted…"

"Tika, hold on…"

"They came out before I could stop them…"

"Tika!" Blaine finally screamed before looking around in the hallway. "Calm down before they do come out again. I told you. I'm right here."

"Tika!" Matthew burst through the doors of the gymnasium, heading towards his two friends. "What happened? Are you okay? Don't freak out alright?"

"You're reacting a lot worse than she is…" sighed the cyan-haired teen, his arms wrapped around his friend. Matthew only rolled his eyes and kneeled down next to them, putting a reassuring hand on Tika's shoulder as she slowly unfurled into Blaine's chest. A small group of students was starting to form, Tara among them.

"Tika, are you okay?" Tara asked, kneeling down besides the trio. The black girl didn't reply, not realizing as her hat slipped off his head. Matthew caught it, but not before Tara could clearly see two large black ears with pink insides. Tara's expression turned blank.

"Um…"

"Go ahead and say it," Tika finally said, pulling herself out of Blaine's grip and taking her hat off. "I'm a freak." A black fluffy tail emerged from underneath her skirt, slowly swishing back and forth. "I'd rather not get into the details…"

"Wait…so those are…real?" Tara asked, pointing towards her ears. Tika only nodded. Having nothing to say, the redhead only stood there, hands behind her back.

"Ah ha!"

"Oh, great," Tika sighed, her ears folding back a little as Tuesday emerged with the others.

"I knew it!" Tuesday exclaimed, his finger pointing accusingly at the trio. "They secretly cosplay! And costumes are against the rules….."

"Are you an idiot?" Tika yelled, almost instantly appearing in front of his face. "Do you have any idea what just happened?"

"Uh, no…" squeaked Tuesday.

Crossing her arms, Tika turned around and sighed heavily shaking her head as Matthew took off his hat and revealed a set of ears of his own, which were large and a brownish-grey. They twitched back and forth to the sounds of the crowd that now surrounded.

"They're real, stupid."

Tuesday's face became blank.

"…What?"

She turned around, clear frustration on her face. "I'm not repeating myself."

"...You're…joking…right?" he asked, looking at Matthew and Tika.

"She's not joking," Tara replied.

"…So, they're aliens?" Tuesday yelped out of amazement and fear. He never expected Tika to leap up and grab him by the collar, pulling him close.

"THEY'RE REAL!" she exclaimed. "MY GOD! THEY'RE REAL, YOU IDIOT! WE'RE NOT ALIENS! HECK, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO WE ARE! AND I JUST TOLD TARA THAT I'M EXPLAINING ANYTHING!"

Complete silence filled the hallway except for footsteps coming into the area. Tika let go of Tuesday and lowered to the ground, curling into herself once more out of frustration. The crowd then soon gave way to a short, middle-aged woman with dark brown hair that was arranged in an updo.

"You three," she said in a stern voice, pointing at Tika, Blaine and Matthew. "Follow me."

PF

"WHAT? !"

Tika licks out her tongue at a frustrated Tuesday, whose mouth currently hung open.

"That's right," she announced proudly, her arms crossed. "Once we explained everything, the principal told us that she didn't see anything wrong with us staying here."

"But you're…you're…" he stammered.

"Just as normal as everyone else," Blaine said, causing Tuesday to jump. "We just…ah, it's a long story." He shrugged.

"Literally," added Matthew.

"I can tolerate you guys staying. But her? !"

Tika shrugged, smirking. "I guess you're just gonna have to deal with it."

Tuesday growled softly, but didn't say anything in response. Tara and the others approached the small group.

"So, you guys okay…y'know…with us…being like this?" Tika asked her nervously, not expecting to get an eager head nod. The rest of the gang either shrugged or nodded.

"So, let me get this straight," Sarah said, pointing a finger at Tika, Matthew and Blaine respectively. "You're part cat…you've got some brown wolf in you…and you're…what again?"

"I said that I am a victim of unforeseen circumstance that would fare much better if it was seen rather than heard," Blaine said, smirking. Sarah only sighed and shook her head.

Tika suddenly felt someone approach her from behind. "Who-?" Her ears flattened once she realized who it was. "I thought I told you…"

"You didn't think anything." He smirked devilishly, grabbing her arm before having it yanked away.

"I thought I told you to leave her alone," Blaine sneered.

"And I don't think you know that no one tells me what to do," the boy growled, staring Blaine in the face.

"Blaine, I can handle this," Tika said, somewhat concerned.

"Yeah, she can handle this," the boy said, smiling. Blaine kept his position while Tika simply growled.

"Listen, man," he continued. "There's only one player at this school and that is me. So, you can take your jealousy and shove it up your…"

Blaine grabbed him by his collar before he could continue. "What was that?"

"…I don't have to say it. And besides, she's got a good one, anyway."

In the next second, the boy was against the brick wall 50 feet across the school gardens. Blaine's fist was outstretched in his direction and he stood as a statue as Matthew only huffed and Tika shook her head.

"Aw, Blaine!" she exclaimed. "I told you to control your temper!"

Suddenly realizing the predicament he was in, Blaine's eyes widened and ran his hand down his face. "Aw, crap."

"I see what you mean by unforeseen circumstance," Sarah blankly replied, shrinking back when the trio glared at her.