Tokio Derby

Apparently saying “We’re going to let Davon join our derby team” is just like saying “The school is going to blow up. With us inside it” to my table.

Mariah was especially shocked. “Why would we invite her to our team?!” she pointed over to an empty table, and after using my Superman-like sight, I saw Davon sitting there, her head in a book and barely touching her food.

“We need at least five members of our team,” I replied. “And Davon would make a great fifth member. Besides, she already knows about derby and the rules.”

“But she looks like she can barely stand on her own two feet, more or less a pair of skates,” Ash snapped, opening her second carton of milk and taking a big swig from it. Marissa and Mariah nodded in agreement.

“You guys are being too judgmental,” Claude stated, “she’s actually really nice when you get to know her. I can’t believe you guys- of all people- would believe what the rumors say about her. “

“She shouldn’t have eaten that stupid hotdog donut,” Marissa whispered loudly, causing laughter from Mariah and Ash. Claude and I stayed stone-faced; Claude probably knowing what they were talking about and me not knowing what the inside joke was.

I picked up my tray and stood up. “I’m going to talk to her and see if she wants to join.”
“And if she won’t?”

“Then I’ll drag her ass to our first meeting,” I replied quickly. “Where is our first meeting going to be held anyway?”

“We decided to have it in Ms. Doldrums’ class. She’s fine with it and says she’ll be our manager.”

I waved my friends good-bye and walked over to Davon’s table, not caring that I was getting stares from people and that Davon sit alone. Her eyes tore away from the book and bulged at me the minute I sat right across from her.

“Why are you sitting here?” she hissed at me. I shrugged in response.

“You always sit alone. It’s about time you got some company,” I started to eat my weird looking Jell-O with strange chunks in it that looked like frozen brains.

“Do you know what this is going to do for your reputation,” she hissed back. I just shrugged again.

“You really think a reputation is going to bother me?” I snapped politely. “It matters what the person is like, not what they saw about them.”

Davon took a minute to consider this. Then I launched into my question, “We’re starting a roller derby team here. Do you want to join?”

Davon spit out the cranberry juice she was sipping and made a sound like a dying Joey. The entire lunchroom turned around and I glared at every single one of them. “You want to start a derby team at this school?” she screeched between coughing up her drink.
I put my finger up to my lips and wiggled it around, my sign for shutting up. “It’s going to be a secret club. We need a minimum of five girls and we only have four. We need you to be the fifth member.”

Davon sighed. “So I’m a pity member.”

“No!” I screamed. “When we just thought about the team I thought of you joining in.” I smiled from ear to ear. “I’ve seen you skate. You’re a real demon. And with those ninja reflexes of yours, you were meant for derby.”

Davon’s cheeks reddened. “You really think so?” she whispered, her voice chipper. “I mean, I always wanted to do something with my life, maybe derby is the thing.”

“I’ll see you after school,” I said before the bell rang and we picked up our stuff for class. “By the way, do you know who Ms. Doldrums is?”

And even before I could get an answer, Davon already vanished into the crowd with a huge smile on her face.

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“Hey Clarissa,” a familiar voice whispered in my ear. I was just walking out of my final class to my locker when I heard Dominic’s voice and quickly turned around. He was with two of his friends, both of them people I had barely seen at school. All douchebags look the same to me.

“H-Hi,” I stammered back, one foot close to him and the other foot out the door wanting to go to the meeting.

“I really enjoyed our date last night,” he mentioned to say our date loud enough for most of the people in the hallway to hear. A few angry girls whirled their heads to look at us. He leaned into me and whispered, “I never knew you could spread your legs that far Naughty Blue.”

I blushed two shades of red. “Maybe I could show you some of the other things I could do with my legs,” I managed to say.

“You choose the time, I chose the place. I’ll call you later.” He made a gun motion with his fingers and started to walk away. “Stay sexy!” he screamed.

The minute- nay, the very millisecond- he walked away, two girls wearing miniskirts and revealing tank tops ran up to me. One of them was Curly Brown, whose hair was covering most of her visible cleavage “What were you doing with Dominic Cairo?!” one of them squealed at me in an annoying voice.

“Didn’t you hear?” I snapped back, walking to my locker. They apparently followed and waited for me to finish talking as I gathered my stuff. I slammed my locker shut and put on a sinister smile. “Dominic and I are dating.”

The two girls gasped for what seemed like an eternity. “Why are you dating Dominic?” Curly Brown screeched at me. If she wasn’t causing a scene the people at this school were seriously deaf. “He’s a ten and you’re like three and a half!”
“On a good day!” Squeaky screamed in addition.

“You know what?” I snapped. “I don’t need to hear your annoying voice, whoever you are. If you value your pathetic little lives, leave me alone and let me get on with my day.” And with that I stormed off to the office to figure out who Ms. Doldrums is.

“She’s on the second floor, room 201,” the nice old lady at the office said, smiling at me. I told her thanks and walked into the room.

When I entered the room I was blasted with air that smelled like waffles being made. I looked across the purple room with bean bag chairs as desks and green shag carpeting. The walls were covered with neon covered pictures and stickers placed everywhere. On the table in the far back, there were- wait for it- waffles being made. Everyone was there: Claude- no idea why-, Marissa and Mariah- who was arguing-, Ash, and Davon- who was sitting against a door in the far back.

“Nice for you to finally show up,” Claude joked, tossing a stale waffle at my head. I quickly dodged it and heard it hit the ground. “You made it here before Ms. Doldrums.”

“Does she know you guys are making waffles in her room?” I asked.

Mariah stopped fighting with Marissa and nodded her head. “She’s the one who put the waffle makers in here to begin with.”

“Speaking of Ms. Doldrums,” Marissa added, “she’s been standing right behind you for almost a minute now.”

I quickly turned around to come face-to-face with a woman who was only a few centimeters taller than me and absolutely beautiful, in a punk sort of way. Her short brown hair had one pink and blue streak in the front of her hair, complimenting her clear blue eyes. She was wearing a purple tunic and carrying what seemed like a shitload of things.

“Here,” she said, sounding like the stereotypical woman should, “hold on to these and carry them inside.” She pointed to the two guitar cases and I quickly picked them up and put the cases next to where Davon was sitting.

Ms. Doldrums clapped her hands, calling our attention to the front of the class where she was standing. “If you didn’t know already,” she started, “I’m Ms. Doldrums. I teach the band classes sometimes but am mostly an awesome guidance counselor.”

“What’s with all the instruments?” Davon asked, taking a sleek purple guitar with lightning stickers out of one of the cases.

“I’ll tell you later,” she replied. “Now could you please go into my supply room back there and get out the TV?”

Davon pushed the beanbag chair away and opened the door, and she quickly returned pushing a TV. “Now move it over here.” Davon did as she was told.

Ms. Doldrums pulled something out of her tote bag, which was huge and could probably hide at least ten people, and pulled out a VHS. She quickly pushed it into the cassette and pushed play.

“We need this to play so people won’t know what we’re doing.” The movie started off with the Disney logo and Aladdin started to play. It didn’t even start at the beginning; it started somewhat in the middle before he turned into a prince.

“I LOVE THIS MOVIE!” Marissa and Mariah screamed, moving their beanbags up so they could get a better view. Claude made some remark about them paying attention to what Ms. Doldrums was going to say, but he was shut up with their glares

“It’s fine,” Ms. Doldrums stated. “It’s actually better if they watch the movie. In case any teachers come around, they’ll just think we’re watching a movie.”

“You’re going to be the manager of our team?” I asked, skeptical.

“Watch what you say girl,” Doldrums snapped back. “I used to be in derby three years ago. I’ve been watching derby my entire life and I know plays they don’t even teach anymore.”
Davon and I scooted closer to her. “What team were you on Ms. Doldrums?” Davon asked. “I never heard of any teams coming from here.”

“We lied about where we were from of course,” she replied. “We were called the Renegade Raiders, and were once was on the best teams this side of European derby.” She clapped her hand again. “Now back to what we’re here for. Each of you are here because you want to be the best people derby has to offer.”

“Not really,” Mariah said, eyes and body still facing the TV. “I just wanted to join because of the kick-ass wardrobe and the nasty attitude.”

“And I’m a boy Ms. Doldrums,” Claude pointed to himself. “I can’t really wear the tight shorts and miniskirts the girls wear. I think the outfits’ kind of look stupid.”

“I bet you wouldn’t say that if you saw Clarissa wearing those of those outfits,” Ms. Doldrums snapped. “And please, call me Lena. It’s my first name.

“Now, as I was saying, you chose derby out of all the other things you could’ve done. That shows that you actually want to play. Whether the reason for fun or exercise, derby will grow on you. It will become your life. Who you are in derby is your would-be-self. A way for you to be something you’ve always wanted to be.”

“I CAN SHOW YOU THE WORLD!” Mariah and Marissa sang loudly at the same time to the beat of the song. “SHINING SHIMMERING SPLENDID! TELL ME PRINCESS, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LET YOUR HEART DECIDE?”

“I CAN OPEN YOUR EYES,” Mariah sang alone. “TAKE YOU WONDER BY WONDER!”
“OVER SIDEWAYS AND UNDER ON A MAGIC CARPET RIDE,” Marissa finished.

“A WHOLE NEW WORLD!” they both joined in again. “A NEW FANTASTIC POINT OF CHEW!”
“It’s ‘view’, not ‘chew’,” Claude snapped. They still continued to sing. “DA DA DA DA DA DA, DA DA DA DA,”

Lena Doldrums sighed for what seemed like an eternity. “Let’s just ignore them,” she said, “I’m going to let you guys go for now. If you really want to be a true derby girl, you’re going to go to the local roller rink at 10:30.”

“Is it even open at that time?” Davon asked. “Should I come?” Claude added.

“It’ll be open for just you guys,” Doldrums replied. “Also, you can come Claude. They need somebody to encourage them.”

“So 10:30 okay?” she exclaimed. We all nodded. “Alright. Now get the hell out of my class.”