#i haven't watched a single highschool drama for like five years

[holbeins]

@humanschallenge -  Week 2, Day 2: College/High School AU

“Nissy! Help me stretch, will you?” Mia shouted as she came down the stairs, her high ponytail bouncing with every step. Her sister was occupied in the kitchen with her notebooks, mindmaps, textbooks and laptop spread out all over their kitchen table.

“I’m busy, Mia,” Niska said without lifting her eyes from the screen of her laptop.

“Oh come on, you haven’t taken a single break from writing that philosophy paper since like Wednesday.” It was true; whenever her sister was working on something, she always worked hard. Too hard.

“Yeah, and it’s due tomorrow.”

“Exactly, and how much can you really improve in one night?”

Her sister turned to glare at her through her bangs, then rolled her eyes and sighed in surrender. Mia grinned and leaned against the wall, offering her leg to her sister who grabbed a hold around her ankle, pushing the leg all the way up to her head, toes touching the wall.

“Hester heard from Coach Hawkins that there’ll be scouts in the audience tonight,” she said and held on to her sister’s shoulders, “and not only for the basketball players, but for cheerleaders too. Both she and I could be up for scholarships tonight.”

“Fuck Hester,” Niska muttered.

“Yes, I know she’s the worst but you need to be nice to her –“

“I am nice!”

“- If she does get herself a scholarship, or she’ll notice and she’ll take it out on Leo.”

Niska sighed. “He really needs a new girlfriend.”

“Totally,” she gestured for her sister to let go of her ankle to stretch the other leg. “He should have stuck with Coach Hawkins’s daughter.”

“She was kind of young, though.”

“But obviously mature for her age since she managed to get into college already at sixteen.”

“True. Anyway, I’m not going to go to the game. Like I said, my paper is due tomorrow.”

“But come on, Nis,” Mia whined. “It’s the final game of the season!”

“Philosophy. Paper. Due. Tomorrow. Millican is going to kill me if I hand it in late.”

“You know he adores you, Niska. He’d let you get away with anything.”

“He would not!” She gave another glare as she let go of her sister’s ankle, allowing her to glide down into a perfect front split.

Mia leaned forward and held on to her toes, Niska placed her hands on her back and pressed down and when a realization hit her. “Astrid is playing tonight,” she said and just like she had expected, she felt her sister freeze above her.

“Astrid who?”

“Astrid Schaeffer, the German exchange student from Fred’s class?”

“Oh. Right” she continued pressing her back down, obviously trying to play it cool. “So what?”

“What do you mean ‘so what’?! You totally have a thing for her! Don’t think I don’t notice you checking her out every time she plays.”

“She’s the best player!” Her sister’s voice cracked at ‘player’ and Mia knew for sure that she was blushing.

“Don’t let Hester hear you say that,” she teased.

“Whatever, I’m done helping you,” Niska muttered and left to sit down by her laptop again.

Mia grinned to herself as she stretched her arms towards her toes; her sister could play unbothered all she wanted, Mia knew she’d won again.

                                                           *

“I really shouldn’t be here,” Niska muttered as she watched her sister piggyback ride some tall, blond, broad-shouldered football player, all biceps and quadriceps and whatever-iceps, into the enormous three-story villa that was their oldest brother’s girlfriend’s home. The game had been victorious, 103 to 81, and Hester always threw parties after she won. The guy’s name was Ted or Ed or something like that, Mia had been talking about him non-stop for weeks.

“Well, you are here,” Leo said. “It’ll be good for you to meet some new people, have a bit of fun and make some friends.”

“I have friends,” she snapped.

“Nietzsche and Dr Millican do not count as friends, Niska.”

“Whatever.”

“Tell you what,” he said and reached inside his jacket, plucked out a joint and tucked it behind her ear. “Have one the house. It might even help you with your philosophizing.”

“Leo–“

“No need to thank me, Niska. Just go and have a smoke, relax, chill out, have a nice time, drag a girl ho-“

“Does Hester know you’re dealing?” She interrupted. She was not about to listen to her brother go on about her dragging girls home like he did whenever he was single. It was completely ridiculous, and totally none of his business! Her question succeeded in shutting him up, he didn’t say anything but scraped his foot against the gravel of the driveway which was answer enough. “I’m just saying, this is what broke your last relationship up.“

“I’m very well aware of that, thank you very much.”

“Good. Look, I’m not judging you, I know you need the money. I just remember what a total wreck you were when Mattie dumped you and I don’t want you to ever go through that again.”

“Well, I don’t need a lot more so I only have a few more nights to sell and then I’ll be done, I’ll never need to do it again and Hester won’t need to find out, okay?”

“Okay,” she sighed.

“I appreciate you caring though,” a corner of his mouth tilted upwards a little. “Now go and enjoy yourself.”

“Fine,” she rolled her eyes and began to follow her sister. There had to be at least one quiet spot somewhere in the gigantic backyard where people wouldn’t bother her.

“Hey, Leo,” a familiar voice said behind them.

“Fuck,” she heard her brother whisper.

                                                                *

 “So…” Leo exhaled, looking at anywhere but her, fingers tapping the armrest of the couch. A nervous habit, one Mattie knew very well. He was trying to hide it too, she could tell, otherwise his knee would be bouncing as well. “Your new boyfriend seems nice.”

“Odi? Yeah, he’s the sweetest.”

“How did you guys meet?”

“Tinder, actually. One of the better guys on that otherwise crazy app, and one of the nicer jocks at that football university of his. We met up for coffee and just got along really well so we exchanged numbers and now we’re here.”

“And how long have you been dating now?”

“Four months next week.”

Leo took a swig of his beer. “Well, I’m happy for you, Mattie. Really.”

“Thank you, Leo. It really means a lot.” She put her hand over his wrapped around the brown glass bottle, stopping his tapping and making him look her right in the eye for the first time in months. “But enough about me, what about you? Hester seems tough. At least that’s what mom’s told me about her from practice and stuff.”

“Oh yeah, she is. Definitely tough,” He laughed a little. “She might seem little cold at first but once you get to know her she’s great.”

“Well, I’m glad she’s good to you. Mom says she has a bright future in front of her, so…” she paused, hesitating a little before she continued, “hold on to her.”

He smiled, that sad little half-smile where only one corner of his mouth tilted upwards, and opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by her boyfriend approaching with two red solo cups in his hands.

“Sorry I took so long, babe,” he leaned down to peck her lips. “Your brother tried to challenge me to a game of beer pong.”

“Oh my god,” Mattie rolled her eyes and took her drink. “He’s way too cocky for someone who gets drunk after only two beers.”

“Don’t worry, I told him you wouldn’t approve,” he laughed then turned to Leo. “I’m Odi, by the way, Odi Millican.”

“Leo Elster.”

                                                               *

 Scheiße, was this party packed with people. And man, was everyone at this party already fucking hammered? She was only thirty minutes late, Jesus Christus.

 “Hey, Astrid!” Someone yelled. Astrid turned around and saw her coach’s daughter waving her over from where she was sitting on the porch in between two guys, one of which she recognized her team captain’s boyfriend.

“Hey, Mattie,” She said.

“I just wanted to say congratulations to another incredible game, you did amazing.”

“Aw thanks, but it’s all your mom’s work. I wouldn’t be anything without her as my coach, no one on the team would be.” She threw a glance at the black haired guy next to Mattie. “Or without Hester as our captain, of course.”

“You’re the German, right?” He asked. “She talks a lot about you.”

“Astrid Schaeffer,” she said and shook his hand. “All bad I suppose? She yells at me quite a bit.”

“Nah, she likes you. She’s just hard on anyone that could be a threat to her career, and I guess she sees you as one. Like Mattie said, you’re good.”

“Thanks guys,” she said. “Where is she, anyway? Our infamous team captain.”

“Indoors, being a hostess and making sure no one breaks anything. Go inside and she’ll give you something to drink, everything’s free for her team mates tonight.”

Astrid laughed. “Will do!” Hester might act like she’s the only player on the field, but off the field she was more than generous and while drunk she could actually be kind of nice.

And sure enough, the infamous team captain threw her arms around her neck as soon as she walked through the door, ignoring the fact that she spilled half of her glass of red wine on the floor. “Schaeffer!” She squealed. “Oh my goood, what a game! We were fantastic, totally better than ever!”

“Totally” she gave her a few awkward pats on the back. “You were great, Hester.”

“Aw, thank you, sweetie. Here, have a beer! Or, you know what? Take two, I heard there are some pretty cheerleaders outside,” she winked and gestured towards the crate of Heineken, and a second later she had strutted away somewhere into the house without another word before Astrid had any time to accept or decline

                                                          *

 And once you are awake, you shall remain awake eternally.

 Niska smiled as she – for the fourth time – reached the page with her favorite quote from the book she was assigned by her philosophy teacher a month ago.

Genius, she thought. Both Nietzsche and Dr Millican.

 “This seat taken?” Somebody asked, and Niska had to close her eyes not to roll them in annoyance. She had picked this spot by the little stone fire pit because she was sure no one would hang out there for many hours more, when they were worn out from dancing or simply too drunk to remain standing and then she’d head home where she could finish reading. The sitting bench was several meters long too, there was a lot of space, why were they even asking?

“No,” she said without bothering to look up. She’d finish the chapter, then she would head home. Although she tried he best to ignore it, she felt the person sit down next to her, way to close. She narrowed her eyes as she stared into the book, trying to regain her focus. Please don’t talk to me.

“So…” the person began and Niska sighed. Her siblings could call her boring and asocial and whatever, she was going home and she was never going to go to another party for the rest of her life. “You come here often?”

Jesus, what a jerk. Niska slammed her book shut and was prepared to leave without a single word when she saw who it was that had sat down next to her, in a varsity jacket in the schools signature greenish blue colors and in her own signature hairstyle of having half her long brown hair put up into a messy bun, smiling kindly at her. Niska nearly dropped her book. “Oh,” she pushed her glasses up her nose. “Um, not really.”

“Me neither, American house parties are crazy,” the girl said. “I’m Astrid, German exchange student.”

“I know,” Niska blurted before she could stop herself. “I mean– uh, you’re in my brother’s class. Fred?”

“Yeah, I know Fred! He’s cool. He’s your brother?”

“Foster brother.”

“Oh cool, so are you Mia or Niska? He talks about you all quite a bit.”

“I’m Niska. Mia’s the cheer captain.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Niska,” she stretched her hand out, offering her a glass bottle. Her nails were painted black and she wore rings on every other finger. “Beer?”

“No thanks, I don’t drink.”

“But you do smoke?”

“Huh? Oh right…” she had forgotten the joint were still safely tucked behind her ear after her brother put it there. “Occasionally.”

“Is tonight an occasion?”

“Huh?” Niska squeaked. Was it the fire or was it getting really hot? She could feel her glasses gliding.

“How about you and I light that thing up, then we could go somewhere more calm and quiet?” The fire made her eyes glowed like ambers and a mischievous grin spread across her face.

“S-sure,” she stuttered, pushing her glasses up again and she hoped the light of the fire was hiding how deep she was blushing.

#this is like all dialogue but it took such a long time to write wtf #i haven't watched a single highschool drama for like five years #this would be nice to develop into like a miniseries #i wanted to write like 300 things from 300 perspectives #but here's the deal #alsoan au where people vare abourt girls playing sports #mia is a popular cheerleader #niska is a lonely nerd who reads a lot and has no friends #fred's in the school band #mattie and leo study computer science at college #athena is their teacher #odi is a sweet fotball player who loves mattie a lot #astrid is a really good basketball player who came to america to get even better #and also hester is the team captain??? hester + basketball = a combination i guess #i also feel like i need to say that i do not hate hester she's like my 2nd fave #but it makes sense that no one likes her so #AND LAURA IS THEIR COACH like imagine that #karen is the principle #leo sells weed because he needs the money for something i don't know yet #max is a theatre nerd #mia elster #niska elster #laura hawkins #mattie hawkins #odi #astrid schaeffer #nistrid #leo elster #hester