07-28-2024, 09:37 PM
OOC: The following contains views and remarks that DO NOT represent the handler. Takes place following Deanna's first RTG rp. Posted in two parts due to length. To everyone that has followed me on this story-arc, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Best of luck, Josh!
New York Police Department
New York City, New York
July 22nd, 2024
1:39pm
“ASSAULT AND BATTERY?!”
Selena threw her head up after hearing that for the umpteenth time as she paced within the holding cell. She was still in her leggings, running shoes and maroon t-shirt from this morning, not really having time to change her clothes in-between teaching her class, having that race, and then being arrested and dragged off to the nearest Police Department. It had sort of happened all so fast.
“Selena!” the voice came from the speaker again, causing Selena to turn around to see the thick glass window in front of her. She could see several police officers, men and women all in uniforms, walking around the precinct, busy with their own tasks. But taking up the majority of the view, as she stood just off center of the window, was Deanna.
The last person I wanted to see me like this… she thought to herself, slowing stepping forward towards the glass.
“What were you thinking?!” Deanna asked, her eyes wild with concern and panic.
“I wasn’t.” Selena answered, keeping her answers as simple as she could. The last thing she wanted to do was further incriminate herself.
Her soon-to-be-ex-wife had burst onto the scene no more than half an hour after Selena had been processed and placed within the holding cell. There wasn’t anyone else in there with the platinum-blonde at the moment, which Selena was rather relieved for. She watched the redhead lean a little closer to the ‘speaker’ in the wall on Deanna’s side, allowing her to talk.
“That’s it?” she asked in disbelief. “Selena… She’s pressing charges!”
With a gesture of her free hand, Deanna pointed to the far off corner of the room, where Leslie Sanderson, complete with an ice pack pressed up against her temple, was standing, seemingly hysterical if her arm movements were any indication. Selena could even imagine the tone of voice the woman was using. Probably demanding them to ‘put her in jail FOREVER!’. She scoffed at the idea, though still more out of shame for herself than the pathetic nature of her past neighbour.
“A simple assault…” Selena shrugged. “I’m looking at a slap on the wrist at best.”
Deanna did not seem to find that as relieving as Selena, the shorter Frost shaking her head. “That’s not what she’s saying.” She explained. “She’s claiming severe injury. Vision impairment. Just racking up the injuries you supposedly gave her. It’s aggravated assault.”
Sapphire eyes went wide. “Are you-“ she almost yelled, using all she could to reign in her emotions. “It was just one punch.” She stated simply. She had already confessed as much to the officers but nothing else. She wasn’t going to lie about what she did. Especially when she barely remembered it. One minute, she had been standing there with Ms. Harris and Leslie, the latter spatting insults and threats to both of them. Then she had starting shoving Evette, and then… that was all Selena could remember in the moment. The next thing she recalled was standing over Leslie, shaking her right hand and seeing Leslie on the ground, a look of shock, tears, and terror on her face as she gazed up at the Snow Queen.
What I wouldn’t give to see that look on Hudson’s face… she thought, wanting so badly to have a moment of pleasant emotion, but the desire only gave way to more panic. How was she going to explain this? How was she going to tell CHBK or SCW management what had happened? Sure, they couldn’t hold her here for long – least till there was a hearing or whatever, but if word got out? To SCW? To anyone?
Her jaw clenched at the thought. CHBK wouldn’t hesitate. He’s enforce penalty on Selena in a second! It didn’t matter that it had nothing to do with him or SCW. She could just see him weaving a tale like Leslie currently was – telling management how Selena ‘represented SCW as the world champion’ and that there needed to be ‘zero tolerance’ and ‘SCW must do damage-control by not keeping an assailant in their employ’. Ignoring the fucking fact that KANDIS assaulted me multiple times, AND officials AND crew/management and got NOTHING for it! she hotly bit back. Gods, she wanted to kick that damn icon in the end so badly! Despite all she had done for the world championship and for his career as the boss of SCW, CHBK had done nothing but get in Selena’s way from the get-go, throwing her into ‘punishment matches’ like that fatal-fourway and then a cage match with a woman she already beat. All the while pretending he had nothing to do with Selena’s clauses and contract obligations. Who agreed to them?! she thought, her frustrations still growing.
The icon… Kandis… Mr. D.. Selena held all three of them accountable for the disgraceful stain that had been Rise to Greatness last year. Dracheywch for making the decision to make CHBK the official over the honorable Aaron Demtria, CHBK for the disgraceful job he did during the match, and Kandis for… well, all Kandis shit. Returning and regaining the world championship in less than a month had been the sweetest revenge for her… for a first step. From there, she had done all she could to make those three and all of SCW regret how they had treated their ‘Face of SCW’ and the integrity of the world title/SCW.
Making them – including CHBK – to bow to her demands in her contract.
Defeating Kandis at Retribution and getting her suspended for telling her to get out of HER ring!
Retaining the championship challenger after challenger – challenging as they all were and any one of them, honestly, could have been world champion – except Kandis.
Eliminating Kandis, Kristen Scott, and Polly from the royale and ensuring a new challenger – and only Selena herself being the one returning to the main-event.
Beating all three of them again in the fatal-fourway and throwing CHBK’s ‘punishment’ back in his face!
Every step and victory Selena had made since her return… had served one inevitable purpose. Rise to Greatness. To get back to the main-event, the place those THREE – Mr. D, CHBK, and Kandis – had worked so hard to screw her out and keep her out of, simply because, as Mr. D had said “SCW was changing”…
I was so close… she angrily thought. I was so close!
The endgame was in her sights. Beating Josh Hudson? She could do that. It didn’t matter what tricks he had up his sleeve or how much ‘momentum’ he had from following the same path as Allocco and Kandis… winning the main-event was the only outcome Selena would tolerate. That was the final step. The last, and greatest, revenge against all of SCW for what they did to her, their ‘Face’…
And yet… you’ve risked throwing it all away… came the cold and angry voice of her devil-voice in her mind.
The thought was a sobering one, removing all positive emotion and replacing it with the familiar frustration, causing Selena to uncaringly lower her head against the glass, resting her forehead against it for a second. “I don’t know what happened.” Selena admitted quietly, quite sure Deanna could hear her. “I don’t remember.”
“Did…” Deanna’s voice trailed off, immediately getting the platinum-blonde’s attention as she lifted her head again. “Were you…” the redhead looked around nervously, trying not to draw attention to herself as she slowly moved her hands in a sort of ‘fidgety-pattern’. The first hand dropped to an upside down ‘C’ and then her hands swayed around, seemingly unrelated into some sort of ‘X’ shape. It was only because Selena was so close to Deanna that she could recognized the repeated pattern and was able to put it together.
Hand gesture 1: N
Hand gesture 2: X
Deanna was asking her if she had taken NX, the question causing Selena’s eyes to widen in alarm. She hadn’t been drug-tested yet but if she was… Slowly, her body trembling, the world champion slowly nodded her head, earning a groan and closed-eye look of exasperation from Deanna. “Why?” she slowly spoke.
“I don’t remember.” Selena sighed.
“Selena-“
“I’m telling the truth!” she implored. “You think I want to be here? Risking everything?” The question was enough to silence Deanna, allowing Selena to continue speaking. “David, the kids, SCW, RTG, YOU!”
She hadn’t meant to let the last one out, her whole body going stiff as she saw Deanna catch it, emerald eyes narrowing at the Snow Queen. “What about me?”
Caught and knowing it, Selena slowly sighed. “I thought…I thought…” she hesitated. “I thought that if I solved the problem I made with David, on my own… and if I helped the other kids pass so they could stay in their grades…. That maybe you’d be happy with me and you’d maybe…” she sighed, ashamed of how childish and stupid she sounded – a far cry from the confident woman standing over Josh Hudson last Breakdown. “Maybe you’d forgive me about Jessica and…and…” she awkwardly waved a hand, as if that explained the rest. “Give us another try.”
Deanna said nothing in that moment, merely keeping her eyes on the woman that had been her wife for nearly nine years. The platinum-blonde could see the confusion in her eyes, the shorter woman unsure of what to say. Her choice of words, however, knocked the wind out of the Snow Queen.
“And was that plan before or after you wagered our house?”
The world was suddenly spinning, Selena’s throat felt dry, no words would come out. Had it not been for how clear that accusation was, she would have tried to misconstrue it. To pretend it was something that it wasn’t. But there was no way out of this.
“Evette told me.” Deanna explained coldly, further cementing Selena’s dread. The redhead had already explained how she had found Selena when her students and Ms. Harris had showed up at their ‘Forever Home’ – the home Selena had put on the line – scared and desperate to help their teacher/friend. “I was actually touched that they cared so much for you… until she told me that.” Deanna added.
“I…” Selena tried before her eyes darted over Deanna’s shoulder towards Leslie, who was still re-enacting the event that was imprisoning Selena. Though she’s probably got them now thinking that I was breathing fire and spinning a pitchfork! Exhaling her breath, the woman simply shook her head. “What’s the point in explaining it?” she asked, eyeing Deanna. “You wouldn’t believe me if I said I had a plan.”
“What?” Deanna asked. “That your kids win?”
Opening her mouth to speak, Selena slowly closed it for a second. “Is it wrong to think that they’re that good? Why does ‘winning’ have to be a ‘bad plan’ when you know who’s going to win?”
“But you DON’T know who’s going to win, Selena!” Deanna argued. “You can believe and believe but you will never KNOW for sure!”
“I do know!” Selena countered. “I know exactly who is going to win!”
“Why?” Deanna scoffed. “Because you’re ‘the great Selena Frost’? That you winning is the only outcome that exists now? Never a chance that someone could outsmart you? Outcompete you? Outlast you?” she shook her head. “You’ve done all you can to make the very idea of losing impossible for you… but it’s STILL possible! No matter how many rules you bend or how many safeguards you put up! Nothing is ever definite!” she breathed, needing a few quick breaths to calm her racing heart. Instead of talking, Selena turned her back on the United States Champion and walked further away from the glass, the world champion effectively ending the conversation, or so she thought. “And now, you’re risking our home – our children’s home.”
“It’s not MY home…” Selena replied simply, keeping her back to Deanna, her tone deathly calm. “Never was.”
“How can you say that?” Deanna asked in disbelief, her voice shaking. “Because you don’t live there anymore? That it?”
Before Deanna could get an answer, the doors to the room were pushed open and in walked Ms. Harris. She managed to grab the attention of a few officers, but Evette paid them no attention until an officer approached her to speak to her.
“Evette is here.” Deanna spoke into the speaker, effectively getting Selena to turn around and see the woman through the glass. She could not hear anything or do anything. Only watch as Evette spoke to the officer, despite Leslie pointing and screaming something at her. To Selena’s surprise, it was Leslie that was guided away by the officer, probably to make a statement or something. Evette, meanwhile, gestured towards Selena, saying a few words before the officer in the discussion nodded his head.
Effectively, he walked past Deanna to the side where the door was. Unlocking it with the passcode, the tall, thin, balding man opened the door, eyeing Selena as he did. “Your lawyer’s here, Mrs. Frost.” He acknowledged.
“Excuse me…” Harris corrected. “Legal counsel. Just want to make that clear.”
The officer rolled his eyes at that before gesturing towards a door down the hall. “We have a room for a private consultation.” He added, allowing Selena to walk out of the holding cell, her eyes falling on Evette before moving to Deanna. “Is she able to come with me? I’ll waive client-counsel privacy for her if I have to.” Selena asked. “She’s my counse-“
“I’m her wife.” Deanna stated firmly, catching Selena and Evette off-guard.
The officer, whose nametag read “Gable” simply rolled his eyes again – the man clearly not wanting anything today with his work today. “Fine.” He nodded, moving over to the other door and opening it. “Come out when you’re finished.”
All three women walked into the small room, comprised only of a table and a few chairs. “Cozy.” Selena remarked as she moved further into the room, turning around to see Evette standing there. Deanna moved in and closed the door behind her, but refused to fully look at Selena. Not surprising after what I said…
“Evette…” Selena went to speak but Deanna cut her off.
“Selena doesn’t remember what happened.” The redhead explained sharply. “We need your testimony to counter Leslie’s.”
Turning to Selena, Evette’s eyes widened. “You don’t remember?”
Selena could only shrug her shoulders. “All I saw was red. Next thing I knew, I was standing over Leslie.”
“And endangering everyone…” Deanna stated coldly, earning a glare from Selena… but not as cold as the one Evette threw at her.
“Is that what you think?” she asked. “That Selena just got mad and punched someone?”
Turning her attention to the real teacher, Deanna exhaled her frustration in a long breath. “What else am I supposed to think? No one is telling me anything – and I don’t want to believe Leslie out there!”
“Leslie is what happened!” Harris stated with sigh. “It’s… it’s my fault.”
“How?” Deanna asked in surprise. “How is it your fault?”
“Because I let Leslie control me on the board for a very long time.” She turned her attention to Selena. “You remember I told you today that she had something on me?”
Selena nodded. “She said something about Warlow being your mother?”
Evette nodded. “Few people really know that. I took my father’s last name over hers. And…” she admitted. “I didn’t want to bank off of mother’s last name.”
“Can relate to that at least.” Deanna remarked.
“But that doesn’t make sense.” Selena observed. “So what if people found out? Sure, it would hurt a little, but not the extent of…”
“You really don’t remember, do you?” Harris smiled sadly. “Selena… Leslie found out that I was gay.”
The Snow Queen’s eyes went wide, as if a floodgate had been opened. In that moment, she recalled everything. “She… she blamed us both for infecting the children…” she recalled. “She promised to get us fired.”
“The idea of a principal of a school having gay children.” Evette shrugged. “Not illegal but definitely going to ruffle a lot of families on the board the wrong way – look at how bent out of shape they got over a summer school program. Once Leslie found that out – try as I did to hide it – she kept pushing, threatening to tell everyone…”
Though she nodded, Selena wasn’t fully listening, her mind still reeling from its memory recalling. “She pushed you… then she…” Sapphire eyes went wide as the last piece of the puzzle slipped into place, the Snow Queen’s head jerked up. “She called you a…”
“A dyke.” Evette winced as she said it. “And then she slapped me once more and that was when Selena punched her to the ground.”
It all was clear to Selena now. She didn’t know what had possessed her. She had been called such things before, thrown out of establishments because of her sexual-identity, and while she had acted out against it… to snap like that? But it had happened. Seeing Evette pushed and bullied like that – like she had been in Nome for being ‘the crazy miner’s daughter’ – treated like a second-class citizen… for Sophia and Mara to be seen as ‘diseased’ – mere children – simply over a puppy-love crush? To be so hated when they had done nothing wrong…
She could feel her blood boiling simply by recalling it and forced herself to calm down. Deanna, meanwhile, had adopted a rather guilty expression before turning her attention to Evette. “You need to tell them what happened.”
“It’s Leslie’s word against mine.” Evette sighed. “I’d do it in an instant if it would make any difference.”
“No.” Selena stated, turning to regard both women. “You do that and your secret is out the window. Everyone will know.”
“Selena-“ Deanna tried but the Snow Queen held up her hand.
“It’s not the same with us, Deanna, and you know it.” She explained. “We don’t care who knows, but she’s thinking about her mother, her students, the job she loves – it’s not as easy as it is in SCW.”
“That’s…” Deanna tried but sighed in defeat. “That’s true.”
“Then what do we do?” Evette asked, concern etched into her features.
“I’ll… I’ll take the hit.” Selena surrendered. “I’ll explain my side of the story – we’ll do whatever we can to show Leslie is a bigot but, in the end, it’s our words against hers. Besides… a first-time misdemeanour? Not matter how much she embellishes it, any doctor will show there’s no true injury beyond a bruise. I’ll pay a fine. That’s it.”
“What about SCW?” Deanna asked, earning a non-plussed ‘Pfffftt’ sound from Selena – the Snow Queen trying her best not to look worried about it.
“By the time they get wind of it, RTG will be done. I’ll deal with it then but I highly doubt they’ll punish their world champion over a rumor, especially if I make it out to be the hate-crime that it is. SCW firing a victim of a hate-crime? Are you kidding?”
It was a weak plan at best, but it was all Selena could put together. She knew what it was like to ‘come out’ and if Evette wasn’t ready for that, then Selena refused to be the one to put her through that. Truthfully, she was certain she had thrown away her fourth Unbelievable Main-Event with that punch… and yet… the guilt was no longer there. She no longer regretted it. She’d do it again if she had to…
“There has to be another way.” Deanna stated, almost desperately. “Selena, she may… she may push for jail time for you.”
“Then I’ll have to ask you for some tips on how to survive in it.” Selena sighed before moving past both women. “It’s the only option we have at this point.” She admitted.
“No!” quickly, she felt Deanna grab her hand, stopping her from reaching the exit door. “Stop trying to do something to impress me!”
Turning around, Selena gave a sad smile to Deanna. “Deanna… it has to be me.” She stated. “Not for you, but for the kids – including our son. If I don’t, Leslie will run with it and it’ll be easy to close the summer program. And that’s just for starters.” She sighed. “I did that. You and the kids had nothing to do with it. I’ll accept the consequences.”
With a bit of effort, Selena managed to pull her hand out of Deanna’s, the redhead frozen in place emotionally as Selena opened the door to accept her fate-
Only to see ten kids yelling and pointing at the officers and at Leslie, the uniformed policemen doing all they could to maintain order.
“What the-“ Selena barely managed to mouth out as she moved further into the room. The kids, even her son, were shouting something but it was all a loud mess. And me without my whistle… she thought before quickly putting her fingers in her mouth and whistling a high-pitched sound that rang through the space. Immediately, everyone turned their attention towards her.
“Classroom etiquette children!” She yelled, not caring that she was still a detainee in a police-station. Immediately, all ten children, even Frog and Blazer, rushed over to her side, forming a group in a small clump. “Good. Now, what are you all doing here?”
Immediately, David held up a phone – not his, Selena recognized. “Garrett recorded what happened!” he exclaimed!
In that moment, it was like the wind had been knocked out of Selena, the disbelief radiating off her in waves. Immediately searching, while simultaneously taking the phone from David, Selena found the curly-haired boy. “Garrett?” she asked. “Is that true?”
Shyly, the boy nodded before carefully taking the phone from his teacher, unlocking it and flicking it over to a video file. “I was filming a frog on the concrete when I heard you shouting.”
As he narrated, Selena watched the video play before her. True to Garrett’s word, it started with a frog jumping on the concrete that Selena recognized as the school playground (well, part of it) before jerking up to reveal Leslie, Evette and Selena standing by the school doors, with Leslie yelling and screaming at her.
“You call THAT normal?! You bring that filth! That abomination into our school?!” video-Lesliescoffed. “Of course you do! Look who I’m talking to! I don’t care who your mother is, Evette!” there it was, the first shove. “I will see you fired!” There was the second push. “Charged!” And the third. “And never allowed to teach again! Both of you…“ she seemed to grow angrier and angrier with each passing word. “Out of my city-“ she eyed Selena. “And out of my town! You-“ she spat at Selena. “Your wife and this dyke of a teacher!”
WHAM!
Selena almost gasped when she saw herself punch Leslie as hard as she did. Not meaning to brag, but holy hell it was a good shot! Video-Leslie fell like a ton of bricks, but that was drowned out by Garrett, in the video, yelling “Holy cow! Holy cow! Holy cow!” and seemingly rushing towards the trio of women. The shot lingered on all three, including the fallen form of Leslie and Selena standing over her, looking down on Sanderson, before ending.
Again, Selena was dumbstruck, only moving when she heard the gasp come from both Evette and Deanna behind her. Slowly, carefully, she had the phone sent the video to her, Deanna and Evette via the Police Department’s wifi. That done and the video backed up, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Garrett…” she settled on saying, lowering down to give the boy the biggest of hugs, surprising him. “Thank you.” She whispered. “You just saved me, I think.”
“I did?” the boy asked in disbelief.
“I think so.” Selena nodded. “Can I borrow this?”
“Y-yes!” he stammered.
Reaching up to ruffle the boy’s hair with her hand, Selena carefully worked her way around the crowd of children, moving towards the officer that had seen her come out and was approaching her, Gable was his name, Selena remembered.
“Hi. Ummm…” she tried to sound non-threatening. “Before you put me back in the holding cell there, I need to show you this.” Carefully, she played the video for the officer, walking him through who was who. “And there’s the push, and afraid she was going to get violent…” the film showed the punch. “There you go. One punch to defend us from a racist. Self-defense.”
Looking at the video carefully, Gable turned his attention back over to Selena before calling out to the officer at the other end of the room. “Hey, Mavis! Come here! And bring Mrs. Sanderson!”
Obeying, the female officer instructed Leslie, who was still filling out the form for filing a charge against Selena. Upon seeing where she was going, however, Leslie swooned the most overdramatic voice Selena had heard. “Oh no, please! Not near her again! She’ll hit me again! The monster!”
“Uh-huh. Mavis, I think you need to see this.” Gable remarked, moving over to the shorter officer and holding Garrett’s phone. The two seemed to watch the video for about a minute – though it felt like an eternity to Selena – before turning their attention to the still swooning – and possibly pretending to ‘nearly faint’ Leslie.
“Mrs. Sanderson…” Mavis remarked, holding out the phone towards her. “This you?” she asked knowingly. “Looks like it, wearing the same clothes as you are now.”
“Why, yes!” Leslie stated. “Is that a video? Thank goodness! One of my kids must have been filming the event. Evidence to put that wretched woman behind bars for years!”
“Yeah…” Mavis nodded before pressing the play button, showing the entire conversation that triggered Selena. Slowly, Leslie’s face seemed to change from smugness, to confusion, then concern, and then, finally, knowing terror. “Doesn’t look like an unprovoked attack, Mrs. Leslie. What I see is you harassing two women, using a homophobic slur and hate speech and then physical assaulting said women…”
“Wh…what?” Leslie asked, her eyes going wide. “How is that- no! That’s not what happened!”
“It’s on the video, Mrs. Sanderson. You’re going to tell me the video is lying?”
“Maybe it was edited! Yes! I never said anything like that!”
“I can literally see you speaking it on the video.” Mavis countered.
“What kind of officer are you?!” Leslie finally roared in her highest pitch. “I am the victim here! I am the one who was assaulted! Why am I being treated like a criminal?!”
“Because, in this case, you are.” Gable added. “And now we’re dealing with a hate crime resulting in assault. So… I should tell you that you have the right to remain-“
“NO!” Leslie shook her head. “You can’t do this! I can’t go to jail for standing up for my community!”
“You can if Mrs. Frost or Ms. Harris decide to press charges… like you just were.” Gable stated, eyeing Selena, who had not moved from her spot.
Immediately, Leslie’s eyes found Selena – a burning hatred that was more than obvious to the Snow Queen. However, the poofy-haired bigot hid it with a large smile. “Oh, Seleeena…” she tried making her voice sound sweet. “I had you going there, didn’t I? Just trying to motivate you to be a better teacher for your son and those chea- those students. Now, I think things went a little overboard, but you know I didn’t mean any of it, right?”
Selena’s jaw clenched. With every fiber of her being wanting to punch her in the face again. This time, however, she did not see read. Instead, she saw Deanna and Evette standing behind her.
“I’ll tell you what, Leslie.” Selena spoke slowly, coldly. “I’ll not press any charges on you. We can just let this whole thing pass… if…” she eyed both Deanna and Evette. “I want you to apologize to them and to me. A nice full apology for being a homophobic bigot.”
Leslie’s eyes went wide. Never, as long as Selena had known her, had she ever admitted to such a thing. Her jaw clenched and her eyes burned. It was all so satisfying to Selena – almost as good as all the times she had one-upped Kandis, getting her suspended and eliminated in the royale and beaten the fatal-fourway. All those times, that look of pure hatred and yet… knowing she had lost and Selena had won.
Like you knew you would… her devil-voice remarked as Selena watched Leslie tense more and more before releasing a long breath.
“Selena…Deanna… Evette.” She started. “I am sorry for the way I treated you. That, in my desire to make my community better for me and my child, I made bad decision regarding you three.”
“Still waiting on the ‘homophonic bigot’ part.” Deanna stated, even using her fingers to turn her ear more outward.
“I…” Leslie grit her jaw. “I apologize for my remarks to you… and pushing you…” her words seem to become harder and harder to say as she continued on. “And… for being a…” she looked more and more physically ill…
“If you can’t say it, Leslie.” Selena stated. “We can wait till after the charges and the hearing and when you’re in jail-“
“A homophobic bigot, alright?!” Leslie all but screamed it through the precinct. Hearing it, Selena took a few steps towards her, until she was standing over the vile woman.
“And you can never take that back.” She whispered coldly. “For the rest of your life, you’ll know that’s what you are.”
Leslie’s eyes narrowed at her. “You better get your house ready for me.” She whispered, only Selena hearing it. In response, Selena smiled before turning her back to Leslie. “No charges being filed here, guys. That mean we can go?”
Gable, for his part, merely gave a shrug. “Basically, yes.” He sighed. “Thanks for the fun afternoon.” He added with a chuckle.
Without a word, Selena walked past the officers and Leslie, letting them deal with the rest of the fallout. She heard several steps behind her as she reached the doors, pushing them open to step out into the warm, sunny New York weather. Turning around, she saw Deanna, Evette, and her students all standing there.
“Well…” Selena grinned, giving a shrug of her shoulders. “Anyone up for pizza?”
A loud jubilation of cheers came from the students was her answer. As they all got sorted out into the vehicles for transportation, Deanna, however, approached Selena, her face a mixture of relief, concern and uncertainty.
“Why didn’t you force her to cancel your wager as well?” she asked, earning a knowing smile from Selena.
“I didn’t have to.” Selena stated. “Like I told you, Deanna… I already know who’s going to win.”
************************************************************
PS 290 The Manhattan New School
Manhattan, New York
July 26th, 2024
The Day of Competition
1:23pm
Selena watched the number of parents watching from one side of the field while the students, along with the adults assigned to watch them (including the teachers) prepared for each event. The afternoon competition had been a close one at that.
Leslie – despite the setback of her plan – had brought her team in full force. For a moment, Selena eyed her own students, watching them talk or warm up or wish each other well as they wore the shirts Selena had had made for them. Leslie kept calling them cheaters… she thought, taking in the image of ‘The Manhattan Cheetahs’ on each shirt, a ferocious looking cheetah head serving as the logo. The kids had loved them, the team-name seemingly bringing them more so together.
If nothing else, Selena was beyond proud of all of them. They all had worked hard and it was showing. The events were always close throughout the competition, each student – thanks to Selena’s class – finding what they were best at! The result? A tied competition with only one event left: the relay race!
“Alright, kids, everyone here!” Selena called out, dressed her black leggings, but this time, she, too, wore a ‘Cheetahs’ shirt and matching hat, with her braid hanging under it and against her back. The kids were in front of her in seconds.
“Last one of the day, huh?” she smiled. “And look at what you’ve done! You feeling proud?”
“We should have won that last event.” Blazer remarked. “Can’t believe I missed that shot!”
“Blazer…” Selena smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder. “It could have happened to anyone.” She eyed every student, including her son. “You guys… you don’t understand how far you’ve come. You heard what they called you. Yet, here you are, holding your own against supposed ‘betters’. Why? Because you believed in yourselves. Because you believed you could do amazing, great things. And seeing you all there in that precinct a few days ago, I…” she reached up to swipe at her eyes, the emotion hitting her like a ton of bricks. “I have never been prouder and more grateful to all of you. You have shown every person that said you weren’t worth a second chance wrong. You showed everyone that you’re more than ‘cheaters’… You’re Cheetahs!”
A laugh came from the kids at the obvious ‘Mom joke’.
“Now? Win or lose, you’re going to show them how much you deserve to be here, in the same grades as them. How much you deserve the chance at an incredible future, because every one of you are incredible!”
The kids hollered their agreement, swept up in the emotion of Selena’s words. “Alright!” she called out. “Hands in!” all ten kids joined Selena’s outstretched hand. “Cheet to win on three! 1…2…3!”
“CHEET TO WIN!” the kids hollered – loving the secret catchphrase Selena had made. More than a little dig at Leslie Sanderson, who eyed them, with disdain as she heard their ‘chant’. As the kids ran to get in their spots for the relay, Selena turned her head to see David, her son standing in place, his head down.
“David?” she asked, moving closer and kneeling down to gaze at her son.
“Mom…” he bit his lower lip. “Are we really going to lose the house if we lose?”
Selena’s eyes went wide. “Where did you hear that?”
“I heard Mrs. Sanderson say it…” he admitted. “She told me after the high-jump event.”
Of course she did… Selena thought angrily. Trying to sike out my boy.
“I don’t…” David tried. “I don’t want to lose our home.”
“You won’t.” Selena assured him. “Mrs. Sanderson is just messing with you. She’s not getting our house.”
“Really?”
“I promise.” Selena nodded.
“But…” David bit his lower lip. “What if they cheat? Should…” he looked around, almost timidly. “What if I do something to help us win? You know…” he lowered his voice. “The ends justifying the means?”
It took a moment for Selena to process what her son was saying, causing the Snow Queen to sigh sadly. “David…” she spoke reaching out to wrap her arms around him in a hug. “I’m sorry.”
Slowly, she released him, but kept her hands on his shoulders affectionately. “I was wrong to tell you that. Look at all that’s happened because of it.”
David looked up to her with big, sad eyes. “But if it’s the right thing…”
“But it’s not, David.” Selena shook her head. “It may seem like the right thing to do, but think about what else it will do. You denied yourself a chance to write a real good story, didn’t you? Something you could be proud of. Did you not feel guilty when you read it? Or when I praised you for it?”
“I…” slowly, the boy nodded his head. “Yes.”
“And think about your teammates. How will they feel if they only win because you cheated?”
He thought about it for a second before, glumly, answering. “Probably the same way.”
Selena awarded her son with a nod. “I know you want to win. But sometimes… it’s just not about that. And I rather see you lose honestly with the integrity I know you have, then win by cheating.”
“But you…don’t you do it?” he asked, his concern for his team and family so strong, it almost made Selena tear-up.
With a sigh, she heard his question. Using that mentality of the ends justifying the means…
To smash Kandis and Scott with a title…
To eliminate them and Polly from the royale…
To get a cheap shot on Josh Hudson so she could stand over him…
“I do.” Selena nodded. “But that’s why I don’t want you to. Because I want you to be better than me! I see it. In you, in your sisters-“ she looked towards the other students. “In all of them. You all have what it takes to me so much better than me…” she returned her gaze to her son. “Especially you, my prince.”
“Really?” he asked, his little eyes welling up with tears.
Leaning forward, Selena gently kissed the boy’s forehead. “No matter what.” She whispered. “Long as you do your best and stay honest and true, I’ll be proud of you. I promise…”
“DAVID! Come on!” Called Sara, the girl rushing over to where the mother and son were to grab the boy’s hand. “We’re gonna start!”
“Yeah…” David smiled, offering his mother one last glance before running off, shouting ‘CHEET TO WIN!’ as loud as he could, earning a return chant from his teammates.
Watching them go, Selena slowly stood up to her full height. She saw the kids all getting into position for the relay, she saw Leslie shouting… something to her son, Willy… she saw Evette Harris, watching it all with baited breath with the other adults.
And lastly… she saw Deanna, the redhead gazing at her for a moment before turning her attention towards the first two combatants: Mara and – she was sure the boy’s name was Colt. The adult officiating slowly lifted up his hand, the starter pistol in it and fired it off, Selena seeing the smoke before she heard the bang! Immediately, Colt and Mara were off and the relay was on…
But Selena was already turning around and quietly leaving through the opening in the gated fence near her. She could hear them screaming and cheering each other on as she made her way out of sight from the school and down towards the parking space where she had left her Aston Martin DB12, the smile never fading her face.
She would always be proud of her students. Proud of her son – proud of her cheetahs. But this competition was for them… not for her. Their accomplishment, not hers. They… Soon, they wouldn’t need her anymore.
Besides… she knew as she got into her car… She didn’t have to see the end. As she had said from the very beginning…
She already knew who was going to win…
______________________________________________________________
Villain of the Year
”The School of Frost: Part 3 – A Race to the Finish”
New York Police Department
New York City, New York
July 22nd, 2024
1:39pm
“ASSAULT AND BATTERY?!”
Selena threw her head up after hearing that for the umpteenth time as she paced within the holding cell. She was still in her leggings, running shoes and maroon t-shirt from this morning, not really having time to change her clothes in-between teaching her class, having that race, and then being arrested and dragged off to the nearest Police Department. It had sort of happened all so fast.
“Selena!” the voice came from the speaker again, causing Selena to turn around to see the thick glass window in front of her. She could see several police officers, men and women all in uniforms, walking around the precinct, busy with their own tasks. But taking up the majority of the view, as she stood just off center of the window, was Deanna.
The last person I wanted to see me like this… she thought to herself, slowing stepping forward towards the glass.
“What were you thinking?!” Deanna asked, her eyes wild with concern and panic.
“I wasn’t.” Selena answered, keeping her answers as simple as she could. The last thing she wanted to do was further incriminate herself.
Her soon-to-be-ex-wife had burst onto the scene no more than half an hour after Selena had been processed and placed within the holding cell. There wasn’t anyone else in there with the platinum-blonde at the moment, which Selena was rather relieved for. She watched the redhead lean a little closer to the ‘speaker’ in the wall on Deanna’s side, allowing her to talk.
“That’s it?” she asked in disbelief. “Selena… She’s pressing charges!”
With a gesture of her free hand, Deanna pointed to the far off corner of the room, where Leslie Sanderson, complete with an ice pack pressed up against her temple, was standing, seemingly hysterical if her arm movements were any indication. Selena could even imagine the tone of voice the woman was using. Probably demanding them to ‘put her in jail FOREVER!’. She scoffed at the idea, though still more out of shame for herself than the pathetic nature of her past neighbour.
“A simple assault…” Selena shrugged. “I’m looking at a slap on the wrist at best.”
Deanna did not seem to find that as relieving as Selena, the shorter Frost shaking her head. “That’s not what she’s saying.” She explained. “She’s claiming severe injury. Vision impairment. Just racking up the injuries you supposedly gave her. It’s aggravated assault.”
Sapphire eyes went wide. “Are you-“ she almost yelled, using all she could to reign in her emotions. “It was just one punch.” She stated simply. She had already confessed as much to the officers but nothing else. She wasn’t going to lie about what she did. Especially when she barely remembered it. One minute, she had been standing there with Ms. Harris and Leslie, the latter spatting insults and threats to both of them. Then she had starting shoving Evette, and then… that was all Selena could remember in the moment. The next thing she recalled was standing over Leslie, shaking her right hand and seeing Leslie on the ground, a look of shock, tears, and terror on her face as she gazed up at the Snow Queen.
What I wouldn’t give to see that look on Hudson’s face… she thought, wanting so badly to have a moment of pleasant emotion, but the desire only gave way to more panic. How was she going to explain this? How was she going to tell CHBK or SCW management what had happened? Sure, they couldn’t hold her here for long – least till there was a hearing or whatever, but if word got out? To SCW? To anyone?
Her jaw clenched at the thought. CHBK wouldn’t hesitate. He’s enforce penalty on Selena in a second! It didn’t matter that it had nothing to do with him or SCW. She could just see him weaving a tale like Leslie currently was – telling management how Selena ‘represented SCW as the world champion’ and that there needed to be ‘zero tolerance’ and ‘SCW must do damage-control by not keeping an assailant in their employ’. Ignoring the fucking fact that KANDIS assaulted me multiple times, AND officials AND crew/management and got NOTHING for it! she hotly bit back. Gods, she wanted to kick that damn icon in the end so badly! Despite all she had done for the world championship and for his career as the boss of SCW, CHBK had done nothing but get in Selena’s way from the get-go, throwing her into ‘punishment matches’ like that fatal-fourway and then a cage match with a woman she already beat. All the while pretending he had nothing to do with Selena’s clauses and contract obligations. Who agreed to them?! she thought, her frustrations still growing.
The icon… Kandis… Mr. D.. Selena held all three of them accountable for the disgraceful stain that had been Rise to Greatness last year. Dracheywch for making the decision to make CHBK the official over the honorable Aaron Demtria, CHBK for the disgraceful job he did during the match, and Kandis for… well, all Kandis shit. Returning and regaining the world championship in less than a month had been the sweetest revenge for her… for a first step. From there, she had done all she could to make those three and all of SCW regret how they had treated their ‘Face of SCW’ and the integrity of the world title/SCW.
Making them – including CHBK – to bow to her demands in her contract.
Defeating Kandis at Retribution and getting her suspended for telling her to get out of HER ring!
Retaining the championship challenger after challenger – challenging as they all were and any one of them, honestly, could have been world champion – except Kandis.
Eliminating Kandis, Kristen Scott, and Polly from the royale and ensuring a new challenger – and only Selena herself being the one returning to the main-event.
Beating all three of them again in the fatal-fourway and throwing CHBK’s ‘punishment’ back in his face!
Every step and victory Selena had made since her return… had served one inevitable purpose. Rise to Greatness. To get back to the main-event, the place those THREE – Mr. D, CHBK, and Kandis – had worked so hard to screw her out and keep her out of, simply because, as Mr. D had said “SCW was changing”…
I was so close… she angrily thought. I was so close!
The endgame was in her sights. Beating Josh Hudson? She could do that. It didn’t matter what tricks he had up his sleeve or how much ‘momentum’ he had from following the same path as Allocco and Kandis… winning the main-event was the only outcome Selena would tolerate. That was the final step. The last, and greatest, revenge against all of SCW for what they did to her, their ‘Face’…
And yet… you’ve risked throwing it all away… came the cold and angry voice of her devil-voice in her mind.
The thought was a sobering one, removing all positive emotion and replacing it with the familiar frustration, causing Selena to uncaringly lower her head against the glass, resting her forehead against it for a second. “I don’t know what happened.” Selena admitted quietly, quite sure Deanna could hear her. “I don’t remember.”
“Did…” Deanna’s voice trailed off, immediately getting the platinum-blonde’s attention as she lifted her head again. “Were you…” the redhead looked around nervously, trying not to draw attention to herself as she slowly moved her hands in a sort of ‘fidgety-pattern’. The first hand dropped to an upside down ‘C’ and then her hands swayed around, seemingly unrelated into some sort of ‘X’ shape. It was only because Selena was so close to Deanna that she could recognized the repeated pattern and was able to put it together.
Hand gesture 1: N
Hand gesture 2: X
Deanna was asking her if she had taken NX, the question causing Selena’s eyes to widen in alarm. She hadn’t been drug-tested yet but if she was… Slowly, her body trembling, the world champion slowly nodded her head, earning a groan and closed-eye look of exasperation from Deanna. “Why?” she slowly spoke.
“I don’t remember.” Selena sighed.
“Selena-“
“I’m telling the truth!” she implored. “You think I want to be here? Risking everything?” The question was enough to silence Deanna, allowing Selena to continue speaking. “David, the kids, SCW, RTG, YOU!”
She hadn’t meant to let the last one out, her whole body going stiff as she saw Deanna catch it, emerald eyes narrowing at the Snow Queen. “What about me?”
Caught and knowing it, Selena slowly sighed. “I thought…I thought…” she hesitated. “I thought that if I solved the problem I made with David, on my own… and if I helped the other kids pass so they could stay in their grades…. That maybe you’d be happy with me and you’d maybe…” she sighed, ashamed of how childish and stupid she sounded – a far cry from the confident woman standing over Josh Hudson last Breakdown. “Maybe you’d forgive me about Jessica and…and…” she awkwardly waved a hand, as if that explained the rest. “Give us another try.”
Deanna said nothing in that moment, merely keeping her eyes on the woman that had been her wife for nearly nine years. The platinum-blonde could see the confusion in her eyes, the shorter woman unsure of what to say. Her choice of words, however, knocked the wind out of the Snow Queen.
“And was that plan before or after you wagered our house?”
The world was suddenly spinning, Selena’s throat felt dry, no words would come out. Had it not been for how clear that accusation was, she would have tried to misconstrue it. To pretend it was something that it wasn’t. But there was no way out of this.
“Evette told me.” Deanna explained coldly, further cementing Selena’s dread. The redhead had already explained how she had found Selena when her students and Ms. Harris had showed up at their ‘Forever Home’ – the home Selena had put on the line – scared and desperate to help their teacher/friend. “I was actually touched that they cared so much for you… until she told me that.” Deanna added.
“I…” Selena tried before her eyes darted over Deanna’s shoulder towards Leslie, who was still re-enacting the event that was imprisoning Selena. Though she’s probably got them now thinking that I was breathing fire and spinning a pitchfork! Exhaling her breath, the woman simply shook her head. “What’s the point in explaining it?” she asked, eyeing Deanna. “You wouldn’t believe me if I said I had a plan.”
“What?” Deanna asked. “That your kids win?”
Opening her mouth to speak, Selena slowly closed it for a second. “Is it wrong to think that they’re that good? Why does ‘winning’ have to be a ‘bad plan’ when you know who’s going to win?”
“But you DON’T know who’s going to win, Selena!” Deanna argued. “You can believe and believe but you will never KNOW for sure!”
“I do know!” Selena countered. “I know exactly who is going to win!”
“Why?” Deanna scoffed. “Because you’re ‘the great Selena Frost’? That you winning is the only outcome that exists now? Never a chance that someone could outsmart you? Outcompete you? Outlast you?” she shook her head. “You’ve done all you can to make the very idea of losing impossible for you… but it’s STILL possible! No matter how many rules you bend or how many safeguards you put up! Nothing is ever definite!” she breathed, needing a few quick breaths to calm her racing heart. Instead of talking, Selena turned her back on the United States Champion and walked further away from the glass, the world champion effectively ending the conversation, or so she thought. “And now, you’re risking our home – our children’s home.”
“It’s not MY home…” Selena replied simply, keeping her back to Deanna, her tone deathly calm. “Never was.”
“How can you say that?” Deanna asked in disbelief, her voice shaking. “Because you don’t live there anymore? That it?”
Before Deanna could get an answer, the doors to the room were pushed open and in walked Ms. Harris. She managed to grab the attention of a few officers, but Evette paid them no attention until an officer approached her to speak to her.
“Evette is here.” Deanna spoke into the speaker, effectively getting Selena to turn around and see the woman through the glass. She could not hear anything or do anything. Only watch as Evette spoke to the officer, despite Leslie pointing and screaming something at her. To Selena’s surprise, it was Leslie that was guided away by the officer, probably to make a statement or something. Evette, meanwhile, gestured towards Selena, saying a few words before the officer in the discussion nodded his head.
Effectively, he walked past Deanna to the side where the door was. Unlocking it with the passcode, the tall, thin, balding man opened the door, eyeing Selena as he did. “Your lawyer’s here, Mrs. Frost.” He acknowledged.
“Excuse me…” Harris corrected. “Legal counsel. Just want to make that clear.”
The officer rolled his eyes at that before gesturing towards a door down the hall. “We have a room for a private consultation.” He added, allowing Selena to walk out of the holding cell, her eyes falling on Evette before moving to Deanna. “Is she able to come with me? I’ll waive client-counsel privacy for her if I have to.” Selena asked. “She’s my counse-“
“I’m her wife.” Deanna stated firmly, catching Selena and Evette off-guard.
The officer, whose nametag read “Gable” simply rolled his eyes again – the man clearly not wanting anything today with his work today. “Fine.” He nodded, moving over to the other door and opening it. “Come out when you’re finished.”
All three women walked into the small room, comprised only of a table and a few chairs. “Cozy.” Selena remarked as she moved further into the room, turning around to see Evette standing there. Deanna moved in and closed the door behind her, but refused to fully look at Selena. Not surprising after what I said…
“Evette…” Selena went to speak but Deanna cut her off.
“Selena doesn’t remember what happened.” The redhead explained sharply. “We need your testimony to counter Leslie’s.”
Turning to Selena, Evette’s eyes widened. “You don’t remember?”
Selena could only shrug her shoulders. “All I saw was red. Next thing I knew, I was standing over Leslie.”
“And endangering everyone…” Deanna stated coldly, earning a glare from Selena… but not as cold as the one Evette threw at her.
“Is that what you think?” she asked. “That Selena just got mad and punched someone?”
Turning her attention to the real teacher, Deanna exhaled her frustration in a long breath. “What else am I supposed to think? No one is telling me anything – and I don’t want to believe Leslie out there!”
“Leslie is what happened!” Harris stated with sigh. “It’s… it’s my fault.”
“How?” Deanna asked in surprise. “How is it your fault?”
“Because I let Leslie control me on the board for a very long time.” She turned her attention to Selena. “You remember I told you today that she had something on me?”
Selena nodded. “She said something about Warlow being your mother?”
Evette nodded. “Few people really know that. I took my father’s last name over hers. And…” she admitted. “I didn’t want to bank off of mother’s last name.”
“Can relate to that at least.” Deanna remarked.
“But that doesn’t make sense.” Selena observed. “So what if people found out? Sure, it would hurt a little, but not the extent of…”
“You really don’t remember, do you?” Harris smiled sadly. “Selena… Leslie found out that I was gay.”
The Snow Queen’s eyes went wide, as if a floodgate had been opened. In that moment, she recalled everything. “She… she blamed us both for infecting the children…” she recalled. “She promised to get us fired.”
“The idea of a principal of a school having gay children.” Evette shrugged. “Not illegal but definitely going to ruffle a lot of families on the board the wrong way – look at how bent out of shape they got over a summer school program. Once Leslie found that out – try as I did to hide it – she kept pushing, threatening to tell everyone…”
Though she nodded, Selena wasn’t fully listening, her mind still reeling from its memory recalling. “She pushed you… then she…” Sapphire eyes went wide as the last piece of the puzzle slipped into place, the Snow Queen’s head jerked up. “She called you a…”
“A dyke.” Evette winced as she said it. “And then she slapped me once more and that was when Selena punched her to the ground.”
It all was clear to Selena now. She didn’t know what had possessed her. She had been called such things before, thrown out of establishments because of her sexual-identity, and while she had acted out against it… to snap like that? But it had happened. Seeing Evette pushed and bullied like that – like she had been in Nome for being ‘the crazy miner’s daughter’ – treated like a second-class citizen… for Sophia and Mara to be seen as ‘diseased’ – mere children – simply over a puppy-love crush? To be so hated when they had done nothing wrong…
She could feel her blood boiling simply by recalling it and forced herself to calm down. Deanna, meanwhile, had adopted a rather guilty expression before turning her attention to Evette. “You need to tell them what happened.”
“It’s Leslie’s word against mine.” Evette sighed. “I’d do it in an instant if it would make any difference.”
“No.” Selena stated, turning to regard both women. “You do that and your secret is out the window. Everyone will know.”
“Selena-“ Deanna tried but the Snow Queen held up her hand.
“It’s not the same with us, Deanna, and you know it.” She explained. “We don’t care who knows, but she’s thinking about her mother, her students, the job she loves – it’s not as easy as it is in SCW.”
“That’s…” Deanna tried but sighed in defeat. “That’s true.”
“Then what do we do?” Evette asked, concern etched into her features.
“I’ll… I’ll take the hit.” Selena surrendered. “I’ll explain my side of the story – we’ll do whatever we can to show Leslie is a bigot but, in the end, it’s our words against hers. Besides… a first-time misdemeanour? Not matter how much she embellishes it, any doctor will show there’s no true injury beyond a bruise. I’ll pay a fine. That’s it.”
“What about SCW?” Deanna asked, earning a non-plussed ‘Pfffftt’ sound from Selena – the Snow Queen trying her best not to look worried about it.
“By the time they get wind of it, RTG will be done. I’ll deal with it then but I highly doubt they’ll punish their world champion over a rumor, especially if I make it out to be the hate-crime that it is. SCW firing a victim of a hate-crime? Are you kidding?”
It was a weak plan at best, but it was all Selena could put together. She knew what it was like to ‘come out’ and if Evette wasn’t ready for that, then Selena refused to be the one to put her through that. Truthfully, she was certain she had thrown away her fourth Unbelievable Main-Event with that punch… and yet… the guilt was no longer there. She no longer regretted it. She’d do it again if she had to…
“There has to be another way.” Deanna stated, almost desperately. “Selena, she may… she may push for jail time for you.”
“Then I’ll have to ask you for some tips on how to survive in it.” Selena sighed before moving past both women. “It’s the only option we have at this point.” She admitted.
“No!” quickly, she felt Deanna grab her hand, stopping her from reaching the exit door. “Stop trying to do something to impress me!”
Turning around, Selena gave a sad smile to Deanna. “Deanna… it has to be me.” She stated. “Not for you, but for the kids – including our son. If I don’t, Leslie will run with it and it’ll be easy to close the summer program. And that’s just for starters.” She sighed. “I did that. You and the kids had nothing to do with it. I’ll accept the consequences.”
With a bit of effort, Selena managed to pull her hand out of Deanna’s, the redhead frozen in place emotionally as Selena opened the door to accept her fate-
Only to see ten kids yelling and pointing at the officers and at Leslie, the uniformed policemen doing all they could to maintain order.
“What the-“ Selena barely managed to mouth out as she moved further into the room. The kids, even her son, were shouting something but it was all a loud mess. And me without my whistle… she thought before quickly putting her fingers in her mouth and whistling a high-pitched sound that rang through the space. Immediately, everyone turned their attention towards her.
“Classroom etiquette children!” She yelled, not caring that she was still a detainee in a police-station. Immediately, all ten children, even Frog and Blazer, rushed over to her side, forming a group in a small clump. “Good. Now, what are you all doing here?”
Immediately, David held up a phone – not his, Selena recognized. “Garrett recorded what happened!” he exclaimed!
In that moment, it was like the wind had been knocked out of Selena, the disbelief radiating off her in waves. Immediately searching, while simultaneously taking the phone from David, Selena found the curly-haired boy. “Garrett?” she asked. “Is that true?”
Shyly, the boy nodded before carefully taking the phone from his teacher, unlocking it and flicking it over to a video file. “I was filming a frog on the concrete when I heard you shouting.”
As he narrated, Selena watched the video play before her. True to Garrett’s word, it started with a frog jumping on the concrete that Selena recognized as the school playground (well, part of it) before jerking up to reveal Leslie, Evette and Selena standing by the school doors, with Leslie yelling and screaming at her.
“You call THAT normal?! You bring that filth! That abomination into our school?!” video-Lesliescoffed. “Of course you do! Look who I’m talking to! I don’t care who your mother is, Evette!” there it was, the first shove. “I will see you fired!” There was the second push. “Charged!” And the third. “And never allowed to teach again! Both of you…“ she seemed to grow angrier and angrier with each passing word. “Out of my city-“ she eyed Selena. “And out of my town! You-“ she spat at Selena. “Your wife and this dyke of a teacher!”
WHAM!
Selena almost gasped when she saw herself punch Leslie as hard as she did. Not meaning to brag, but holy hell it was a good shot! Video-Leslie fell like a ton of bricks, but that was drowned out by Garrett, in the video, yelling “Holy cow! Holy cow! Holy cow!” and seemingly rushing towards the trio of women. The shot lingered on all three, including the fallen form of Leslie and Selena standing over her, looking down on Sanderson, before ending.
Again, Selena was dumbstruck, only moving when she heard the gasp come from both Evette and Deanna behind her. Slowly, carefully, she had the phone sent the video to her, Deanna and Evette via the Police Department’s wifi. That done and the video backed up, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Garrett…” she settled on saying, lowering down to give the boy the biggest of hugs, surprising him. “Thank you.” She whispered. “You just saved me, I think.”
“I did?” the boy asked in disbelief.
“I think so.” Selena nodded. “Can I borrow this?”
“Y-yes!” he stammered.
Reaching up to ruffle the boy’s hair with her hand, Selena carefully worked her way around the crowd of children, moving towards the officer that had seen her come out and was approaching her, Gable was his name, Selena remembered.
“Hi. Ummm…” she tried to sound non-threatening. “Before you put me back in the holding cell there, I need to show you this.” Carefully, she played the video for the officer, walking him through who was who. “And there’s the push, and afraid she was going to get violent…” the film showed the punch. “There you go. One punch to defend us from a racist. Self-defense.”
Looking at the video carefully, Gable turned his attention back over to Selena before calling out to the officer at the other end of the room. “Hey, Mavis! Come here! And bring Mrs. Sanderson!”
Obeying, the female officer instructed Leslie, who was still filling out the form for filing a charge against Selena. Upon seeing where she was going, however, Leslie swooned the most overdramatic voice Selena had heard. “Oh no, please! Not near her again! She’ll hit me again! The monster!”
“Uh-huh. Mavis, I think you need to see this.” Gable remarked, moving over to the shorter officer and holding Garrett’s phone. The two seemed to watch the video for about a minute – though it felt like an eternity to Selena – before turning their attention to the still swooning – and possibly pretending to ‘nearly faint’ Leslie.
“Mrs. Sanderson…” Mavis remarked, holding out the phone towards her. “This you?” she asked knowingly. “Looks like it, wearing the same clothes as you are now.”
“Why, yes!” Leslie stated. “Is that a video? Thank goodness! One of my kids must have been filming the event. Evidence to put that wretched woman behind bars for years!”
“Yeah…” Mavis nodded before pressing the play button, showing the entire conversation that triggered Selena. Slowly, Leslie’s face seemed to change from smugness, to confusion, then concern, and then, finally, knowing terror. “Doesn’t look like an unprovoked attack, Mrs. Leslie. What I see is you harassing two women, using a homophobic slur and hate speech and then physical assaulting said women…”
“Wh…what?” Leslie asked, her eyes going wide. “How is that- no! That’s not what happened!”
“It’s on the video, Mrs. Sanderson. You’re going to tell me the video is lying?”
“Maybe it was edited! Yes! I never said anything like that!”
“I can literally see you speaking it on the video.” Mavis countered.
“What kind of officer are you?!” Leslie finally roared in her highest pitch. “I am the victim here! I am the one who was assaulted! Why am I being treated like a criminal?!”
“Because, in this case, you are.” Gable added. “And now we’re dealing with a hate crime resulting in assault. So… I should tell you that you have the right to remain-“
“NO!” Leslie shook her head. “You can’t do this! I can’t go to jail for standing up for my community!”
“You can if Mrs. Frost or Ms. Harris decide to press charges… like you just were.” Gable stated, eyeing Selena, who had not moved from her spot.
Immediately, Leslie’s eyes found Selena – a burning hatred that was more than obvious to the Snow Queen. However, the poofy-haired bigot hid it with a large smile. “Oh, Seleeena…” she tried making her voice sound sweet. “I had you going there, didn’t I? Just trying to motivate you to be a better teacher for your son and those chea- those students. Now, I think things went a little overboard, but you know I didn’t mean any of it, right?”
Selena’s jaw clenched. With every fiber of her being wanting to punch her in the face again. This time, however, she did not see read. Instead, she saw Deanna and Evette standing behind her.
“I’ll tell you what, Leslie.” Selena spoke slowly, coldly. “I’ll not press any charges on you. We can just let this whole thing pass… if…” she eyed both Deanna and Evette. “I want you to apologize to them and to me. A nice full apology for being a homophobic bigot.”
Leslie’s eyes went wide. Never, as long as Selena had known her, had she ever admitted to such a thing. Her jaw clenched and her eyes burned. It was all so satisfying to Selena – almost as good as all the times she had one-upped Kandis, getting her suspended and eliminated in the royale and beaten the fatal-fourway. All those times, that look of pure hatred and yet… knowing she had lost and Selena had won.
Like you knew you would… her devil-voice remarked as Selena watched Leslie tense more and more before releasing a long breath.
“Selena…Deanna… Evette.” She started. “I am sorry for the way I treated you. That, in my desire to make my community better for me and my child, I made bad decision regarding you three.”
“Still waiting on the ‘homophonic bigot’ part.” Deanna stated, even using her fingers to turn her ear more outward.
“I…” Leslie grit her jaw. “I apologize for my remarks to you… and pushing you…” her words seem to become harder and harder to say as she continued on. “And… for being a…” she looked more and more physically ill…
“If you can’t say it, Leslie.” Selena stated. “We can wait till after the charges and the hearing and when you’re in jail-“
“A homophobic bigot, alright?!” Leslie all but screamed it through the precinct. Hearing it, Selena took a few steps towards her, until she was standing over the vile woman.
“And you can never take that back.” She whispered coldly. “For the rest of your life, you’ll know that’s what you are.”
Leslie’s eyes narrowed at her. “You better get your house ready for me.” She whispered, only Selena hearing it. In response, Selena smiled before turning her back to Leslie. “No charges being filed here, guys. That mean we can go?”
Gable, for his part, merely gave a shrug. “Basically, yes.” He sighed. “Thanks for the fun afternoon.” He added with a chuckle.
Without a word, Selena walked past the officers and Leslie, letting them deal with the rest of the fallout. She heard several steps behind her as she reached the doors, pushing them open to step out into the warm, sunny New York weather. Turning around, she saw Deanna, Evette, and her students all standing there.
“Well…” Selena grinned, giving a shrug of her shoulders. “Anyone up for pizza?”
A loud jubilation of cheers came from the students was her answer. As they all got sorted out into the vehicles for transportation, Deanna, however, approached Selena, her face a mixture of relief, concern and uncertainty.
“Why didn’t you force her to cancel your wager as well?” she asked, earning a knowing smile from Selena.
“I didn’t have to.” Selena stated. “Like I told you, Deanna… I already know who’s going to win.”
************************************************************
PS 290 The Manhattan New School
Manhattan, New York
July 26th, 2024
The Day of Competition
1:23pm
Selena watched the number of parents watching from one side of the field while the students, along with the adults assigned to watch them (including the teachers) prepared for each event. The afternoon competition had been a close one at that.
Leslie – despite the setback of her plan – had brought her team in full force. For a moment, Selena eyed her own students, watching them talk or warm up or wish each other well as they wore the shirts Selena had had made for them. Leslie kept calling them cheaters… she thought, taking in the image of ‘The Manhattan Cheetahs’ on each shirt, a ferocious looking cheetah head serving as the logo. The kids had loved them, the team-name seemingly bringing them more so together.
If nothing else, Selena was beyond proud of all of them. They all had worked hard and it was showing. The events were always close throughout the competition, each student – thanks to Selena’s class – finding what they were best at! The result? A tied competition with only one event left: the relay race!
“Alright, kids, everyone here!” Selena called out, dressed her black leggings, but this time, she, too, wore a ‘Cheetahs’ shirt and matching hat, with her braid hanging under it and against her back. The kids were in front of her in seconds.
“Last one of the day, huh?” she smiled. “And look at what you’ve done! You feeling proud?”
“We should have won that last event.” Blazer remarked. “Can’t believe I missed that shot!”
“Blazer…” Selena smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder. “It could have happened to anyone.” She eyed every student, including her son. “You guys… you don’t understand how far you’ve come. You heard what they called you. Yet, here you are, holding your own against supposed ‘betters’. Why? Because you believed in yourselves. Because you believed you could do amazing, great things. And seeing you all there in that precinct a few days ago, I…” she reached up to swipe at her eyes, the emotion hitting her like a ton of bricks. “I have never been prouder and more grateful to all of you. You have shown every person that said you weren’t worth a second chance wrong. You showed everyone that you’re more than ‘cheaters’… You’re Cheetahs!”
A laugh came from the kids at the obvious ‘Mom joke’.
“Now? Win or lose, you’re going to show them how much you deserve to be here, in the same grades as them. How much you deserve the chance at an incredible future, because every one of you are incredible!”
The kids hollered their agreement, swept up in the emotion of Selena’s words. “Alright!” she called out. “Hands in!” all ten kids joined Selena’s outstretched hand. “Cheet to win on three! 1…2…3!”
“CHEET TO WIN!” the kids hollered – loving the secret catchphrase Selena had made. More than a little dig at Leslie Sanderson, who eyed them, with disdain as she heard their ‘chant’. As the kids ran to get in their spots for the relay, Selena turned her head to see David, her son standing in place, his head down.
“David?” she asked, moving closer and kneeling down to gaze at her son.
“Mom…” he bit his lower lip. “Are we really going to lose the house if we lose?”
Selena’s eyes went wide. “Where did you hear that?”
“I heard Mrs. Sanderson say it…” he admitted. “She told me after the high-jump event.”
Of course she did… Selena thought angrily. Trying to sike out my boy.
“I don’t…” David tried. “I don’t want to lose our home.”
“You won’t.” Selena assured him. “Mrs. Sanderson is just messing with you. She’s not getting our house.”
“Really?”
“I promise.” Selena nodded.
“But…” David bit his lower lip. “What if they cheat? Should…” he looked around, almost timidly. “What if I do something to help us win? You know…” he lowered his voice. “The ends justifying the means?”
It took a moment for Selena to process what her son was saying, causing the Snow Queen to sigh sadly. “David…” she spoke reaching out to wrap her arms around him in a hug. “I’m sorry.”
Slowly, she released him, but kept her hands on his shoulders affectionately. “I was wrong to tell you that. Look at all that’s happened because of it.”
David looked up to her with big, sad eyes. “But if it’s the right thing…”
“But it’s not, David.” Selena shook her head. “It may seem like the right thing to do, but think about what else it will do. You denied yourself a chance to write a real good story, didn’t you? Something you could be proud of. Did you not feel guilty when you read it? Or when I praised you for it?”
“I…” slowly, the boy nodded his head. “Yes.”
“And think about your teammates. How will they feel if they only win because you cheated?”
He thought about it for a second before, glumly, answering. “Probably the same way.”
Selena awarded her son with a nod. “I know you want to win. But sometimes… it’s just not about that. And I rather see you lose honestly with the integrity I know you have, then win by cheating.”
“But you…don’t you do it?” he asked, his concern for his team and family so strong, it almost made Selena tear-up.
With a sigh, she heard his question. Using that mentality of the ends justifying the means…
To smash Kandis and Scott with a title…
To eliminate them and Polly from the royale…
To get a cheap shot on Josh Hudson so she could stand over him…
“I do.” Selena nodded. “But that’s why I don’t want you to. Because I want you to be better than me! I see it. In you, in your sisters-“ she looked towards the other students. “In all of them. You all have what it takes to me so much better than me…” she returned her gaze to her son. “Especially you, my prince.”
“Really?” he asked, his little eyes welling up with tears.
Leaning forward, Selena gently kissed the boy’s forehead. “No matter what.” She whispered. “Long as you do your best and stay honest and true, I’ll be proud of you. I promise…”
“DAVID! Come on!” Called Sara, the girl rushing over to where the mother and son were to grab the boy’s hand. “We’re gonna start!”
“Yeah…” David smiled, offering his mother one last glance before running off, shouting ‘CHEET TO WIN!’ as loud as he could, earning a return chant from his teammates.
Watching them go, Selena slowly stood up to her full height. She saw the kids all getting into position for the relay, she saw Leslie shouting… something to her son, Willy… she saw Evette Harris, watching it all with baited breath with the other adults.
And lastly… she saw Deanna, the redhead gazing at her for a moment before turning her attention towards the first two combatants: Mara and – she was sure the boy’s name was Colt. The adult officiating slowly lifted up his hand, the starter pistol in it and fired it off, Selena seeing the smoke before she heard the bang! Immediately, Colt and Mara were off and the relay was on…
But Selena was already turning around and quietly leaving through the opening in the gated fence near her. She could hear them screaming and cheering each other on as she made her way out of sight from the school and down towards the parking space where she had left her Aston Martin DB12, the smile never fading her face.
She would always be proud of her students. Proud of her son – proud of her cheetahs. But this competition was for them… not for her. Their accomplishment, not hers. They… Soon, they wouldn’t need her anymore.
Besides… she knew as she got into her car… She didn’t have to see the end. As she had said from the very beginning…
She already knew who was going to win…
______________________________________________________________
![[Image: hffOaUZ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/hffOaUZ.png)
SCW Supreme Champion
6x SCW World Champion
4x SCW World Tag-Team Champion
2x SCW United States Champion
3x SCW Adrenaline Champion
SCW Television Champion
Longest Reigning SCW World Champion (234 days)
Winner of Shot of Adrenaline Tournament (2016)
Winner of Best of the Best Tournament (2016)
Winner of Trios Tournament (2018)
Winner of U.S. Championship Tournament (2020)
Winner of World Championship Tournament (2023)
Winner of Tactical Warfare (2014, 2019)
Winner of Elimination Chamber (2015, 2024)
Winner of Roofed Cage Match (2019)
Winner of Last Person Standing Match (2019)
The Unbelievable Main Event (2021-2025)
Winner of Double Jeopardy Match (2022)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Winner of EOTY Invitational (2023)
Winner of Ironman Match (2024)
Wrestler of the Year (2016, 2021, 2022, 2024)
Tag-Team of the Year (2020 - w/ Regan Street)
Match of the Year (2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024)
Feud of the Year (2014, 2019)
Shocking Moment of the Year (2024)
![[Image: 34zetxl.png]](https://i.ibb.co/SnpvD5T/34zetxl.png)