The school day carried some sense of tension to it, and Nate could easily tell it was there as students tried to navigate their way through everything that related to the reveal plan that had been proposed and accepted. At the moment, Nate was sure that things had not swung to a point where a clear majority favored either side and that things hadn't escalated to fights because of the rules that were in place and the threatened consequences that had been there through the day. The one thing that had been a "positive" for them was the fact that it was quite possible that the after school activities would go on, and that was something that Nate found himself looking forward to. Thus he collected his backpack and other materials at the end of the day and prepared to make his way down toward the gym area to fit with the meeting that was set the rules for the Thanksgiving Football game.
As the metal latch on his locker clicked shut, he made his way toward the stairs that would lead him down to the lower level and then to the gym that was on that level. As he reached the stairs, he was soon joined by Alex and Ben, whom Nate thought were probably waiting for him. He managed an optimistic smile as he approached.
"Well... here's hoping that things go well," Nate commented, "and that the rules don't mean the end of the season..."
"I'm sure it won't," Ben answered, "a lot of people may be frustrated by the whole reveal thing... but a good many are going to be a bit like Stanly. Because those of us that are weres will have a greater level of strength and physical ability to compete in sports, Moon Lake doesn't participate in the state's leagues for things like football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, track, or wrestling... For there would be the risk that were students would set records that no one would expect a high school student to... One might be worth a few minutes of fame... but given the town's were population..."
"Having twenty people break records wouldn't work," Nate said slowly as they began to descend the stairs.
"But that doesn't mean that weres aren't competitive or desire some measure of action along those lines," Ben nodded, "thus things like the Thanksgiving Football game and our March Madness are big things. They're about the only time when we can have some athletic competition. The college does the same in supporting a big winter wrestling tournament in December... often for werelions and weretigers, but there will be other weres that participate in their "weight classes" too. So I don't think that you're going to see too many put politics over the chance to participate."
"Hopefully you're right," Nate said to Ben as the three of them reached the bottom of the stairs and then moved down the hall to one of the sets of doors that lead into the gym.
They came into the gym to find the stands fully extended. Normally these were out for things like graduation or other specialized events that would fit within the school's schedule, but with the present tension over the reveal, the coaches for the Thanksgiving Football Game needed to address the students that had come out for the team. Ben noted that the coaches were all gathered as the base of the steps and checking their watches as they and other students came in. For the moment there were plenty of other students arriving as they finished the last of their classes and then made their way to the gym. Ben lead Nate and Alex to one aisle and they went up a couple of levels and found a area where they had three open seats and they began to wait quietly together.
While waiting, a four female teachers came out leading a fairly decent number of female students. Supposedly the female students were to be the cheerleaders for either team that was selected for the game. There were a few whistles blown their way, but Nate ignored that. He largely sat on edge as the female teachers approached the coaches for the game and they shook hands. He noted some soft conversation between them, but it was just soft enough that Nate couldn't be sure what was said and that was despite the fact that the gym was still fairly quiet. After a few moments the "head coach" looked down to his watch and then cleared his throat to get the attention of everyone in the room. All eyes turned to him.
"All right everyone... we all know why we're here and why this meeting is going on," the head coach spoke, "yesterday afternoon... the entire faculty spent our after school hours going over and fine tuning the school policies that relate everything that's gone on regarding this reveal... and the issues that have come from it."
"And regardless of one's opinion on the reveal," the leading cheerleading coach picked up, "things like fighting over it is unacceptable. You're all high schoolers and should be able to address each other in a mature manner and deal with differences without going straight to fighting."
Nate nodded as he looked between the two respective "coaching staffs." He didn't know what classes all of them taught other than a few of them that he had classes with, but he didn't have classes with all of them, but they did seem in touch with one another and that the cheerleader coach picked up at exactly the right moment from the head coach for the football teams. It would have been like the two groups practiced this as well, though Nate figured it'd still be a message that was needed, given that he'd had to break up one fight to make sure Eric got home safely and then the next Monday another two students got into a fight before they could even enter the building.
"But this could mean the end of Moon Lake!" someone protested from the back of the stands, making Nate and Alex look back, along with a few others. They couldn't see who'd said it though.
"And that excuses deciding beat people up because of an opinion?" the head coach answered back, "everyone is free to feel whichever way they feel about the reveal. We are not here to change anyone's minds in that regard. But both the football teams... "predators" and "prey" and the cheerleading squads for the game are all students here. None of us have the full information on what will happen or even what the plan will be or when it will be released. If you wish to debate it in your free time, that is perfectly fine... but you will not be doing that on the field. There your focus needs to be on the game and working together. For you're going to find in many things in life you will end up living or working with people that won't always have the exact same ideas as you. That is what will make putting differences aside important."
With that one of the assistant coaches came forward, "and we will be giving everyone the chance to prove they can do that. Those that feel that this issue is too tough to be civil over or too distracting to keep you from focusing on practice and the game... then we would ask you to leave now. We do intend to play the game and would like everyone to be involved... but we aren't going to be letting these distractions go around."
The cheerleaders' head coach looked to the cheerleaders that were sitting on of the seats on the northern most side of the bleachers, "and that will go for everyone. If this reveal is so important that you feel you must fight over it... it would be best that you go elsewhere and let those that do wish to play and cheer focus on what they originally signed up to do."
"And we will monitor things closely," the head coach spoke in a clear voice, "and let me be clear on this... If anyone agrees to stay and ends up causing trouble, at practice, in school, or after practice... that student will only get ONE warning. After that, they will be off the team and they will have detention. And we WILL be paying attention. All of this is a school and a school program where we want EVERYONE to be safe and feel included. It doesn't matter if you're a were or not. It doesn't matter if your an upper classman or a lower classman. Everyone is to be accepted and welcomed, regardless of their opinions. If you disagree... keep it civil and off the field."
There were a few gasps that went through the crowd and Nate looked to Alex and Ben. Both sat calmly in their seats, and all three looked around while the coaches moved to step back for a moment. As they did so, the head coach then offered all students five minutes to think things over. Those who felt the reveal was too important were to leave during that time period. To Nate's surprise and relief, only a handful, about ten students actually stood up, walked down the aisles from the stands and left. Among those that left was Myles, the wereraccoon that had been fighting with a weredog from the other night over the weekend. To Nate's surprise the weredog that he'd been fighting, Joshua, stayed seated. After the five minutes, the head coach spoke up again.
"Okay... good to see that most of you were willing to stay and at least put your differences aside," the head coach spoke, "practice will be a bit shorter today... because of this meeting... but everyone should understand the rules. Now go get changed and get up to the field."
With that, Nate, Alex, and Ben got up and began to make their way down from the stands and to the locker room, where they were soon joined by Stanly.
"Good to see that most everyone is willing to put things aside and play," Stanly said proudly.
"Most people are," Ben spoke, "though... some of it may simply be their own panic... and the school being caught by surprise by how far... or how bad some took the reveal announcement. Now all there is... is to get things together."