Wow, guys! This story placed SECOND in the "Best Comedy" section for the 2018 Universal Reader's Choice Awards. What an honor! Thanks to whoever voted for me... I'd love to know y'all's fav parts of the story so far!

Enjoy.

"Alright! Everyone, circle up!" The coach in the center of the gym blew a whistle, and the students crowded around. "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Coach Griffin. Since today's the first day of school, we'll be doing something fun - dodgeball."

Mikey stood up and fist pumped. "YES!" he screeched, and the other students looked at him in shock. Coach Griffin glared, and Leo yanked him back down.

"Sorry," Leo called out. "He just gets really excited at the thought of pelting our brother." The class tittered, and Griffin looked like she wanted to roll her eyes.

"... Anyway. Our first unit, basketball, will start next week, so everyone needs to bring their change of gym clothes by then. Tomorrow we'll be assigning lockers and combinations."

As Griffin started droning on and on, Raph leaned in next to Mona. "Do you like dodgeball?"

"Dodgeball is the best!" she said.

"My brother's and I've never played," Raph confessed, and Mona's ponytail almost whipped him in the face with how fast she turned her head. "Homeschooled," he said as way of explanation.

"Right," she said. "How many brothers do you have? Besides Leo, I mean."

"Two more," Raph said, jerking a thumb in Donnie's and Mikey's directions. "Loud-mouth and nerd over there."

She snorted. "So you're the brawn?"

His chest puffed up. "You could say that."

A smirk spread across her face. "Then I can't wait to kick your tail," she said.

Raph blinked, surprised, and grinned back. "You're on!"

Griffin had made her way through the crowd to Raph and Mona. "You," she said, pointing at Mona. "On the left." She directed Raph to the right. Mona made a face and trotted over to her side. Raph joined his brothers on the other.

"Leave Mona to me," Raph whispered to his brothers. Mikey made kissing noises, and Leo rolled his eyes. She met his eyes from across the gym and smiled.

Griffin blew the whistle, finished rolling the balls on the center line of the gym. "Ready? Three, two, one... GO!" Everyone rushed forward to snag a ball. Mikey, trying to pick up every ball, was hit in the foot almost immediately.

"No fair!" he whined. "That wasn't very nice!"

Donnie laughed at him, distracted by the sight of pouting Mikey on the sidelines, and was hit in the thigh. Then there were two pouting Hamato's on the bleachers.

Slowly but surely, kids dwindled out. Leo and Raph were super excited, using their training to jump around avoid the balls flying out them. Unfortunately, someone on the other side caught one of Leo's balls, and so Leo trudged out, much to the disappointment of his team. Raph was alone, and a few people on the opposite team just left because he was so big.

Soon enough it was just Raph and Mona.

She had a playful grin on her face. "You gonna get me out?" she yelled.

"Unless you get me out first!" he yelled back.

"Ugh, now we gotta watch them flirt," Mikey made a gagging noise. Leo was a little amused.

Raph held two dodgeballs in his hands, and Mona, sensing an opportunity to get him out, chunked hers at his chest. In the last second before impact, Raph dropped his balls and caught hers, and the crowd erupted as the kids ran back onto the court.

Raph walked back to his brothers, a proud grin on his face. "Nice job, hothead," Leo said, teasing. "Hope that didn't tire you out too badly." Raph whacked him on the shoulder, too pleased with himself to get worked up.

Griffin blew her whistle. "We're going to switch up teams this time. I need some of you to line the balls back up."

In the downtime, Raph tried to find Mona, but she was nowhere in sight. "Where is she?"

Griffin came up in front of their group and pointed to the left. "You, in the blue, on the left." Leo blinked in surprise and started walking. She directed Donnie, Mikey, and April that way, too. Raph went to follow them and Griffin blew her whistle in his ear.

He scowled, rubbing the side of his head. "What was that for?" he demanded.

"Where do you think you're going?" she said. He pointed after his brothers. Griffin shook her head. "On the right."

"But-"

"On the right!"

Raph's scowl deepened, but he stomped over to the right.

"Raph!" A girl's voice rang out. "We're on the same team! Also, you suck for getting me out."

Raph's scowl disappeared instantly, and he turned to look at Mona mock-frowning at him, hands on her hips.

"Alright!" he said, holding a hand up for a high-five. She smacked his hand, leaving Raph feeling like an electric shock had run through his body. "The only bad thing is we're up against my bros."

She smirked at him. "We can take them," she said. In the midst of their conversation, the game had already started. A dodgeball zoomed between their heads and smacked into the wall behind them. Mona yelped and jumped back. Raph whipped around. Mikey, all the way from the other side of the gym, was making faces and blowing kisses.

Raph growled. "It's on!" He and Mona ran up to try and take them down.

"Mona," Raph grunted as he caught a ball against his chest. "I'd like you to meet my bros!"

"Little busy here, Raph!" She hit away a ball. "Maybe after we all get out?"

"Who said I'm going to get out?" He threw the ball he caught directly at Mikey and clipped him in the shoulder. "HA!" he crowed, meeting Mikey's dirty glare with a mocking look.

"This is going to be fun," Mona said, ducking behind Raph as a ball whizzed at her.

Raph couldn't help but agree. Seems like high school was finally looking up.

R&R! :)