Chapter 33 Match day one: Cold dread
Stephanie
I made the best decision in the past week by listening to Brooklyn and not letting the rumours at school get to me. And honestly, it's being great.
Sure, I still get pointed at when I walk down the hallways. Some girls scowl at me for getting close to their favourite, others hate that I've had a ‘taste' of him. It doesn't matter how many times I tell people that I'm not dating Kendrix, no one believes me.
Eventually, I stopped trying and just ignored them. Brooklyn was always by my side glaring at anyone who came near me to ask about the rumours. I was grateful for her.
I haven't gotten her to admitting she loves reading ‘trashy fiction books' as much as I do. She criticized them yet she knows almost every book, even ones I haven't read yet.
And no, she didn't read them, she is just really active on BookTok and reads every comments. I've given up on trying to convince her or trying to get her to read.
While things were generally back to normal, I hadn't seen Sophie since the rumours broke. Not that I was searching for her—I didn't even know what classes she attended—I thought it was was quite strange that she just vanished.
One minute, she was being a total bitch and pushed me in the pool. The next, she disappears.
She was either avoiding me or she was skipping school entirely, a very dangerous thing to do when we're in senior year, but it's not my business. My anger had cooled off, and I wasn't exactly sure what I would do when I saw her.
It doesn't really matter, not right now.
“I don't think they're starting for another few minutes. Do you want to grab some snacks?” Brooklyn asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I dragged my gaze away from the cheerleaders on KSE's football field. Today was the home game between KSE and DHS. I attended to honour my promise to Kendrix and see him crush the opposition.
“No, I'm good.” I shook my head.
Brooklyn and I were sitting at the front rows of the the stadium with clearer view of the players. She came to support Cisco, and to see DHS shed tears like the ‘the little bitch they are’, her words.
Kendrix reminded me of the match again today, but I hadn't forgotten since he asked them first time. I haven't forgotten anything about that night, when we had cozied up together on the couch and he carried me to me room after I fell asleep.
In truth, I had thought about that night—that entire day since running into Noah and everything that happened after—more times than I'd like to admit.
I couldn't figure out why exactly that moment was etched so deeply into my mind, we'd barely touched, but I felt a particular shift between us since then.
He drove me to school every single day since. Our parents praised us at breakfast for getting along. They encouraged us to spend more time together, but that's the opposite of what I want. Or is it?
God, this is killing me.
“Steph?” I flinched when I heard a Brooklyn's voice so close to my ear.
She stared at me with an eyebrow raised. “What were you thinking about so much?”
“Nothing.” I said too quickly.
Her gaze narrow in suspicion. She obviously didn't believe me. “Are you thinking about Noah and Emily again? I told you not to worry if he's cheating on her with the girl I saw him with. If he is, then they deserve each other. They're both really shitty people, and honestly, I'm quite happy you punched him.” She scoffed.
So yeah, I told Brooklyn about running into Noah at Doris's place and that it hadn't gone well. She was pissed on my behalf. And for some reason, that brought a smile on my face. Her reaction wasn't faked or exaggerated and I appreciated it.
Also, I was happy that my experience with Emily hadn't ruined female friendships for me forever. Brooklyn is amazing.
I smiled. “No, it's not about Noah.”
“Then why do you seem so stressed? You've been like that since we got here. Do you want to leave?”
“No. It's just…I really have to use the bathroom but I don't want to walk all the way to the main building.” I said instead.
It wasn't entirely an excuse, I really did want to ease myself. It just wasn't the main reason for my strange mood. Brooklyn didn't seem to buy it either.
“You don't have to go all the way to the main building. There's a bathroom for staffs on the football team around the locker room earlier. It's not really open for students, but you can just tell them you volunteer for the medical team or something.” She shrugged.
I let out a chuckle but stand up anyway.
“I'll hold the seats.” Brooklyn said.
“Good choice.”
The stadium was packed with students from both schools and some other high schools in the zip code. Everyone wanted to watch the clash between the two biggest rivals in the history of the state's football, especially one of the teams just lost a championship title.
I began walking away. I followed the direction Brooklyn pointed to. It was where the cheerleaders came out from earlier, where the players now lined up. I managed to slip past the lineup without anyone noticing or stopping me.
I walk around the place, searching for the female bathroom. Eventually, I found it and immediately rushed in. I saw to my needs and came out again.
Brooklyn was right. It was so much better then having to walk back to the main building.
I prepare to sneak out the same way I snuck in, but this time I wasn't so lucky. Because the last person I'd expect to see caught me. We stared at each other in a moment of stunned silence before he broke into a grin.
“Well well, look who it is.” Sebastian grinned widely. “I didn't expect to see you here of all places, and in KSE uniform.”
I restrained from groaning. Can't a girl go to the bathroom in peace anymore?
“Aren't you supposed to be lining up with the rest of your team?” I said and began walking away. He begins to follow.
Okay, technically, he was already heading that way when I came out of bathroom, but still. Couldn't he have just waited a few seconds before following?
“That's where I'm heading.” He gestured to his football kit.
I sighed and ignore him.
“So I'll assume that you're here to support KSE golden boys. The tornado trio.” He says.
“The what?” I asked. It was the first time I'd heard someone else that wasn't JJ give a perfect nickname. I wonder if the boys knew what nickname Sebastian had for them.
“Tornado trio. I call them that because— nevermind. I'll make a deal with you since our last one didn't exactly…end well.” He said with a slight tightening of his face.
“The last time you made me a deal, I wiped the floor with you and snatched your top position at the motorcycle club. Do you want a reminder of that?” I smirked.
His eyes contoured with anger and my smirk only grew wider. I didn't have any personal issue with the guy except that I thought he was an asshole, but he had made the Eagles lose their title. I don't care if it was just Kendrix's suspicion, the guy was already on my ‘do not like’ list.
“When I wipe the field with your precious football team, we will have a rematch at the Vault or I take you on a date.” His infamous grin appeared.
I stopped walking and pursued my lips slightly. “While I appreciate your attempts to woo me, there are a lot of incorrect variables in your grand plan. One, the Vault is closed, and two, you aren't winning today.”
I don't know why I was so confident in KSE football team when I'd never even watch their game before. I could be signing myself up for failure.
Sebastian's grin widened. “You don't have to worry about any of that. The Vault opens back this weekend and the tournament happens soon after. You can race against just me this weekend, or my entire squad on tournament day.”
Then he wore his helmet and brushed past him. Just when he was about to get to the exit, he turned back.
“And I'm winning today. You don't have have to worry about that variable too.” He winked at me.
I went back to my seat in the stadium wondering what the hell I just agreed to. The minutes began counting down and my eyes were practically glued to the scoreboard. But as the ending of the first half rolled in, I already knew how the match would end.
Cold dread filled me.