"Score, score. We need six points more!"
"Score, score. We need six-" As an unknown hand gripped the shoulder of a beautiful girl, Riya, she glanced at the owner of the hand only to meet an innocent and beautiful faced girl wearing spectacles. She glanced at the dress she was wearing. She was from Mystic Boarding School, an opponent team.
"Excuse me?" Riya stared at the girl whose eyes were fixed at the game.
"You aren't excused, baby doll." Amaya replied, her eyes devoid of emotion. Riya furrowed her brows as she tried to throw Amaya's hand away, but she was pulled even closer to her face instead.
"What I hate the most is cheating, but it also comes in second place, baby doll." Amaya's soft, inaudible whisper sent shivers down Riya's spine. "My friends are my number one priority. Those who dare to mess with them, I'll never let them go, bitch."
Amaya's irises shifted to an eerie shade of red, her expression turning menacing. Her grip tightened, and Riya felt her bones creak. "After the match, we'll wait behind the stadium." Amaya hissed, her voice laced with venom. "Do you understand, baby doll?"
Riya nodded frantically, her voice trembling. "Y-yes."
Amaya released her grip, and Riya stumbled backwards, her legs giving out from under her. She watched in horror as Amaya turned and walked away, her long raven hair flowing behind her like a silken banner.
"That's sick." Somiya blinked her eyes in surprise, her voice trembling slightly. We stared at a girl, straight at the opposite side of the stadium, sitting in a seat, terrified. "She really threatened a student of another school in the middle of the ongoing match, without the care of teachers.." Somiya, still in awe, failed to see the dark expression that had settled on Demi's face. I lowered my eyes, seeing Seth, Jay, and other few students of Amaya's class on the match. Weren't they supposed to be suspended? Wasn't Amaya supposed to slap that girl?
"I'm going to the bathroom," Demi said, her voice devoid of emotion. She walked past me, her footsteps echoing in my ear.
Taking a step back, I followed Demi and Somiya. With thousands of questions running through my mind, I found myself even more confused and lost. Except for changing the path of my and Sophia, I hadn't done anything. I had let everything go as it was, yet nothing was going as it was.
"C'mon, I hate going to parties alone." I heard the whine of Somiya. Her voice was high-pitched and whiny, like a spoiled child. I saw her hugging Demi, though Demi seemed to be irritated by it. "It's your aunt's son's birthday! I don't even know him! How can I accompany you!?" Demi shouted, clearly frustrated with Somiya. Her voice was sharp and cutting, like a knife. "Who cares? Let's go! Zeya!" Somiya called, making me flinch. Her voice was loud and demanding, like a drill sergeant. "But Demi is right. We don't even know your aunt. How can we just attend her son's birthday?" I said, shrugging off my shoulder. My voice was low and tired, like I couldn't be bothered. "Just say you guys hate to follow me. Fine, I'll go alone." Somiya let go of Demi and walked alone. Her footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, like the sound of a lonely heart.
I sighed. I'm tired and exhausted. My body felt heavy, like I could collapse at any moment. "C'mon Somi, we'll follow you to the depth of hell to another life, but going to a party uninvited is another level of hell." Demi ran behind Somiya and jumped on her back. Shaking my head, I glanced at my side, catching a sight of Sophia and Elli in a room. They looked serious. Their faces were etched with worry, like they were carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. What could they be talking about? I glanced at the back of Somiya and Demi. Since they were busy with each other, taking a deep breath, I walked towards the room where I saw Elli and Sophia. Standing outside of the room, I decided to eavesdrop.
"Then what was the point of sending you?" Elli shouted, her voice dripping with sarcasm and frustration. "To deliver a silent message?"
"But she didn't say anything," Sophia whispered, her voice laced with anxiety. What are they talking about? I furrowed my brow in confusion.
"Oh, she didn't say anything?" Elli retorted, her eyes narrowed. "But she managed to drive us to the brink of insanity with her deafening silence!" Elli gritted her teeth, her anger barely contained. She clenched her fists and jaw, her hands trembling as she threw them up in the air.
"I tried to stop her," Sophia said, her voice filled with exaggerated confusion. "But then she started spouting nonsense that made so much sense that I couldn't tell if I should stop her or support her instead." Are they talking about what happened at the stadium? Hearing the light footsteps of someone echoing in the hall, I decided to leave the spot but my steps were halted the moment I heard the next word of Elli.
"Forget it. I just can't understand how Aunty could abandon Amaya and run away with another man. Amaya may be immature and have spoken rashly, but Aunty is an adult with a duty of care. Was it not her responsibility to guide and discipline Amaya when she is wrong?" Elli whispered, her voice laced with concern and worry.
Zeya, you're lucky to have a mom who cared about you so much and there is mine who married another man on the day my father died and ran away to live with his family on the anniversary of my father's death.
A lump formed in my throat, and my vision blurred as I recalled Amaya's haunting words. How could I have forgotten them? She had always yearned for her mother's warmth and attention, only to be met with disappointment time and again. I leaned against the wall for support, feeling weak and disoriented.
"She smiles as if nothing has happened. I know that someday she'll regret every word she said to Aunty, but the fact that Aunty didn't even hesitate before leaving the house will always wound her more deeply." Elli's voice trembled with concern, and I shared her anguish. Amaya did indeed regret her words in the future, but with that regret came a growing resentment towards her mother and step-father, especially when she discovered that she had a step-sister her own age.
"Zeya?" As I turned my head to the side, I saw Amaya beside me, her gaze filled with concern. I hadn't realised when I had fallen to the ground. Wiping the tears from my face, I composed myself and stood up. "A-Amaya, what are you doing here?" I asked, unable to meet her eyes. I noticed Somiya and Demi approaching me, still fighting with each other. Amaya opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again, her expression unreadable.
"Zeya, sorry we left you behind." Demi whispered, her eyes fixed on Amaya. Amaya remained silent, her gaze still trained on me.
"What happened?" Elli asked, emerging from the room. She froze when she saw Amaya standing outside. "Ama? When did you come?" she asked. Amaya glanced at Elli and Sophia, then back at me, her expression unreadable. "Why? Were you talking about me?" she questioned.
"Yeah, we were talking about how flirty you were being with Riya. Calling her 'baby doll' after every word. Don't tell me you've fallen for her," Sophia said nonchalantly as she yawned. After staring at me for a few more seconds, Amaya cleared her throat. "Well, she is beautiful and cute but not my type. If you aren't coming, then I'm going alone. Bye bye!" Amaya waved as she turned and walked away.
"Riya, don't be ridiculous! Let's just run away." One of her friends, Hina, stopped her. She was scared too, but she didn't dare to take the warning of Amaya lightly.
"Riya!"
"Shut up, Hina! I'm scared too, okay! But I'm more scared to run away. What I did was indeed wrong and what do you think? Amaya will just leave this here and won't come to our school? You're taking Amaya lightly, Hina. If you're scared to accompany me then go away but I'm not leaving without meeting her once." Riya took a deep, trembling breath and walked alone towards the backdoor of the Stadium where Amaya had called her.
The air was thick with tension as Riya approached the door. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her hands were shaking.
Opening the door, she was shocked to see Fred and Seth alone.
"Fred.." Riya whispered, her eyes and voice full of guilt. Seth stared at Riya then at Fred. With a pat on Fred's shoulder, Seth walked away.
"I know I don't deserve forgiveness. What I did was evil and wrong. Still, Fred, I'm sorry." Riya bowed her head, clenched her fist, and waited for Fred to speak up.
"Riya, your act would have cost us our career and friendships. Are you asking for forgiveness because of Amaya's fear?" Fred's calm voice reached Riya's ear, but it only made her feel more guilty.
"No. I did want to ask for forgiveness, it's just.. I.." Riya hesitated, she bit her lips, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry.." she whispered.
Fred glanced at his friend Seth, who was playing football with others. "It's okay. You can go. I just hope you will never do this to others again."
Fred left Riya alone and ran towards Seth, stealing the ball from him.
As Riya stood straight, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. But her moment of solace was short-lived when someone tapped on her shoulder. "Baby doll~" Riya's heart skipped a beat. "Don't think that this is over. I'm watching you. And if you ever cross me again, I'll make you regret it."
Amaya's words were like a dagger to Riya's heart. She felt a wave of terror wash over her. She turned to face Amaya, her eyes wide with fear. Amaya's face was expressionless, but her eyes held a cold and calculating gleam. She was terrified.
The air crackled with tension as Amaya, Elli and Sophia walked away towards Seth and Fred, their presence leaving a lingering sense of dread.
"It's not like you to forgive people easily," Sophia whispered to Amaya as she passed the ball to her.
"Yeah, I expected a slap in the stadium too," Elli chimed in, taking the ball from Amaya and passing it to Fred.
Amaya chuckled. "I'm a soft-hearted, innocent girl. How can I bully someone so sweet and cute?" She took the ball from Fred and passed it to Seth.
"You and soft-hearted? That's like calling a devil an angel," Seth said with a smirk, dodging Jay and passing the ball back to Amaya.
"A devil was once an angel too, dear," Amaya replied, making a goal and turning towards her friends, her smile illuminating her face. "And my sweetheart once told me that doing kindness once in a while is like a cherry on the top of my personality."
Everyone raised their eyebrows in amusement. "Who is this sweetheart of yours?" they asked.
Amaya smiled and hit the ball high into the air. "My sweetheart is someone who taught me the true meaning of patience and love."
Her friends laughed. "Well, well, well," Fred said. "We'd love to meet this sweetheart of yours."
"Okay," Amaya agreed. "You'll see my sweetheart very soon."
The friends continued to play football, their laughter echoing through the air.