Chapter 21: The Clash with Southwick High
The air around Riverdale Academy's football field crackled with anticipation.
The semi-final clash with Southwick High had everyone on edge. The match was the only topic on everyone's lips, and why wouldn't it be? Southwick High was no ordinary opponent; they were known for being ruthless, with a defense tighter than a bank vault. Riverdale were no pushover either, but the hype wasn't just about Riverdale's formidable lineup—it was also about one player: Adrian. His recent performance had been nothing short of otherworldly, literally.
...
As the Riverdale team geared up, a familiar sound blasted through the locker room speakers—Katy Perry's "E.T." Adrian had his earbuds in, eyes closed, nodding to the beat, seemingly oblivious to the nervous energy surrounding him.
His cool demeanor stood in stark contrast to the chaos around him. Every girl in the bleachers couldn't take their eyes off him, while boys silently stewed with envy.
James, in particular, felt a seething fire in his chest every time he caught a glimpse of Adrian. His Kaelrian calm was something of a marvel. The boys joked that Adrian could probably sleep through an earthquake and wake up with his hair still perfectly in place.
Meanwhile, James sat across from Adrian, trying to psych himself up for the game. His jealousy had reached a boiling point, especially after watching the girls in school swarm Adrian like he was a rock star. But James was determined to make a name for himself today—he'd show Adrian that he wasn't the only one who could be the center of attention.
...
On the field, the whistle blew, signaling the start of the game.
Southwick High wasted no time flexing their muscles. They launched one attack after another, and despite Riverdale's best efforts, the score at halftime was 2-0. Riverdale was losing, and James was starting to sweat.
...
In the locker room, Coach Wilson's face was as red as a tomato. "We're getting crushed out there! James, you need to step it up!"
James grumbled under his breath, stealing glances at Adrian, who was casually sipping water like they weren't getting hammered. The coach paced back and forth, clearly panicking. Finally, he turned to Adrian.
"Adrian, you're going in for the second half."
Adrian popped out one earbud, glanced at the coach, and gave a small nod. There was no need for theatrics. He was ready.
...
By the time the second half began, Riverdale's hope was hanging by a thread.
"Enter Adrian."
He stepped onto the pitch with a calm that belied the pressure of the moment.
The moment Adrian stepped onto the field, even the opposition fans went silent, curious to see what this supposed "football god" could do.
The answer came quickly.
The fans were on their feet, especially the girls, who screamed every time Adrian so much as blinked. But it was what Adrian did next that would be etched in school legend.
With his first touch, he spun around three opposition players like they were training cones. The stadium erupted. It wasn't just skill—it was like watching art in motion. He twisted, turned, and left Southwick's defense in tatters. The opposition fans, once hostile, couldn't help but acknowledge the might of the Kaelrian. "Who is this guy?!" one shouted in disbelief as Adrian made another defender trip over his own feet.
With effortless grace, he turned, leaving two Southwick midfielders spinning in the wrong direction. It was as if their legs had been swapped with spaghetti, tangled and useless. The crowd gasped as Adrian advanced with lightning speed, weaving through Southwick's defensive set up like a knife through butter.
"Did you see that?" one of the Southwick fans whispered, wide-eyed.
"Yeah... who is this guy?"
Within minutes, Adrian had danced his way through half the Southwick team,
But it wasn't just the crowd that was getting riled up. James was fuming. How could Adrian make everything look so easy? His frustration boiled over when Adrian flicked the ball through a defender's legs and smiled casually afterward and with a calm, calculated strike, sent the ball soaring into the top corner of the net. The keeper didn't even move. 2-1. The stadium erupted in cheers, even some Southwick fans clapping in disbelief.
"Adrian! Adrian! Adrian!" The chant began in the bleachers as girls squealed in admiration and even a few guys reluctantly joined in.
Adrian, with his signature cool look, gave a small wave but immediately turned back to the game, his blue eyes locked onto the ball like a predator.. he glanced at James by the side and gave a smile as if to say, 'you can relax now, I'm here!' That smile! James had had enough.
In a moment of blind rage, James stormed over to Adrian, ready to swing a punch. But before his fist could connect, Adrian bent like a man made of butter, sidestepping James' attack with ease. He then gave James the lightest nudge—nothing more than a brush on the shoulder—but it was like being hit by a truck. James stumbled back, his body buckling as though Adrian had slammed him with full force.
"Oof!" James hit the ground, groaning, unable to move. The entire stadium fell into a hush.
Ms. Caldwell, who had been cheering from the bleachers, rushed to the field.
She knew better than anyone what was at stake. If Mr. Rudbick caught wind of this, things could get ugly. And, of course, Mr. Rudbick was already watching closely, his suspicion about Adrian growing. His son writhing on the ground had only intensified his concerns.
"This is unacceptable!" Mr. Rudbick shouted as he stormed down the bleachers, phone in hand, already dialing the police. "He assaulted my son! This... this... alien!" he fumed.
Before things could spiral out of control, Ms. Caldwell stepped in with the finesse of a seasoned diplomat, She moved with the speed and determination of a protective liones. "Mr. Rudbick, let's not make a scene here. This was an accident. Boys will be boys." She shot Adrian a look, one that said, "You owe me."
Mr. Rudbick wasn't buying it. "An accident? Did you see how he moved? That wasn't human! I'm calling the authorities."
"Call the authorities?" Ms. Caldwell's eyes twinkled with humor, though her tone was dead serious. "You mean like how you called them when you tripped over your cat last month and accused it of being an alien infiltrator?" Her words caught Mr. Rudbick off guard, and some nearby students stifled laughs.
Ms. Caldwell had a knack for disarming tense situations.
For a moment, Mr. Rudbick seemed torn. He glared at Adrian, then at James, who was being helped off the field, clearly in no shape to continue playing. The police were moments away from being called when Ms. Caldwell added, "Besides, do you really want to ruin your son's chances in front of all these people? You do know that the matter would escalate, onces the police is involved?"
Mr. Rudbick hesitated. His eyes narrowed, but he put his phone away, muttering something about "keeping an eye on things." The match resumed, though the tension was palpable.
Back on the field, Adrian was in his element. He was everywhere at once, dribbling with the elegance of a ballet dancer, twisting defenders into knots. Even Southwick's fans couldn't help but cheer in awe. With each goal, the scoreline shifted in Riverdale's favor, and by the final whistle, they had secured a 5-2 victory. Adrian had single-handedly orchestrated the comeback, and no one could deny it.
James, meanwhile, sat on the sidelines, holding an ice pack to his shoulder, watching as Adrian was swarmed by fans and teammates alike. His jealousy simmered, but there was nothing he could do—Adrian was just better, both on and off the field.
As the students filed out of the stadium, Ms. Caldwell made her way to Adrian. "That was quite a performance," she said, her tone half-motherly, half-teacherly. "But let's keep the supernatural feats to a minimum, shall we?"
Adrian smiled. "I'll try, Ms. Caldwell, but no promises."
Meanwhile, Mr. Rudbick wasn't done. He had retreated to his car, furiously typing away on his phone. His suspicions about Adrian had been confirmed, but there was something off. He searched through the organization's network, combing through every alien species known to Earth. Kaelrians. He had suspected as much. But when he tried to find more information on Adrian, there was nothing—no record, no file. It was as though Adrian didn't exist.
Frustrated, Mr. Rudbick slammed his phone down on the passenger seat, swearing under his breath. He could almost see Adrian and Tessa's smug smiles mocking him. "I'll get to the bottom of this," he muttered. "Both of them."
At the same time, Tessa and Adrian were walking toward the school parking lot, oblivious to the drama surrounding them. They had both played their parts today, and for the first time, there was a strange sort of camaraderie between them. James, who was being escorted home by his father, shot them both a jealous glance. He and Tessa were growing distant, and it wasn't just because of Adrian's growing influence. Deep down, he knew things with Tessa could never be the same. She was too... different. And that difference terrified him.
As the day ended, the preparations for the final match loomed large. Riverdale had one more game to win, but for Tessa and Adrian, there was much more at stake than a football championship.