Underground Royals

10

Everyone needs to find a way that their entire being breathes instead of just their lungs. Football is the way I breathe. On the field I'm free; from expectations and pain and loneliness and fear. The only thing that matters is the ball in front of me, and I can always be certain of who my allies and enemies are, because it's displayed clearly on their uniform instead of hiding behind pretty faces and perfect smiles.

Celest, having been groomed to be the perfect high society wife, has never touched a football in her life prior to today and for Thorne and Orion football is just a fun hobby. But for Daemon and I, it has always been part of our lives. And that is why we are one of few people grinning at our first practical sport lesson of the year.

Our teacher, Mister McLaggen instructs us for most of the lesson, focusing on the basics which Daemon and I already know. By the time we are done and he suggests an actual game, we can barely contain our excitement.

I spot Hugo lacing up his shoes at the other end of the field. His small frame is folded in on itself, and I can see a cut poking out of his neck. Before I could interact, we are divided into teams and move to huddle up. Orion, Celest, Daemon, Thorne and I are with some of our classmates, against Meihui, Heathcote, Hugo and some other people I don't know.

"Couldn't afford football boots Hugo?" Daemon suddenly laughs, his smile venomous as his green eyes narrow in on the cowering boy's shoes.

"My mother is hosting a charity gala this weekend! You should come! I'll see if anyone has a pair of boots they can donate." Celest pipes in, batting her lashes innocently as Orion laughs and throws his arm around her. Colour flushes through Hugo's cheeks as he backs away from the now hysterical team. Thorne says something that I don't quite catch and Daemon looks at me expectantly.

I don't say anything, instead rolling my eyes and turning to the teacher. Hugo briefly meets my gaze, and I see shock pass through his features as he finds it free of anger. How could I be angry? It wasn't any fun hurting someone who was so obviously beneath you. He wasn't a challenge at all.

At the end of the game, once we are sufficiently winded and wind up with mud in places daylight doesn't see, we begin to retire to our dorms to get cleaned up.

"Miss Sterling!" Mr McLaggen's loud voice booms as my friends are gushing about the game we just won. "Can I borrow you for a minute?"

I nod hurrying over to him, eager to get out of the cold and into a shower. "Is something wrong?" I prompt.

"How long have you been playing Miss Sterling?" He asks, watching me curiously, through big brown eyes.

"Since I was a toddler." I respond nonchalantly.

"You have great potential and your skills are already quite advanced." He says approvingly. "I'd like to suggest you join the college football team? Of course, try outs have already passed but I'm sure they would be extremely excited to have you join the team in place of Morrison." He blabbers, more to himself than me.

I nod excitedly at his offer, but can't stop myself from quirking an eyebrow at the mention of the boy I was supposed to replace. "Hip injury." He answers in return, a wry grin on his face. "So what do you say?"

"Yes! I would love to! Is there anything I need to-"

"No, no, I'll talk to Lucas for you and he should swing by tomorrow to speak to you." He reassures me before waving me off.

I skip towards my friends beaming.

I was well aware of the Rubion football team; my father had been apart of it when he was at Rubion. It was legendary and all the best footballers came out of it. I also knew of Lucas, the team's captain. He's a tall boy, from a large but powerful family and happens to be the son of one of my uncles associates. I hadn't met him personally, but I had seen him around events.

"So!?" Thorne whisper-screams as I approach them.

"I made the team!" I cry happily. Though at their slightly confused expressions I add, "The Rubion football team!"

"You're kidding!" Celest squeals wrapping me in a hug. She knows how badly I've wanted to play for Rubion, and we would spend hours gushing about past players as we looked through old yearbooks - well I'd be gushing about their playing and she'd be in awe over their looks. Orion also wraps me in a one armed embrace before Thorne half picks me up in a bone-crushing hug.

"We have to celebrate tonight!" Orion laughs as he waggles his eyebrows at a grinning Thorne. Those two together are the biggest party animals I've ever met... and the biggest trouble makers.

"How about a movie night! Your dorm?" I interject before they can come up with some entertaining but dangerous scheme to get us into trouble. They nod eagerly before launching into some heated debate about which movie we should watch, as Celest and I double over laughing.

The only person who is still silent after the whole ordeal is Daemon, who is staring at the sky above us with a cloudy expression. After we have our showers and begin making our way to our next class, he still hasn't said anything or so much as looked at me.

"Daem?" I prod as we take our seats next to each other. He has his legs crossed and is tapping his fingers on the desk fervently with one hand as he scrolls through Instagram with the other. His hair is neater than usual and his dress shirt and pants are crisp in the way that brand new ones are. I snatch his phone away in a desperate attempt to get him to interact with me, and his head shoots up in anger before his eyes land on me and soften, his lips twitching into a tense smile.

"Bella?" He asks innocently.

"Don't give me that." I whisper angrily as I softly shove him with my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong." He quips, but upon seeing my determined expression groans and tosses his head back. "Please can we just get through today in peace and then you can interrogate me all you want tonight?"

I nod half heartedly , but not before a muttered "Prick."