I Thought I Was A Devil

Season 6 Chapter 7

As I sat alone on the deserted football ground, a sense of disappointment washed over me. I had expected at least a few of my teammates to show up, but now I was left to ponder what had gone wrong. Did they not believe in me? Were they too afraid to defy Emilia’s authority? Or perhaps they simply didn’t show up to teach me a lesson? If it’s Victoria, then it’s highly likely. My mind raced with questions and doubts, each one gnawing at my confidence and resolve. Had I made a mistake in trusting them to stand by me? Was I destined to face this challenge alone, without the support of those I had hoped would be there for me?

Frustration welled up inside me as I grappled with these thoughts, the weight of responsibility bearing down on my shoulders. I had promised to train my teammates, to show Emilia that we didn’t need her to succeed, but now it seemed like an impossible task. I took a deep breathe, each second felt like a minute and each minute an eternity. Amidst the inner turmoil, I finally decided to practice on my own, while waiting. Standing up, I picked up the football in my hand, when someone tapped on my shoulder. As I turned around, a wide smile spread over my face, as I embraced Maria. There was a relief, knowing that she will always be by my side even when the whole world is standing against me. Maria smiles while patting my head and hugging me back.

Me: What took you so long? (I asked while pouting)

Maria: Takes time to sneak out of your house when your parents are sleeping. (She rolled her eyes) Everyone aren’t professionals like you. So, no one else is here? (She asks)

Me: (I shook my head while leaving her) No.

Maria: Hm….makes sense. (She sighs)

Me: (I frowned while rubbing my forehead) I can’t believe those cowards backstabbed me.

Maria: Are you sure about that? (She raises her brow)

Me: What do you mean? Are you suspecting that Emilia threatened them? (I said while feeling agitated) That bitch …..(I murmured to myself)

Maria: No….I mean….(She sighed) Nevermind.

Me: Huh? Tell me. (I urged when my phone ringed) Julie….(Muttered while picking up the call) Hey Julie.

Julie: (her voice breaks as she starts crying) I-I am sorry Anne….b-but my parents didn’t allow me to go at night…..and I was too scared and couldn’t tell them that you called for practice…….(She cries loudly) I am sorry, I promise I wanted to join you…..but ….

Me: (I felt awkward) it’s fine, stop crying, we will meet tomorrow morning.

Julie: Mhm…. Goodnight ….(She says before disconnecting the call).

Me: What the fuck…..(my phone rings again and this time it was Christina)

Christina: The hostel gate is closed and the warden is guarding outside. So meet you tomorrow. Oh….and Choon Hee said that her curfew starts from 10:00 PM, so please don’t bother calling her as well, she must be already sleeping. Her parents are strict in such matters. (She says while yawning and disconnecting the call)

I stood there speechless when I received Lotte and Ratree’s texts. Lotte said she was sleeping beside her mother, so if she moves, her mother will notice and Ratree said that her foster father wasn’t at home, so she is guarding the house. I turned towards Maria, while staring at her blankly as Maria starts laughing loudly.

Maria: I knew this would happen! Bitch! What were you even thinking? (She laughs loudly) Not everyone’s parents are as careless as yours, that they won’t notice. Jeez, kudos to you for calling everyone at midnight. Pfft. (She continues laughing)

As Maria’s laughter echoed across the deserted football ground, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. It seemed that my attempt to rally my teammates for a late-night training session had backfired spectacularly, leaving me feeling foolish and alone.

Me: Stop laughing. (I muttered, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.) I thought at least some of them would show up.

Maria (her laughter gradually subsided as she caught her breath, her expression softening with sympathy.) I know you had good intentions, Anne. ( she said, her tone gentler now.) But maybe next time, think before being a monkey.

Me: Tsk, shut up. (I folded my arms while glaring at her, when my phone started ringing yet again as I felt frustrated) Who the fuck is this? (I said while picking my phone) What is it, Jules?! I can’t believe that you ditched me! I clearly told you that the bedsheets are tied against my balcony railing, how hard is it to climb down?! (I said in a scolding tone)

Naomi: It’s me……Anne…..(she said in an icy cold tone)

Me: (my face turned pale) N-Naomi…….

Naomi: Come back…. Immediately. (She said before disconnecting the call)

Me: (I looked at Maria) I….I need to leave…..(I said while trembling with fear)

Maria: What happened? (She blinks getting confused)

Me: Naomi caught that idiot. I can’t believe Jules can’t do one fucking thing properly. ( I said picking up my ball and running towards the restaurant for my life, leaving behind Maria)

As I sprinted towards the restaurant, my heart pounded with a mixture of fear and frustration. I couldn’t believe that Jules had been caught, especially after I had explicitly instructed her on how to climb down from my balcony. The thought of facing Naomi’s wrath sent shivers down my spine, and I cursed under my breath for trusting Jules to handle such a simple task. As I reached the restaurant, I spotted Naomi standing outside, her arms crossed and a scowl etched on her face. She looked like she meant business, and I knew I was in for an earful. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I approached her cautiously, bracing myself for the inevitable confrontation.

Me: N-Naomi….(I gulped my spit while stammering in fear) I-Its not what it looks like.

Naomi: (she folds her arms and taps her feet) So, you are telling me that I didn’t catch Jules sneaking out of the house at midnight and you weren’t missing from your room and loitering around?

Me: I….that…..Uhm….(I coughed)

Naomi: Enough, Jules has confessed everything. (She says before grabbing my ear and twisting it) Which sane person roam around late at night and practices football?! It’s your bed-time, young lady!

Me: O-Ouch…(I winced in pain)

Naomi: You could have gotten everyone into trouble. (She said getting agitated) What if something happened to both of you? (She said leaving my ear)

Me: (taking off my jacket, I flexed my muscle) Don’t worry, I am strong.

Naomi: (she glared at me) Young lady, you are grounded for a week.

Me: What?!! But!! (I protested)

Naomi: Shut up, and go back to your room. Both of you. (She said while pointing at the stairs)

Jules: Yes…..(she says while trying to avoid me as she runs back to her room before I could kill her)

Me: (I sulked) Fine……(I pouted while returning to my room)

Naomi: tsk….these kids. (She sighed while rubbing her forehead)

As I sank into my bed after a chaotic day, I couldn’t help but ponder the rollercoaster of emotions that had unfolded. It began with drama, transitioned into a heartfelt moment with my dad, and concluded with unexpected comedy. Is life playing some sort of cosmic joke on me? I yearned for a chance to experience just one emotion fully, rather than being bombarded with the entire spectrum in a single day. With a sigh, I closed my eyes, reflecting on the day’s events and plotting my next steps.

To be continued....