Level the Playing Field

Screwed.

A/n: Please ignore any typos. Enjoy ☺️

Mikayla and her family are her guardian angels; Sadé is convinced of that after today. Not only did the couple wholeheartedly agree to let her stay with them, they are already on a mission to help her find a job for the summer. Mr. and Mrs. Ahn had joked that she's now their adopted daughter and she shouldn't ever be afraid to ask them for help. Of course, she teared up a bit; but it's so overwhelming experiencing such kindness from strangers when she couldn't even get it from her own mother.

"Ryan is leaving for Spain immediately after exams and I'm already dreading it." Sadé can't see Mikayla's face from her position with her head in her lap but she can tell her friend is pouting.

"Leaving for Spain? Why?" she asks absentmindedly, eyes glued to a yelling Gordon Ramsay on tv.

"To train with the first team until the international break since exams finish early in May. The manager wants to start getting them acquainted with teammates, facilities and what not Ryan said." Mikayla scratches at a particular spot on her scalp that's so good that she almost misses what she said. Almost.

"Oh, so are they all going?" She tries to sound nonchalant but she's sure Mikayla knows what she really wants to know. Is Jude leaving as well?

"Yup, um, Jude is apparently going sooner as well since he's currently suspended." Mikayla responds cautiously. That's okay. That's fine. It's not as if they're even on good terms with each other at the moment. Especially since she made Annita mad enough to embarrass him last night. But in the back of her mind, she was expecting for them to just... find their way back to each other like they always do. He'd annoy her to see him until she relented and then they would... spend the summer break together? Sadé knows she's delusional but she can't deny that she feels crestfallen now that she knows her delusional daydreaming would stay just that.

"Oh. Good for them." Sadé swallows thickly.

"Have you um, have you heard from him since that incident last night?"

Sadé shrugs her shoulders in lieu of responding.

"Why is this idiot trying to make an eclair in 30 minutes? Like I understand these shows are scripted but can they at least not make them do stupid shit like this?" Sadé comments angrily. Almost as if she needs something to take her frustration out on.

"You know, me and Ryan are going on a road trip to some hiking trail tomorrow. Jude asked to tag along, he seems to be... not himself. You could come too, breathe some fresh air... stretch your legs."

Sadé cranes her head up to look at Mikayla who's obviously avoiding her eyes.

"And um, are you sure he's the only one tagging along?" skepticism clear in her voice as she eyes her friend's chin suspiciously. Mikayla whips her head down to stare at her as if she's lost her mind.

"Do you think I'd be going anywhere with Annita, Sadé?"

"Oh, well, I could use some fresh air. I don't know." She tries to play it cool.

"Well, if you decide to, we're leaving by 7 am since the trail is a three hour ride away."

"Okay." Comfortable silence settles between them and surprise, surprise, the idiot who tried to make eclairs was eliminated.

"By the way, you and Ryan, is it serious?" Sadé asks warily.

"We haven't really discussed that yet but I should hope so. He's being so sweet with me and with a tongue like that he's not going anywhere."

Sadé immediately bolts upright, turning her scandalous expression in her friend's blushing direction.

"Mikky?! How come you haven't told me?"