Miss nobody strikes back

Game.

Chapter twenty seven.

We walked into the field, and the place was packed to the brim. The field was huge, surrounded by bleachers that were filled with people. I even spotted some parents. Shoot, I hadn’t told Mom and Dad about this, but they’d probably come for Claire, so it was fine. We were led to the bench a little ways away from the field, where the boys—our male counterparts—were sitting. As we approached them, all of them stared at us. Dominic glanced at me for just a split second before looking away.

It had been a while since we’d all seen each other, especially since the last game. Everyone had been busy. There was an extra bench for us to sit beside them.

"Remember, girls, this is your first game," Aunt Gemma said, her voice firm but encouraging. "You need to not just outdo them, but outsmart them. Grace might be skilled, but being smart isn’t exactly her strong suit. So, I’m counting on your brains, Hanna. Look at the field like a big, giant equation ready to be solved. As you play, calculate your distance, and also theirs."

"Thanks, Miss Gemma," I said, and she smiled.

"And boys," she added, turning to them, "show good support to the girls. This is their first time playing. You guys are legends, but they’re still newbies, so your support means a lot. I'll be keeping an eye on you, too."

She gave us one last look before walking away.

"Hey guys, ready to show them what you’ve got?" Kai was the first to speak up.

"Kai, yep!" Lauren said with enthusiasm.

"That’s the spirit," Kai replied, and we all smiled.

“Okay, welcome to Lincoln High’s Annual Sports Competition, where we have everything set, and now the show must begin!” the principal announced through the speakers, and the crowd went wild. The noise was deafening as everyone screamed and cheered. They started with a bit of a warm-up, including some dances to hype up the audience.

I excused myself to freshen up, pacing around and taking deep breaths. My social anxiety was flaring up again. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I flinched, turning to face Dominic. He looked even more handsome in sports clothes, his bangs parted perfectly. I couldn't understand how someone could be that effortlessly beautiful.

“You look scared,” his deep voice brought me back to reality.

“Yeah, I kinda am. This is my first game, and I really want the team to win,” I admitted.

“Well, then unleash your potential. Like Miss Gemma said, it’s your job to solve the problem.” He gave me a small, reassuring smile, and I nodded. We both walked back to our seats, earning a few curious stares, but I didn’t care.

“We have the Spirits on stage!” the principal’s voice boomed over the speakers again. “You all know them—one of our best girls’ basketball teams!”

Grace and her team jogged onto the court, waving to the crowd, which cheered for them like crazy.

“That’s enough,” the principal continued, “they will be competing against our new group: the female version of T7, the Tigresses!”

We walked onto the court, staying in our lane.

“Hwaiting!” I heard Jenny shout. I smiled at her encouragement.

“Let the game begin!” The principal’s voice was barely audible over the roar of the crowd as the game started.

People weren’t wrong; Grace’s team was full of star players. The game got rough quickly, with Grace showing off her skills. They formed this weird pattern that had us completely stuck. We tried to keep up, but they managed to get the ball and scored. It was 1-0. I felt disappointed but determined.