MAVIS - walker scobell

CH10 "finals"

TW: physical assault

The national finals were intense. The entire gymnasium buzzed with anticipation as Mavis stood in the locker room, her stomach tied in knots.

Her coach's voice echoed around her, offering encouragement, building up the team's confidence, but Mavis only half-heard the words. She was zoned out, nerves flaring, and hands clammy.

This was —everything they'd worked for. The culmination of a season of early mornings, sore muscles, and relentless practices. A nudge from Leena snapped her back. She turned to see her friend giving her a silent look of support, though the unspoken tension between them since Mavis cut off Walker remained.

When their eyes met, Mavis had a strange, sudden feeling. Would Walker be watching? As they filed out of the locker room toward the court, she spotted him immediately.

Amid the crowd, his curly blonde hair was unmistakable. Walker's eyes caught hers for a brief moment, and her pulse skipped, but she quickly looked away, setting her focus on the game. She couldn't afford any distractions. Not now.

The game was neck-and-neck, both teams battling point for point. Mavis pushed herself beyond her limits, leaping for blocks, sprinting for saves. The other team—a powerhouse from Texas—fought just as hard, but Mavis and her teammates held their ground.

The crowd roared as the score teetered back and forth. Each point felt heavier than the last. Then, it came down to the final play, with Mavis's team trailing by a single point. Mavis and Octavia jumped together, reaching to block the spike, but the hit was strong and clean.

The ball slipped past their fingers, and Leena dove, stretching to reach it, but it hit the floor just out of reach.

Cheers erupted from the other side of the net. Mavis and her teammates stood in silence for a moment, then fell to their knees, the realization sinking in. They'd lost. Mavis let her tired body fall to the ground, half of the girls doing the same. They sat on the court for a bit, realizing— letting the loss sink in.

They quickly huddled together, hugging each other tightly. It was a painful ending, but there was no bitterness, only support for one another.

As they made their way back to the locker room, Mavis glanced toward the stands and saw Walker. He looked just as crushed as she felt, his gaze filled with concern and something deeper.

His dad, Pete, put a comforting hand on his shoulder and murmured something, but Walker's eyes remained fixed on her, reflecting her heartbreak.

Back in the locker room, her coach tried to console the team, saying it was just one game and they'd still accomplished so much. But Mavis barely heard her, lost in her own head. Her body was a mess—bruised, sore, and coated in a layer of sweat. Her mind felt even worse, clouded and heavy.

Afterward, everyone left with their families, but Mavis lingered. She didn't want anyone to see her in this state. As she walked out, Leena noticed her standing alone and offered a ride. Mavis forced a small smile and shook her head. "I'll be fine," she said quietly. "I just need some air." She quickly looked away, escaping Leena's family—Walker's sympathetic looks.

The gymnasium was almost empty, after the winning team celebrated and packed up. Mavis just stared at the court. She really needed her parents right now, or Millie. But nothing would help her feel any better after all.

Once outside, though, everything hit her at once—the disappointment, the exhaustion, the sheer weight of the night. She hadn't felt this alone in ages. Even though she asked for it. It's crazy how much pressure your sport can put on you.

Her breath quickened, and her chest felt tight, like she couldn't get enough air. She stumbled to the sidewalk, her vision blurring as tears finally broke free. She sat on a side walk, in an almost empty street, and started breaking down, struggling to breathe through her sobs for a good few minutes.

The street was quiet, the sounds of distant traffic the only background noise. She hadn't noticed anyone approaching until she felt someone's presence too close to ignore. Her eyes shot up, and she realized a man was standing right in front of her, his face shadowed and unreadable. He was at least 2 heads taller than her, and 3 stomachs fatter...

She stepped back instinctively, her heart rate spiking.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, his voice smooth, but there was something in his tone that made her uneasy.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly, sidestepping, but he blocked her path, his hand reaching out. Alarm  blared in her mind, and she tried to move again, but his grip latched onto her wrist with a strength that made her gasp.

"Stop," she stammered, attempting to tug her arm free, but he only tightened his hold, pulling her closer. Panic surged through her as his grip bit into her skin, and she fought back, twisting her arm and shoving him with her free hand.

"Let me go!" she yelled, but he ignored her, moving to pin her arms. He leaned in, his face inches from hers, and a wave of fear washed over her. Summoning every ounce of strength, Mavis raised her knee, aiming for his face. He shifted just in time, catching her leg and knocking her off balance. She stumbled, but planted her feet, slapping at his hands and shoving against his chest.

Undeterred, he tightened his grip and pulled her closer, his rough grasp scraping her neck, leaving scratches she barely felt in her panicked state. Desperately, she swung a fist at his face, grazing his jaw but not enough to make him stop. He cursed, grabbing both her wrists in one hand and trying to lift her.

Mavis kicked her legs, twisting violently as he struggled to keep hold. She managed to slam her elbow into his shoulder, but he threw her to the ground, the rough pavement scraping her forehead as she landed. He reached down to pin her, but adrenaline took over, and she swung her leg up, kicking him squarely in the face. He recoiled, hands flying to his nose as he stumbled backward, cursing.

Gasping for air, Mavis scrambled to her feet, blood pounding in her ears. She watched him stagger off into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as he'd appeared, leaving her shaking and bruised.