DREAM KINGS (Shawn Mendes x Harry Styles)

C h a p t e r [43]

"Calling.. players.. number 1!" Tori says and two players with the same number runs to the person in the middle.

Luke aims for a snatch while the other player, which is his opponent has his hands raised to tag him and the other one on grabbing the handkerchief.

After a minute, Luke snatches the handkerchief and ran, almost got tagged by the opponent but he successfully managed to get back to his team. The score goes to us. To the real group.

"Calling.. players.. number 3!"

And just like what Luke did, Shawn immediately run, along with his opponent. Waiting and aiming to get the handkerchief.

"Adding.. players.. number 4!"

Two players run in the middle. Adding another trouble for him, having two more opponents to deal with. Watching him from afar, his eyes are sharp, if looks could kill, those three players are probably dead right now.

"Adding players.. number 2!" Tippy says which I think she did on purpose to witness an assist from the 'Girlfriend' to her 'Boyfriend.'

It's my cue to run and get that handkerchief off of that person's hands. I immediately run, having like a ninja's stealth. In the middle, needing to deal with four opponents and one ally, Shawn looks at me. I look at him, too but just as quick as I could since my main focus is on the handkerchief and on my opponents who are all ready to tag me if I finally put my hands on it.

Shawn sighs harshly, almost like hushing, making all the other players look at him and take their attention. I snatch the handkerchief quickly and ran back to my team, I almost got tagged but I succeeded.

Luke yells, "Hell yeah! That's our leader!"

I smiled at him, the other players are coming back to their teams. Shawn heads back to his and we had an eye to eye. I smiled at him, too, knowing he did the sighing on purpose to make it easy for me to have the handkerchief.

"Two points, May's team. The rest, zero." Tippy says, "Get ready.. players.. number 5 and 6!"

Four players rushed running towards the middle and the rest of them game continues. The battle's pretty heated up. Student supporters gathered around to watch the game, contributing more hot temperatures, making all of us sweat like crazy. The score's goes up and down, like in a race, some goes first then second, then first again, then third.

"May's team, 8, two more scores and they'll win this game, same goes to Filip's and Teresita while 5 more scores to go for Arene's team!"

I breathe heavily, ready for another call. Luke looks at me and smiled, I smiled back while Shawn's all briskly eyes to the person in the middle.

"Calling.. all numbers!" Tori says.

It took a while for me to realize that all numbers will run to grab the handkerchief. I immediately run but all the players are already there, close to each other, hands raised, ready to tag one another. Eyes sharp, everyone must have forgotten how to breathe, waiting for someone to snatch the handkerchief. That person will either get tagged or successfully run back to their team's territory.

Someone's hand finally tries to reach in, until he tried to get it and in a snap, he was tagged. Point goes to Arene's team. We all went back to our line and waited for another set of numbers to be called.

"Players.. number.. 1, 2, 3!"

Luke, Me and Shawn immediately run in the middle, along with three opponents. 2 more and we're finally the winner of this game. Luke looks at me, I look at him and all of a sudden, I just found myself running to catch the opponent with the handkerchief. Everyone's screaming, cheering, yelling, having those jump of hearts.

Unexpectedly, someone's hand reached the opponent and tagged him, I look at the player who did it and he was in my own real team. Shawn Mendes.

"Score goes to May's team! Wow! That was a close one! Good catch Mister Transferee!" Lori says and everyone clapped their hands.

Before Shawn and I could go in our separate lines, I look at him huffing, after running fast, "Th-That was close." I said while breathing heavily.

He looks at me back, with his frowning face, "Stop flirting with that Luke guy, you're getting yourself out of focus!"

"I–I–I wasn—"

He ignored what I have to say and took a turn to get back to his position. He told me this morning he'll try to be nice, he did became nice and now, for some unidentifiable reason, he went back to being a real jerk.

One more point to go and we're finally the winner.

"Calling.. players.. number.. 1 to 6!"

Just like in the hunger games, we all run, opponents lurking, waiting for someone.

"Minus number 1!" Tippy says.

Luke and the other player backs out, back to the line.

"Minus.. number 4."

The players with the numbers of 4 backs out and went back to their team.

2, 3, 5 and 6. I'm pretty much closer to the handkerchief, I just need Shawn to distract them again so we'd win but he's behind the opponent behind me.

Shawn coughs, I immediately grab the handkerchief, not knowing the consequences. The players tried to tag me but I was quick, swaying and dodging their hands. When I turn around, with my hopes all up, planning to run and get back to my team, I tripped over the opponent's feet behind me.

I didn't know what'd just happened but thankfully I'm not lying on the solid ground with my face and stomach but on top of someone's body. Everyone gasped to express their shock.

A little embarrassed, I pull myself and looked to see who caught me, but when I saw the face, I was terrified. It was the transferee. Shawn Mendes.

His brows are knitted together, eyes pressed hard and teeth clenched with his mouth open, he groans, "Fffffff–AH!" He exclaimed in pain.

I tried to pull myself away from him immediately as soon as I realized it was him, but his other hand's on my back, grasped tightly on my shirt. He opens his eyes after squeezing them hard, his brows are still wrinkled; he looks into my eyes and I look into his. We've never been this close to each other's faces nor bodies.

He pants, catching his breath, "Y-You okay..?"

I nod, I wanted to speak and say that he shouldn't have caught me but I don't know.. I'm completely speechless. I can't speak. I can't understand what happened to me but I can't push the words out of my mouth.

I stand up and crouched, I held his arm and pulled him up. Other players came to aid us but Shawn insisted.

"I'm–I'm okay.." he says in a hurt tone.

"Ronel. Ronel!" Tippy says and one person from the crowd jumps out, "Please assist Shawn to the clinic, along with May."

"No, I'm okay." Shawn says, "I'm fine." He walks to me and asked, "You sure you're okay?"

Again, as far as I want to speak, I can't push the words out. At that moment, I lost the ability to speak.

Shawn raises his hand and gave Tippy, Lori, the players and the crowd a thumbs up. Informing everyone that we're both okay. The crowd cheers and claps.

"Let's get on with the game!" Lori says.

And so, the game continues. Sadly, we lost, but it doesn't matter, we already won 5 games and challenges; we can lose the Singing Charades and still declared as the group who won and will get the prize.