Enemy Basis | COMPLETE

11| football fiasco

Since yesterday, I was on edge. Not only was everything getting to me, but to make matters worse, when I got home, I found my phone on my nightstand. The horrifying realisation hit me: one of the three guys had invaded my privacy yet again, and this time in such an intruding way.

All last night and this morning, I had been feeling anxious. Utterly and hopelessly, I felt as if I were standing on a cliff, looking down below me into the darkness beneath. One push was all it would take to send me tumbling into the unknown, falling vulnerably to the bottom. I didn't know what was going to happen to me now but I knew it was only going to be downhill for me until I left Richview.

That being said, I couldn't stop and be scared. I had to carry on, keep on breathing and continue as if everything was normal. So, despite wanting nothing more than to stay at home away from everyone, I forced myself to go to school.

As I moved from my first class to my last, every person I passed was a blur of intangible faces, all blending together. My mind was elsewhere and unable to concentrate on my surroundings, a wall shielding me from the outside world as I focused on more pressing matters.

My psycho father wanted to see me. My psycho stalker wanted something with me. The psychos Dorran, Marcelo and Archer wanted to hurt me and my father.

The drama was quickly getting overwhelming and I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to keep up with it. The football match today added another layer of stress, as I was required to perform with the dance team, right beside Marcelo, in front of everyone. And unfortunately, wherever Marcelo was, the other two were never far behind.

Additionally, with all three football teams from Finchley Manor, Granite Hill, and East Bridge attending, I knew trouble was brewing. Whenever these three parts of town got together, even for a seemingly harmless event like a football match, tensions always flared, followed by violence and drama. I just didn't have the energy to deal with it.

And finally, the football match would run late so I was further putting myself at risk from the stalker.

These cautions swirled in my mind like a little tornado. However, even after going through all the reasons why it would be a bad idea, I knew I had to attend. Not only had I practised the dance routine gruellingly for a week, I liked dancing and I didn't want to be pulled off the team. More importantly, I didn't want my enemies to win. If I didn't go, I was giving them more and more power over me. I should be able to attend if I want to. It didn't make me feel any better, but I decided to do what I wanted. I'd just have to hope for the best.

• • •

At around six in the evening, I stood outside the football pitch. The skies looked pretty and fragrant as if they smelled like beautiful flowers and there was still a bit of sun left from the day, sending glowing embers onto my skin. I took a deep breath and then walked into the pitch from the tunnel.

I heard the loud noise of a crowd and I knew the reputation of these football games so when I walked onto the green and saw the bleachers jam-packed and full, I wasn't surprised. It seemed as if the whole town had come to watch and the noise was so loud that I was almost lost in the sound around me. I walked to where the dance team were preparing on the grass and I joined them, feeling as if hundreds of eyes were on me. My skin prickled but it wasn't because of the nerves of the crowd watching on, it was the nerves from feeling watched by people that I was wary of. There was about five minutes until the game so I stretched, making sure I was prepared. Maia was standing next to me and I still got nothing from her, no talking, no glances, no anything. It was as if I didn't exist and at this moment when I had so much in my life, I almost didn't care.