"Am I crazy or is Leon glowing?" Saeg says, we were all sat at our usual table for breakfast and quite literally everyone was staring at me like I had grown an extra head.
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"I wasn't gonna say anything but he is most definitely glowing. I woke in the middle of the night and I could see him through my sleep mask." Raph adds and Erika chuckles.
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"You were a sleep mask to bed? And I thought Leon and Kota were the only bottoms." She teases and Raph scowls at her.
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"Hey, I never even told you guys who I'm attracted to. How do you know I'm not into girls?" Lakota retorts and everyone, including Cassius who was sitting with us snorted.
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"I could be with a girl...and totally hook up all over her." Lakota tries to defend and we all laugh at that. Lakota frowns and I pat his shoulder.
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"We are getting distracted. Leon why are you glowing?" Erika redirects it back to me.
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I panic. "I um...I'm using an enchanted...zit cream?"
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Saeg gasps. "Oh my goddess! I use one too but I didn't know it could make someone glow."
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"It's a...side effect! Yeah, totally a side effect." I need to get better at lying, this is pathetic.
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They all seem to buy it, surprisingly, and drop it.
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"Todays the interhouse challengers right?" I decide to change the subject. We were all dressed in our sports clothes, wearing our respective house shirts.
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Raphael nods, seeming excited. "Yeah, and Fames is going to wipe the floor with you losers." He says and Saeg lets out a small cheer, they even high-five.
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"You sure you don't wanna participate?" Lakota asks and I nod.
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"Since it's my first, I'll just watch, maybe I'll participate next year." I respond and he nods.
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"Everyone has to meet up with their houses after breakfast for like a mini pep rally, then head to the fields." Rebecca explains and I nod, taking in the information.
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"None of you guys are in Victorum, do you know where I have to go?" I ask them.
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"Victorum won the last three years in a row, so you guys are in the auditorium." Rebecca responds and I smile.
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Raphael rolls his eyes. "Don't get to used to be being in the winning team Leon. This year we're gonna wreck you guys."
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Then something pops in my head, I turn to Lakota.
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"Hey what was the thought process behind the house names?" I ask him.
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"They're the names of the four horseman. Victorum being conquest, Bellum being war, Fames being famine and Mors being death." He explains.
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"That's kinda morbid don't you think?" I say with a small cringe.
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Kota laughs softly. "Yeah, this whole realm is morbid."
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The bell rings and Laemon calls for a moment of silence. After that everyone gets up to start heading to their respective houses.
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"See you later yeah?" Lakota says and I smile and give them all a wave.
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I start to make my way to the auditorium, it was a bit far but I just followed the crowd of people wearing the same house shirt as me.
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It was like another other auditorium, just the ceiling had a mural which I was feeling way too lazy to unpack right now.
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I find a seat at the very back, which was kinda a bad idea because it was very dark back here and because I'm a glow stick now, I stuck out more than usual.
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People were still entering the auditorium, so while I waited I just took out my phone and mindlessly scrolled on my socials. I had ton of memes Tony sent me which I haven't been able to see but right now I'm also way too lazy to check them out.
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"Good morning Victorum." I heard a voice say through the speakers, I look up to see everyone was stood up and I follow their lead. At the front were a few teachers also wearing the house shirt, Professor Caeline being the one who made the announcement stood at the podium.
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"Good morning Professor Caeline." Everyone greets.
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"Come on now, a little more energy this time. Good morning Victorum!" He says with clear excitement.
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"Good morning Professor Caeline." We say again, and admittedly there was more energy this time.
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"There we go. I hope you're all ready for todays Challengers. We have been the winning house for the past three years, let's not break our streak this year." He says and people cheer and whistle in excitement.
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"We kick off with Netherball, then Spell tracker then lastly Celestial Relay." He says, and I have no idea what any of that means so I just listen.
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"We call head of house Victorum, Michael, to give us our spirit talk before we do our war cries then head to the fields." Professor Caeline says then Michael gets to the podium.
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"There's no debate that we're are the greatest house in the school. We know it, the other teams know it, and now all we have to do is show them why exactly we continue to be the greatest. It won't be easy, it never is, but that's our specialty. Good luck." He says, that brooding inspirational tone. Everyone eats this up and starts clapping obnoxiously cheering and screaming.
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Another student walks to the podium, yellow and blue paint dashed across his face.
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"Who are we?!" He shouts into the mic and I actually startle at the noise.
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"Victorum!" Everyone cheers back.
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"Who are we?!"
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"Victorum!"
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"BY CLAW, BY CROWN, BY CONQUEST!" Everyone chants.
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"BY CLAW, BY CROWN, BY CONQUEST!" They shout again and everyone cheers loudly, claps and whistles ring through the hollow walls of the auditorium. It was nice how everyone seemed excited for this.
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"Now let's go and make them those other houses our bitches!" He cheers and people scream in excitement, I didn't miss the glares the teachers shot him though but they didn't seem to mind much.
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Everyone starts to leave the auditorium and I take that as my queue to follow.
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There was an air of excitement you could see and feel, it was nice but also a tad overstimulating. We make it out of the building and heading to the fields that were decorated accordingly like any huge sports event, it almost looked like the olympics. There were also bleachers that were glowing, I mention this because I have never seen bleachers here before.
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There was a banner that had Victorum on it and everyone headed to that section of the bleachers. The other houses were on other sections with their respective banners.
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I found a seat and just decided to sit there and scroll on my phone while I wait for everything to start.
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"You don't seem very jolly for someone who's literally glowing." A voice says and I look up to see Michael stood in front of me.
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I smile a little. "Is this your way of checking if I'm okay?" I tease lightly and I see the tiniest smile tug at his lips.
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He rolls his eyes. "Don't get any ideas. For your own information I have to check on you so you don't kill any of my house mates."
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I laugh. "Yeah yeah, whatever. I'm good. You?"
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"Just chilling." He says with a small shrug.
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"I'm assuming you're competing in ever event today."
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He nods, quickly looking to the field. "Yeah. But my eyes are still kinda messed up from that surge you pulled."
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I cringe. "Again I'm sorry about that." I say sheepishly.
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He shakes his head. "No need to apologize, I was actively trying to kill you."
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I let out a small laugh. "True."
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As he was about say something a girl, very beautiful, sauntered over.
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"Michael come on, I've been looking for you all morning." She says to him, her hand coming to wrap his arm, her blonde hair behind her shoulders as she pressed her very perky boobs up against Michael. She was stunning.
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He didn't seem very pleased. "I'll be with you in a second, I'm just talking to Leon about an assignment." He responded, it kinda annoyed me because he could have just said we were talking, but I'll just ignore that.
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When it was directed at me, I tried giving the girl a polite smile but she didn't even bat an eye my direction. Harsh.
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She huffs. "Fine, but i'll be waiting for you." She gets on her toes and pecks a kiss on Michaels cheek which he almost squirms away from, she doesn't seem to notice she just walks away.
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When she's out of ear shot, I look to Michael. "Girlfriend?"
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He hesitates. "Sort of."
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He doesn't elaborate further though. "I'll catch you later." He says and I nod, giving him a small smile, with that he gives me a curt nod before taking off.
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I get back onto my phone and send October a quick text before the speakers started to boom.
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"Welcome students and faculty to this year's annual interhouse Challengers!" A woman's voice gleefully announced. "May all competitors make it to the field, we will start Nether ball in ten minutes."
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Everyone started to get ready to head to the field, I saw Michael talking to the team down on the sidelines of the field. I also saw Deimos talking to his Bellum team not too far from where Michael was. On the other side was Fames and Mors.
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The whistle blew and I saw a centaur holding a clip board and whistle, I'm sure that means the game is about to start.
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I was expecting to see everyone get on the field, like Michael, but he didn't, other Victorum members went onto the field but he remained behind. I'm sure he felt my eyes on him because he looked to the bleachers and met my eyes. I gave him a questioning look but he didn't do anything other than get onto the bleachers and walk my direction.
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He walked over and sat down next to me.
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"I thought you were competing in everything today?" I ask.
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He nods. "I was, but some kid really wanted to get on the field so we switched places. But I'll play the final." He says and doesn't meet my eye.
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I nod at that. "You really have gone soft." I tease.
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He huffs a laugh. "Shut up and just watch the game."
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"May Mors and Victorum make their way onto the field." The lady commentator said and everyone got onto the field, a wave of cheers and claps following them.
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"Could you give me a quick crash course to what's going on? I'll be super confused." I say and he huffs begrudgingly.
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"Okay so Netherball is a mix of dodgeball and magical combat, players on two teams use conjured "nether orbs" that can pass through solid objects or phase into different dimensions temporarily. The goal is to hit opponents with the orbs, but they can only hold orbs for a few seconds before they vanish." Michael explains, and I was about to ask another question but I stopped myself.
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"Players can perform short "shadow steps" to evade, creating afterimages to confuse opponents, or shift the orbs into different magical states that have varying effects e.g., freezing, teleporting, or dispersing on impact." He says and I nod again as he speaks.
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"Okay now shut up, I'm watching."He says and I was about to ridicule him but I saw the small teasing smile on his features, I huff and nudge my shoulder into his lightly.
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The conjured arena buzzed with excitement, a low hum that seemed to vibrate in my chest as I perched on the edge of my seat, high in the bleachers with other students literally quiver in anticipation.
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It wasn't my first time at a school match, but Netherball? This was new to me. And frankly, it was baffling. The rules seemed to be made up on the spot. And the players? They darted about like phantoms, shadow-stepping here and vanishing there, creating afterimages that made my head spin if I tried to follow them too closely.
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"Keep your eyes on the ball, Leon," Michael muttered beside me, his tone tinged with the. "That's the only thing that matters."
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"That's the problem," I replied, tilting my head to follow a blur of movement. "There are six balls. And half of them keep disappearing into god-knows-where."
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"Typical first-year," he said, not even trying to hide his smirk. "Just watch and try to keep up."
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I sighed but leaned forward anyway, resting my elbows on my knees. The match had barely started, and already it was chaos. Six players from House Mors in silver and purple moved like shadows on the field, their forms twisting and flickering as they dodged and hurled orbs at the other teams, the white, blue and yellow of Victorum.
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The orbs themselves were... something else.
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They weren't just spheres of light or energy; they were alive. Pulsing, shifting, like trapped fireflies caught in some arcane current. Every now and then, one would vanish entirely, only to reappear in a different spot, literally crapping on the laws of physics.
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I had to admit, it was fascinating. One of the Mors players, a tall boy with a sharp, predatory grin, ducked a copper-colored orb, his body melting into a swirl of black smoke. He reappeared a moment later, just behind the one of our players who'd thrown it. The orb now streaked with violet veins that looked kinda nasty, was in his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, he sent it flying, nope— HURDLING. It moved like a thunderbolt, zigzagging through the air before slamming into the opponent's shoulder.
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The Victorum player froze mid-stride, consumed in a shimmering blue aura. They dropped to their knees, then sank through the floor— legit phased out of existence. The crowd erupted in cheers, and I felt a laugh bubbling up in my chest, despite myself.
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"Where do they go when that happens?" I asked, nudging Michael.
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"Somewhere unpleasant."He replied vaguely. "They're out for thirty seconds. Focus."
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"Right," I murmured, watching as another Mors player launched an orb straight up into the air. For a moment, it hovered, glowing brighter and brighter, until it exploded like a miniature star. I blinked against the sudden flash, but when my vision cleared, I saw the aftermath a shimmering fog had spread across the pitch, rolling like smoke over one of our players.
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"What is that?" I asked.
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"Dimensional rift," Michael said, his voice dry. "Anything inside it can't shadow-step or cast. It's a trap."
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Sure enough, the Victorum players were floundering like huge fishes out of water. Like a shark out of water? Anywho back to the game before I try figuring out which fishes look most like people.
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One tried to conjure an orb, but it fizzled out in his hands. Another stumbled forward, only to be met with a swift strike from this dark violet orb that sent her tumbling out of the boundary lines.
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"Seems a little unfair," I mused.
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"That's the point," Michael said with a shrug. "Netherball's about strategy, not fairness. It's about using every ounce of Essence you have to outmaneuver your opponent. No mercy, no second chances."
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I glanced at him, eyebrows raised. "Sounds like your kind of game."
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He didn't respond, but the faint smirk on his face was answer enough.
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Then by the way everyone gasped I would have thought someone died but another Victorum player attempted a desperate move, hurling an orb that shimmered with golden light. It arced high above the pitch, spinning faster and faster until it seemed to split into dozens of smaller orbs, each one streaking toward a Mors player. Mors scattered, shadow-stepping away in rapid succession, their forms blurring and splitting into afterimages that made it impossible to tell who was real and who wasn't.
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"Now that's clever," I said, leaning forward.
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"It's reckless," Michael countered. "He's wasting Essence. Watch."
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Sure enough, the Victorum player stumbled as the last of the orbs left his hands. He tried to dodge a retaliatory strike, but he was too slow. A dark orb slammed into his side, and he crumpled to the ground, disappearing in a flash of blue light.
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I couldn't help but wince. "This feels more like a duel than a sport."
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"It's both," Michael said. "That's why it's the best."
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I sat back, letting my gaze drift over the pitch as the game continued. There was something mesmerizing about the way the players moved like dancers, almost, their movements fluid and deliberate, even in the chaos. And the orbs... they were alive in a way I didn't fully understand. Watching them, I felt a strange pang in my chest I couldn't pin.
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Maybe Michael was right. Maybe it was the best. Or maybe I was just hopelessly drawn to things I didn't understand. Either way, I couldn't take my eyes off the game.
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Surprisingly, Victorum really pulled through in the last fifteen minutes.
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"How come they're doing well now and not in the beginning?" I ask Michael.
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"It's our offense and defense tactic. We take the hard hits in the beginning to preserve our energy and at the last minute we hone in on their low energy levels and give them everything we have." He says and I saw an orb literally basically uppercut one of the Mors players.
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"How come you're not participating in anything today?" He asks me, his eyes still on the game.
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"No one tells me anything about what's going on so I basically had no knowledge about this stuff. But I can always do it next year." I say and he nods, his eyes still fixed on the game.
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Victorum ended up winning against Mors, and now it was Mors against Fames.
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"This game is gonna be boring." Michael says with a huff.
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"You wanna walk around?" I ask randomly and I immediately thought he was gonna shoot down my idea.
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He just shrugs and stands up. "Let's go." He says simply and I nod.
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I follow him down the bleachers and off onto the edge of the field, walking the direction of Gossamer.
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"So...what's heaven like?" I ask and he actually snorts at that.
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"What do you think it's like?" He asks.
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I shrug. "I don't really know, the Bible doesn't give a very detailed description of what eternal life looks like."
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He nods at that, sticking his hands in his pockets.
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"I don't actually know myself, I'm this realm cause I haven't ascended yet. So all the Aetherborn you've met here we're all from a small town that carved out for us."He explained me and I nod with a small smile.
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"Thats cool." I muse more to myself.
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"Can I ask why you hate it that much? Like orthodox I mean, I know you told me but I wanna hear it again while we're not sniping at each other." He asks.
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I shrug a little. "I don't know, I understand what the main teachings are. That through God you can do anything and the lined message of forgiveness and divine intervention-"
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"I don't wanna hear that Leon. I want to know why you dislike it so much." He says to me, no malice in his voice, just curiosity.
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I sigh. "I guess the thought of people who are responsible for such evil things can simply ask for forgiveness and acknowledge that god is their lord and savior saving them from an eternity of damnation, rubs me the wrong way. I know, that you know, it shows that he's all good and all powerful because he can save even the worst of people...but at the same time, If you've experienced things that are worse than death I think, things that mentally and spiritually consume how you see the world; I guess then I just don't believe the people that caused that type of horror are worthy of forgiveness,"
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He nods at my ramblings. "It sucks. And you're a smart kid, I know you probably didn't go against it just because its teachings."
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I hum at that. "Yeah. But that too, being gay and stuff and hearing constantly that the biggest mistake I can make is love myself and others like me is so fucked up. Sorry for cursing, it just makes me upset."
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He doesn't disagree, he just nods, taking in my words. We get to Gossamer and it was empty, even the fae that fly around aren't here.
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He finds a random stoned table and sits down, I follow his lead and take a seat too.
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He looks around, that hot contemplative look on his face that I have to try my best to not get all hot and bothered by.
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"When you say things that are worse than death, there's something you've experienced that's worse than death." He says more than asks and I nod, looking away.
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I shrug. "I guess. But there's just so many that have been through such hellish things. If god really is all knowing and all powerful, why can't he stop those things from happening? I just don't see any justification for that."
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I look back to him and he nods. "Damn." Is all he says and I let out a small laugh.
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"Yeah, damn indeed."
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He lets out a small of huff, which I assume is a nonchalant way of him laughing.
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"But enough about my spiritual views and awakening. How come you came to C.A.A?" I ask.
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He shrugs. "Everyone comes here when they're ready. It just gets us ready for higher dimensions and all that stuff."
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"So things are more hectic there?"
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He shakes his head. "Kind of but we get more involved with human affairs. So I guess that's why I'm so confused why you distaste religion so much, I've never seen first hand the effects it has had on people."
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I nod at that, then the most stupid thing comes out of my mouth. You're very beautiful you know, I'm not trying it on but you're genuinely so gorgeous."
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He seems stunned for a moment, just looking at me with an unreadable expression. He shrugs. "I'm alright."
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I laugh softly at that. "But what's it been like? Being here I mean."
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"I mean it's been okay. I got here freshman year, it was kinda fun just random boarding school stuff. Then I started focusing on my studies and sports, dated a little and all that shit." Michael says and I nod.
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"I get that. So you've just been on your school grind lately?"
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He nods. "Pretty much, nothing else to really focus on. Other than trying to get you ready incase you come face to face with those people trying to kill you." He says with a hint of humor and I smile at that.
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I nod at that. "You know when I first got here I really thought you hated me."
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A smirk tugs at his lips. "Who's to say I don't?"
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I laugh. "Quit being a dick and just listen."
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He raises his hands in surrender. "Okay okay, why did you think I hated you?"
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"You were just a dickhead." I laugh. "Like when you were asked to take me to Apollo on my first day you acted like that was the last place you wanted to be."
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"Well escorting a first year isn't an ideal place to be when I could be putting my time into things more beneficial." He says and I nod with a smile.
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"Fair. But you were still being a dick." I say and he lets out a small exaggerated gasp.
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"Leodonis Miller did you just curse?" He asks dramatically and I laugh.
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"Oh shut up." I laugh, a smile tugs at his lips and he shakes his head.
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"So what's the deal with the girl that approached you?" I decide to ask and I can kinda see his walls slam back up.
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"Nothing." He says simply and I give him a 'be for real' look.
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He sighs. "I don't know. After Katia broke up with me, I just kinda got with the first person that wanted me, didn't work out but it got her attention. So we've been in this weird back and forth game." He says and I look at him in confusion.
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"But everyone wants you." I say before I could stop myself but I didn't take it back, or shy away from it.
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He shrugs. "Katia just has a way of getting in my head, so she lingers in the dark corners I try brighten up." He says and I wanted to comment on how I was happy he was opening up so freely but I ignored that because commenting would have made him close off.
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I nod at that. "So Katia was is your first love, I'm assuming?"
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He nods. "Yeah, something like that." He says and. I nod. "You ever had a first?" He asks.
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I shake my head. "No, it's kinda hard for me to see people like that."
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"Why?"
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"I don't know, I've just never found myself wanting to be in something so intense and intimate with someone. Maybe because my view of intimacy was ruined for me, but I don't know." I respond and he nods, no follow up questions.
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"You shouldn't let one person make you think love is anything but beautiful." He says his voice was that bland indifference but his words stuck in my head.
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I nod. "I know. Just so many things can be ruined in ways a lot of people can't understand," I say back.
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He looks at me for a good moment. He then looks away and nods.
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"Are you trying to get over Katia though?" I ask and he pauses before shaking his head. He doesn't say anything, he just nods.
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"I get that." I say softly.
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"You haven't even been in love before." He says with little amusement and I laugh, shrugging.
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"I may not, but I do know what it feels like to love. Maybe not romantically, but if anyone had to end things with me, knowing I care deeply about them. I'd be really hurt." I say a bit softly and he nods in agreement.
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"So you've never had a crush or anything?" He asks.
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I tilt my head as I think. "I mean I have, for sure. But I've just never wanted them to be anything more than a crush I guess, I've never wanted more than just an infatuation."
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He nods. "You articulate yourself very well for a supposed introvert."
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I laugh. "Does that mean introverts aren't articulated well?"
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He rolls his eyes but the smirk doesn't disappear. "You know for a fact that's not what I meant."
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I chuckle. "Okay, sorry. Okay now this is gonna be a personal question, but I'm just curious. You're like an archangel, and you're hot." I start and he lets out a strangled groan. "Since you're ruled by divine right, how are you able to keep your partners...satisfied?"
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He flushed at the question, it wasn't the usual redness on his cheeks but rather at the tip of his ears.
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"Uh ah...find ways." He says and I laugh at his shyness.
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"Michael you dog, are you telling me you fornicate?"
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He tries to hide his sheepish expression with a facade of nonchalantness but I could see right through those devil blue eyes. Oh, I guess in this case it would be angel blue eyes. Ugh, that sounded gross.
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"I will not share my sex life with a sophomore." Is what he says instead and I laugh at that, my hand coming over my mouth.
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I shrug. "Okay I'll find out somehow."
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He shakes his head and brushes his hair off his forehead. "How's family life in the mortal realm?" He decides to change the subject and I allow it.
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"It's okay. I'm close with my siblings and my parents."
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"How many siblings do you have?" He asks.
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"I have five." I say and he lets out a small whistle.
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"Holy crap." He says and I nod.
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"Yeah, what about you? Other than Raph?"
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"Well I have twelve, but the ones I'm close to are Raphael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raguel." He says and I nod at that.
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He clears his throat in awkwardness, I think because I was trying to pull of his onion layers. "Should we head back? We've been here for a while.
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I shrug. "It's your call. I'm fine just here."
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He lets out a small laugh. "You're dangerous Leodonis." He says and I tilt my head in confusion.
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"How?"
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He shakes his head, but a smile was plastered on his features. "Let's go." He says and I nod, getting up from the stone bench.
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We walk back in silence, I could feel that he wanted to say something but he just didn't. And I was okay that he wanted to keep things to himself, I just thought we were getting to a point where he let me in a bit more rather than that stoic attitude of his.
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We make our way out of Gossamer and back to the field where the Nether Ball games were happening. Right as we got there, it seemed it was the final.
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"Shoot, I have to get to the field. But I'll see you later yeah?" He asks and I was a bit surprised, sorry he just keeps surprising me.
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"Sure. Good luck." I say and he nods, putting his stuff down and heading to the field.
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"And for the final. Victorum and Bellum!" The commentator cheered and the bleachers erupted into cheers and whistles.
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Michael headed down to the rest of Victorum's blue, yellow, and white glowing like constellations in the crowd while Bellums's red and black banners flickers. People were already chanting, screaming names, but my focus was on two people. Michael and Deimos.
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And how these two with so much tension that could be sexual, play this game.
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Michael looked every bit the perfect golden hero, his Victorum uniform spotless, his wings flaring behind him like shields . He sat on his orb like it was a throne, holding his glowing staff with the same irritating confidence he always carried.
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Meanwhile, Deimos was the opposite. Dark, sharp, grinning like he'd already won. His Bellum's uniform clung to him, looking more like living shadows than fabric. He didn't need wings the way he moved, twisting and coiling on his orb, was enough to draw every eye in the stadium, including mine.
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The whistle blew, and the game started with a flash of light.
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This whole game was chaos wrapped in magic, fast enough to make your head spin. Players darted around, throwing, slamming, kicking, launching— freaking blasting nether balls at each other.
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The little shits in Bellum kept vanishing and reappearing. I watched Michael immediately take control of Victorum's defense, directing his team with sharp, precise commands. He didn't waste a second, his staff gleaming as he deflected a Bellum player's ball.
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Deimos was more unpredictable. He weaved through his team like wild fire, all speed and clever feints. He didn't bother with careful plans or clean plays, he just trusted himself to outpace and outsmart everyone else. And, annoyingly, it worked.
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He launched a nether ball a jaw dropping speed, causing one of our players to fly backwards and sink into the pitch.
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"Show-off," I muttered under my breath.
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The game sped up. Spells flew like fireworks, streaking across the field in bursts of light and shadow. Michael and Deimos collided in the center, both trying to knock down the other but their orbs kept colliding in large bursts. Michael cut Deimos off with a sharp burst of golden light, his orb blasting like a war machine.
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"Stay out of my way, angel," Deimos growled in a shout that even I could hear it, his voice carrying even over the crowd's screams.
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"Play fair, demon," Michael shot back, cold and steady as always.
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Their orbs slammed into each other, sending a ripple of energy through the air. The crowd roared louder.
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I leaned forward in my seat, already exhausted from just watching them. This wasn't just a game to them, and I could see why Lakota said they hated each other, this was VERY personal, like they were fighting for more than a win.
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Michael intercepted a pass with a quick dive, catching an orb midair. Deimos was on him in an instant, moving so fast it made my head spin. They hovered just inches apart, glaring at each other like they'd rather be throwing punches.
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For a second, I thought they'd forgotten about the game entirely. They just stared each other down, their magic sparking wildly, like it couldn't wait for them to explode.
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The game was down to its final moments, and the score was tied. Everyone in the stadium was on edge, screaming louder than ever. Michael rallied Victorum with a single sharp command, his voice cutting through the chaos like a sword. Deimos grinned like he lived for this pressure, barking orders to his team without even glancing at them.
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It all came down to them, as it always did.
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I missed what happened for a good five minutes because of how fast they moved, but both of blasted each other, sending both not of even flying but just stumbling. By how hard they were pushing if I was on that field I would have been sent into orbit.
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For a second, it felt like time had stopped. Neither of them moved, and the air between them seemed ready to explode. Then, with one final burst of golden light, Michael broke free. He threw the orb towards Deimos as dazzling speed just as Deimos got his footing sending him to the floor.
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Then the whistle blew.
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The stadium erupted into cheers as the portal flashed blue and yellow. Victorum had won.
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Michael's teammates swarmed him, shouting and lifting him into the air. His wings folded before disappearing as he smiled, looking as calm and untouchable as ever.
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Deimos landed on the field with a heavy thud, his expression unreadable. But then his eyes snapped to me on the bleachers and that smirk of his returned, like he hadn't lost at all.
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I didn't know who to cheer for. Maybe I never would. And their both still assholes so I will cheer for no one!
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"And Victorum wins Nether Ball for the fourth year in a row!!" The speakers announced loudly and everyone in Victorum cheered loudly.
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I sat back down then I saw Rebecca walking down the bleachers in a hurry, her hands covering her face as she stormed off and I immediately knew something was wrong.
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I got up and followed her hurriedly down the bleachers and it seemed she was heading towards the school building.
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"Becs!" I called but she didn't stop.
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I continued to follow her, I jogged to her and held onto her arm gently to stop her from walking away. She turned to face me but her face was still in her hands and I could hear her soft sobs.
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"Rebecca what's wrong?" I asked softly.
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She sobbed again, small broken breaths leaving her mouth.
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"Could I hug you please?" She asks softly and instead of responding I just pulled her to me and wrapped my arms around her.
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She did the same, her face sinking into my shoulder as she let out soft broken sobs. I held her the best I could, rubbing her back reassuringly as she cried and my heart broke into a million pieces when that didn't seem to calm her down.
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She continued to cry, her arms wrapped loosely around me as she let it all out. Her breathing became more labored, her tears became stronger, her hands clingers onto my shirt desperately.
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I close my eyes for some reason, just feeling her pain and I imagine every possible thing that could bring me joy in a moment like this.
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Puppies, cartoons, ice cream, my siblings, my friends back home and here and as I do that I hear her calm down.
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She sniffles a little, but doesn't back away.
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"Becs, what's wrong?" I ask softly.
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She sniffles. "Just some guys, making fun of the stuff that happened last year. Slut shaming and all that stuff." She says tiredly and I nod in understanding.
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"I'm so sorry that they assume that of you Becs. You just have to remember that their opinions don't serve a purpose in your life, yeah?" I say softly and she nods.
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"Thanks." She says, taking a small step back and sniffing, wiping her eyes.
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I nod and smile. "It sucks that you're so pretty even when you cry."
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She smiles and shakes her head. "Come on, Spell Tracker starts soon." She says still wiping her face, and I nod, I link our arms together and we walk back towards the field.
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But as we do I do know that whatever happened Becs wasn't what she wanted, and if what I think happened actually did...there's no telling what I'd do.
ns216.73.216.13da2
and then Add to home screen.