Defeated

★★★★

"Cameras!" Isabella exclaimed with a loud gasp because Casey told her she would shut down the cameras. This insinuates that she did what she had told her.

"I don't know anything about it. You can ask your principal when he comes," the guard told them. When he looked at their shoulders, he saw the principal was coming with the authorities.

Three of them followed his eyes and looked back. Indeed, the principal was coming. They ran to him the next wink with troubled hearts. They didn't want the guard's words to become true or it would be a disaster.

"Sir, sir." Three of them stopped at a proper distance.

"What happened to you girls? Why are you running?" asked the principal with a grim face. He was not in a good mood. The problem was not minor, it not only ransacked the college property but also raised questions about their security, which would be big, heated news if it come out.

"We have heard about the loss. How did that happen? Did you find any clues?" Danny asked their principal with a curt voice as if she was a member of the administration and it was important for her to know everything.

"I am very glad that you students know that something happened in college. A few days ago, I had permitted to hold the event but look at the result. I haven't had time to breathe ever since I heard the news. I allowed fundraising events and other students in the college, but I did not allow anyone to go to the second floor," the principal attacked them with his words. He knew only what kind of dire situation he was in. On the other hand, the headmaster of St. Peterson was asking about his presence.

"We are very sorry, but we can see the footage from before the incident. We can find out the person who did it," Isabella said politely. Her words were reassuring, bringing hope to Danny and Bethany. It was also a good point Bella mentioned, that too will work.

"That is the problem. Nothing is recorded. There is no footage of yesterday," replied the principal with an irked face, as blood boils whenever he thinks about it.

"What? How?" Bella's voice shook, as it was unexpected to hear. How come nothing was recorded?

"Sir," Bethany opened her mouth when the Principal didn't answer Bella.

"I don't have time to answer your questions. The President is coming to investigate the matter. I don't know what kind of trouble I've brought upon myself," said the principal, almost cursing his luck and Westwood's student. He was afraid of the President.

"Move," he went on roaring without hiding his unhappy mood but stopped his steps after walking some distance.

"Isabella," the headmaster turned and called to Bella, who was thinking with her head down. Therefore, the principal's sudden call struck her sense, and she looked at him.

"If you want to do something for your college, then go back to the field and play this game. Your team needs you one more time. Later, you will graduate and leave this college and there will be no game. Can you just do it for one more year?" The principal spoke softly, with the hope; that Bella would play this game. He had received much admiration and respect after his victory over St. Peterson's that year. Their women's soccer team got a chance to play in other states after that.

Bella bit her inner cheeks while her lips were shut-tight, demonstrating her reluctance and her blank stare was soulless. She saw her principal walk away, nodding his head in despair as his hope was high on Isabella.

"Isabella," Danny whispered and placed her hand on Bella's shoulder to ease her bitterness. She believed in Bella's decision.

"I know, but no one tries to understand me," Bella said with a sigh. She wasn't an ungrateful student, but remembering to play on the field again was something that haunted her.

"We know. Don't worry. But have you digested what our principal said?" said Bethany, furrowing her thin brows in thoughts. Tension jogged through her head, scuffing her scalp at the news their principal had fed them.

"I don't know. His words are impossible to accept. How come the camera didn't record anything? Does that mean they were damaged before?" mouthed Danny, looking ahead with a snuffing mood. It was like they got back to the same place where they started.

"How can they be damaged together? Besides, our college was so conscious about the security so there is no way they overlook it," said Bella, tightening her knuckles. She was sure Casey had done something with those cameras.

"Your words have weight," Danny agreed and looked around. "Let's go somewhere else. Or do you want to watch men's soccer?" she added.

"No. Let's go to the canteen," Isabella said and headed to the canteen.

★★★

On the field, St Peterson's still dominated the game, with St Peterson's students cheering throughout the playground, making it hard for Westwood to stay calm.

"What is happening with our team? Have they eaten cow shit in the morning?"

Isabella overheard some friends talking about her team on the way to the canteen. Their aggression was clearly visible in their voice. She didn't try to get the news of the game. However, her ears could not help but hear them.

"This happens when you take the opposition too lightly," Bethany said in a tense tone. They were soccer lovers, but today's game made it hard for them to believe in victory.

"Don't worry, our college will be the winner," Isabella reassured her friends to keep calm and believe in their team.

"Hi, girls," Rachel greeted as they entered. They smiled at Rachel and sat down.

"Have you realized that our days are getting very tiring these days?" asked Bethany, leaning on the chair and folding her arm in the back.

"Yes, we used to be blithe. Now, something new is happening to us every day. One blow after another," Danny agreed with Bethany. Although she hadn't noticed it until now, she couldn't ignore it either.

"We are getting old," said Bethany, scuffing her nose as a strand of hair irritated her nose. "We didn't go on a hike very long. What do you think about it, Bella?" Bethany added, blowing a lazy breath.

"Bella! Bella," Bethany called Bella a few times, but she was out of the place while her head focused on the door, some sort of disturbance brought a scowl to her face.

Therefore, Bethany tapped on the table in front of her hand, which brought Bella back to the earth.

"Yes," Bella answered.

"Where, girl? What kind of dish you are cooking?" Bethany joked with a smile, bringing a smile to their face too.

"Amm! I just felt our team will not win because our striker hurt his ankle," Bella murmured, running her fingers through her hair. Her guts conveyed the same outcome to her head.

"You become psychic. Obviously, it's your grandma's imprint," said Danny, rolling her eyes. She decided she would irritate Bella by mentioning that odd old lady.

"Shut up," Isabella said and smiled. That's when a few students banged on the canteen door and shouted, "Fuck, we lost against them again. I can't accept it."

Bethany, Danny, and Bella suddenly jumped up from the seat as the scream and the cries got louder. They looked at their depressed eyes. They knew what happened when Rachel came to them with soft drinks.

"Our college lost against St. Peterson, 2-0," Rachel said and sat down with them.

"How?" Bethany cried out in an unbelievable voice.

"Our striker broke his knee," Rachel answered and pursed her lips. To her, soccer was emotion, and the team was love.

Howbeit, Bethany and Danny looked at Bella with horror in their eyes, forgetting their loss.