Chapter 4♤
Skaii had developed the habit of walking home, things always seemed better that way. There wasn't anyone reliable to ask for a ride home anyway. It's either they were stone-cold drunk or almost there. Plus, it would have been that or her diabolical stepbrother that she could only assume everyone was swaddling last night. Matthew was, after all, the captain of the basketball team and the leader of everything that is Trinity Vale. He had the school in the palm of his hands, well, his father did.
Either way, she was better off being alone. She never really cared for any of it.
She hissed. Her feet blistered of her regret the night before, a quarter-mile in the chilling weather was a cul de sac. And the Soft stride Sophia that she was currently lacing on her feet proves to be a sore reminder.
She looked up and she could see that she wasn't the only one regretting their late-night rendezvous.
"Stretch." One word from her broke the silence. The boys stood and began to do exactly what they were told. The girls though piped in in a very interesting way. Skaii's mouth fell open in shock at their position and their blatant eroticism. She rose an eyebrow, "What are you doing?"
They shuffled and stood upright, but what they couldn't do with their butts anymore, they were doing with their eyes and it was sickening to watch. She spun around to see what could get the girls peeved. Students were pouring into the field from the far-left gate and through the crowd, some guys decked in yellow and blue colors of Trinity Vale High P Ed uniform made their way to center field. Some of the guys she recognized, a few were freshmen, and others were seniors. Coach Foreman was among the lot, holding a white leather football with burgundy lace woven into it.
Of course! There was a football tryout this afternoon. That meant abs, biceps and sweat for the rest of the evening. The boys spared no time in stretching, occasionally throwing a smile and a wave in the girls' direction. The girls actually giggled. Skaii rolled her eyes.
Great! Now how am I supposed to get practice going?
Then he appeared. And she froze, he was more beautiful than the first time she saw him. Then he began smiling at something one of the guys said to him. The evening sun did well to complement his almost caramel skin, his aura radiated magically.
"That's him!" One of the girls squealed and his head snapped in their direction. "That's Nicholas Harvey, I told you he was little anymore."
When Skaii heard that a new guy came into Trinity, she had no idea it was the one she met last night.
Nicholas Harvey- Now she had a name to go with that fiery mouth. He was glancing over her squad with a glint of detest, one the girls didn't see or ignored. When his eyes connected with hers, they instantly gleamed over with recognition and then he scowled. His eyes idled for a while until he glanced away, focusing on something the coach said.
Skaii smirked. They say the eyes were the window to the soul, after all. And right now, his soul was not liking hers and the feeling was entirely mutual.
Usually, football tryouts would begin with a sprint and agility test followed by a mock game against the current football team. Foreman did not waste any time in beginning, by the time Skaii spun back around to her team, they were knocking feet and knees on the floor. It was hopeless, the girls were moving but they were more tuned in to what was taking place a couple of feet from where they were standing. More persons stopped to watch the guys run their heart out, some of the football team members were already making their rounds and bets on those who'd get picked, and it was the only excitement they'd get for a while before the cheer trials. She could live with giving her girls a little fun, so she watched, at least, she watched him.
Not long after, they got into formation for a pseudo-match.
Nicholas crouched to the knees, in position, he didn't skip a beat when the whistle blew. The ground jerked with the flex of his muscles, his spikes broke the perfectly cut lawn when he got the ball. The way he ran, it was almost graceful, bobbing and weaving and dodging. He got to the bar line at the double, earning a roar from the crowd. More students were gathering on the stands to witness the "new guy" at play. As much as Skaii hated to admit it, she found his performance almost alluring. As far as the sport went, this Nicholas Harvey character was amazing.
He threw the ball to one of his teammates and started to run but before he could set in to motion, someone charged at him. Piles of blue and yellow fell in sync and their grand prize went airborne. Skaii took a step back when the ball fell at her feet. She looked up, everyone was looking at her expectantly and she paused for a while. Slowly, she crouched down and took up at the grass-stained wet, sticky ball in her hand. She rotated the muggy point in the palm of her hand, repulsed at the feeling.
A pair of legs appeared in front of her, and a hand-stretched forward. She tilted her head up, it was him. "Captain?" His eyebrows rose, he must've caught her in action earlier. She stood upright and shove the ball at him but he didn't completely hold it. His hands lingered for a while and it wasn't only them that lingered. His eyes were searching her face with a hazy glint of- curiosity? He liked the attention he was getting from the crowd but he liked that he intrigued her more.
She quickly released the ball and folded her arms.
"You ruined my practice, congratulations." Skaii snapped, then spun on her feet and marched over to the stands where her belongings were.
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Practice ended early today. She had managed to put in some work after that football try-out interruption; plus she was confident the team knew what they needed to know.
And everyone except Skaii left, she remained in the locker room to freshen up. Then stalked to their indoor gym and sat, waiting for the others to leave the school, so she could have a little privacy. Two days had passed on and the bruises on her neck didn't fade away. They were still there and hurting more than before. She didn't want anyone to see her bruises, she didn't want anyone to ask her questions she couldn't answer.
She didn't want to seem weak in the presence of her team. Her hands found her way to her neck, rubbing it for comfort.
"Why so glum captain Holder? Everyone knows that a cheerleader should smile." A voice that she became too familiar voice echoed throughout the gym, startling Skaii. It was Matthew's.
She quickly rose to her feet.
"Matthew?" She scanned the room but he was nowhere in sight. The light of the moon was her only source of light. But it proved to be futile, almost all of the gym was in a blinding darkness.
And suddenly it became clear that she was alone with him and no one would be able to hear whatever would follow. Or her screams. Her heart began pounding on her ribcage as fear encompassed her.
"I've been waiting all day sis. Do you know what you're doing to me? I've been watching you all day long in those tight little shorts you love to wear so much. I just couldn't wait for you." His voice sounded closer this time and his presence now more direct. Skaii froze when she realized he was behind her all along.
"How long have you been up there?" She gulped and turned around to face him. He was standing three rows away from her with an unholy grin on his face.
"Ages." Was his only reply. He stepped down slowly with the joy of her torture never leaving his face.
"I'm going to the bathroom." She said, while reaching for her bag quickly.
"That won't work, not this time." He skipped from row to row until he reached her.
"Matthew please, I want to go home." She pleaded, a lump rose in her throat as tears formed in her eyes.
"No!" his voice thundered. "I'm going to f*ck you right here, right now." He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. His tongue swept over her cheek and used of his free hand to grab her ass. She screamed as he squeezed harder and dipped his head lower and bite her neck.
She screamed louder and louder. But he struck her with the back of his hand, silencing her. He grabbed her shirt and tugged at it, giving her no time to nurse her heated cheek. Her buttons flew in different directions, revealing her chest. Fortunately she was wearing her sport bra that revealed nothing. He was not happy.
"Matthew-" he smacked her again, silencing her. He licked across her chest.
"Leave me alone!" Skaii found all the strength she could muster and pushed him off her. He growled angrily and pushed her back.
Skaii staggered backwards until she lost her balance and tripped on the row behind her. The last thing she remembered was falling face down on the floor of the gym.