Season 3 Chapter 14

Julie : What are you talking about? (She looks at me confused)

Me: (I sighed while standing up and stretching myself) Nevermind ..I should go and prepare the flyers for our club. Forget whatever I said just now. (I said before walking out of the club room)

Its not like I hate Julie, rather I truly admire her. In this era, it is really hard to find someone who is so pure and innocent. But, vultures will eat her meat, if she continues to be naïve, so it's better for me to act like a villain in her life to tough her up than watching her slowly fade away. After classes, I started distributing flyers to advertise regarding our club activities. I took this chance to approach Choon Hee again, she was in tracksuit, chatting with her friends while warming up before their practice. She smiles noticing me, I went up to her and handed her one of the flyer.

Me: Hey…I hope you will give it a second thought. I feel you will be a great addition for the  football team. (I gave a professional smile)

Choon Hee: (she sighs while taking the flyer) Anne…look I admire you. If you ever start a martial art club, count me in, but please….not football. (She bites her lower lip) I have my reasons.

Me: Uhm…maybe if you share your problems, we can try solving it together? (I said while patting her shoulder)

Choon Hee: Will you…really listen? (She hesitated then murmured to herself) No…what if she judges me…? (She sighed) no, forget it. It's better if you find someone else.

Me: Ah…(I stared at her with fake sad eyes) I am sorry for disturbing you….I really thought that you would be a perfect addition for our team.

Choon Hee: (she rubs her forehead) Hey…listen, it's becoming hard to refuse you…so maybe I will join. (She smiles)

Me: Really??? (I tried hiding my excitement) Thank you!

Choon Hee: On one condition. Only if you can defeat me in competition. What say? 400 meters, across the city. (She grinned)

Me: What?! But you are a professional athlete. Won't it be embarrassing if you lose to me? (I said in a surprised tone while provoking her ego)

Choon Hee; What?! Are you taunting me right now??? Fine! (She frowns) Challenge accepted. This Sunday, we are going to have competition and see, who gets embarrassed after that.

Jennifer: (one of her friend stands beside her while laughing) Go easy on her Choon Hee. Or she will start crying.

Me: Thank you for giving me this chance Choon Hee. (I bowed respectfully) I won't disappoint you. (I said before leaving).

I felt happy that there is atleast one chance for me to convince Choon Hee to join the team, that was one member down, 7 more to go. I felt satisfied and continued distributing the flyers.

Bella was sitting under a tree, quietly reading a novel, she was a French girl with dark brown straight hair tied in a ponytail, black thick spectacle in front of her dark brown eyes, and white skin with full lips. I have noticed her in our class, she doesn't have any friends and prefer to be left alone, or atleast that's what everyone believes. I realized that she just finds it difficult to start a conversation and tend to remain quiet in groups. But she is one of the smartest kid, with multiple talents, she also follows Victoria like a chick and admire her which results in her getting isolated by other classmates, because they feels she is prideful and loves to ignore others. I walked up to her and gave her a bright smile, she glances at my face and gives a cold expression.

Bella: Please leave, you are blocking the sunlight. (She says before staring at her book once again)

Me: But you are already sitting under the tree's shadow. (I blinked)

Bella: (she closes the book and opens her spectacle pressing the corner of her eyes trying to control herself) What do you want?

Me: So we are recruiting new members for football club. (I gave her the flyer) Hope to see you there.

Bella: I don't have time to waste on such useless activities. (She says while crumpling the flyer and throwing it away)

Me: Victoria is also there. (I smiled)

Bella: Listen here, don't you dare compare my capabilities with my idol. She is perfect, she can play sports and score good marks at the same time. But I cannot, so it would be better if you leave me alone. Now go away and let me read my novel. (She says before re-opening her book)

Me: Alright, I won't bother you for now. (I said before walking off)

It was getting tiring to force yourself to smile all day long, my cheeks started aching as I rubbed them while sitting on a bench near the football field , Christina and her gang stood in front of me.

Christina: Hey, you are that bitch right? The one who beat my brother and now helping that mice? (She said in a murderous tone) Fight me bitch, I will make sure to show you , your place. (She stares at my face)

Me: Your breath stinks, so please move, also I don't fight with weaklings, so it would be better if you leave. (I ignored her presence and started noting down potential players for the team)

Christina : (she grabs my notebook and throws it away) ARE YOU TRYING TO UNDERESTIMATE ME?!! (she shouts at the top of her voice as her face turns red with anger) I WILL KILL YOU!! (she says while grabbing my hair and yanking it)

Me: (I glared at her cold as she continues to mess with my hair and even slaps me) Christina…(I said in a warning tone) I hope you don't want to end up like your brother, or maybe worse than that.

Christina: Y-You!!! (She Yanks my hair even harder pulling out some of it) I HATE YOU!! BECAUSE OF YOU, I GOT A SCOLDING FROM MY PARENTS!!! IF ONLY YOU DIDN'T HURT KARL!!

Julie: C-Christina! Stop it! (I could hear Julie's trembling voice as Christina leaves me and turns around)

Christina: My dear Julie. (She stands in front of her) Did you just tried to scold me? (She smiles while stroking Julie's cheek) How about you kneel down and apologize? (She stared at her intimidatingly)

Julie: (she gulps her spit while looking down) Please don't harm A-Anne….(her eyes starts getting moist while she tried to act brave)

Christina: Hm…and what will you do? (She raised her hand and was about to slap Julie, but I stood in between them taking the slap on my cheek) Y-You….

Me: (I glared at Christina coldly as I gave out murderous aura) Leave. (I said in a low yet dangerous tone)

Christina: (she hesitates before stepping back) I will see you! Don't think that I got scared! (She says before leaving along with her monkeys)

Julie: A-Anne…I-I am sorry….(she bites her lower lip) Thank you for helping me out….(she starts crying)

Me: Stop crying!! You are annoying!! How can a captain be so weak and pathetic!!! You disgust me…(I gave her a hateful look) A Captain who cannot protect her own teammates doesn't deserve to be called a leader.

My lips trembled, I didn't meant so say all this, but for a second I saw my pathetic 8 year old self in her, the useless captain who failed to protect the person who cared for her. The one who watched her teammates suffer because of her own weaknesses. And today, I saw the same captain within Julie, and ended up taking out my years of frustration on a person who isn't even related to my past. Julie looked at me heartbroken, she wipes her tears and stood there like a statue.

Me: (I touched her shoulder) J-Julie…I-I am…so…sorr….(I bite my lower lip)

She slapped away my hand and looked at me filled with hatred, my heart skipped a beat, guilt seized me. I needed to fix this, but how? Before I could say anything, Julie turned around and ran away from the spot. I stood there regretting every words that came out of my mouth at that moment.

To be continued...