⚙️ Finding My Place (a Sotus fanfic) vol.15: promise

Table of Contents |Previous

“Yeah, I got a bird’s eyes view of the whole battle.
Sensei, this a cage that you won’t rattle.
I run free, rare breed that you won’t saddle.
You ain’t dead boy, you scared of your own shadow.
It’s built in our bones.”
- Built in Our Bones - Hidden Citizens, Adam Christopher, KO the Legend

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* Volume 15 _ p r o m i s e

“Time out!” the coach called, causing the ref to blow his whistle. The group gathered up at the bench and I met eyes with Kong who was now sitting at the end of the bench.

He smiled at me, holding his hand up for a high-five. “You’re doing great out there. Sorry I wasn’t here in time.”

“You’re good,” I breathed out, smiling through my tiredness and nerves, poking him in the cheek. “Wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face for the contest, eh?”

“It’s all right,” the coach encouraged as we all sat down, accepting bottles of water. “We’re behind by five. We can still win this. But every time we attack, we need to score. Do you get it? Play one-on-one with them. M, you stick with number seven. That guy is quick on his feet.”

“Sure.”

“Waad, mobilize from the rebound position. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

I frowned at Waad from where I was sitting between him and Kong. He sounds so tired, but he’s one of our best players, we can’t afford to sub him out especially if he doesn’t want to be subbed out.

“Aspen, number five is aggressive, I want you to stick with him and block him from making those powerful jumps.”

“Right.”

“I need a break,” Klam huffed out.

The coach rubbed his hand beneath his nose, clearly worried about the way the match was going. “Kong, you’ll replace him. If you can’t play inside their three-point line, pass it to Kongpob. He can do a three-point shot.”

“Okay.”

“Come on,” Tee patted the knee of M and Waad who sat on either side of him before pulling himself up. “Let’s do it!”

“Come on.”

“Let’s go!”

The coach held his hand out as we all stood up, placing our hands one on top of the other to form a stack. “Engineers… rock!” we chorused, throwing our hands up.

As soon as I was back on the court, I located number five and stayed close to him. If he was going to mess with another of my teammates, whether by accident or on purpose, I wouldn’t let it happen on my watch!

Kong got the ball and managed to fake out the two guys marking him before tossing the ball into the hoop, but the other team managed to snag the next basket. Time seemed to tick by quicker than normal as the scores increased. Five tried to get past to me to get to get to Kong, realizing that he was a serious threat to their team, but I refused to let him pass. He glared at me, trying to fake left and then right, but I managed to stay in front of him, his body colliding with my own as he tried to force his way past.

There was only one minute left on the clock and we’re down by one point.

Tee got the ball and tossed it to Waad. I looked away for a split second to see the scoreboard and number five rushed past me, nearly knocking me to my ass in the process. I grunted, taking chase but he was faster than me. Just as Waad jumped into the air, five jumped after him, knocking him to the ground.

I rushed over to check on him, but he got to his feet quickly, trying to grab onto number five. “O-Oi, Waad!” I helped Kong and M hold him back.

“What the hell?” five scoffed.

“Why did you do that?” Waad demanded.

“What do you want? Huh?”

Both teams scrambled to keep the two separated before they could come to blows, but they were determined to fight.

“You pushed me!”

“Hey, calm down.”

Sheesh, no wonder he always collides with Prem, they both have terrible tempers.

“Enough.”

After getting both groups settled down, number five was fouled for the second time, allowing Waad a free throw. I held my breath as he dribbled the ball, taking position to shoot. It flew through the air and – swish! Right into the net. My head snapped toward the scoreboard.

One second remaining, 61 – 60. We won!

The ref blew his whistle and I cheered, throwing my arms around Kong and M. “We did it!”

M grinned proudly. “I told you, I’ve got your back.”

“Yeah,” I smiled, but it slowly dropped as I turned to look at Waad. “But I didn’t have his.”

“Hey, you did your best,” Kong pulled me into a side hug. “What matters is that we won.”

“And had fun doing it,” M added.

With a nod, I untangled myself from them, heading over to the bench to get my water and rest my legs. Klam greeted us as we returned, standing up and smiling, “Great job!”

“Come here!” M waved over Waad, throwing his arm around his shoulder when he sat on M’s right. “That shot just now. You were fucking cool! That was superb! How’d you do it?”

“A lot of practice, right?” Kong joked.

“Yeah,” he replied with a pained voice.

I leaned forward to see around Kong and M, seeing Waad wince down at his ankle. “Are you okay?” I questioned softly, watching him slowly lift his foot up and onto the bench, his shoe off to relieve some of the pressure.

“What’s wrong with your foot?” M pressed in surprise.

“From when I fell down,” Waad explained, pain clear in his tone. “It’s throbbing.”

“I’m really sorry, Waad,” I frowned at his foot, my fingers curling around the fabric of my basketball shorts. “I let number five get past me and you got hurt because of it!”

Waad looked over at me with surprise mingling with the pain in his eyes. “It’s not your fault, don’t worry.”

I forced a sad smile, still feeling guilt in the back of my mind.

“You guys were great!” the coach grinned as he high fived Tee, who sat closest to him. He opened up the cooler, handing out these pink-colored drinks. “The seniors sent these. To rehydrate.”

“Thank you.”

“Pass them on.”

The drink was passed down the line until reaching Beam, who sat at the opposite end. This continued until every one of us had a drink. Now, I always refused to drink anything pink unless it’s lemonade, but this drink reminded me of the Sakura Tea from the Sims 4 and I couldn’t deny that I was curious to taste it.

“You all have one?”

“Yes.”

I unscrewed the cap, giving it a sniff. There were no discernable smells that I could make out and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I hesitantly sipped it – strawberry was the most overpowering taste, followed by… kiwi? I haven’t tasted kiwis too many times in my life, but that’s what came to mind so I’m sticking to it. I don’t like the taste of kiwis, but the strawberry was overpowering it so it didn’t bother me that much.

“Hey, why are you making that face?” M questioned and I glanced over, following his gaze to Kong who had a spaced out look on his face again. “Aren’t you happy we won?”

“It’s not about that,” Kong explained, still looking around at the crowd before turning to M. “I don’t see a single one of those juniors in here.”

M looked around. “I can’t see any either.”

“Personally,” I interjected, “I think that’s a good thing. The thought of the juniors watching us while we’re playing…” I shook my head, leaning back against the bench. “I would drop dread right then and there.”

M rolled his eyes. “You’re so dramatic.”

“No, I’m a realist.”

He shook his head, turning his attention back to Kong. “They didn’t come. So what?”

“Fear of losing face, I guess,” Waad scoffed, “after endless snubs. Look now. We did it and they’re nowhere to be seen. Wait for it. I’m going to hit them in the eye with the trophy!”

“Whoa!” M replied, impressed.

“Always with the put-down!” Tee laughed, nudging him in the shoulder.

“You’re working yourself up,” M stated. “We’re already exhausted today. And tomorrow is the final match. Shall we all head home? Why care if they’re not here? They’re going to find out that we won today. Let’s all head out, okay? And you,” M pointed his drink at Kong. “stop searching. None of them came, all right?”

“Yeah,” Kong nodded.

“Still searching?” he laughed.

“Fine.”

“Let’s head home!”

M and Tee helped Waad to the locker room and the rest of us followed. As I got changed, I remembered the fact that my phone was missing and I started to panic a bit. Where the hell was it? When did I use it last? I searched through my bag, wondering if it was hiding within a text book or something, but there was no sign of it. I got changed quickly, throwing my bag over my shoulder and stepping out of the room where the guys were waiting.

“Let’s go,” M said when he noticed me exiting the room but I shook my head, making me pause.

“I have to find my phone,” I frowned, readjusting my bag. “Go without me.”

“Are you sure?” he frowned. “We can help you look.”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll text you as soon as I find it.” I waved at them before walking away, attempting to retrace my steps. I ended up on the basketball court outside, looking around the bench where my stuff had been placed. I searched underneath it, in the grass, under the tree, but it was nowhere to be found.

Next, I headed to the lost and found which was in the main office of the school, next to the principal’s office. A desk sat directly in front of the door with an older woman sitting behind it, knitting what I assumed was a blanket.

She smiled at me, setting aside the project. “How can I help you?”

I greeted her properly, offering her a smile. “Has anyone turned in a c-cellphone?”

“Hm, let me see,” she pulled out a binder, flipping it open. “When was it lost?”

“Um,” I thought it over for a minute. “Sometime in the l-last twenty-four hours.”

She nodded, flipping toward the last of the book and running her finger down the page. “I’m sorry, dear, but it doesn’t seem as if it’s here.”

“Oh,” I frowned, feeling my shoulders slump in defeat.

“Do you have a number you can leave? A friend’s, perhaps, in case it shows up?”

Hm, I’m sure M wouldn’t mind if I offered up his number. I doubt it’s going to turn up anyway. I told her the number, which she jotted down onto a sticky note with my name. I thanked her before leaving the room, wondering if I should meet up with my friends or just go get some rest. I knew they went out to get some food, but they didn’t mention where they were going and since I can’t call them…

Where the hell is my phone? Did I really just lose it? I’m almost positive that I left it at the basketball court on the bench last night in my haste to get away from Knot, but then… why isn’t it there? Did someone take it? But why would they? Well, it was a free phone, so I guess that made sense. The thing that scared me the most was that I hadn’t memorized BB’s number. Or anyone else’s for that matter – aside from M’s and my dad’s. Their numbers were fairly simple, easy for even me to remember.

I tried to remember if I had any personal information stored in the phone but I couldn’t remember. Ugh, why did I have to remove the pattern lock? I kept forgetting the pattern and then I’d get frustrated, plus it was super annoying to have to put in the pattern every time the screen turned off, especially since my phone didn’t offer the ability to turn off the timer on the screen. I never thought I’d lose my phone because I always held it like it was my child, keeping it close.

This is all Knot’s fault, ugh!

“Yo!” a hand landed on my shoulder and I cried out, jumping nearly out of my skin in surprise, whipping around to face Bright who held his hands up in surrender, an amused smirk on his face.

Why does everyone have to do that? Why am I so jumpy? Christ, this school is gonna be my death. “H-Hello…”

Bright put his hands into his pockets, nodding toward the shoes on my feet. “How are they working for ya?”

“A-Ah, really well, t-thank you.”

He nodded, rocking on the balls of his feet. “I heard you won your first two games.”

“We d-did,” I confirmed, clutching the strap of my bag. “And we’re g-going to win our f-final game, too!”

“Oh?” he grinned, closing the distance between us. “You’ve gotten pretty cocky.”

“I-It’s entirely Kong’s f-fault,” I muttered. And it was true, too! I was never quite so bold until I met him. He’s a bad influence.

“I can see that. Now, I have a question for you,” he held up his index finger, looking at me seriously. “It’s very important, so make sure you answer honestly, understand?”

That totally didn’t make me feel nervous at all. I hesitantly nodded. “O-Okay…”

He tilted his head to the side, leaning his face closer to my own. I had never seen Bright so serious before, it was almost as terrifying as Prem when he’s angry. “Tell me, 0018, Aspen… why the hell are you pacing around the campus like a chicken looking for its head?”

“Eh?” I blinked dumbly at him and he started laughing, clutching his stomach.

“The look on your face!” he cried, slapping his knee. Feeling embarrassed and a bit annoyed, I turned on my heel and started to walk away, but he called out to me, running after me and throwing his arm around my shoulder as if we had been friends for years. “Don’t be like that, I was just kidding~ You didn’t answer me, though. You have no classes today, so you shouldn’t even be inside the school building.”

I scratched my cheek, mumbling the answer under my breath as I tried not to focus on the fact that he was touching me and was very close. It wasn’t the same feeling of bliss that I felt when I was near Knot, though, this feeling was more… uncomfortable.

“What? Speak up.”

“I l-lost my phone!” I repeated with a scowl, feeling foolish when I said it out loud to him. The hazers probably already saw me as a joke and I’m sure this would be another thing for them to laugh at. Or maybe I’m not important enough for them to even make fun of.

“Where did you have it last?” he questioned, tilting his head to the side. “You remember?”

“Um… I t-think I had it… yesterday a-afternoon… on the basketball c-court.”

“Strange. It couldn’t have just disappeared,” he mused, putting his other hand on his chin. “You checked the lost and found?”

“Yes.”

“And the court?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe someone took it,” he removed his arm, swinging around to stand in front of me. “You know anyone who has a grudge against you?”

You mean besides Prem, my step-mom, and my step-siblings? “No – wait a minute,” I snapped my fingers, looking at him with wide eyes. “T-The foreigner! T-That has to be it!” I started to pace back and forth, my hand on my chin as I muttered to myself. “Why didn’t I think of that earlier? He could have taken it to try to get Mai and Ray’s numbers, he was adamant about meeting them. But when he saw that I didn’t have them, maybe he got upset and broke it. Ah, but what if I’m wrong and he’s just weird?”

“Like you?” Bright quipped, making my cheeks redden when I realized I had been talking to myself. “The only foreigner in the Faculty of Engineering is you.”

“A-Ah, no,” I stopped pacing, facing him. “H-He’s not in our f-faculty. He… he said the… the Arts F-Faculty.”

“What’s his name?”

“Oh…” I deflated at the question. “H-He never… told me…”

Bright hummed thoughtfully, rocking on the balls of his feet. “I’ll see what I can find out. Later.”

I blinked at him dumbly as he started to walk away before shaking my head and taking a step forward. “W-Wait…”

“Hm?” he paused, turning his body halfway so he could look at me. “What is it?”

I shifted my weight, chewing on my lip. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to ask him this or if I wanted to know his answer, but my curiosity was too strong. “Why… a-are you helping m-me?”

“Huh?” he pulled a face, looking at me as if I were the dumbest creature on earth. “I’m your senior, dummy, it’s my job. Besides…” he paused, acting as if he wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue.

“Besides?” I pressed, curiously.

His eyes met mine and he grinned. “I told someone I’d check on you and be nice to you.”

My mouth hung open as he walked away without another word or without further explaining what he meant. Who could have possibly asked him, of all people, to be nice to me? And more importantly, why? What did he mean he was going to see what he could find out? Was he going to accuse him? Ask him? What if I’m completely off base and it causes problems?

I felt even more confused than I had earlier and I knew I was beginning to spiral down into the abyss of ‘what-if’s which is pretty common for me, really. Shaking my head, I decided to just head back to my dorm and try to relax.

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The team was gathered around outside the locker room, settled down on cushioned couches set against the wall. The tension was thick as we waited on our coach to appear and it only seemed to get thicker as the seconds ticked by. It was completely ridiculous, but I felt as if we were about to be walked to the gallows – that’s how nervous I felt. The gym was bound to be packed and… what if the juniors were there too? Oh, god.

I put my hand on my stomach, trying to swallow the lump that had formed on in my throat. I could feel the anxiety beginning to rise within me but I couldn’t let it win, not today. Even if I just held it off for a bit, I’d be happy to suffer it later as long as I could get through this game and do whatever was within my power to help them win.

I heard a sharp intake of breath and I glanced to my left, seeing Waad reaching down to his ankle. I frowned, wanting to ask him if he was okay, but I still felt too guilty to talk to him. He may have waved me off, but I knew it was my fault that he got hurt. It had been my job to keep number five away from them when they tried to score and I got distracted. Granted, it was only for half a second, but it was enough.

Kong kneeled down beside him and asked, “How is your foot?”

“Still a little sore,” he replied.

“Waad,” the coach called out as he approached, pointing at his foot, “you’ll stay on the bench for now. Let’s see what the other team has got.”

Kong sent me a worried look, which I returned with a smidge of fright. Which one of us was going to be put into the game in Waad’s place? We all stood up, following the coach toward the gym. It felt as if time slowed down as we followed the winding hallway, our footsteps seeming to echo louder with every step we took. I was the last in line, behind Kong, but I could hear the crowd cheering as clear as day and I swallowed hard, feeling my heart pounding against my ribs.

Both teams were allowed to warm up on the court, working in some last minute practice for our passes and throws. My body felt stiff, though, as if my actions were delayed by a second or so.

“Damn! I’m nervous,” M commented, looking from me to Kong.

I nodded frantically, shaking my hands as if I were trying to dry them. “Me too! I feel like I’m gonna have heart failure.”

“That team has a university-level player,” he added. “Are we going to make it?”

I wanted to scream as I fell against Kong, holding onto his jersey for dear life. “We’re gonna di~e!”

“Calm down,” Kong looked between us and I swear, he seemed nervous too which only made me even more nervous because he’s usually so level-headed and calm. “As long as we do our best and trust in each other, we will win.”

“All players, get ready!”

I started to tuck my jersey into my shorts, wrinkling my nose in discomfort. I’ve never liked tucking my shirts in, it felt too restricting. I preferred my clothes loose and comfortable. The boys did the same as they got prepared to start the match.

“What are you looking for?” M questioned Kong curiously. “It’s almost game time. Stay focused.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? You’re still looking around.”

I figured he was looking for the juniors again, but I was thankful not to see them here. I was already stressed out and I most certainly didn’t need to run the risk of looking like a fool in front of them.

“Ah,” M spoke up in disbelief and I glanced at him. He was looking at the audience in surprise. “The juniors? Why are they here?”

Kong looked ecstatic to see them, but I just wanted to roll into a ball and cry until I died. “Fuck…”

“Are you okay?” M’s brow furrowed and he leaned down a bit to look at my face. “You look pale.”

“She’s always been pale,” Waad commented.

“More pale than usual,” he corrected himself.

Kong put his hands on my shoulders and I looked up into his eyes, which were much more alive and bright than they had been a few minutes earlier. “Trust in yourself, Aspen. And if you can’t trust in yourself, then trust in us. We can and will do this.”

“Oi, Aspie!”

My brow furrowed and I looked over my shoulder to find Oak standing against the railing of the bleachers, waving his hand into the air with a grin on his face. I scowled at him, “The fuck you just call me?”

His grin widened and he cupped his mouth to be heard over the crowd. “If you win this game, I’ll buy you three manga of your choice!” And he held up three fingers – his middle, ring and pinky fingers.

“Any?” I questioned suspiciously. “No matter the price?”

“Bet,” he made the ok sign with his hand. “But you have to play for at least five minutes and win!”

I turned my gaze to the floor, holding my chin in my hand. Any three manga that I wanted regardless of the price and I only had to play for five minutes total… that’s not a bad deal at all. Ever since my allowance had been stopped completely, I hadn’t been able to buy any new manga and I only had one left that I haven’t read yet, which I was saving for a special occasion.

“All right,” I turned toward the coach, throwing my hand into the air. “Coach, please let me play first!”

“Ah, she fell for it…” M deadpanned.

“That was too easy,” Tee laughed.

The coach glanced at Kong before nodding. “All right, we’ll put you in the starting line up.”

“So many choices… what do I choose?” I muttered thoughtfully, running through the different choices within my mind.

Waad came up to me, resting his arm on my shoulder and poking my cheek. “We have to win first. Stay focused.”

“Right, let’s do this!”

“I think she’s lost her mind,” M muttered.

“She’ll be okay,” Kong chuckled. “It’s good to be pumped up.”

The referee had the two teams line up to face each other and shake hands for a good game in order to promote good sportsmanship, but the guy across from me didn’t seem too happy. He took my hand, gripping it so tight that I winced in pain.

He leaned forward and grinned smugly. “You shouldn’t be out here playing with the big boys, girl, you might get hurt.”

“Is that a threat?” Waad questioned from my right, glaring at the guy.

“A threat?” the guy, number ten, said in surprise, putting his hand over his heart. “Of course not!”

I was worried about Waad getting into another fight, so I started to push him away from the lineup, back toward the coach. We were far enough away where he didn’t hear the guy’s next words, but I heard them loud and clear, as if he had just whispered them into my ear.

“It’s a promise.“

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Next

⚙️ Finding My Place (a Sotus fanfic) vol.14: foul

Table of Contents | Previous

“Doesn’t take much to feel the rush,
with nothing but your eyes on me.
I don’t see no red lights, just a wild ride.
You’re my getaway, you’re my getaway.
Tonight, I’m gonna be alright.”
- Getaway - Tritonal, Angel Taylor

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* Volume 14 _ f o u l

“All right, everyone. The game is over. Gather around,” the coach told us after M shot the winning basket. Everyone was breathing heavily, covered in sweat but no less happy about their progress, especially those that had been on the winning team.

“Waad,” M breathed out, throwing his arm around the boy’s shoulders, “you were excellent. What should I do to be as good as you?”

“Practice,” he answered simply. “A lot of it.”

“Have I not done enough of it?”

“Practice,” was his only response, making me laugh at M’s dumbfounded expression.

“Don’t think on it too hard,” I patted his shoulder. “He’s probably been practicing since he was a little kid.”

“Maybe…”

“Hey, freshmen,” coach called out, holding open the black folder in his hands. “I’m going to announce the results for the player selection. There are five in the starting lineup. The first player is…”

Everyone stared at him with their full attention, hoping to be picked to play in the game – except for Kong and myself, who had registered as substitutions. I really hoped all of my boys made it into the lineup.

“Waad.”

No surprise there! We all clapped for him as he raised his arm. I grinned, “Good job, Waad.”

He nodded his thanks.

“The second one is…” he paused with a smile, his eyes scanning the group as he let the tension build. “Tee.”

We clapped again and Waad smiled at him, patting his arm, “You’re good to start with. Congrats.”

It warmed my heart to see Waad being so friendly with someone when he had always been so reserved to everyone. Though I wish he was a bit less aloof to us, I understood that we couldn’t win them all and he might just not feel comfortable around us.

“The third player is… Beam.”

We clapped and Tee patted him on the arm, “Good job.”

“The fourth one is… Klam.”

And again, we clapped. M leaned toward Kong, looking between the two of us. “Kong. Aspen. There’s only one more spot left. That means it’s between us three, two of us must be a substitute.”

I quirked a brow in confusion, sending Kong a look. Had he forgotten that we specifically picked that role? Kong just nodded at me before looking to his friend when M put his arm around his shoulder.

“I hope this selection process is not going to shake up our friendship.”

Kong looked at him with a mixture of disbelief and amusement as the coach spoke up again, “And the last player is… M.”

M screamed with excitement, jumping up and down as he thrust his fist into the air, doing a twirl. “Yes!”

“Congrats, man,” Kong smiled, patting him on the back.

“Yeah, you did great, M, grats,” I held my hand up and he high-fived me before he switched back to his reserved self, almost as easy as a light switch being flipped.

He looked between the two of us with a frown. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Kong questioned.

“I went overboard.”

“You’re allowed to be excited, you dork,” I laughed.

“I guess,” he put his hand on Kong’s back, reaching for my arm with his other hand. “Well… are you two okay?”

“Okay about what?” Kong inquired, confused.

“About being a substitute.”

Yup, he definitely forgot.

“We both had a chat with the juniors about being a substitute,” Kong reminded him. “Did you forget?”

M’s face went blank for a minute before he grinned, pulling us both close to him with his arms over our shoulders. “Right.”

“That’s it for today,” coach called out. “And tomorrow, make sure you’re early. Thank you.”

We all clapped as the coach left the court with his female assistant in tow. Well, I had some free time still, I wonder what I should do. I looked at the basketball, sitting a few feet behind us on the ground. Maybe I should practice some more? I knew for a fact that I was going to be an embarrassment, but at least I could keep practicing so I could say that I really did give it my best.

“I’m going to say hi to Oak and Maprang,” M announced, looking between us. “Does anyone want to come with me?”

“Me!” Tee raised his hand.

“I’m going back to rest up for practice tomorrow,” Waad told him.

“See you later then, Waad. You played really well today.” He patted the boy’s shoulder before shaking his hand.

“Thanks a lot. See you.”

“See you.”

“Bye, Waad.” I waved at him and he smiled before grabbing his things and leaving the court.

“Let’s go, Kong. Aspen.” M threw his arms around our shoulders but I stepped back out of his reach, earning a confused look.

“I’ll be there in a minute, okay?”

“Anything wrong?” Kong asked with concern, his eyes scanning me for any sign of injury.

“No, no, nothing’s wrong,” I waved my hands with a smile. “I just need a minute to myself is all. I’ll be right behind you.”

M and Kong exchanged a look before they finally left the court with Tee in tow. The others gathered their things and left a few minutes after. I headed over to the bench where my bag was sitting and checked my phone, finding a new message from BB.

It was a picture of the cutest white cat I’ve ever seen, along with the caption: ‘Pudding is here to cheer you on during practice! =^-^=’

“Aww,” I couldn’t help myself, that cat was just too precious. I quickly replied: ‘Thank you, pudding ❤ I’ll do my best!’ And I would. I was feeling fired up, so I set my phone down on the bench beside my bag before returning to the court and picking up the ball, dribbling it for a minute to get my hands used to the feel of the ball again.

With a deep breath, I ran for the basket.

Before I knew it, an hour and a half had passed by.

With a huff, I let my body slump to the ground, lying on my back and staring up at the sky, which had grown considerably darker as night fell. My breathing was heavy and my side burned every time I breathed in, but I felt as if I had made some progress. My legs were still sore, but the muscles had been slowly beginning to relax and the pain lessened each practice session.

A yawn ripped itself from inside of me, my eyes feeling heavy with exhaustion. I closed my eyes, intending to just rest for a moment, but then darkness overcame my mind and I was out like a light.

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Something was shaking me and I vaguely registered the sound of a voice, but it sounded distant, like I was hearing it from the opposite end of a tunnel. I blinked a few times, the dark sky coming into focus. Wait, where the hell is my bedroom ceiling? I sat up quickly in surprise, nearly knocking into someone that was kneeling beside me.

“Hey, are you alright?”

Oh… oh no. That voice. This warmth in my chest. I swallowed, slowly looking to my right to find Knot kneeling beside me with a worried expression on his face. I looked around to get my bearings and realized that I was still on the basketball court. How much time had passed by? Considering how dark it was, I assumed it had been a while.

“Aspen,” Knot called softly, his hand resting on my back.

I had to seriously fight to repress the shiver that tried to go down my spine, my stomach fluttering. “Um, y-yeah… I’m fine…”

He frowned, his brow furrowed. “Did you pass out?”

“Not… exactly,” I cleared my throat, rubbing the back of my head as I shifted to cross my legs beneath me.

“What does that mean?”

“Um, well… I stayed l-late to practice and it got a-a lot later than I thought and I was r-really super tired so I took a minute to l-lie down on the ground but then I guess I m-maybe fell asleep…” The words tumbled out of my mouth without restraint and I could tell he had to take a moment to separate them in his brain.

When he did, his posture relaxed and he released the breath he had been holding, shifting his body so he was mirroring the way I sat. “You had me worried.”

Oh… my heart, it’s gonna burst. I could feel the tips of my ears getting hot and I knew they must be beginning to glow, even in the darkness. Fuck me.

“I was on my way back to my dorm,” he continued, leaning back with his palms out behind him, “and I saw someone lying on the court. I saw it was you and started to panic, especially when you wouldn’t wake up.”

He panicked only when he saw it was me? No fucking way. He probably didn’t mean it the way it came out. I shook my head, “I’m s-sorry… M says I s-sleep like a rock…” Something flashed through his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came and I wasn’t able to register what it was. “W-What time is it?”

Knot glanced at the watch on his wrist. “11:28.”

Huh. The sun sets about 6:30 and it was dark before I even passed out, so I was out for a while. I straightened my back and winced, feeling the stiffness in my neck and back when I did so. I grabbed the side of my neck, rolling it to try and relax the muscles. Jesus, the basketball court is worse to sleep on than M’s fucking floor, which also left me feeling regretful for my decision to sleep there. “Fuck,” I muttered.

Knot chuckled as he stood up, extending his hand to me. Cursing myself and the universe for literally putting the one person I was trying to avoid directly in front of me, I slipped my hand into his. He pulled me up with ease, a bit too quick for my tired mind to handle and I stumbled forward, right into his arms. His chest was firm beneath me, his heart thumping steadily against my palm. His arms were warm as they secured themselves around my back.

Holy shit… when was the last time I felt this safe and secure? This was like a fucking dream that I never wanted to wake up from. My heart is beating so fucking fast and loud… he has to be able to hear it! Is this what a heart attack feels like? Someone save me!

“Are you alright?” he questioned softly, his voice low and his mouth so close to my ear that I could feel his warm breath fanning across my skin when he spoke. Goosebumps rose across my skin in response.

This can’t be happening. What magic fucking spell is this that he’s put me under? I can’t move, my body isn’t responding to me. This is it. This is how I die, in the arms of a hot ass guy I stand no chance with. Well… I guess there could be worse ways to go…

His arms uncurled from my body, his hands resting on my shoulders so he could push me back to look at my face, but I was convinced that I had the dumbest fucking expression on my face and that it was redder than a cherry. He looked into deeply into my eyes, his voice still soft as he called out my name.

That one word seemed to snap me out of his spell and I re-gained control of myself – or maybe it’s because I was no longer pressed against his warm body. I quickly shook my head, taking several steps back and staring at the ground. My mouth opened and closed, various sounds escaping my lips, none of which were even close to any word in any language. Finally, I managed out, “I-I-I have to g-g-go, b-bye!”

Quicker than I’ve ever moved in my life – even when I was chasing the ice cream truck as a kid – I ran away from Knot, barely managing to grab my backpack on the way because there was no way in hell I was slowing down. Thankfully, I didn’t miss it, therefore dooming it to eternal damnation in the lost and found. I didn’t stop running until I was inside my room, my back pressed against the door.

My heart was still pounding, though I’m pretty sure that was more from the running. Fuck, this is really bad. I slid down the door until my butt hit the floor and my head fell back against the door, staring up at the dark ceiling. Whoever thought giving humans emotions is an asshole.

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A loud knocking on my door jolted me awake and I jumped in surprise, falling off the side of the bed and onto the floor with a groan. What the fuck, man. It sounded like the fucking FBI were trying to come through the damn door. With another groan, I pulled myself up and approached the door, reaching for the handle but then I froze as a thought struck me – what if it’s Knot? No, there’s no way…. right?

“Oi, Aspen!”

Relief flooded me at the sound of M’s voice, followed by more banging. Shaking my head at my idiocy, I tugged the door open, making sure he had the door before walking back to my bed. He followed me inside, flicking on the light which made me wince.

“Sweet merciful Buddha, you sleep like a rock!” he exclaimed in disbelief, watching me as I sat down on the side of the bed.

“Not that I don’t love you, M,” I groaned, running my hands over my face, “But what do you want?”

“Did you forget about practice? We’re going to be late.”

“Eh? What time is it?”

“7:10. I called you twenty times!”

“Why didn’t my alarm go off?” I frowned, getting up to approach the bedside table, but my phone wasn’t there. I checked under the pillow, under the blanket and then under the bed, but there was no sign of the phone. “What? Where is -“

“Find it later,” he said impatiently. “We need to go.”

“Alright, alright. Gimme a minute to get changed.”

“Hurry.”

I grabbed my clothes from the closet before heading into the bathroom, changing quickly before stepping out. M was waiting by the door with my bag slung over his shoulder and I slipped Bright’s sneakers onto my feet before we rushed out the door. We ran the whole way there with me nearly tripping a few times from the fact that the shoelaces weren’t tied because there was “no time.” The others were already inside the gym on the court, dressed in their uniforms.

“You’re late,” the coach put his hand on his hip, looking at us expectantly.

“I-I’m sorry!” I breathed out, clapping my hands together and bowing my head. “M-My alarm… it didn’t go off and M came to g-get me.”

He turned his back to us and I was sure I had ruined it for M, but then he came over to us with two fresh uniforms neatly folded within plastic. “Take these and go get changed. Hurry.”

“Yes!” We chorused before rushing off. Because of my weight, I never felt comfortable wearing sleeveless shirts, but I didn’t have much choice in the matter. It only worried me for a fraction of a second before I was shoving everything into the locker and rushing out of the room, my shoes now tied, at the exact same time as M. He grinned at me and we jogged over to the court to join practice.

Drills, passes, free-throws, we did it all, taking turns in the process and it wasn’t long before everything was forgotten in my mind. I had a song playing on repeat in my mind and even though it was the same ten seconds on loop, it was a damn good song, perfect to get my pumped up and hyper so I had no complains.

“Hey,” M came to a stop beside me, his brow furrowed. “What’s wrong with Kong?”

I followed his gaze. Kong was standing just outside the court, his eyes wandering around as if he were looking for something. “No idea.”

Together, we approached him but he didn’t seem to hear M when he called his name. M put his hand on Kong’s arm, calling his name again and only then did he snap out of it. “What are you looking at? Didn’t you hear me calling?”

Kong looked between us for a moment as if he were just coming out of a dream. He was still looking around as he replied, “Sorry.”

M sent me a confused look and I shrugged before we both took to either side of Kong, leaning toward him to try and follow his line of sight, but I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary inside the gym.

“It’s nothing,” Kong told us.

“Will you focus?” M scolded lightly, his hand on Kong’s back. “The match is soon. Go practice. Get the ball!”

Tee, who happened to be passing by, handed the ball to Kong with a smile. “Here.”

“Good,” M pointed at Tee. “Give him the ball.”

“He’s already got the ball,” I laughed, watching as Kong slowly walked away from us, the ball in his hands. He dribbled it once before taking a shot, but it bounced off the rim. He still looked completely out of it, even as he started to run around and engage with the others.

M rested his arm on my shoulder, watching his friend with worry. “What’s that about?”

“Maybe he’s worried about the contest?” I suggested, putting my hand to my chin.

“I shouldn’t have forced him to sign up,” he muttered, his shoulders slumping with guilt. Shaking my head, I brought the back of my hand backward to smack against his stomach, earning a grunt. “Oi! What was that for?”

“For being stupid, obviously. You didn’t make him do anything, he chose to sign up. You have no control over what he does or doesn’t do so don’t make yourself feel guilty over something you had no control over.”

He seemed to think it over before nodding, giving me a smile. “You’re right, thanks.”

“Of course, I’m right,” I grinned smugly. “Idiot~”

“Why you -“

I squeaked when he jumped at me, quickly backpedaling before rushing toward Waad who currently had the ball. I could hear M right behind me and I laughed, watching Waad throw the ball before it fell through the hoop and I just managed to get beneath it as it started to descend.

I dodged M again when he tried to grab the ball from my hands. “Come on, M! Is that the best you got? If you can’t even catch my snail-slow ass, how you gonna win the game, eh?”

The others laughed as he continued to chase me, getting more and more frustrated with each failed attempt to grab me or the ball.

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I swallowed hard as I sat on the bench beneath the bleachers, my leg bobbing up and down rapidly as a sort of release for my growing nerves. The boys were currently playing the Business Faculty in our first match for the Freshmen games. I had been having so much fun in practice that I hadn’t even stopped to think that the stands would be full of other students. I was feeling second-hand stage fright even though I’m sure the others weren’t scared at all.

But, I bet it’s easier when you’re on the court, focusing on the ball and your team and the other team… you zone out and forget the crowd is there. At least I hope that’s how it goes because if it’s not, I don’t think I can survive if I have to go out there.

Waad shook off the guy trying to block him, shooting the ball into the air. It fell through the hoop and the crowd cheered. I glanced at the scoreboard – it’s the first period with nine minutes and twenty-eight seconds left. We’ve scored two points while they’ve scored zero. Tee got the ball and immediately passed it to M that shot it into the basket, bumping up our score further.

I could hear the usual suspects sitting just behind me, their voices loud whenever our team scored a point. I wonder… are the hazers here? What about Yacht and the other second years? I was tempted to look, but I knew I had to stay focused in case I needed to be swapped in and if they were here and I looked… I would lose what little bit of nerve I had built up by sitting here.

When we got to the fourth period, I kept my eyes on the clock, watching the time tick down to zero, the referee’s whistle signaling the end of the game. We had won 61 – 46. I jumped up, meeting them halfway as they ran over to the bench, high-fiving me and patting me on the back.

“You guys were awesome!” I grinned at them as they passed by, heading to rest on the benches and grab some water. M was the last in line and he threw his arms around me, his cheek pressed against mine. My face wrinkled as I felt his sweat through my uniform. “Ew, lemme go!”

“Never,” he grinned, hugging me tighter. I looked to the other boys for help but they just laughed, the jerks. So much for being a team!

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Our next match was against the Science Faculty. Things were going well for us, but the science kids were clearly better than the team before, making our boys work harder for their points. Tee managed to get ahold of the ball and tossed it toward the net, but bounced off the rim into Beam’s hands. He got the ball above the net but it still hit the rim and bounced right back as if it were scared to go into the net.

“Come on, come on, come on,” I repeated under my breath, my leg thumping up and down as my eyes followed the boys, my arms folded over my chest.

Beam jumped up into the air to try and dunk the ball but one of the other players jumped at the same time to try and block him, their bodies colliding in mid-air. Beam wasn’t able to catch his balance when he fell, landing on the court with a loud thud. I jumped up, watching the others as they rushed over to check on him. He tried to stand up but he couldn’t put weight on his ankle and he had to be helped over to the bench by M and Tee.

“Are you able to continue?” the coach asked him, his brow furrowed with worry.

“I don’t think so,” he winced, holding his hands above his ankle.

“Alright,” the coach stood up, turning his gaze to me and ice shot through my veins. “Aspen, you’re in.”

“I-I what…” I gulped, looking around for Kong.

“Kong isn’t here,” coach stated. “You have to do this or we forfeit the match.”

Fuck me.

“It’s okay,” Tee smiled politely. “We got this.”

“Just trust in us,” Waad nodded at me in encouragement.

M threw his arm around my shoulder. “Remember, you’re not alone. You got us.”

I took a deep breath. Their words did make me feel better, but it’s the crowd that scared me the most. For someone terrified of people, the thought of my fat-ass playing a sport in front of so many people made me literally want to drop dead then and there.

“Can you do it?” the coach questioned, looking at me.

I glanced to the side where the referee was waiting, then to the crowd and back toward my team. My heart was racing and my mind was screaming at me to run away but I nodded before I could think more on it. “Y-Yes!”

M squeezed my shoulders, lowering his voice. “I have your back. Just do what you can and I’ll cover you.”

“Y-Yeah,” I nodded, allowing M to lead me out onto the court. Because of the injury, the other team received a foul and we were given a free throw, which I had to make. I stood at the free throw line, the silence in the gym making my ears ring. Come on, I can do this. It’s just a free throw without anyone there to interfere. I got this. I held the ball up, pausing for a moment before tossing the ball into the air toward the hoop. It bounced off the backboard, circling the ring before tipping over and falling through the net.

The other team was quick to recover the ball and the game resumed. I acted more as a diversion than anything, the guys pretending as if they were going to pass to me only to go the opposite direction. After the tenth time of faking them out, they finally stopped marking me and that’s when Waad decided to pass to me for real this time. I nearly dropped it in my surprise, but I gripped it tightly, dribbling the ball as I took off toward the net.

I could feel the others chasing after me, their intent to steal the ball rushing toward me like a tidal wave. I focused on my breathing, the slapping of my shoes against the court, and the feel of the ball in my hand every time it bounced back up. I won’t let my team down! With a battle cry, I increased my speed and jumped, but the same guy that had collided with Beam jumped at the same time from behind. His fingers made contact with the ball just as it left my hands and it flew too far, bouncing off the backboard.

M was there in the blink of an eye, catching the rebound and jumping, dunking the ball through the hoop. The crowd roared their applause and we high-fived.

I grabbed the front of my jersey, tugging it up to wipe the sweat forming above my eyes as I glanced at the scoreboard. The fourth period, only three minutes and five seconds remaining. The other team was up by five points. We’re running out of time, we have to do something.

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Next

Table of Contents | Previous

“I’m gonna build an empire, and it’s lonely at the top. But madness and greatness can both share a face, and nobody will ever convince me to stop. Try to find a chain that I won’t break, a price I won’t pay for what I want.”

- Empire - Beth Crowley

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* Volume 13 _ e m o t i o n a l

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Maybe if I act like I didn’t hear him, he would go away. I don’t know who just called my fucking name but I’m a nervous wreck and in no mood to socialize. My brain wasn’t able to put the voice to a face in its current state, but what if it’s one of the hazers? My heart raced at the thought. What if it’s Prem coming to yell at me? Or Knot? Oh god.

“Hey,” the voice softened and a hand rested on my shoulder, gently tugging me around. My eyes slid open, meeting Yacht’s as he looked at me with concern. Seeing his warm eyes sent a fresh round of emotion through my and tears welled up in my eyes, sliding down my cheeks before I even registered them. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. Come here.” He tugged me into his arms, holding me against his chest.

I couldn’t control myself, my hands gripping his white shirt, not even caring that I was getting blood on it. I sobbed into his chest, letting go of all the stress I had been holding onto since the day my mom died.

“It’s okay,” Yacht told me soothingly, rubbing his hand up and down my back as he held me. “It’ll be okay, just let it out.”

“I-I’m s-s-sorry,” I sobbed, clutching his shirt tighter.

“Don’t apologize,” he told me softly, gently guiding me over to a nearby bench before settling us both down. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head no. As upset as I am, I know I could never get the words out or form them properly. I’d just be a stuttering mess, way worse than I normally am.

“It’s alright,” he told me softly, “you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I’m here if you need me. I’m your upperclassman, it’s my job to look after you. Don’t feel guilty.”

I nodded, closing my eyes as I slowly started to relax in his grip. I hated being touched, but he was warm and comforting and I felt safe, as if everything was really going to be okay.

I don’t know how long we sat there, but my body was starting to get sore from lack of movement so I assumed it must have been a while. I forced myself to sit up, rubbing at my eyes which I’m sure were red and puffy. “I-I’m s-sorry a-about your… your s-shirt…”

“I’m more worried about your hands,” he told me, taking me by the wrist to inspect my palms. The wounds had stopped bleeding, leaving behind dried blood across my skin around the half-moon cuts. My nails weren’t long or sharp by any means, mainly because I’m always biting them when I get nervous, which means I was really clenching my fists. “We need to get you to the nurse to disinfect them.”

“D-Do I h-have to?”

“Yes,” he gave me a serious look as he stood up, pulling me with him. “Come on, I’ll go with you so you don’t have to talk to anyone.”

I nodded, allowing him to lead me toward the nurse’s office.

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I stared at my phone, looking at the last message I had sent to BB detailing my blowup toward Prem and my break down to Yacht, along with a few minor details such as the basketball game, the cheering, and the fact that Kong was now paying for me to eat. He hadn’t responded, not that I expected him to, I know just how busy he is.

I’ve been avoiding pretty much everyone since yesterday’s events, despite their various calls and text messages. The only person I’ve replied to is Yacht when he messaged me this morning asking if I was okay. Both of my hands were bandaged and sore, my eyes were still puffy and heavy and, honestly, I just wanted to crawl back into bed and forget about everything.

But I knew I couldn’t avoid everyone forever. That would be too good, and I don’t have that kind of luck in my life.

I stopped in front of the classroom door, taking a deep breath as I clutched the strap of my bag. I really didn’t want to face everyone. Maybe I should just skip, it’s not like my grades matter anyway. Anong will make sure I pass even if I fail, so what’s the point? But… I miss my friends. It’s only been half a day and I already feel so lonely.

A hand rested on my shoulder and I jumped in surprise, spinning around with wide eyes, my hand over my racing heart. “Shit…”

“Sorry,” M apologized, his hand dropping to his side. He shifted his weight, seeming to think something over before he finally spoke up. I was afraid he was going to ask me if I was okay or what happened, but he didn’t. “The teacher will be mad if we’re late again. We should go in.”

I released the breath I didn’t realize I was holding and nodded, motioning toward the door so he could go first. When we stepped inside, everyone looked up at us but they quickly dropped their gazes in disinterest. Had they not heard about what happened? Or did they really not care? I followed M toward his desk, hesitating. Should I sit with them or go back to my original desk?

Oak grinned at me, patting the desk beside his. “It’s about time. I was worried you weren’t gonna show.”

Kong sent him a look before turning to me with a soft smile. I tried to return it, but I’m sure it was more of a grimace than anything. I settled down in the seat beside Oak, trying not to keep my mind blank.

“Don’t forget,” M commented as he leaned forward to see me, “we have cheer practice this afternoon. You’re going with me, right?”

“Who is leading it?” I questioned softly.

“The second years,” Kong answered.

I hesitated before nodding. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

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When it came time for cheer practice, I hesitated, really not in the mood for the activity, but I didn’t want to let Yacht down, especially after everything he had done for me. I changed quickly, out of the room before anyone else and on my way to the field where practice was going to be held. The second years were already there waiting.

Yacht locked eyes with me, saying something to Cream before approaching with a friendly smile on his face. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

I rubbed the back of my neck, not having the energy to try and smile. “I probably feel about as bad as I look.”

His smile turned sad as he rubbed my upper arm. “Time heals all wounds,” he told me. “Whatever you’re going through, you will get through it. Do your best today, okay?”

“I will.”

He glanced behind me and smiled. “Your friends are here. Don’t pull away from them, lean on them for support.”

I frowned but nodded. How the hell has he figured out how I think? I turned toward them and Tew smiled kindly at me, slipping his arm through mine before leading me toward the stands with May and Oak close behind, talking about some show they were both watching.

“Are your hands okay?” he questioned, lowering his voice so the others couldn’t hear him.

“I’ll be fine,” I mumbled in reply. “I’m sorry for the trouble.”

“What do you mean?”

“I keep saying that I’m going to stop causing trouble for everyone, but I keep doing it.”

“You did what you thought was right. No one can ask for more than that,” he smiled. “Plus, we didn’t get in trouble. It wasn’t just you, it was Prem and Waad, too. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’ll try, thank you.”

“Of course!”

“Hey, what are you guys talking about?” Oak forced his way between us with a grin, throwing his arms around both of us. “Planning a date?”

I rolled my eyes, shoving his arm off of me before sitting down on the stone steps. “No, idiot.”

Tew chuckled, taking the seat to my left while Oak sat on my right with May beside him. Once everyone had arrived and was settled, we were instructed to practice our clapping, which I did half-heartedly.

Yacht held up the megaphone, “Do you remember the ‘water jar’ song?”

“Yes!” the freshmen chorused.

“Okay. Sing it out loud. 'Water Jar’, ready?”

For the next hour and a half, we practiced different cheers at Yacht’s instruction before we moved inside to work on the posters for the event. May was painting while Oak and Maprang were working on making these pink, stringy pom-poms. I was supposed to be helping out with painting, but every time I set the brush to the canvas, my mind would wander to unpleasant topics.

“Freshmen,” Yacht called out, carrying a plastic bag in his hand. “I brought you snacks. Share among yourselves.” Yacht stopped in front of me, holding out a lavender colored drink. “Here.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, accepting it from him but he didn’t walk away, instead he squatted down, looking at my canvas which had only black dots on it.

“You can leave early,” he commented. “You have basketball training in the morning, remember?”

How could I forget? I was dreaded the physical activity all day, but I promised to help M and I didn’t want to let him down. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” he smiled, patting my shoulder. “Go get some rest, you’ve earned it.”

I watched him walk away before putting the lid back on the paint and standing up. I glanced over at Oak and Maprang, watching them laugh and joke as they worked on their assignment. Instead of bothering them, I just quietly slipped away and returned to my dorm. I was feeling so exhausted that I fell onto my bed and immediately fell asleep.

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The buzzing of my phone woke me up and my eyes blinked open, staring at the slit in the curtains. The morning light was only just beginning to rise so it couldn’t be much later than 6:00am. I checked my phone - 5:58 in the morning. One missed call from M, two unread messages. The first message was from BB and the second from Kong.

I replied to Kong first, letting him know that I hadn’t forgotten about basketball practice and that I wouldn’t be late. There was no voicemail, so I didn’t bother messaging M, then I opened up BB’s message.

'Good morning, beautiful <3 How is my bestie doing? In case you’re still feeling bad, here’s a kitty to brighten your day =^-^=’

Despite myself, I smiled at his message, sending him a reply: 'Mornin BB, I hope you slept well. I still feel terrible but I’ll survive. We have our first day of basketball practice today and I’m worried about it but I’ll do my best. Don’t work too hard and make sure you drink water.’

Laying in bed for a few more minutes, I finally rolled out of bed, heading into the bathroom to take a shower. Afterwards, I dressed into a t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts, grabbing my phone and my room key before slipping my boots on and heading out the door. I hadn’t thought about it until now, but I’d need some sneakers in order to play the game, there’s no way I could in my boots. Well, I might be able to but since they’re steel-toe, I doubt they’d be allowed.

I don’t have any money to buy any and I refuse to ask Kong to do so. Could I borrow a pair? But from who? As I walked down the hall, I pulled out my phone, sending a message to Yacht, whose number had been given to me after I broke down to him. I asked him if he knew anyone I could borrow a pair of sneakers from and I told him my shoe size.

He probably wasn’t awake yet so I didn’t expect a reply, slipping my phone back into my pocket before stepping onto the elevator. The trip to the field was uneventful since most of the campus was still sleeping. I set my bag down next to the bench on the outer edge of the field before sitting down and pulling out my manga.

My phone buzzed about thirty minutes later and I set the book down, slipping it from my pocket to read the message that BB had sent: 'You got this. You’re gonna show them all who’s boss ;) It’s really nice today in Seoul, today is going to be great for both of us, just watch.’

Attached to the message was a picture of the Seoul skyline, lit up in brilliant hues of orange and red as it glimmered off of the buildings. It was breathtakingly beautiful and I smiled. Maybe BB is right. How could something bad happen on such a beautiful day? It didn’t seem possible.

“Good morning,”

I looked and quickly set my phone down, holding my hands in front of me to greet the upperclassman that would be acting as our coach. “Good morning, sir.”

“You must be eager to get to practice,” he chuckled.

I smiled back politely. “I woke up early and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I figured I’d come early.”

He nodded. “We’ll start as soon as everyone arrives.”

“Yes, sir.”

My phone vibrated and I checked it, seeing a new message from Yacht: 'I don’t know off the top of my head, but I’ll ask around. Are you okay wearing your boots for now?’

'Yeah, no problem. Ty Yacht.’

’:)’

“Good morning, Aspen!”

I glanced up, seeing Tee approaching me with Waad not too far behind. “Morning.”

After that, the boys started to arrive one after the other and soon, the coach had us running drills - running sideways from one side of the court to the other and back again. After the drills, we played a practice match - three on three which we won - me, Waad and Tee. After the match, we took turns doing free throws before running more drills.

It was exhausting and by the time it ended, my legs felt like jelly that had been sitting out too long. I was pretty sure I had left part of my soul on the court, along with a few years of my life, but it actually felt… good. During the entire session, I didn’t once think about the things that were bothering me. My mind was focused solely on the game and my teammates and nothing else mattered. While I was on the court, I felt… at peace.

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I stifled a yawn as I headed toward class, my bag slung over my shoulder. My legs felt heavy, my feet sore. These boots definitely have to go, jesus. Steel-toes are generally pretty heavy, but after running around in them all morning, they felt more like blocks of cement than boots. Lifting my feet was a chore and I resisted the urge to groan as the discomfort in my limbs.

I could only hope the soreness would be all worked out by the time the game arrived. I had marked myself as a substitute just like Kong had, but there was still a chance I’d have to play, even if only for a few minutes, but if my legs were sore, I didn’t stand a chance. I’d probably be kicked out for my boots anyway.

“Oi, 0018, Aspen.”

I paused, looking over my shoulder and furrowing my brow in confusion. Why the fuck was Bright approaching me? I straightened my back, putting my hands together in greeting. “H-Hello.”

He nodded, curling his index finger toward himself. “Come with me.”

“B-But… I have c-class…”

“You’ll be fine,” he waved me off. “Just come with me.”

Reluctantly, I did as he asked, following behind him quietly as he led me down the hallway. I was really tempted to ask where he was taking me, but I didn’t bother, scratching the back of my head. Things started to look familiar and I realized he was bringing me to the hazers meeting room, the very same room that Prem had brought me to when he was cleaning my hand. Why is he bringing me here?

Bright opened the door and stepped inside, holding the door open for me. You know that saying, 'Speak of the devil and he shall appear’? Well, it’s never worked until now but it definitely works because I said his name once and now Prem is sitting here in front of me, writing something on a sheet of paper. He looked up when he heard of enter, his eyes narrowing at me.

“The hell is she doing here, Bright?”

I winced at his tone. He won’t even address me directly, but he has no problem staring me down like I’m about to be murdered. Though, he did pose a good question - why the hell AM I here?

Bright opened up the locker, pulling a triangular box from the bottom before turning around. He glanced over at me as he set the box on the table. “Why are you just standing there? Come here.”

“Oi,” Prem scowled at him, “Don’t ignore me.”

Bright grinned, holding his hands together. “Patience, young padawan.” Then he turned to me. “You’re still standing there, sit.”

With a sigh, I came farther into the room, eyeing the box wearily as I took the seat across from Prem - the very same seat I had been sitting in when said male took care of my hand. I watched Bright closely as he took the lid off of the carboard box and I craned my neck to see what was inside.

Bright pulled out a pair of blue skate shoes, the exact same as the ones he was currently wearing aside from the color - his were a light grey. “Yacht called me up this morning and said you needed some sneakers for basketball. Try them on.”

“A-Are you sure?” I wondered, taking the shoes from his hands.

Bright folded his arms over his chest, leaning his hip against the side of the table. “Those boots of yours aren’t allowed, so unless you plan on getting removed from the game before it even begins, I suggest you try them on.”

I knew he was right so I kicked my boots off, hoping that my socks didn’t stink as I pulled on the sneakers, tying up the laces. With them secure on my feet, I stood up and took a few steps to test them out.

“Well?” he questioned. “Do they fit properly?”

“A-A little big, but if I tighten t-the laces… they fit fine. T-Thank you so much,” I told him, putting my hands together as I bent my upper body forward.

“No problem, glad they fit,” Bright grinned, sending a sneaky look to Prem before he started toward the door. “I’ve got somewhere to be. Later!”

“A-Ah, wait!” I cried out, but the door was already closing behind him, leaving me alone with Prem. It felt as if the temperature in the room dropped several degrees without Bright there and I wasn’t sure how to deal with this situation. Holding back a sigh, I reached down to put my boots into the box, sealing it with the lid.

I chanced a look at Prem and he was focused on whatever he was writing, so I thought it best not to bother him. I muttered a soft, 'excuse me’ before turning and heading for the door. My hand had just brushed against the handle when he called my name, making my body freeze up.

“We need to talk,” he stated and I heard the scraping of the chair as he stood up.

“A-About what?” I questioned softly, turning sideways to glance at him.

“You know what,” he rolled his eyes, stepping around the table so that he was standing in front of me. “About what you said.”

I winced at the thought, but knew deep down that this would happen eventually. “I-I’m sorry for… for yelling at… at you, but… I m-meant what I sa-said.”

His eyes narrowed at me, arms folded over his chest. “You really surprised me with your outburst. I didn’t expect someone like you to have the guts to speak to me like that. You didn’t even stutter.”

“I-I was angry,” I muttered, staring at the ground as I shifted my weight from one foot to the other.

“You must really care about that guy,” he commented with a surprisingly soft voice.

“Well… h-he’s precious to… to my friends so he's… he’s p-precious to me, too… and you…” I met his gaze with a frown, “you were going to… to hit him. P-Prem, that's… that’s not okay. The seniors… they’re so important to us, b-but… when you act l-like that, you just hurt yourselves. You can’t earn r-respect through… through intimidation and cruelty. There’s a b-big difference between being… being tough and… and just being a jerk.”

He didn’t respond and I glanced over at him to check his reaction. Though his face was blank, his brow was furrowed and he seemed to be lost in thought, his eyes focused on the wall to his left.

“I-I’m sorry if you think… I’m being disrespectful, I don’t mean to be! I just…” I took a deep breath, turning to face him fully. “I don’t know h-how hard you guys work or all of the… the things you d-do for us, but I… I know it’s a l-lot. I really want you guys to… to show the f-freshmen that you deserve respect, why c-can’t you see that?”

His expression softened and he stepped closer, meeting my eyes. His sudden close proximity made me feel nervous, but not uncomfortable, my heart picking up speed within my chest. “Do you respect me?” he asked softly.

I nodded softly. “W-When you’re not… screaming at us…”

He heaved a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry for yelling at you… again.”

“I don’t want to… to fight with y-you anymore,” I mumbled, frowning at him. “It’s f-frustrating and stressful.”

He shifted, holding his hand out to me. “Then, let’s be friends.”

“Eh?” My eyes widened in surprise. Now, that I never would have expected. “Y-You… want to be friends?”

“You don’t?” he quirked a brow and I quickly shook my head, slipping my hand into his. It was warm, his fingers calloused as they wrapped around my own.

“I do… v-very much so,” I breathed out. His lips curled up into a smile, soft and beautiful, lighting up his face like I had never seen before. It brought a smile to my own lips as we shook hands. “I know… Waad can be… difficult, but… p-please try not to view him t-too harshly.”

“No promises,” he scoffed, removing his hand from mine so he could put it into his pocket, but his smile remained intact. “But I’ll try…. on one condition.”

“Always with the conditions,” I rolled my eyes with a laugh, beginning to feel more comfortable. “What is it?”

“Stay out of trouble,” he said seriously, glancing at my hands, “and stop getting hurt.”

“Ah…” I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. “I’ll do my best.”

“Do you have your booklet on you?” he asked suddenly.

“I should,” I set the box down on the small table beside the door before rooting through my bag, finding the booklet settled between the pages of a textbook that I’m sure I haven’t even looked at yet.

He took it from me, approaching the table and setting the book down before picking up a pen and scribbling his name across the page. I looked at him in surprise as he handed it back to me and he told me, “Consider it a peace offering,” and smiled again.

“Thank you!”

He nodded, turning back to the table to continue working on his report. I left the hazer’s meeting room feeling a lot better than I had in the past few days. I was actually becoming friends with the hazers, I couldn’t believe it. I pulled my phone from my pocket and texted BB, updating him on the situation. For a brief moment, I wondered if he even cared about my life or if I was just bothering him with my constant updates as if he were Twitter itself, but I shook off that thought easily because of my good mood.

His reply came only a few minutes later: ’:o friends with the hazers? That’s crazy! They just can’t resist your charm, huh~ Soon, you’ll be ruling the school!’

I laughed, replying: 'Yeah right lol but BB you won’t believe it, Prem actually SMILED at me. Like, a genuine smile. He looks so freaking cute when he smiles, I wish he’d smile more’

'Hm, but if he did that, it wouldn’t be as beautiful, right?’

'What do you mean?’

'It’s beautiful because it’s rare. If he smiled all the time, it wouldn’t be rare and therefore wouldn’t be as beautiful!’

'huh… you might be on to something, BB. Always so wise.’

'ofc ;)’

'I still can’t believe Bright let me borrow his shoes, tho I’m sure it’s only bc Yacht asked him to. Either way, I’m grateful. I should be better on the court now!’

'I still can’t believe you wear the same shoe size as a third year hazer ;P’

'rude! >[ My mother’s side of the family had big feet okay… totally not my fault.’

'I know~ I’m just joking don’t mind <3 you should record practice and send it to me, I want to see you guys tearing up the court! I have a friend that’s into basketball, I’m sure he’d cheer you guys on, too.’

Now that made me nervous. BB and I had never exchanged photos before, just discussed features like hair color, eye color, etc. What if he saw me, realized I’m just some heavyset white girl, the complete opposite of what they show on TV, and then he hates me? It’s not the first time someone would stop talking to me for my looks and I loved him so much, I really didn’t want to lose him…

He messaged again: 'Only if you feel comfortable. No pressure <3’

I smiled, replying: 'I’ll think about it :) gtg, will message you later’ I tapped the power button and slid the phone into my pocket, feeling in high spirits.

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Next

⚙️ Synopsis

People often wish their lives were like fairy tales without realizing that most fairy tales have a grain of truth and reality imbedded in their very core. Real life can be just as dramatic and devastating as any fairy tale, but it can also be just as wonderful and beautiful. The problem is that the road to find that beauty can be difficult to navigate, full of pain and frustration. No one understands this better than Aspen Reynolds whose life has been flipped over several times by events she can’t control. Now with her life under the control of vicious step-mother, she is forced to face her inner demons. The problem is that she doesn’t know if she’s strong enough to overcome them or if they will overthrow her.

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⚙️ Information

I recently watched the Thai Drama, Sotus: the Series in one sitting and it was so damn good that I just had to write a fanfiction in which I could add myself to their world and interact with their characters. This was my first Thai media and I know very little about the culture or the language, so there may be some inaccuracies in my portrayal of the story. I’ll be following the drama on Netflix so if the subtitles are off, blame them :D

I feel I should note that the lack of information on the characters makes me want to cry. I can’t find the names of the two girls that appear in Yacht, so I’m just going to choose random Thai names for them.

• Media: Sotus: The Series
• Pairing: Original Character x Knot
• Point of View: First Person
• Genre: Friendship, drama, romance, school, family
• Status: Completed
• Warnings: Explicit language, anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, bullying
• Series Started: 04/16/21
• Series Completed: 06/30/21

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⚙️ Original Characters

• Main Character
• Aspen Reynolds - female, 18, Faculty of Engineering freshman, student ID 0018 born October 31st (Scorpio)

• Side Characters
• Penelope Reynolds - female, 38 (at death), waitress/barista (Aspen’s mom) (deceased)
• Taeho Park - male, 42, journalist (Aspen’s step/adopted dad)
• Anong Tan - female, 39, ceo/engineer (Aspen’s step-mom)
• Chaloem “Ray” Tan - male, 23, Faculty of Engineering Junior, student ID 0225 (Aspen’s step-brother, Mayuree’s older twin)
• Mayuree “Mai” Tan - female, 23, Faculty of Engineering junior, student D 0226 (Aspen’s step-sister, Chaloem’s younger twin)

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⚙️ Disclaimer

I do not own the story of Sotus: the Series nor am I making any profit from this series. I only own Aspen Reynolds and her family. This was written for my own entertainment and to show my love of this series. Pleasure watch and purchase the official series to support the creators!

Sotus: the Series ©GMMTV

SOTUS©BitterSweet

No copyright infringement intended. All rights reserved.

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⚙️ Chapter Index

>> Listen to the playlist on Spotify.

• vol.1:f e a r - Doomed - Bring Me The Horizon
• vol.2:s i g n a t u r e s - Gonna Be Alright - Synne Vo
• vol.3:j e r k - Wolf At Your Door - Chloe x Halle
• vol.4:s p i r i t s - Unstoppable - Sia
• vol.5:g i r l - O.D.D. - Hey Violet
• vol.6:r e s p e c t - Sometimes - NEFFEX
• vol.7:f r i e n d s - Turn the Music Up - NF
• vol.8:i n j u r e d - World War Me - Theory of a Deadman
• vol.9:r o c k s - Not Afraid - Eminem
• vol.10:f o r e i g n e r - Lovely - Billie Eilish, Khalid
• vol.11:r e c o n n e c t e d - Line of Sight - ODESZA, WYNNE, Mansionair
• vol.12:b l o w u p - Sunrise - Our Last Night
• vol.13:e m o t i o n a l - Empire - Beth Crowley
• vol.14:f o u l - Getaway - Tritonal, Angel Taylor
• vol.15:p r o m i s e - Built in Our Bones - Hidden Citizens, Adam Christopher, KO the Legend
• vol.16:f a n c l u b s - We Are One - 12 Stones
• vol.17:a s a h i - Take the Bullets Away - We As Human, Lacey Sturm
• vol.18:f i r e - Dynamite - BTS
• vol.19:d r e a m s - Legends Never Die - Against the Current
• vol.20:h a t e d - I Don’t Belong Here - I Prevail
• vol.21:m e e t i n g - Weight of the World - Self Deception
• vol.22:f i g h t - Breaking Down - I Prevail
• vol.23:s o t u s - Right Here - Ashes Remain
• vol.24:o r a n g e - Born for Greatness - Papa Roach
• vol.25:t r a s h - Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish
• vol.26:k i s s - Cold Water - Our Last Night, Trenton Woodley, Garret Rapp
• vol.27:m a n g a - Follow You - Bring Me The Horizon
• vol.28:f a m i l y - Home - Seventeen
• vol.29:m e r m a i d s - Anxiety - blackbear, FRND
• vol.30:t u r t l e - Redemption - Besomorph, Coopex, RIELL
• vol.31:h e a r t - Bloom - Troye Sivan
• vol.32:l o v e - The Last of the Real Ones - Fall Out Boy
• vol.33:i n n o c e n t - F.I.N.E. - Too Close To Touch
• vol.34:a l l y - Low - Relent
• vol.35:w h o l e - Gravity - Defences
• vol.36:r e a d y - Going Dumb - Alesso, CORSAK, Stray Kids
• vol.37:t o k y o - Lone Wolf - Egzod, Wasiu
• vol.38:c h a n g e - Cry Baby - The Neighbourhood
• vol.39:p l a c e - To the Top - Rustage, OzzaWorld

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Interested in reading this fic? Make sure you follow my Fanfiction blog to read it as I post them: @therainroguefanfiction​ 

Probably an unpopular opinion but Krist/ Perawat Sangpotirat is quite a good actor. I’m not sure if it’s because his character is well-written but he seems to be doing well.

I have to admit that there has been an impressive glow-up of Sotus to Sotus S. Cinematography, Video Quality, Content, etc. Am I the only one who has been asking what are Arthit and Kongpob? I know they said they are boyfriends but are they really? HAHA I’ve been waiting for them to say “I love you” yet. LOL

Favorite GMM Characters - Ladies Edition

Miw - 3 Will Be Free

Prae - SOTUS + SOTUS S

Grace - The Gifted Graduation

Mae - 3 Will Be Free

Ainam - My Dear Loser: Edge of 17

Claire - The Gifted + The Gifted Graduation