CHAPTER 27
SIERRA
We were the last team to play that day. The first match was between Xerxes and Caudron Chasers, and Xerxes came up on top.
If we win today’s game, we’d be up against the Shadow twins in the finals. They were formidable opponents who knew what they were doing, but that was something to worry about on another day.
Today, we were up against the Vipers.
They were the greatest sleuth attackers in the league, but as long as we stuck to our strategy, we had an 80 percent chance of winning this game, according to my calculations.
“All hands on deck,” Tin announced just as we had placed our hands on top of each other. “Voltron Voids for the game,” we all shouted before letting our hands fly.
I took a deep, calming breath as we made our way up to the stage. All the nerves I’d been feeling this entire week vanished into nothing, and I felt the pressure leaving my body as my head snapped into game mode.
My eyes sneaked a glance at Matty, and very well he was right where he told me he would be. His eyes were locked on me in a way that made me feel like I was the only person in the room.
I gave him a slight nod before turning my attention back to the MC, who announced our entries.
It took us one hour, but after a near miss at the last 90 percent, we came out on the other side with flying colors.
One more to go.
“You were spectacular to watch, firecracker,” Matty said, clutching me tight to his chest.
“Thanks, Matty,” I said with a grin, feeling the lightest the entire week.
He kissed the top of my head before bringing me to his side.
“Can we all please go eat now?” Freddy groaned, rubbing his stomach.
I had no idea how my team was always hungry.
“You better get ready to run, Luna,” A snarky voice reached us. “We’re going to crush your team like you’re nothing.”
Matty’s entire body froze, and his fingers dug deeper into my arm.
We all twisted to see the Shadow twins and their jerk of a team members approaching us like the uncool kids from high school who would bully for fun but would run at the sight of a real threat.
Tension radiated off my teammates in waves, but I was internally laughing at those cowards who thought they could intimidate me and play mind games with me.
I was unfazed by their antics. Victoria Chan taught me better than that.
“Of course, Shadow,” I replied in a sweet voice. “We only got here because of pure luck. We couldn’t imagine winning against you.” I actually did. I already replayed it a hundred times inside my head like it was my favorite movie.
His beady eyes narrowed like he wasn’t catching on to me like last time. “Oh, Luna. I’m not that foolish. I’ve seen you play. You’re good, but not that good. A girl wouldn’t know how to lead a team. That’s a man’s job. Trust me, you should quit your team and come to my side,” he snickered slyly. “I would show you how to be actually led, sweetheart.”
Rage seeped out of Matty, and he was about to snap when I gripped his hand, squeezing.
I got this.
Shadow’s misogynistic remarks were so old-school that they didn’t even hit. Unfortunately, as a woman, you’re put through so much worse than this, so this hardly rattled my skin.
“Thanks, Shadow, I’ll think about the invite, but right now, it’s a no,” I replied, smiling. “Because I can’t be seen playing with a boy who is this small.” I held my thumb and my pointer finger with barely an inch of a gap.
Shadow gritted his teeth and took a menacing step forward.
And before I could ask him to go fuck himself, Matty beat me to it. “You’ll turn right back around if you know what’s good for you,” he warned, lifting his hoodie away as he pinned Shadow with a glare.
And for the first time since he graced us with his presence, Shadow’s cool boy expression fell to the ground, and his entire team gaped at the sight of Matty.
“You’re…you’re,” Shadow stammered, pointing at him.
But I didn’t want to linger, so I spun around to my team. “We’re leaving, guys. I’ll see you all at the finals,” I said, grabbing Matty’s hand as I scurried us away, not even waiting for their response.
“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” I said with a little more bite to my tone than necessary when we reached an empty area on the lot as we headed to our car. “I could’ve handled it.”
“I know, firecracker, and you were so fucking sexy handling it.” He kissed my forehead, pulling me closer. “But I just had this insistent urge to knock all the teeth out of his mouth.”
I shook my head, but I couldn’t help but smile like a fool at that. At times, your man defending your honor could get all your lady bits squirming.
My smile didn’t leave my face till we stepped inside the apartment later that night.
Confusion flooded my blood at the weird silence weighing the air.
We’d usually come to Raphy watching TV or blasting his guitar, but this seemed a bit unusual.
And it wasn’t just me who felt it because Matty’s brow furrowed too as we crossed the hallway, hand in hand.
I stopped dead short when we realized the cause of the silence.
“Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?” I asked, feigning a steady tone and failing miserably. They knew I was with Matty, so I shouldn’t really be scared about walking in with him.
But it was the expression on their faces that made my heart get heavier by the second.
Mom’s face was pinched in a frown her eyes narrowed to slits, while Dad’s usual soft eyes held so much sadness, and he looked like he aged a few decades since I last saw him.
I immediately thought something was wrong with Abuela, but Raphy, looking outright terrified, said it was something else.
“Mrs. Chenin’s daughter is also going to Columbia this year,” Mom announced, her voice cutting the air with such sharpness that I felt it graze my skin and draw blood.
“They were kind enough to inform me that there were no summer classes this year when I told them my daughter was going there this fall.”
And right then, at that moment, I just knew nothing was ever going to be the same again.