Chapter 86: Hotel California Arc!!!
Thanks to Eriko, I was able to tag along for the trip. If it had been up to my brother, he would never have agreed to let me go. The thought of me staying away from him overnight was a big no. Never in a million years.
I’m basically like his handbag. Wherever he goes, I go. Wherever he sleeps, I sleep. Ever since I was a little kid, he has never let me leave his side for more than a few hours. It’s only recently, since he started working those long overnight shifts, that he’s been a bit distant, but honestly, I’m still my brother’s handbag at heart.
He noticed the second I started packing my backpack. He saw my toothbrush and the extra clothes, and I had to think fast. I told him I was going to the championship, obviously Eriko was the one doing the talking. Eriko backed me up, telling him that everyone in the school was going and that I should be there too to support the team. In reality, not everyone was actually going. It was just the team, the coach, Princess, Malo, and me.
So there I was, standing on the school premises in the early morning light, waiting for Princess and her PA, Malo, to show up so we could get this show on the road.
"Faye, I can’t believe we’re actually going together!" Sasha said from right behind me. She was carrying a small bag, and a camera, looking way too excited for this early in the morning. Beside her were the twins, Jake and Ray.
"You’re coming too?" I asked, blinking in surprise.
When I texted her last night to tell her that we wouldn’t be hanging out today, she had practically begged to come along. She kept asking if there was any possible way she could squeeze into the group, but I told her it wasn’t up to me. It was all up to Princess. And now, somehow, she was standing here.
"Yes! I’m officially a substitute for the Oak High media team. Sally, the main camera-girl, broke her hand by accident and can’t hold the camera, so I volunteered to take her place," Sasha said. Before I could ask how that happened, the twins called her over to start recording the team as they boarded the bus.
I watched her rush over with the gear, filming everything like a pro. I don’t know why, but I had this weird, nagging feeling that Sally’s accident wasn’t really an accident at all. Maybe someone wanted Sasha on that bus. Or maybe it really was just a stroke of luck.
I stood back and watched the boys start to board the big yellow bus. My eyes kept scanning the crowd, looking for someone specific. Why was I even looking for him? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I didn’t even know what I was searching for or why I cared.
"Why are you looking for me?" Peamah’s voice suddenly came from right beside my ear.
"What the fuck!" I jumped nearly a foot in the air. "Why would I be looking for you? I wasn’t looking for you at all. Get over yourself."
"Yes, you were. You called my name. I heard you," he said, looking down at me with those eyes.
"I never mentioned your name. Dude, you’re crazy. You seriously need to get yourself checked or something," I said. I was defensive because when did I ever call him? I hadn’t even opened my mouth.
"Look, I don’t know why you’re coming to this game, but you better stay out of my head," he said, his voice dropping. "I’ve been training all year for this. This game is my big moment. Don’t you dare ruin it for me."
His voice sounded like a weird mix of a threat and a plea. It was confusing. I’ve never actually been in his head, so how would I even ruin the game? I’m not the one on the court. He gave me one last long look before heading onto the bus, greeting his teammates like nothing had just happened.
"Why is that purple-haired girl coming with us?" Malo asked, walking up to me.
I turned to look at him and almost laughed. He was carrying a massive suitcase strapped to his back like a rucksack. It was so big I couldn’t tell if Malo was carrying the bag or if the bag was carrying him. And in his free hand, he held a box that looked like a fancy briefcase.
"Bro, are you planning to move houses or what? Why are you carrying everything?" I asked, gesturing to the mountain of luggage.
"These aren’t mine," he replied with a heavy sigh.
"Okay, MG, the bus is about to leave. Move it," Princess said, walking up behind him.
The sound of her heels hitting the pavement made me turn. Everything about her screamed money and power. She looked like she belonged on a red carpet, not a school parking lot. All she was holding was a sleek tablet.
I stared. I know I was staring, and I did it for way too long. Her face looked different than it had yesterday. She looked absolutely stunning. Her hair was pulled back into a perfect ponytail with bangs framing her face, and then my eyes dropped to her lips.
Damn. That lipstick was something else. I swallowed hard, feeling a sudden heat in my throat.
"Princess, why aren’t we taking the car?" Malo asked, adjusting his heavy load.
"We’re supporting the team as a family today. There’s no need for us to be separate. Go on, get on the bus," she said.
Malo didn’t argue. He just hurried onto the bus before she could change her mind or give him more to carry. That left the two of us standing there alone for a second.
"How long were you planning to stare?" Princess asked, her voice amused.
"I wasn’t staring," I lied immediately, looking away at a random tree.
"Come on, you don’t have to act shy with me. I saw you," she said, a smirk playing on her lips. "I bet my looks made you wet just now."
"No, I wasn’t! You’re crazy!" I panicked, my face turning bright red.
"Oh, really..." she said, giving me a slow wink that made my knees feel a little weak. "Come on, omega. The bus is waiting for us."
