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The sounds of footsteps and zippers closing could be heard from the young woman's room. didn't matter that she had packed her bags weeks before, She was very anxious, her mind forced her to check every inch of her backpacks to make sure she didn't forget even an old eraser.— She was anxious, excited. She had been waiting for this moment for ages. I could even tell that white streaks of anxiety were appearing in her hair. —It was just drama. There was nothing there— Finally the day arrived, and she counted the seconds until she got in the car. Summer vacation, the time that everyone looks forward to and doesn't want to end. Everyone likes it, right? Being idle for a long time, away from school and responsibilities. Jill Andersen had received a letter, a summer camp was having an event. The best hockey teams compete against each other, committed to finding out which team would be the best in the city, knowing her daughter and her love for hockey. She saw no problem in enrolling her. "2 minutes, 30 seconds until 6:30 AM." She murmured like a mantra, pacing around the board in a thoughtful circle. It was clear that the girl had had little sleep. And she did, her eyes stayed open practically the whole night, too anxious for tomorrow, her mind created several scenarios of what could happen. Your eyes just closing to blink. As a result, only 2 hours of sleep. She took a deep breath, placing her hand on her chest and feeling her heartbeat accelerate. She had to calm down, the camp had barely started and she was practically freaking out inside and out. Her previously dry blouse was starting to get small wet spots under her arms. She grumbled about having to change her shirt again. "Excited for the trip, little monkey?" Her father messily played with the top of her hair, earning a frustrated huff and her attempt to push his hands away. "Stop doing that, I'm not a little kid anymore!" Riley grumbled, her cheeks flushed with frustration. Her mother was the next to go and torment the young girl, peppering her with unnecessary worried questions."You're not forgetting anything, right? Sunscreen, charger, moisturizer, toothpaste, Absor.." "I know how to take care of myself, mom!!" Getting into the passenger seat, she threw her backpack inside, watching her parents start driving. She felt a little uncomfortable every time she wanted to leave and needed her parents to take her.— She was already 16 years old! She could walk alone. If they trusted her more they would realize that she is mature enough to walk alone...and about driving? We won't go into details.. Her leg was shaking as if a powerful massager was pressing down on it, the thud of her sneakers hitting the floor of the car was muffled by the loud cheesy music her parents were playing. She had to grip her thigh in an attempt to stop the trembling. Lifting her face, she watched as they got closer and closer to the camp. Her heart threatened to jump out of her throat with anticipation. She didn't know why she felt this way, it wasn't her first time at a camp, but it was different from the camp 3 years ago. Her friends weren't going to abandon her again, they were in the same league. The hockey camp was located on the outskirts of town, on a large plot of land that had been turned into a sports complex. Riley swallowed hard. Her grip on the strap of her backpack tightened. Before her parents' concerns could return, Riley bolted out of the car. "Bye dad, bye mom." Walking through the camp's corridors, she looked for her friends. Or the FogHorns, there were a lot of people around the place, her possible rivals, She felt a mixture of worry and fear. How was she going to make more friends during those 14 days if everyone was her rival?? Everyone was here to claim their story and show everyone what they were made of. "Riley!" A voice called, turning her face to the side she noticed Max, a girl from her team inside a huge room, she pulled the fallen backpack onto her shoulders again. Following the voice. Inside, the camp organizers were standing. Several teams were waiting for the meeting to begin. She made her way inside until she reached the Foghorns, where her friends were. "Bree, Grace!" She smiled, opening her arms to hug them, receiving the same enthusiasm from the girls. "Ahhh! I'm so excited for the games!" Grace exclaimed with a shrill cry, her hands nervously gesturing up and down. "Did you see how many great players there are here?!?" "SharksHunter, Flaming snakes, USS Sallares ..." she started pointing at the groups, each group looked better than the last. The amount of wins the teams had was impressive. You could tell just by their aura that they didn't mess around on the rink. "I'm nervous....we're around people who are experts in the game, while we're beginners!" Grace put her hand to her head, her anxiety starting to get on her nerves. "Hey, we beat several teams!" Bree grumbled, slapping her friend on the back of the head, making her snap out of her initial trance of insecurity. "And also, we are not beginners, we have great players on our team." She added with confidence in her voice. Riley was also going to say something. But a young man clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention to himself. She assumed he was one of the people who would take care of this camp. "Attention all of you, as you know this ends on September 4th. Each team will have rooms to accommodate themselves during these days." He explained, pointing to a board behind him that showed where each room was and which team would be staying. "Here. This is where you'll know where to stand. If you have any questions, look for the people with the orange ribbon on their wrists and they will explain it more clearly." He finished, and a bunch of people rushed to look at the notice board. Later the same day. Riley and her team found the place where they would spend the nights, the camp had several rooms, she was surprised by the size of the place. Every room had 6 bowling beds for each team. Their window faced the woods, in one of the last beds the sound of the zipper being opened, along with her taking her things and putting them in that drawer next to the bed, only what she thought was necessary, charger, cell phone. Headphones and such. Checking my wristwatch it was already 7:13am and so far there has been nothing interesting Maybe today would just be an introduction for everyone, just to get to know each other and then tomorrow the games would actually start. "Guys come let's have breakfast, I heard they have great pancakes." Alexandre, the Leader commented throwing the backpack aside. A soft rumbling sound emerged from deep within her stomach. It was only then that Riley realized she hadn’t eaten anything so far. She was so anxious and excited to visit the camp that eating was not one of her main concerns. According to her teammates, Riley still can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen today. As if there's a little ghost whispering bad things in her ear. I shook my head to push them away, they were already disturbing her too much at night. Now she just needed to relax. And for relaxing... Alex was right. The various foods here looked delicious, she swallowed hard, feeling her mouth water. Her entire appetite wanting nothing more, nothing less than to devour Those foods. The tables full of food were pushed against the wall, leaving several tables in the center of the room. "Come on Riley, food is for eating, not for looking at." One of her companions nudged her with his elbow, pulling her closer to the table where all that food was. "Ah... Are you going to eat all of that?" Bree arched an eyebrow at her friend, staring in amazement at the tray of food Andersen was holding. "Were you under captivity these entire years Riley?" Alex finished, butting into the conversation. "Nothing like that, I'm just...hungry." She dismissed it with a careless shrug...She didn't even remember the last time she ate. Maybe she really had overdone it, she thought as she looked at her own full plate, 5 hot pancakes with a piece of cake on the side, a cup of chocolate milk, 1 slice of sweet pizza and a bowl of cereal—she really overdid it, but who cares? Not her, her future self could worry about the consequences later. DANGER! DANGER!! Her legs carried her toward the Foghorns' table, her attention focused entirely on the treats in her hands. Picking one up, she brought it to her lips, She didn't even realize she was about to bump into someone. A few pieces of food fell to the floor, but her biggest concern was the person she bumped into, ACCIDENTALLY DIRTYING THEIR SHIRT. The curly-haired girl's white shirt had a chocolate stain on it, Riley's eyes had small black pupils. nervously hurried hands moved to grab a nearby cloth and wipe away the stain. Rubbing the cloth against the girl's chest, the action caused the opposite— making the stain grow in size. "Ah! Sorry, Sorry! Sorry!" She apologized, rubbing harder in a failed attempt to clean, she didn't even realize how indecent and invasive she was being, with a cloth got from who knows where and rubbing it on the girl's chest. The girl in front of her gritted her teeth, with a flick of her wrist she tore the white hand away from her, pushing her away. "You're blind, girl?" she growled, the sound rumbling in her chest. She watched skeptically as the blonde girl seemed nervous around her. Grabbing her by the collar of her shirt, she warned. "next time watch where you're going. And you owe me 40 bucks for the shirt." Riley blinked several times, without reacting. She could only stare in astonishment at the girl in front of her, moving away from her. the split second of exchanged glances....left Riley shaking, as if a block of ice was sliding off her back. "Wow....you just started the day and you started it off on the wrong foot." Alex commented with their eyebrows raised, their mouth full of mini-Bread. "You know her right? People say not to piss her off." "You don't have to explain it to me, I know her," Riley rolled her eyes with her arms crossed, at the age of 13 she had been obsessed with this girl—in fact she still was. —. But after that little incident, she wondered if all these past years were worth stalking her. "Rude girl, I tried to help her." She muttered to herself. "I can't believe the first match is going to be the Firehawks versus The SharksHunter!" Grace exclaimed, almost jumping with excitement as she sat down on one of the bleachers. The organizers had already prepared, free days for training and such. "Who do you think will win? It's obvious that Sharks-Hunter will be the winner." Bree commented, receiving a scowl from Grace "what? Are you saying that the team, That team that doesn't even seem to train is going to beat the Firehawks?" She asked in disbelief, holding back the urge to laugh at something like that. "They do train! But only three times a week and that's fine! What's the point of training every day if you end up tired when the competition comes around?" Bree retorted and started a small argument. Andersen had to put up with that stupid argument for a maximum of... 2 minutes before interrupting them. "Guys, it's obvious who's going to win." Riley sighed. "The Firehawks have more victory trophies than the Shark Hunters, and if you two were paying attention to the game. It's 2-0." She commented, her voice slightly raised in anger at her friends. Who was she rooting for? It was kind of obvious to be honest, she knew the Firehawks would win the match without even trying too hard, they were great; excellent players if you asked her. Was she a little bothered by the rude incident with the captain of that team? Yes but most of the blame was hers— 99,9% Minnesota's fault. So after this match would better apologize to Valentina Ortiz."I thought today would just be practice and performance." Riley thought to herself, watching that match. The game wasn't too difficult to get the win to tell the truth, SharksHunter didn't seem to be at their best today— Probably because they also thought that today would just be a presentation To meet people, not really Game—. The main attacker was creating several gaps, he had several opportunities to throw the puck into the goal, The rival team unfortunately failed to win, 6X3 with 3 points missing. So, they had to go back to their homes right at the beginning of the camp — what bad luck, right?? As Riley had guessed, The Firehawks had won. The crowd cheered as the winners walked off to the locker room, and the losers headed back to their homes. Grace was one of the most excited people, jumping for joy and smiling like an idiot exclaiming; "Did you see Bree!? I told you they would win! Now you owe me 20 bucks!! Yeee!" She did a little dance while Bree rolled her eyes, clearly hating that she had made that bet. "Girls, I'll be right back." Riley got up from the bench, walking down the bleachers and heading towards where the Firehawks had gone, was going to apologize to Valentina, that was simple right? Just apologize."She's going to ask for an autograph without us?" Grace pouted, disappointment in her tone. "Ask Dani to sign my cap!!" She added, throwing the cap to Andersen.Going up the stairs she continued looking for the changing room, there were SEVERAL changing rooms she didn't know which one to enter, This idiot hadn't looked at the map that contained all the rooms explained and now she was walking around like a dizzy cockroach going from changing room to changing room — Luckily, none of them had anyone getting dressed—turning the corner she noticed Danny leaving the room. Maybe that was the locker room, she waited for all the girls to leave, waiting for it to be Vaz turn. No, she didn't wait. One of her biggest flaws was not having enough patience to wait, when the second to last girl left the locker room, she went inside, A tall figure with curly hair stood with the back to her. continued to reach out to touch her shoulder. You could tell she was expecting anything, a handshake, a hug, a gentle smile—or a frown appearing on her expression as she noticed Riley. ANYTHING but no that; "A-AHH!" Riley meowed in surprise, before she could touch the girl, the brunette with one movement had grabbed her wrist and forced it behind her back. Riley didn't even have time to think or defend herself before she was trapped between the locker and that girl. "Are you stalking me?" Val narrowed her eyes, gripping Riley's arm tighter, making her grunt in pain. "That doesn't surprise me. You really do look like a pervert." Yours words were harsh and dry. Riley's heart sank at that unfair accusation, she just wanted to apologize! Okay, was it a little weird to barge into a locker room and risk seeing someone half naked just to apologize? Maybe so. But she didn't mean any harm! And also, Val was already fully dressed so she wasn't a weird pervert! "I'm not a pervert!" She growled, looking over her shoulder at the girl. "I just wanted to apologize to you for earlier!" She grumbled trying to escape that grip, she didn't know that girl was that strong, she tried to kick her, but it was hard to kick someone who was grabbing your wrists and behind you. "You're such a bad liar, do you think I don't know your type?" Valentina snorted, releasing that girl with disdain. Searching for some hand sanitizer in her bag to wash her hands, as if touching Riley was the same as touching dog vomit. "Want to apologize? First start by paying me for that shirt." Throwing the alcohol back into her backpack, she crossed her arms. "I don't have 40 bucks to give you..." Riley frowned, all that dream she had about: Valetina Ortiz is my biggest inspiration! I love her so much that I want to be a great player like her!!!, It was going down the drain. She couldn't believe that her great idol was actually a total idiot. —or she was just pushing it too far, she didn't think much of it.— Valentina's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer to Riley, her voice low and dangerous, her smile mischievous. "Then I guess you're going to have to work for it." She said, and Riley's heart skipped a beat. Was she going to make her do something... physical? She had never witnessed a scenario like that before, but in fanfics the Protagonist always had to work like a dog to pay what he owed to the bad guy...or depending on the story he had to...no! She's already reading too much fanfic. None of this would happen She just didn't know why Valentina Ortiz was so close to her, she could feel her warm breath against her face. Riley’s eyes widened, and she took a step back, her hands raised in a defensive gesture. “W-what do you mean? I’ll pay you back, I promise.!" She stammered, not wanting to get into any more trouble. "I just...I'll need time for this." Before anything bad could happen to our Protagonist, the door opened, startling her. "Oh, Hey," the figure entered the locker room, passing between the two girls without any problem, They hadn't noticed the tense atmosphere, or how the blonde girl looked so nervous. "I forgot my watch, again." Dani explained with a roll of her eyes, picking up the watch she had left on the bench and leaving, Standing in the doorway with her hand on the handle, she looked over her shoulder "See you later Val?" "Sure... See you later." Val muttered dryly, receiving a confused look from her best friend, but the girl didn't question it closing the door and leaving Riley with that scary girl again."Oh...I'm going too." Riley tried to run away, her legs kicking up to leave, but a commanding "Wait" made her body freeze. — Why was she so scared? She's faced a lot of bullies/scary people at school. She shouldn't be scared.— "....yes?" She asked with a nervous smile, slowly turning her face to face the girl who was watching her with disdain. —gosh...she didn't like that kind of look, it made her heart skip a beat with fear.— Valentina sighed heavily, her hand on her forehead as she leaned against the yellow locker room. "Look, I forgive you." She said, surprising Riley with this change in demeanor. "I shouldn't get mad at someone in elementary school, it's not polite of me to fight with a 12 year old." Wait... Wait- what? 12... 12...12 years? Did she think Andersen was 12? That gave her a HUGE feeling of disappointment and anger, it was as if Riley's entire body was a mirror, and with those words the mirror was completely shattered. "Im Sorry....12 years old? Do you think I'm 12?" She asked incredulously, letting out an awkward laugh, Okay she knew she wasn't very tall by """teen standards""" and her body wasn't very... developed either. BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONFUSE HER WITH A CHILD‼️ VALENTINA ORTIZ HAD THE BRAIN OF A KOALA TO THINK SHE WAS A CHILD!!‼️ Val didn't understand why the other girl was so surprised, she looked a lot like someone in seventh or sixth grade. The structure, the way she spoke, how unbearable she was, like a child. "Hmm....yes? You do, don't you?" Val shrugged, not understanding the surprise. "I study with you!" Riley protested, her voice raised higher than she intended. "what?" Val looked at the girl more confused, as if someone from the sixth grade was studying in the same classroom as her? "It's me! Riley, Riley Andersen! From your class!" She continued, not believing that Valentina didn't remember her, She already did a pair project with that girl! How could she be forgotten so easily!? She knew she wasn't an easy person to be seen, at school always wearing a hoodie and playing in her corner by herself. Would she be part of those gaming nerds? Yes, but her phone couldn't handle the heavy games they played. And what they were talking about... They seemed like a group of incels. She definitely didn't fit in there... Val's mind worked to try to remember a Riley Andersen, she didn't remember anyone with that name in her classroom.— She didn't pay attention to the roll call, she only paid attention when there were two names left until it was her turn —. She put her hand to her chin, looking at the floor, trying to remember. "Riley....Andersen, Riley, Riley..." She repeated it, as if saying that name would suddenly bring back the memory she wanted. "Trans Riley? Golfing Riley? Fifth, sixth grade?" She asked, receiving a frustrated "no" from Riley. "...The Crazy Riley?" Until suddenly she could remember, a white girl with blonde hair, blue eyes and who could EASILY be the most popular girl in school....if she had a body, and also if she wasn't a weirdo and a pervert. That girl in front of she was a waste of beauty. That must have been why your brain deleted her from your mind. "Ah, Riley the girl in the blue hoodie?" She asked with a snap of her fingers, Riley frowned. She HATED that nickname, she got that nickname just because she always wore a blue jacket — what did they want? She loved that jacket! But she had a name and she wanted to be called that!—. "....yes, the Girl in the Blue Sweatshirt..." She nodded in defeat, while Val looked proud to remember someone so insignificant "Oh, I see." Val muttered, she looked Andersen up and down, no matter how much she looked, The girl didn't look like a 16 year old...she would guess 14 at most. "Anyway, it doesn't matter, I'm leaving." She said, throwing her backpack with her hockey equipment over her shoulder, and starting to walk away. "W-wait! Aren't you going to apologize?" Riley asked with her eyebrows furrowed, she watched the girl in front of her stop in front of the door. Staring at her indifferently. "No, I have no reason to apologize." walked away, leaving a incredulous Riley behind. Later, in the Foghorns' dormitory. Riley was furious, angry with everyone and the entire world. The last time she was this angry was when she ended up dying 22 times to the same boss in a videogame, She went around in sudden circles confessing her hatred for her Ancient Idol. "I don't believe her! She's nothing like I thought she was! She's a stuck-up, annoying, idiotic and unbearable person!!" Riley grumbled, taking out all her stuff about Val—most of it was video and pictures of the brunette playing hockey, she deleted EVERYTHING, not wanting to leave even a message praising Val on her phone.— Her friends just sat on the bed listening to Riley's confession of hate. They looked at each other, as if they were arguing about who would comfort Riley.. "Then she calls me an insufferable child! CHILD! I accept insufferable, BUT NOT A CHILD!" Riley huffed, kicking a volleyball that had been thrown on the ground, It flew into the wall with a loud thud. "Can you believe this? I'm a child? There's no way they could think I'm a —" the ball came back to avenge the kick, hitting the girl in the back. Bringing a laugh from her teammates. "Look Riley...I'm so sorry this happened..." Bree began, trying to calm her hurt friend, but didn't even know where to start. "Not everyone is what they seem, I'm sorry you found out the truth about her this way... She's an idiot to think you were a Kid." "It wasn't her fault for thinking you were a child." Alex interrupted, lying on the top bunk of the bowling alley across from them. "Everyone would easily mistake you, your chest is so small that if you cut your hair, they would mistake you for a 10 year old boy!" They laughed, earning an angry look from Bree and Grace, and a volleyball aimed at them. "What was a volleyball doing at a hockey camp??" "Shut up Alex!" One of the Foghorns players who threw the ball defended Riley. "You're not helping, you idiot! You could also easily be mistaken for a 12 year old.""Shut up Emira!" They growled throwing a pillow towards the green haired girl. "You look like a bush with that horrible hair!" "Ignore them, they don't know what they're talking about." Grace muttered, Squeezing her friend's shoulder. Who just looked down with a frustrated look. Firehakws Dormitory. "Who was that girl with you Val?" Dani asked curiously, putting her cell phone aside to look at her friend who was scrolling through social media out of boredom. "No one important, just a pervert who wanted to see me." Val replied without even taking her eyes off the screen, her finger sliding upwards to see the huge photos on Instagram. Until he stopped, looking up at Danny. "Do you know Riley Andersen?" "It's that girl's name?" Receiving a nod, Dani stopped to remember some Riley, "Riley from sixth grade? The Riley Crazy? The trans Riley? Golf Riley?" Every Riley she mentioned was met with a no. Dani smacked her mouth shut, she couldn't think of any Riley Andersen, — and look, she was good at remembering names.— "the lesbian Riley?" "What?" Val asked confused, she dropped her phone with a roll of her eyes, adjusting her posture on the bed. "Riley in the blue hoodie." "Ahhh, I remember her." Dani replied, finally understanding who Val was talking about, by the look on her friend's face, It seemed like she wanted information from that girl. "She's not a very... outgoing person." She mentioned, when she once tried to befriend the girl, and she ran away like a scared chicken. "and she's always alone." "Great, my stalker is a lonely and weird girl, congrats to me." She rolled her eyes sarcastically, receiving a confused look from her friend. "That's not important, just keep going." "She tried to join our team once, 3 years ago, but she didn't make it and I never heard from her again." Dani finished with a shrug, but her curiosity didn't let her stop talking. "What did you mean by stalker?" "She followed me to the locker room, sure she wanted to do something weird." She crossed her arms, the worst part of being someone admirable, was the part of the weird stalkers who wanted to be her friend. Sure, she gave some people a chance, others she didn't, but if someone was always alone, there was a REASON for it, Most of the time it wasn't good. "Did she do something to you?" Dani asked. "No, luckily I heard her footsteps and tackled her against the wall. Then she confessed everything she wanted to do." Val then threw herself on the bed, her arms resting behind her head, her eyes fixed on the wood of the bed above her. "She said she wanted to apologize for getting my shirt dirty earlier...but I'm highly suspicious of that." She explained, turning her body so she could look Dani in the face. "She didn't have the money to pay for my shirt, so it was obvious she was lying." "Maybe not," Dani added. "Maybe she thought if you realized the apology was sincere, from the heart. You'd forget about it."." "Haha! Very funny Dani." Val laughed, her shoulders shaking up and down. "Sometimes you have potential to be a comedian... anyway, I highly doubt that's true." "Either way I don't need to worry, if she didn't make our team it means she's a terrible player, her team will go home in less than 3 days." finished, going to bed to sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Pov Riley, 5:27 AM"Why did they make us wake up so early...? I can barely see the sun." Alex grumbled, stretching their arms, yawning. Walking towards the main room where the organizers had told everyone to go. "Real, My beauty sleep requires 8 hours of sleep, I barely got 5 hours right." Grace crossed her arms pouting, there were dark circles under her eyes, But they weren't that big. She knew how to take care of her health. One of her friends, however...the situation was a bit complicated. The one with the huge bags under her eyes was Riley. Who AGAIN didn't have a great sleep schedule. She tried to sleep, but her dreams were all about that rude girl she met. Who she believed to be a great person, kind, cheerful and gentle with everyone. Acted like a bitch towards her! She felt like banging her head against the wall every time Valentina invaded her dreams. Her last dream was therefore something considered great; she dreamed that she had managed to defend herself from Val, punching the girl. She woke up with a goofy smile on her face, feeling amazing and refreshed, before being disappointed that it had all been a dream. "I didn't know I didn't like her that much...for me to beat her up in my dreams..." She muttered to herself, walking slowly, she was far, far behind her team, she was practically walking like a sleepy zombie. She could hear her colleagues' conversations, but it was of no great interest to her. She yawned exhaustedly before almost falling to the floor, but leaning against the wall. "A turtle walks faster than you, Weird Blonde in the Blue Hoodie." Being pushed aside, Riley held on to the wall to keep from falling. Her previously unprepared attention was focused on the person who had bumped into her, her expression becoming completely closed when she discovered who it was."Oh, Sorry. I didn't see you there, Blind Blonde," she teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she flashed her most charming smile, making the roots of fury tighten in Riley's heart. "I guess I'm too focused on the next game to notice the slow ones, huh?" She teased, making Riley clench her fists. "Maybe if you try a little harder, you won't fall behind again." Riley's eyes narrowed even further at Val's words, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She knew Val was trying to get under her skin, but it still hurt to hear her failure thrown in her face like that. "At least I don't have to cheat to get on a team." It was a low blow, and Riley knew it. She also had no real evidence that Valentina had cheated, but she knew the accusation would still sting. She felt a small pang of guilt at the thought of hurting Val’s feelings, but she pushed it aside. Val had started this, and Riley wasn’t about to back down now. Val growled, her voice shaking with anger. "If you don't want to end up with a broken wrist, I suggest you think about your next words." Stepping closer, Andersen spoke. "You're lucky we're in public, or else you'd have a black eye right now." her voice low and menacing, Val didn't seem to be too affected by that, letting out a sarcastic laugh. "For someone who couldn't defend herself before..." She took a deep breath, approaching Riley. "You talk like you're strong. Little blonde." "Val, let's go! We'll lose points if we're late." One of her teammates interrupted the argument, pulling Val's arm and leading her to her team, which was already far ahead, Before Valentina could continue, she added with a wink; "But don't worry, weirdo, we'll have plenty of opportunities to settle this on the ice." Her face turned completely red with fury, which worried her friends. "Riley, are you okay? Don't forget to breathe, okay? Breathe, 1...2...3" Max directed Riley's attention to herself. Helping your teammate Everyone was confused when they were taken out of the main room, to the back of the property. Full of trees and green things in front of them. No one had understood anything, were they going to play hockey here? There were two goal creases in the left corner, but no sticks or markings in sight. The sky was finally beginning to dawn, the bright orange light blending with the fading blue of the night. Some of the players raised their phones to take a picture of the sky.— getting a lecture from one of the adults.— "All right, everyone's attention." The same man from the day before whistled, next to him was another man holding a small box containing ribbons. "Today the day will be a little different, This summer camp is not just a camp of blood, fury and victories." He spoke, his voice becoming more sinister with exaggerated words about blood, victories, and bad things. But his tone returned to normal—not completely normal, his voice still remained frightening, "You all are here to have fun, so we have prepared a new activity for all of you." And that was his cue, leaving the other man beside him to explain the rules. It's very simple, they said. All the players—except one—were wearing a blue wristband indicating that they were regular players. The one who wasn't would be wearing blue, She would have a red bracelet on her arm, indicating that she would be the "disc" to be caught. The game would last 14 minutes, with a 2-minute advantage for the "discs"" They hid in that forest. They said that that part was not dangerous, that several old students had already explored it and had never been hurt. The winner is the one who gets 5 bracelets (counting their team's) and manages to come back with all of them in hand. It seemed simple, right? Being chased by... 24? 24 people all wanting to take her bracelet. It was okay, Riley would NOT be unlucky enough to be the one being chased, right? WRONG! When her turn in line came, she had the GREAT UNLUCK OF GETTING THE RED BRACELET. She groaned in frustration, heading over to where the other "discs" were. With arms crossed and a sullen face like a child. "Hey, Psiu." A voice next to her called her, it was a brunette girl with blonde dyed hair, the girl smiled starting a short conversation. "Don't worry so much about it. You just need to stay 14 minutes in an area that no one dares to go near, and you win the game." She explained, giving Riley a wink. "Okay...and what area would that be?" She asked innocently with an arched eyebrow. Her body tensed as the girl leaned in to whisper in her ear, as if she was about to say something dangerous. "Right, left. Front, twice to the right and then twice to the left and you'll see a sign saying no passing." Riley listened to the hint, nodding in pretend understanding, She certainly wouldn't be able to remember that strange path perfectly...but she would try. "Okay...thanks...ah.." "Sophie." The girl introduced herself by extending her hand for a handshake, shaking Riley's arm like it was a worm. "I'm on Team Torpedo, and you are?"" "Foghorns." "Cool! Good luck with your victory!" Riley nodded, doing the same to that girl, she seemed nice...maybe it wouldn't be too complicated to make new friends here. Now she was running through the woods trying to hide in the bushes and climbing trees—both attempts failed. Her luck was that her pursuers were not as fast as she was; this surprised her. She was NOT the most athletic person in the world, was shocked to discover that there was another person who was terrible at running too. "Okay...what did she say again? Find a half-fallen tree trunk, then go right, then left..." She muttered trying to remember the damn path she was given. SHE KNEW SHE WOULD FORGET THAT TIP! Her memory loved to make her suffer by forgetting or confusing things. Just like when she confused her cousin's birthday with her grandmother's. They had the same birthday, and Riley bought a present only for her cousin. As a result, she got a cane on the back. Right, left...forward...forward? Right, left, right, ONG THIS LOOKS LIKE A COMMAND TO WIN IN A VIDEO GAME. She was beginning to wonder if it was worth taking that stranger's advice. The trees began to thin out, and she could see a sign in the distance. No hunting beyond this point. Riley let out a sigh of relief, her body shaking as she reached the supposedly safe zone. She ducked behind a tree, her heart pounding as a couple of minutes passed, catching her breath as she remained hidden. She couldn't help but think about the girl who had given her the tip. Who was she? And why had she helped Riley? Was it just to mess with her? Or was there something more? Well...that didn't matter now right? She had a place to hide, she would be the one who wouldn't let anyone take her bracelet. Riley was so focused on figuring out why she was helped that she didn't notice someone approaching from behind her like a jaguar walking cautiously in its fold. They were so close that Riley could feel the heat radiating from her body. The breath hit the Riley's Ear, making her shiver. They reached out, their fingers brushing the blue bracelet on Riley's arm. "Careful, Blondie. You're going to lose your bracelet." They whispered, your voice sending shivers down Riley's spine. Riley turned, her eyes widening in surprise. "You...!" She stuttered, her heart racing. Cheeks flushing red with anger. OF ALL PEOPLE, It had to be that girl was the one who found her? She didn't want the brunette to take her bracelet, pulling her wrist away. "What are you doing here?!?" ""You're not as smart as you think you are, Riley," Val said, her voice dripping with condescension. "But I guess that's what happens when you're too busy trying to remember directions." Val pov, 5:33 AM Val walked through the halls, yawning with sleep, although she had a great night's sleep, even though it was her routine to wake up early, waking up in the middle of the night was TERRIBLE. The shower water was always colder, giving the body a thermal shock that would undoubtedly wake up even a vampire who had been sleeping for centuries. "I bet they don't have our best interests at heart." Sherry grumbled to Dani. "If they don't even love waking up early in the morning, why make us wake up early??" "Everyone is forced to wake up early, there's no point complaining, it doesn't change anything." Another player on the team responded, receiving an eye roll. They frowned, adding more insistently. "But it's the truth! The world won't wait for you to wake up for it to begin!" "I'd be careful if you went next time." Val began, patting the person's shoulder. "Those two hate hearing the truth. They freak out all the time when they remember that some things can't be changed." "We heard that! And it's totally false!" Dani and Sherry defended themselves at the same time. "We can't even complain about the Sun anymore," Dani rolled her eyes as Sherry agreed. Val laughed as she listened to her friends' dramas as they made their way to the main room. She couldn't help but feel excited for the day ahead. Survival camp was a great opportunity to hone their skills and get a better future. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Riley, who was walking at a snail's pace. Val couldn't resist the urge to tease her. With a mischievous smile, she quickened her pace and bumped into Riley, making her stumble. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you there, Blind Blonde, she joked, her voice dripping with sarcasm, noticing the look Riley was giving her. She couldn't help but smile a little, she was starting to find it amusing to see that expression. "I guess I'm too focused on the next game to notice the slow ones, huh?" She teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief, "Maybe if you try a little harder, you won't fall behind again." She added, her tone light and teasing, given her recent information, these words were a clear jab at Riley's abilities "But I don't blame you that much, Firehakws is hard to get into anyway."
At least I don't have to cheat to get on the team.
"How dare she accuse me of such an act?" Val gritted her teeth, her blood quickly boiling, If she was patient today. You can say goodbye to patience right now, She roughly grabbed the girl's collar, pulling her close, Her eyes darkened with rage burning the pool blue orbs. "If you don't want to end up with a broken wrist, I suggest you think about your next words." growled, her voice shaking with anger, How dare that annoying girl accuse her of cheating? This girl doesn't know how much she worked, how much she struggled, how much she deprived herself of so many opportunities to have fun, to socialize so could join the Firehakws, How much sweat and tears Val shed to be the team captain. Riley didn't know anything, and here she was Saying stupid things in front of Ortiz. The girl in front of her approached with a determined and defiant look, although her words didn't scare Val much. "You're lucky we're in public, or else you'd have a black eye right now." Riley gritted your teeth, your voice low and menacing. Valentina's smile widened as Riley threatened her. She wasn't afraid of the smaller girl, but she appreciated the fire she saw in her eyes. It only fueled her desire to beat Riley and her team, Crush them like the disgusting insects they were, but they didn't realize it. "Seriously? And here I thought you were too much of a coward to do anything about it." She teased, her voice filled with a hint of defiance, leaning in she whispered in her ear. "For someone who almost cried when confronted, you speak as if you were strong." She snorted, was that girl too stupid to realize that if they fought, wouldn't Riley win? i mean, Judging by the cover, Riley wouldn't even have the strength to open a jar of olives, but do she think could beat me? Was it funny and stupid? Yes, but it was funny. Val didn't know whether to laugh at all that stupidity, or feel a mixture of admiration and mockery for it. "Val Let's go! We'll lose points if we're late." One of her teammates interrupted the discussion, pulling Val's arm and leading her to her team that was already far ahead, before Valentina continued, she added with a wink; "But don't worry, weirdo, we'll have plenty of opportunities to settle this on the ice." The girl who was pulling Val arched an eyebrow, looking between the captain and the girl in the back who was killing Val with her eyes. "What happened? You don't usually act like this."." Shrugging, Val replied vaguely, "Relax, just a little joke between friends." She forced a calm smile to cement the lie.She was going to make that girl's life hell now. In that new activity she had taken the blue bracelet, happy to know that she wouldn't have to be the rabbit running away from a pack of wild animals chasing her, Looking at her colleagues she saw that Ayesha; the girl who was undoubtedly the best runner among them, had taken the red bracelet. "That's it! Defeat won't even think about coming to us!" Sherry celebrated by giving Ayesha a high five. "Victory is practically in our hands." Sherry's enthusiasm was contagious, and even Val couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. "Let's show them what we're made of, team!" Valentina exclaimed, her voice full of determination. She knew this was just the beginning, and the real challenge would come on the ice. But for now she was content to enjoy that activity. The organizers explained the rules, Valentina listened attentively, her mind already strategizing, The "survival" camp was all about teamwork and strategy, and the FireHawks had both in spades. Valentina knew that with Ayesha's speed and the rest of the team's skills, they were unstoppable. "Great! Sophie is already doing her job for you." Dani commented, shaking Val's shoulder. She followed her friend's gaze curiously, seeing Sophie— an old friend of the two girls, from another team talking to the people who had the same red bracelet as her. "And what's wrong?" "Don't you know? A few minutes ago, she and I agreed that if one of us is the disc, we will attract the others to a specific location." Dani began to explain, earning a raised eyebrow from Val. "Basically if everyone with a red bracelet is there. We just go and surround them!" Val hadn't really agreed with the girls' plan, she thought it would be... cheating, luring them to a place just so they could win faster. She wondered if it would be worth it, but any guilt was taken away when the organizer's whistle blew, and now they had to run after the "Discs" Valentina's competitive spirit took over, and she joined her teammates in the chase. Her eyes scanned the forest, searching for the red bracelets. She could hear the shouts and footsteps of her team echoing through the trees, their collective purpose driving them forward, she managed to get two bracelets from some girls who were lost in the small forest. Smiling to herself that this game is being so easy. Seeing a fallen log on the ground, she remembered what Dani had told her, although her mind wasn't working perfectly when it came to directions. "Let me see... Right, left. Forward, right twice... And then left." She walked looking around to see if there was anyone hiding, or someone following her waiting for her to let her guard down. As she continued on, Val spotted a girl still trying to hide in the forest. She couldn't help but smirk, knowing she was about to make the girl's day even worse. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and she set off to find her next target hidden behind a tree. She reached out, the fingers brushing the blue bracelet on Riley's arm. "Careful, Blondie. You're going to lose your bracelet." whispered, her voice sending shivers down Riley's spine.... ... ...Riley Pov She was startled by the approach, one false step and Valentina could take her bracelet and win the game. Her body was tense, about 3 steps away from that girl. "How did you find me? This is very far from where we were...!" "Let's just say...I have my secret methods." Val smiled smugly, amused to see the other girl so cautious. "If I wanted to take your bracelet, I would have done it already. So relax." She added, putting her hands up in surrender. "So what do you want from me?" Riley repeated, still suspicious of that person."Let's just say... I want to be your friend," Val shrugged, slowly approaching, every step Ortiz took, Riley took 3 steps back, backing up until she hit a tree, her heart pounding in her chest. She was trapped, with no way out. And Val was approaching her, a predatory glint in your eyes. "What do you want from me?" Riley repeated, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own breathing, watching the girl in front of her with her hand outstretched. As if she wanted a handshake. She was confused by the act, her hand remained still but Val grabbed her wrist and forced a handshake. When their hands touched, an act of betrayal took place—which she already suspected, Val's sentence was too nice to be true, the girl's hand slid over her wrist, pulling it off with force. She let out a small gasp, her eyes widening in shock. "What the hell?" She exclaimed, her voice stuttering with anger and disbelief. "You... you..!"Val shrugged, her smile never wavering. “The rules didn’t say I couldn’t cheat on you, did they?” she said, tucking the bracelet into her pocket. turning to leave, she added, "Don't make that face. You knew I would catch this, you didn't even try to defend yourself." She said over her shoulder, disappearing into those trees. Minnesota stood there, motionless as they watched Val run away. Val was right, she knew the girl would try to steal her bracelet, But her stupidity got the better of her, causing her to allow Val to steal her victory, Oh whatever. It's just a stupid game anyway. Riley walked through the woods back to where the other competitors were, and unfortunately, the Firehakws had won. She sighed heavily towards the Foghorns. Seeing the disappointed expressions on some of them,."Guys, it's okay, it was just a joke for us to have fun, and well... we had fun, right?" Max continued trying to show the positive side of that loss to your friends, Even so, Riley felt a mixture of disappointment for not having resisted. "Come on, Riley, it's just a game." Grace tried to comfort her, wrapping an arm around her. But Riley couldn't shake the feeling of failure.. "Yeah, it's just a game," she echoed, her voice hollow. She knew Grace meant well, but Riley couldn't help but feel like this was a metaphor for her entire life. She always seemed to fall short, to fail where others succeeded, Freezing when scared or Faced Bree joined them, her face a mix of disappointment and concern. "Hey, it's okay. We'll get them next time."" She said, trying to lift Riley's spirits. She watched the FireHawks celebrate their victory, Val's laughter echoing in her ears. Riley knew she should be angry, but instead she felt a strange mix of emotions. Disappointment, yes, but also a strange attraction that she couldn’t quite understand. Riley took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering feelings. She knew she had to focus on the next game, on proving herself. But as she looked at the FireHawks, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to surpass Val. 14:30 Pm. Riley sighed as she walked through the sports fields, her mind still reeling from the events of earlier today. She had been so close to not letting the others win, so close to...have done something important for the game, As she walked, she couldn't help but notice the other campers walking around, laughing and joking with each other. They looked so carefree, so relieved. Riley envied them, wishing she could be as carefree as they were.Thinking about it...they were all resting, was today really a break, a break to get to know their rivals instead of training and stuff like that? Ela frowned. It didn't matter if the adults said today would be a peaceful day, a day to not have their heads overloaded with thoughts like; "I have to win, I can't waver, win, win, win..." She understood their line of reasoning, the pressure of this sports field was enormous, although she was not going to follow them. She was about to go back, go find her friends and ask for a quick training session — this rest day would be for others, she would take advantage of the opportunity of the empty ring to play. But when she took a step forward, heard a familiar voice...an annoying voice actually Behind her ""Hi, blondie." The person behind her waved, causing Riley to groan against the chest, before slowly turning to face the person with a frown. "What's wrong, Blondie? Still bitter about losing?" Val teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Riley gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the way her body reacted to the girl's proximity. "I have a name, did you know?" Riley's fists clenched inside the pockets of her sweatshirt, Wondering if it would really be a bad idea to punch Valentina, "No, it wouldn't be a bad idea." She thought."I know, but I don't care." Val said calmly, trying to contain her smile when she saw Riley's disbelieving face. "For me, Riley is a dog's name, but he's one of those cute little dogs that you want to adopt. Which is not your case." She explained with a voice full of sarcasm. "You look like an abandoned stray dog from the street that only eats junk food." "You're an awful person." Riley spat out, her voice shaking with anger. didn't want to be caught off guard, didn't want to let her guard down again. Val laughed, her eyes never leaving Riley 's. "And you're a walking contradiction, Blondie. You're smart, yet you can't seem to figure out the simplest things." She replied, her voice low, Before she takes a deep breath and goes back to her fake kindness "And well, I just wanted to make sure you're still alive." Val Added. Riley scoffed, trying to hide her nervousness. "And if I wasn't, would that bother you?" She countered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Val's eyes narrowed, her smile fading for a moment before she replied. "Maybe." She said, her voice a whisper. Riley couldn't tell if she was telling the truth or not, no wait; it was obvious she was lying, but the thought otherwise sent a shiver down her spine. Riley took a deep breath trying to calm herself, her right hand squeezing several times. "You're lucky I don't have a hockey stick now to hit you with." Riley growled, her heart pounding in her chest. She was angry, frustrated and couldn't understand why Val had such an effect on her. Val laughed, her eyes never leaving Riley's. "You'd have to catch me first," she replied, her voice low and dangerous. Riley swallowed, her mind racing. "And from what I can tell, you're not a good runner with those little legs," Ortiz added. ""I'm not in the mood for games today," she said, her voice firm. But even as she spoke, Riley couldn't shake the feeling that she was playing into Val's hands, That the other girl was playing with her. She didn't like it at all. "You know, you're much more interesting when you're angry." Val said, her voice low and seductive. Riley felt her cheeks flush, her mind racing as she tried to process the comment. ""I'm not mad." She protested, her voice shaking. But Val just laughed, the sound sending shivers down Riley's spine. "Don't worry, Blondie. I'll find a way to make you lose your temper again." Val replied, her eyes never leaving Riley's. Riley swallowed, her mind going blank as she watched the other girl walk away. "This girl doesn't have anything better to do, does she?" She grumbled, rolling her eyes in disgust as she walked out of that hallway. With her heart pounding in her chest, she walked away from that hallway. She had to find something to calm herself down. Something to be able to beat and imagine that it was Val's face. She walked back to the dorms, her mind racing with a million different thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen next, what would become of the rivalry. Entering the dorm, she saw Grace and Bree sitting on their beds, talking and laughing. They looked up when she walked in, their expressions changing instantly when they saw the look on her face. "Riley, what's wrong?" Grace asked, concern written all over her face. Riley shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "Nothing," she replied, her voice a little too rough. She knew they would see through her lie, but she didn't want to talk about it. Bree nodded, sensing that Riley needed space. "Okay, well, we'll be here if you need us." Riley offered a weak smile, grateful for their understanding. She knew she could count on them, knew they would be there for her no matter what. Lying down on the bed, She needed to focus, to clear her head. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get Val's image out of her mind. The image of her smile idiot, how she laughed as she celebrated victory with her teammates, How unbearably beautiful she was...well, pretty. She didn't like Val, but she couldn't deny that the girl wasn't ugly.. Riley couldn't focus on anything. Her mind was too consumed with thoughts of Val, with the anger and frustration that boiled inside her. She needed to do something, to release the tension that threatened to overwhelm her. She sat down, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew what she had to do, what to do to calm her anger. Riley grabbed her staff, the weight of it familiar in her hands. She left the dorm, careful not to wake Grace and Bree. She didn't want them to know where she was going, didn't want them to try to stop her. She walked to the training grounds, the night air chilly along with the ice beneath her against her skin. She could hear the crickets chirping, filling the place with an annoying sound, —great now I had another reason to beat the disc while playing.— She approached the center, her heart pounding with anticipation. She took a deep breath, centering herself before throwing in the first disc. Riley swung the bat, her muscles tensing as she hit the rubber. The sound of impact echoed through the night, the force sending the puck flying through the air. She continued, taking out her frustration and anger on the discs. Each blow was stronger, more powerful than the last and hitting the Goal, The physical exertion helped clear her mind, the rhythmic motion of the stick against the tires calmed her nerves. Each time she hit the discs, imagined was Val's face being hit, getting more and more bruised as she hit. Oh wait, there was Sophia too! That girl was a traitor! Riley couldn't believe she had trusted a complete stranger, Maybe if she hadn't taken Sophie "friendly" advice, she wouldn't have found Val.She glided across the ice, extending her arms and directing her stick at the puck, Hitting the ice with all her strength imagining it was those two stuck-up girls. the metal point fly to the goal And she felt joyful, with every shot she made her anger disappeared Riley swung the bat one last time, the ball flying away. She lowered the bat, her breath coming in short gasps. She felt better, with less desire to freak out and hit the first person who comes in front of them.As Riley skated along, her mind lost in thought, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out, wiping the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, It was a message from her Romantic partner, One that her friends didn't approve of because they said "whoever doesn't send audio or photos of themselves has a criminal record, Or they want to hurt you." And what's the problem if they didn't exchange photos and audios? Riley didn't mind that, Her voice in audios sounded strange and as much as she wanted to know her love's face...She was embarrassed to be the first one to ask this. And well, The person on the other side of the screen never asked either, so...that was it.
New Notification of Angrys Otters
Angrys-Otters: "hey baby 💕 wyd? Just wanted to take a look. How's the camp going? I miss you." Riley smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. Despite everything that was happening, despite all the frustration she felt. Her partner was still there for her...its cute. "Ngl, It's been a little complicated." She quickly typed a response: "But I'll get through it, I'm strong! I miss you too. I really want the day to come when we see each other!" She hit send and put her phone back in her pocket. She gathered up the remaining tires, stacking them neatly before heading back to the dorms. Her mind was clearer now, her heart no longer racing with anger. Entering the dorm, she saw Grace and Bree still awake, talking quietly. They looked up as she entered, their expressions softening when they saw the look on her face. "Are you feeling better?" Grace asked, her voice gentle. Riley nodded, her body relaxing now that she had released some of her pent-up energy. "Much better." She replied in her soft voice, Returning to the bed and lying down, a sigh left her lungs and reached the ceiling, She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but she hoped things would get better for her...And that tomorrow wasn't a knockout day and it was your team against another
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The big day has come. One of the most important days in Riley Andersen's life, except Friday - was pizza day and her parents never stopped going. Except you fall off allergy shivering, it was nervosism. Her heart beat a thousand against her chest, the annoying sound hitting her ears only made her more nervous, cleaning her soaked hands on her T-shirt. The match had barely begun, The simple thought of getting out of the locker room and into the ice ring was enough for her to feel like she was in the hot midday sun. "Riley," Alex called her, noting the distress on her face. With light steps they landed their hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, we're not going to lose. Trust the team and their skills." Her worries and fear did not dissipate after this attempt at consolation, but forcing a smile she nodded. "Yes, we're going to beat them easy." tried to force her voice to be confident, but she got her stuttering voice revealing her anxiety. Cold air hit her face as she stepped on the ice, and for a moment, anxiety seemed to dissipate. This was her element, your home. The place she had to fight to stay. She could feel the ice under her skates, and the familiar sound of the blades cutting through the surface that calmed her a little. She could feel the eyes on her but all she did was take a deep breath at the time, I had to focus on the game, not the audience. The referee whistled, signaling the start of the game. Riley took her position, her heart beating steadily now, adrenaline holding hands with anxiety. The disc dropped, and the game started. Tacos hitting one against the game to steal the record, Riley moved with them, her mind focused on the task at hand. She made a pass for her teammate, the saucer flying among her tacos with ease practiced. The game started intense, the other team forcing a lot to gain control. Riley could feel her nervousness increasing as she played, her body moving with the pace of the game. She made another pass, then another, her confidence growing with each successful move. Something snapped inside her. A spark of determination, of pure and unchanged willpower. She couldn't let them win. She couldn't be disappointed. Not after all the hard work, all the sacrifices she made to get here. The match continued, and Riley was a possessed woman. She flew through the ice, her skates carving beautiful lines on the smooth surface. The puck looked attracted to her, like a magnet, and she handled it with a grace and precision that took everyone's breath away.Even Val watched in silence stunned by the stands. Riley was on fire, her fluid and powerful movements, her precise and unstoppable kicks. She scored goal after goal, leading her team to an impressive victory. "Oh my God! Did you see that? The way she recovered the disc takes a lot of precision, dominance and gameplay to recover such an impossible puck!" Dani exclaimed surprise, watching the blonde girl's every move. Val snorted, she meant something, but her mind couldn't create anything to disdain. "Did the cat eat your tongue?" Dani joked, receiving an angry "hmph." from Val. "She's just lucky," Val murmured, trying to convince herself as much as anyone else. "She won't be able to stay that way." As the game continued, Val found herself drawn into the action, her eyes glued to Riley's every move. She admired the way Riley handled the puck, the speed and precision of her shots. It was beautiful.... really, in a way that made Val's own skills seem almost noobs in comparison. Until..... A false move, seconds of inattention affected their goal. Her mind planned to throw the puck at her teammate. In a fraction of a second had the ball passed to the opponent accidentally. "Riley!" She shuddered at her partner's frustrated look. She had stepped on the ball and practically giving a point of grace to her opponents. "Hah! I said they would lose." Val laughed and found it fun to see that band of amateurs thinking they had expectations to win the match. "I feel sorry for them if they were lucky enough to reincarnate like great players..." "Haha! Surely, who told you to be born with horrible abilities?" Dani responded by smiling, crossing her arms as the match unfolded. Riley's face turned red in shame, her heart sinking as she watched the other team score. She could feel the disappointment of her teammates, the tension in the air was palpable. Her eyes found those of Alex, who gave a reassuring smile. . "Everything's fine, Riley. We did it. We will come back stronger." It was not possible to calm her down, but nodded, trying to recover the composure. The game continued, and his team fought hard, but the other team seemed to be one step ahead. The score showed a significant advantage for the opposing team, the clock was ticking. Riley was pushing herself to the maximum to be able to recover the goals she lost, her vision was blurred as tears threatened to fall, but refused to let them fall. She clenched her teeth and forced herself to move, to play, to do her part. The game was a blur, a mixture of frantic movements and the sound of the record hitting the ice, The first break started, a brief 5-minute break for everyone. She sighed heavily, that's what she's been training for her entire life? Hours and hours of gambling, sleepless nights looking for formulas to improve their skills were being thrown in the trash as paper? How would she face her parents when she returned home, looking like an abandoned and depressed dog? Return home empty-handedly? There was no way she could come back. The grip on her chest intensified, squeezing like an elephant stepping on her. His breath shortened, coming out in quick gas and sighs. I could feel thousands of eyes looking at her, witnessing her humiliation that would stay forever. "That Riley looks like she's close to fainting..." One of the firehakws commented, even a blind man could see how nervous the blonde girl was, shaking as if wearing shorts and shorts in Antarctica. "Should we help?" Dani asked, Val seemed restless, divided between going or staying. "Riley? Are you okay?" Grace lightly shook the girl's shoulders, snapping her fingers in front of her face. "Look at me, look, hey? Everything's fine." Being able to see so dilated were her friend's popules, Grace just got more worried - but she didn't know what to do. Riley blinked quickly, trying to focus on Grace's face in front of her. The worry in her friend's eyes made her feel even worse. She shook her head, trying to clear the mist that had settled in her mind. "I... I'm fine," she managed to say, her voice dry and trembling. "Just... just a little overwhelmed." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her fast-paced heart. The game was almost out, and they were losing ugly. She could feel the weight of her team's expectations on her shoulders, the pressure to play, to be the star player she should be. But now, she felt like a failure. Grace didn't seem convinced. She kept her hand on Riley's shoulder, her touch steady, thinking about what to say. "I... I can't... I can't do that", Riley whispered, her voice shattered. "I'm disappointing everyone. My parents, my team, myself..." She tried to take a deep breath again, but got stuck in her throat. The air looked thick and heavy, as if she were suffocating. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, drowning out everything else, a bitter and uncomfortable feeling pierced her heart, making her have a great nuisance inside. Grace squeezed her shoulder. "Hey, no. You're not disappointing anyone. You are human, Riley. You are entitled to days off. Everyone makes this wrong, this okay." She tried to confront her, her hands going to her friend's face to make her aim at Grace. "You're an amazing player, and this is just a game. A mistake doesn't define you." Riley wanted to believe her, but the doubt and fear were very strong. She had worked so hard for that moment, and now everything was falling apart. To make a mistake, to lose that game would mean to return home empty-handed, Miss great opportunities to receive an amazing scholarship, important contacts and things that would help her in life. Suddenly she was no longer able to hear her friend's words clearly. Getting out dragged or not heard? . "I... I need it..." she burnt, her vision starting to get cloudy. Her legs became soft, taking a few steps back as if to fall, held against a support. She felt like she was going to faint. At that moment, Emira, noticing the two girls away from the rest of the group, felt like something was wrong. "Girls, what's wrong?" They asked with their face marked by concern. Riley shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I can't... I can't breathe." . . Grace quickly held the girl, sustaining her weight as they headed for the bench. Riley sat heavily, her head between her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "Just breathe, Riley," Emira said softly, rubbing her back. "Inspire and exhale, very slowly." Riley tried to follow their instructions, but each breath looked like a struggle. She could feel the eyes of her teammates in her, she could hear the whispers and the concern in their voices. She wanted to disappear, melt in the ice and never be seen again. But she knew she couldn't, "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice hoarse and thick with tears. "I'm really sorry." She repeated the words, the voices made her inaudible. And for a moment, your vision totally darkened . . . Riley opened her eyes slowly, flashing against the bright lights above. She felt groggy and disoriented, as if she were coming out of a deep sleep. As her vision cleared, she felt groggy and disoriented, her head throbbing like a crusher. Where was she? What happened? The last thing she remembered was being on the bench, struggling to breathe. Did she faint? "Riley? Can you hear me?" She turned her head to the sound of her familiar voice, shuddering at the sharp pain that went through her skull. she was Bree and Grace, worried about her best friend. "What... what happened?" Riley grumbled, her throat sore and rough. "You had a panic attack," Bree explained gently. "You fainted when the first break started, you had to call the paramedics." Riley tried to sit down, but a wave of dizziness took over her and she fell on her back on the wooden bench. She was in the locker room, lying on one of the benches. The game must have ended while she was away - and then the panic came back quickly. "The game..." she whispered, a sense of dread invading her. "Did we win?" "Yes, us win" Grace responded, although her happiness was not expressed in her voice or expression, being more concerned about her friend's state than celebrating any victory. "Soon after you left, there was a 10-minute break, deciding whether to cancel the match or not, they decided they would continue and we managed to win." Riley let out a sigh of relief, her body sinking against the bench. She was so worried that her collapse had cost them the game. But they had won, and that was all that mattered. "I'm sorry," she whispered again, her voice almost a whisper. "I didn't want to ruin the game for everyone." Bree shook the head, your expression softening. "Riley, you didn't screw anything up. You've had a panic attack, and that's not something you can control. We are all proud of you for coming here." Riley nodded, biting her lip. She still felt guilty, but Grace and Bree's words helped lighten the weight on her chest a little. "I need to talk to the team," she said, leaning on her elbows. "And apologize to everyone." Grace nodded, helping her get up. "Come on, but go slow, okay? You've been through tough times." Riley nodded, taking a deep breath as she left the locker room. She could hear the sounds of celebration, her teammates laughing and playing with each other. She felt a twinge of sadness, wishing she could have been a part of it. But as she approached the group, they were silent, turning to look at her, and felt a knot form in her throat. "Hey guys," she said, her voice trembling. "Sorry. I didn't want that to happen... The teammates exchanged looks, and then Alex took a step forward, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Riley, you don't have to apologize. We're glad you're okay. We are worried." The others agreed with the head, some of them approaching to embrace it. Riley felt tears springing up in the corners of her eyes, grateful for the love and support her team showed her. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice failing. "I'm going to work on it, I promise. I promise not to faint again." Even if it wasn't something she could control. Grace shook her hand again, her eyes full of determination. "We'll help you. Let's work on your anxiety, and let's get over it together. You are not alone, Riley." Emira agreed with her head. "We will find a way to control your anxiety, and we will continue to practice. You'll see, you'll get better." Riley took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. It was a lot to assimilate, but she knew they were right. She couldn't give up. Not now. ◆■ Later. Later, Riley had recovered from fainting. Although she still felt guilty and useless for fainting at once at a time she could not. I swear, she could have fainted after winning the match. ..But noooo! He fainted at the first break. She was currently watching at the main door of the venue, sitting on the steps seeing the people of the rival team she "battled," with their bags ready waiting for the bus to pick them up. She felt a twinge of grief for being the reason they left. But if it weren't for them, would she be leaving with wounded pride. – The selfish thought made her realize that she couldn't feel guilty, everyone here was striving to win, weak heart would just get in the way of her. "Hey." A female voice called her, Riley's head rose to the sound of her familiar voice, her heart wandering a beat. She knew that voice very well. Of all the people who would approach her at that moment, it had to be Val. - Did anyone strike a curse of bad luck at her? - "Oh, hey," Riley murmured indifferently, not finding her eyes. She felt a twinge of guilt for fainting during the game, for disappointing her team. And now Val was here, probably to rub that in her face. "You are okay?" Val came in asking, your tone and facial expression did not appear to have bad intentions, however Riley remained with the guard high. "Don't act like you're worried about me, I'm not an idiot to fall for your snake show." Riley retorted by turning her eyes, She was already beginning to distrust, her peace was lasting longer than usual. Val's smile faltered, her eyebrow. frowned at the girl's response. "My show?" She asked skeptics, being silent for a few seconds. "Was the fall too strong Andersen? Fainting like a damsel in danger? I thought hockey players were tougher." In the blink of an eye, she replayed the usual expression that Riley felt like punching. Eyes shining with a mixture of fun and something else... something darker. Riley's cheeks burned with shame and anger. She knew Val was just trying to piss her off, but it still hurt. "Sorry, okay?" She retorted, finally finding Val's gaze. "I didn't want to almost ruin everyone's game." Riley said between her teeth, "It's not going to happen again, I promise." Val mocked, shaking the head in disbelief. "Will it not happen again? Oh, your poor naive thing. You don't understand, do you?" Riley raised a shade for answer, not liking the way Val was talking to her - as if talking to a child who didn't understand anything. "Understand what?" She demanded, her voice shaking lightly. Val took a deep breath. leaned closer, her face inches from Riley's. "Hockey... is not for the weak. It's not for those who can't handle the pressure. It's for those who will do anything to win." Riley's heart fired, her breath coming out in short, sharp sighs. She knew Val was right. She saw it in the other girl's eyes during the games, the relentless determination, the willingness to do whatever it took to emerge victorious - What Riley desperately desired but could not. "I... I can handle it," she said, but her voice was unconvinced. Val laughed, a rough and bitter sound. "Can you do it? Or are you just going to fall apart under the weight of your own inadequacy?" Riley felt like she had taken a stab. Words hurt, cutting deep into her already fragile self-esteem. She wanted to attack, tell Val to shut up, to take care of her own life. But she couldn't. Because deep down, she knew Val was right... She was weak. She was a disappointment. She didn't deserve to be here. Why did your mom think it was a great idea to put her here? "I... I have to go," Riley murmured, rising from her sitting position. She couldn't stand it anymore. She couldn't face the truth without crying. But Val's hand shot, grabbing Riley's arm and pulling her back. "Not so fast, Andersen. You can't get away from it. You can't hide from your own failures." Riley shuddered at the pain of Val's grip - even though it wasn't strong, but she didn't try to walk away. She deserved it– She deserved to be called a loser, cowardly and useless for her weaknesses, for her inability to cope with pressure. "You're right," Riley whispered with her eyes down, her voice almost inaudible. "I am weak. I am a failure. I don't deserve to be here." Val's eyes widened by surprise, she didn't expect the girl to respond like that. For a moment she considered whether she should apologize or not; after all, she was worried when Riley fainted. And didn't expect the other girl to be so... honest. So vulnerable... She hesitated, her grip on Riley's arm loosening a little. She knew it had been too hard, had pressed Riley's buttons just to get a reaction. But seeing the pain and self-loathing in Riley's eyes, hearing the defeat in her voice... made Val stop. "Hey," Val said softly, her voice losing its usual tone. "You didn't mean that. You are not weak, and you are not a failure." Riley looked at her, her eyes semi-closed and bright with unshed tears. "I am," she whispered. "I disappointed my team. I let everyone down. I don't deserve to be here. ." Val sighed, releasing Riley's arm completely. She passed her hand through her hair, frustrated and in conflict. She didn't know how to deal with this side of Andersen, this vulnerable and broken side. a flash of uncertainty crossed ger face. She didn't expect Riley to admit the weaknesses so readily. It was almost... disappointing. Where was the fire, the fight? It made her uncomfortable, it made her feel things she didn't want to feel. "Look, I know I was tough on you," Val admitted, the hoarse voice. "And I know that game was important to you. But that doesn't mean you're weak or a failure. Everyone has bad days, everyone makes mistakes. That doesn't define you. What matters is that you will learn from your mistakes and improve." Riley shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "But that's my dream, Val. Hockey is everything to me. What if I can't even handle a game without falling apart? What kind of player am I?" Val hesitated, then reached out a hesitant hand and wiped out one of Riley's tears with her thumb. She wasn't sure why she was doing it, but she couldn't bear to see Riley so upset. "You are a fighter," Val said firmly. "You're someone who doesn't give up, even when things get tough. You're here, aren't you? You didn't give up, even after you fainted. It requires courage. You've pushed your body to the limit to win, it's a mistake everyone makes, at one time or another. But you'll learn how to take better care of yourself, knowing your limits is the first step of a champion." Riley fungged, looking at Val with a mixture of surprise and a hint of hope "Do you... do you really think that?" Val nodded, feeling a strange warmth in the chest. "I feel it. And I know you'll prove it too. You'll fall, but come back stronger than ever, and you'll show everyone what's done." Riley managed to give a little smile, wiping away the rest of the tears. "Thank you, Val. I... I needed to hear that." Val shrugged, trying to look quiet, but couldn't help the softness in her voice. "Don't mention that. Just... don't let me catch you crying again, ok? Your normal face is already too ugly, crying you look like a monster." "Your face is a monster!" She grumbled by pushing the other girl. Riley felt lighter at the time, the uncomfortable feeling in her chest had disappeared. Val's words gave her a flash of hope - even if coming from her, she was very suspicious. It was a reminder that she was not a failure, that she could still fight. "I'll try my best," she promised to herself, wiping the last of the tears from her cheeks. ○ [Val pov.] As she walked away from Riley, her mind became totally confused by her own actions, why had she helped the girl regain her high esteem? "Maybe I'm just sorry for her." She muttered to herself, it made sense; that girl looked like a walking disaster. Val just felt sorry enough to want to help her. "I must be losing my head," Val murmured to herself, passing her hand through her hair in frustration. "Why did I care what happens to her?"
Because most people with common sense would be worried if they saw someone fainting.
She always saw Riley as an annoying person, someone to be defeated and left in the dust. But now, after seeing her vulnerability, Val felt... different. Continuing to walk, Val mind kept coming back to Riley. For the vulnerability in her eyes, the way she had collapsed under pressure. Val had seen that look before, had felt the same fear and doubt gnawing his own heart. She knew what it was like to feel like you were never good enough, like you were just one mistake away from losing everything. She had repressed these feelings, had buried them deep within herself. She couldn't afford to be weak, not if she wanted to succeed. What kind of captain would she be? But seeing Riley that way awakened something in her. A memory, a ghost of the girl she used to be. Val sighed, stopping in the hallway. She leaned against the wall, her head falling backwards as she closed her eyes. "I'm just sorry for her," Val said out loud, trying to rationalize her actions. "That's all. I felt sorry for her and wanted to help. Everyone would do it in my place." "Hey, Val!" Dani screamed, running to her. "You'll never believe what the organizers just announced." Val raised an eyebrow, trying to ward off the confused thoughts that plagued her. "What was it?" she asked, forcing a smile on her face. Dani's smile widened. "They are having a special task to help calm the nerves of the camp. Something to take our minds off the pressure and competition." explained, giving a snort at the end, "Can you believe it? As if that's really going to help with something." She laughed. Val frowned, confused. "And what exactly does that imply?" Dani shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. They're being pretty vague about the details... But I heard it's supposed to help with anxiety and stress. You know, to keep everyone from freaking out like Riley did during the game." explained, looking at the clock. "It had happened in about an hour. They are giving us time to rest and prepare. " "Riley is a lost cause. No amount of team building is going to fix this mess." She responded by forcing an ironic smile..." But great, exactly what I need: More forced bond with a bunch of strangers." She groaned, with zero interest in this activity. "Aaah Don't be like that! We have to wait and see the disaster happening." Dani retorted by trying to cheer up her friend's non-expectations. "Imagine how much nervous novice will be forced to participate in this activity? When can other people's entertainment occur?" "All right, all right," Val said, sighing in resignation. "I'm going to play along with this team building nonsense. But just because I want to see how the rest of these losers deal with it." ◇ [ timeskip 1 Hr, Riley pov again] Riley took a deep breath as she approached the field where team building activity was supposed to take place. She could see the other campers moving around, talking and laughing nervously. She sighed immediately going to where her colleagues were, not wanting to stand alone, shut up and think she's weird. As she listened to her friends' conversation, she looked around, noting Val succeeding happily with her group. Riley hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should approach her rival or not - ask her why she helped. But before she could make a decision, a whistle sounded and a tall, muscular man took a step forward, clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "Okay, listen, folks!" He screamed. "I'm Coach Mike, and I'm going to lead you in today's team building exercise. The name of the game is 'Trust Fall'. You will be put into pairs, and a person will fall back, trusting that your partner will pick you up. The goal is to build trust and communication between teammates." Riley felt her stomach wrap with the words "confidence, fall." She was always afraid of heights, of falling, and the idea of letting herself fall behind deliberately made her palms sweat. – Seriously, what would that help? My anxiety would see this activity and say: "OMG!!!, my worst enemy: Activity TO TRUST? I Going away now *anxiety run away 4ever*" ? She looked at the other campers, seeing a mixture of excitement and apprehension on their faces. Coach Mike continued. "Okay, form a pair with the person next to you. And remember, this is about trust and communication. Talk to your partner, tell them how you're feeling. And most importantly, take them." Riley didn't even have time to pick someone, found herself paired with Val, looking at surprise, that girl was on the other side of the world, and out of nowhere looked alongside Andersen? "Well, well, well," Val spoke slowly, crossing her arms. "It looks like it's you and me, Andersen. Try not to faint on me, ok?" Riley clenched her teeth, ignoring the blow. "I'm not going," she said firmly. "And I hope you get me." Val rolled your eyes. "Don't worry, I'll catch you. I don't want you to break this thing you call your face even more." Coach Mike whistled again. "All right, let's start with the lowest partner going first. Riley, are you ready? Climb the platform and let your partner know when you're ready." "Hum?- " Riley widened her eyes when she realized she would have to trust Val - NO WAY. . that girl would drop her on purpose and then fake innocence, she could see in Val's gaze, the malicious glow looking at her like a toy about to be broken. Val would KILL HER and the coach would ALLOW IT?! "Any problems?" Val asked with the arched eyebrow, without understanding the other girl's expression of fear. Riley hesitated, her heart beating hard in her chest as she looked at the platform; it was actually a chair... She knew she couldn't back down, not in front of everyone. But the thought of trusting Val... of putting her life in the hands of her rival, made her stomach turn in fear. She looked at Val, seeing the smile on her face and the glow of malice in her eyes. Riley's gut continued to writh from discomfort. She couldn't get rid of the feeling that Val would drop her, that all of this was a twisted game for the other girl... "Riley, are you okay?" Val asked, her tone dripping with concern. "You look a little purple, are you losing consciousness again? " Riley swallowed it dry, forcing herself to find Val's gaze. "I'm fine," she said, her voice coming out stronger than she felt. "Let's end it." Climbing on the platform, her legs trembling under her. She looked at Val, seeing the expectant look on her face. "I'm ready," said Riley, her voice almost a whisper. Val nodded, a glow of something in the eyes. "All right then, Andersen. Let's see what you're made of." Riley closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She knew she had to do it, she had to face her fear. She leaned back slowly, feeling the edge of the platform under her heels, hesitating for a moment, then dropped herself behind, her eyes are closed tightly. She felt a moment of free fall, of terror, before strong arms held her by the waist... "I took you," Val said, in a surprisingly kind voice. And she opened her eyes and saw Val holding her, with an expression of surprise on her face. "You... you got me," Riley said, her voice full of disbelief. She could swear that Val would drop her, let her break her head in the middle and die until she bled on that lawn with only 1 'platform' chair. Val nodded, putting Riley on the ground gently. "Ah... Of course? Why would I let you fall in front of everyone?" She replied, finding that girl stranger. "Ah...Nothing." Andersen responded with strange hand gestures, maybe she judged too fast? - No, it was Val that we were talking about... she had some weird letter up her sleeve. - "mgn... it's your turn to fall." Val walked up the platform, turning the back on the girl underneath her. "Ready when you're there, princess." Riley took a deep breath, trying to calm her fast-paced heart. She took a step forward, positioning herself behind Val. "I'm ready," she said, her voice steadfast despite fear running through her veins. Val nodded, then closed her eyes and leaned back, slowly falling towards Riley. Riley's instinct was to retreat, to let Val fall. But she forced herself to stand still, reaching out her arms to catch her rival, Val's back hit Riley's hands, and for a moment, thought couldn't hold her. But she stuck her feet to the ground and used her body weight to absorb the impact, gently lowering Val to the ground. Val's eyes opened by surprise, and for a moment, she just stared at Riley with an illegible expression. "Nothing bad, Andersen," she said finally, standing up. "I don't think you're completely useless after all. I thought even a 6-year-old had more strength...But it looks like you have a little bit of strength." Riley felt a wave of pride in reluctant - and a little mean - praise... but she accepted that. had faced her fear, had trusted herself and her ability to capture Val. Gradually she was able to see what she could do. Maybe, just maybe, this team-building exercise was exactly what she needed - a chance to build bridges, to forge connections with her rivals and teammates. "Thank you, I think," Riley said, trying to keep the tone light while helping Ortiz get up. She felt proud to have caught her rival and proved her own strength. Confusion, for Val's unexpected praise. And a flash of something else, Something she couldn't name. But it wasn't important. "I've always been told I have the strength of a brown bear." Val snorted, barely containing the smile that crossed her lips. "It looks more like a newborn kitten, but I accept what I can." All the friendship points Val was surprising about building with Riley that day, dropped to Zero, make new connections with her rivals? It was easier for Michael Jackson to resurrect than to have a friendship with rival. Coach Mike whistled, drawing everyone's attention. "All right, great work, folks! Let's go to the next activity. Form doubles with someone new and get ready for a walk of confidence." Riley looked around, seeing the other campers coming together. She saw Grace and Bree waving at her, but before she could move, she felt a hand on her arm. Riley turned to see Val standing next to her, an illegible expression on her face. She hesitated for a moment, surprised by the contact, before letting herself be pulled to the side. "What was it?" Riley asked, trying to keep her voice casual. Val looked around, making sure no one was around before leaning closer. "Look, what happened hours ago. .. I just wanted to say, don't let anyone see you sweat, okay? Especially not on ice. You have skills, Andersen, but if you let your nerves take care of you, You're dead in the water... Listen, I... I wanted to give you some tips. About not freaking out in important matches." Riley blinked, surprised by the offer. "Oh, um, thank you. That's... that's really cool on your part... and weird too, so paying you to do that?" She asked suspiciously. Val shrugged the shoulders, looking away. "I just don't like to see newcomers almost losing out of bullshit, just that's OK?" She retorted by crossing her arms "First, breathe. When you start to feel the panic increasing, take a deep breath. Breathe in through the nose, exhale through the mouth. Look stupid? Yes, and everyone forgets to do it, but it helps." Riley nodded, realizing that the most obvious thing to do in the panic, she didn't. "Okay, I understand. What else?" Val extended her hand, placing a hand on Riley's shoulder. "You can't take away the fear, Girl. You have to face it head on. Recognize, accept and then use. Let it feed you, make you better." "Okay, but why are you helping me?" Val's expression hardened for a moment, her eyes narrowing. "Don't get it wrong, Andersen. I'm not doing it out of kindness to my heart. I just hate when a game is annulled because of an idiotic player who fainted from fear." Riley felt a twinge of grief at Val's words, but she couldn't blame her. After all, they were rivals, competitors. What reason Val had to help her, besides ensuring the quality of the game? "I understand," Riley said softly, looking at her own feet. "I don't want to disappoint my team again. I'll get better, I promise." Val sighed, passing her hand through her hair in frustration. "Damn, Riley, that's not what I meant. I just don't want to see you give up. Not when you have so much potential." Riley's head suddenly rose, her eyes wide by surprise. "You... you think I have potential?" Val rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. "You're a good player when you're not busy freaking out." Riley felt a warmth spreading through her chest, a sense of pride and... strangeness. "Thank you, Val. That...that means a lot to me." Val waved her hand contemptuously. "I'm just giving you these brief tips because I want to defeat you at your best, not because you're afraid to play. Now if you excuse me, I have to look for my walking partner." She snorted, walking away to go with Dani. . "Ok... Val is acting very strange." Riley murmured to herself, "Would it rain today to the level of flooding a mansion?" Would thunder appear and end the light of 505 cities? There had to be a supernatural reason why Valentina was acting so kindly with her, didn't she? ""RILEY ANDERSEN MOVE! " The coach screamed, pushing the girl until she reached someone to be her partner forcibly, luckily fate she was close to Grace. "Everyone is going to go around, talk about their problems and vent, that's it. " Mike clarified, and everyone started walking. Grace, walking beside Riley in that woods, can't help but feel restless. Her concern for her friend's health was still rooted in her mind, but her biggest concern was something else. "Riley, what were you and Val talking about? '' "Oh, um, it wasn't really anything," Riley said, trying to sound indifferent. "Just a few tips for dealing with anxiety and pressure during games." Grace raised an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Tips from Val? The same Val that's bothering you since day one?" "I know it sounds strange, but... she really had good advice. About focusing on the game, using fear and pressure to fuel your performance instead of letting them overwhelm you." Grace was silent for a moment, her thoughtful expression. "Huh. I would never have imagined that Val had that kind of perception. Or that she'd be willing to share that with you." Riley nodded, a little smile pulling her lips, "Yeah, me didn't either. But I think... I think maybe there's more to it than I realized. Like, maybe she's not just a boring rival, But a real person who helps others... cares about them...no, no no." She quickly dismissed this possibility, with another more plausible one in her mind. "She acts like Dorama's characters." She snapped her fingers like she told something amazing she discovered. "Act like you hate someone, but secretly care about them." "Usually they act like that with the girl they like..." Grace thought to herself, knowing that if she remembered this detail to her friend, she would probably get angry and invent a lot of arguments to retort. "I wouldn't trust these tips if I were you." She commented, the sound of the branches breaking with every walk they made. "I suspect her a lot, I bet $5 that these tips would get in your way more than help." Riley felt a twinge of irritation at Grace's words, but tried to suppress it. She knew her friend was just taking care of her, trying to protect her from getting hurt. But still, the idea that Val's advice could be some kind of trick or manipulation pulled her mind. "I don't know, Grace. I think Val was being genuine. She looked... different today. As if she really cared about helping me improve." Grace snorted, shaking her head. "Riley, come on. It's the Val we're talking about. The girl who made your life a hell since you got here. Do you really think she suddenly changed her mind?" Riley hesitated, biting her lip. "I... I don't know. Maybe? People can change, can't they?" Grace sighed, reaching out to shake Riley's shoulder. "Of course you can. But sometimes it's better to be cautious. Don't trust it so easily, especially when it comes to someone who has hurt you before." Riley nodded slowly, Grace's words were absorbed. She knew her friend was right, that she shouldn't let her guard down just because Val had offered some kind words and some advice. "I'll be careful," Riley promised, finding Grace's gaze. "I'm not going to let myself get hurt again. But... I can't help but feel that there is more to Val than it seems. As if maybe, deep down, she wasn't as bad as she looks." Grace shrugged, an ironic smile on her lips. "Maybe. Or maybe she's just a very good actress. Anyway, just be careful, okay? Don't let your guard down, no matter how genuine it seems." Riley felt a knot form in her throat, overwhelmed by her friend's love and support. "Thank you, Grace. That... your concern means a lot to me." As they continued the walk through the forest, Riley thought about Val's actions and her own, she promised herself to be more careful with her health. would look for ways to calm down so as not to freak out at important moments... The tips the other girl gave her, were they really genuine or not? She managed to feel the real tone in the girl's voice... it's not possible that Val was so fake to fool Riley like that, right? Riley sighed, kicking a little stone out of their way. What would you choose: to be immortal but hunted every 5 years, or all your friends to be immortal except you?" Grace's eyes widened with the question, her forehead frown frowning in thought. "Wow, Riley, that's...that's an unexpected question." "Just for us to have something to discuss while the walk is not over." Riley shrugged. Grace nodded, her mind accelerated as she considered the scenario hypothetical. "Hmm... that's hard. I mean, being hunted every five years sounds scary, but at least you'd live forever, right? You'd have all the time in the world to do everything you've ever wanted to do." Riley frowned, kicking another stone as they walked. "But think about it, Grace. If you're always looking over your shoulder, always worried about when the next hunt is going to happen... is that really living? Wouldn't you always be afraid, always on the edge?" Grace frowned at Riley's answer, wasn't that one of those random questions that was meant to answer anyway? They were really asking things that were impossible to happen? "Ah...Well, this is complicated..." she bit her lip, considering Riley's point. "I think you're right. It wouldn't be a good life if you were constantly afraid of your life.." She sighed, her eyes turning away. "But the other option... to know that everyone you love will continue to live while you... as long as you disappear. That's almost worse, in a way..." Riley listened intently, her own thoughts swirling. "I know, right? It's like... there's no good option. But if I had to choose..." She trailed off, lost in thought for a moment. "I think I'd choose for my friends to be immortal. Even if it meant I wouldn't be there with them. Because knowing that they'd always be safe, always be happy... that's what matters most to me." "...Let's end this depressive conversation Ok friend?" Grace touched her shoulder, if Riley was about - or at that moment now she was venting, Grace wouldn't know what to do at that moment. "When we get back, we'll have pizza from the cafeteria, okay? I have some sweets left in my backpack, we mix them and it's perfect." Riley nodded, she wanted to keep talking more about hypothetical scenarios, but she knew when it was time to be silent, just watching the beauty of that wood. "Here, I have a better one than yours; spend 5 years eating your favorite food. , But when the deadline is over, you'll have to eat the worst food in the world for 3 years. ...." Grace broke the silence, saying anything in her mind. Or...7 years of eating foods you hate, but after that you can eat whatever you want ?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Riley woke up feeling like a new person—maybe she had misjudged the girl. Her talk with Val still on her mind, and she found herself replaying it over and over, trying to make sense of the other girl’s unexpected kindness. Of all people, Val would be the last person to help HER. But here Riley was, still perplexed by the sudden help.
This was a sign that the world was about to end?
Walking into the cafeteria, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, a hope the size of a grain of sand. Maybe, just maybe, things were starting to change– Maybe she and Val could find a way to coexist, even support each other. Maybe they could even be friends!!! Arriving at the cafeteria she found her teammates already gathered for breakfast. She sat next to Grace, who greeted her with a warm smile. ""Good morning, Riley," Grace said, passing one of her plates, a piece of cake. "Did you sleep well?" Riley nodded, eating her food. "Yeah! And I feel... I don't know, different somehow. Like I'm ready to face anything." "Anything, huh?" Grace raised an eyebrow, finding it a little intriguing how Riley seemed to be doing well despite yesterday's incident. "Even Val?" She asked jokingly, but there was a brief moment of silence between them. ... ... Riley paused, her fork hovering halfway to her mouth, hesitation making her make a small, deep 'hmm' in her throat. "Actually ....I think so. I think I am. She helped me a lot yesterday, I think she's starting to like me." She replied, trying to put some confidence in her voice. Even though she didn't have any herself. Bree leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “So what exactly happened to you two yesterday? Did she give you some kind of secret weapon or something?” Riley laughed, shaking her head. "No, nothing like that. But she gave me some really good advice. About dealing with anxiety, with pressure. It... it made sense, you know? Like she really understood what I was going through..." It was hard to believe that just yesterday she had been struggling with the prospect of "cooperating" with her rival—of being forced to interact with the girl who had been trying her patience since the beginning of camp, but now, sitting with her friends, sharing her newfound, Riley couldn't help but feel a sense of strength, that she could change people. Grace nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "That's good, Riley. Very good. If Val is willing to help, to offer guidance...it could change the relationship between the two of you." Bree hesitated, a flash of uncertainty crossing her face, there was something wrong with this conversation.... "But why? Why would Val suddenly decide to help you, after all this time?" "I... I don't know, exactly," Riley admitty, it really didn't make much sense to help. But maybe... Val just wanted to help without needing to justify it? "I think... I think maybe Valentina sees something in me. Something she understands, something she identifies with in me." She hesitated, unsure of how to explain. Grace’s eyes widened, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Wait a minute. Are you saying…that you think Val might have feelings for you?” Riley's cheeks flushed, a sudden heat of mild anger and embarrassment rising to her face. "I... I don't know if I would go that far!!!" She protested, frowning at her friends' laughter, she knew they were joking. Which was one of the consequences of reading Wattpad 24/7 coming to fruition. "But there was something about the way she looked at me, the way she talked to me... it felt different... like we had something in common, almost." She spoke louder than she meant to. It was supposed to be a thought. But it came out. "Huh. I never would have guessed that about Val. I mean—I don't know her at all. But she seems so focused on the game, so driven. I can't imagine her helping you, especially in it..." Bree leaned back in her chair, a hand on her chin as she thought about the situation. "It's easier to imagine her eating you alive in the game than helping you. Honestly." "Guys, come on!" Riley protested, her voice high-pitched and defensive, the way her friends were talking about her irritating her a little—why is it so hard to understand that Ortiz wanted to change?... Sometimes bitches have hearts that still work. "I think she might be trying to change, be less of a bitch? That's all." Grace's eyes glinted with mischief as she leaned closer, "Oh really? And what makes you think that, Riley? Did she give you some kind of special signal, like a wink or a secret hug?" Riley groaned, burying her face in her hands. "No, nothing like that! It's just... the way she talked to me, the advice she gave... it felt different. Like she was actually trying to help, not just mess with me." Bree's eyes widened, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Wait a minute. You don't think... Val is struggling with anxiety too, do you? That's why she was able to give you such great advice!?" Riley hesitated, considering the possibility. “That would explain a lot, wouldn’t it? The intensity, the drive, the need to be perfect at the game all the time?” Bree whistled softly, her eyebrows rising. “And if she’s dealing with anxiety, that would explain why she was so willing to help you. Maybe she saw herself in you, and wanted to spare you the same struggles she went through!” "Maybe... maybe that's what this is all about. Maybe she and I, we're not so different after all. Maybe we've both fought our own battles, our own demons," She smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest, a hesitant hope taking root in her heart at the thought that maybe, if she could repay the help, they would become better friends? "if she's willing to open up to me, to help me... well, I want to be there for her too." Grace reached out, giving Riley a light pat on the shoulder. "That's the spirit, Riley. And who knows? Maybe this is the start of something new, something... special." She commented, raising her eyebrows and lowering them teasingly. Riley felt a blush rise to her cheeks at Grace's words, and she frowned. Even though she knew her friend was joking, the thought that there could be something more than friendship between her and Val gave her chills. "Come on Grace! Don't make up fanfics, she and I aren't even friends!" Grace laughed, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm just kidding." Riley shook her head, trying to ignore the heat spreading across her face. "It's ridiculous. She and I are not friends, end of story." She crossed her arms. "Relax, Riles. We're just messing with you," Bree laughed, reaching out to pat Riley on the back. "But seriously, it's nice that you and Val are starting to talk more. Maybe it'll help you both relax a little, take some of the pressure off." "Yeah, maybe. And who knows? Maybe we'll even become... I don't know, friendly rivals? or something like that... You know what?" She added, sitting up straighter in the chair. "I'm going to talk to Val. See if we can find a way to work together, to support each other. It won't be easy, but... I think it's worth trying." Grace and Bree exchanged a look, flashing identical smiles. “That’s our Riley,” Grace said, raising her juice glass in a toast. “Always ready to face a challenge head on.” After eating, with a deep breath, Riley opened the doors of the cafeteria and went out into the hallway. She examined the crowd of participants, looking for a familiar head of dark hair and dyed wick.There, near the training court. Val was alone, sitting in the bench of the stands with her head down. the hands holding a magazine. Riley hesitated for a moment, suddenly insecure. What if Val didn't want to talk? What if she rejected her attempt at friendship, laugh in her face? And first of all, how would she start the conversation?But then she remembered the look in Val's eyes yesterday, the sincerity in her voice as she offered advice. That was a loophole for a new friendship... right?
—Or it was just for education. - A voice in the back of her mind said. Bringing her chills with the thought, A part of her believed that Ortiz was just being educated. However, the minor wanted to believe that they could be friends.
She would slap her cheeks to get back to normal not Riley! Don't think about it now! — She scolded herself, now it wasn't time to go mad! She couldn't let fear stop her. Not now, never again. With determined steps, Riley approached Val, her heart beating hard in her chest. "Ei", She said softly, stopping a few meters away. "Can we have a chat? I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.", She added, her voice steadfast despite the nerves vibrating in her stomach. "About the advice you gave me. I just... I wanted to say, thank you..." Val's eyebrows rose in surprise, "you welcome," she said, her tone unimpressive but not unkind. "I meant what I said, you know? On taking care of yourself, both inside and outside the ice." Riley noddded, her fingers playing with themselves nervously behind her back. "And I was thinking... what if we worked together? What if we helped each other, supported each other in difficult times?" Val faced her for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she leaned back on the bench, a thoughtful look on her face. "Are you serious?" she asked, her voice low and an eyebrow arched. Riley nodded, finding Val's look from the front. "I'm. I think we could be very good together, not just on the ice, but off of it as well. If we put our heads together, I know we could find ways to help each other, to become better." Val faced Riley for a long moment, looking in her face for any sign of deception or ulterior intentions. But all found was a genuine desire to connect, to find a way to work together, even though they started on the wrong foot. "Thanks for the offer, Riley," she said finally, the voice low and reluctant. But I'm not sure I'm ready to... whatever you're suggesting. , You are...ah...uhm...." she hesitated to answer, Riley was a mess —She might notice from the way the other girl acted in training, how it looked like a bomb about to explode under any pressure. "I've always been a lonely wolf, you know? I prefer to deal with things alone." She added to the lie, inventing anything, Never that she would rather be alone than have a company. Riley felt a twinge of sadness at the rejection, yet she didn't give up - she didn't muster the courage to get a simple 'no'. "You've always been independent, you've always trusted yourself. But that doesn't mean you have to keep doing it yourself." She insisted, being silent for a few seconds thinking about how best to convince the other girl. "Sometimes having someone to lean on, someone to talk to... can make all the difference, trust me." Val's eyes shone with rage, and for a moment, Riley thought she could attack. But then, slowly, the fire in her gaze subsided, replaced by a tiredness that seemed to age her beyond her age. "Fine", she said, her voice low and resigned. "Do you want to help me? Then meet me at the rink after practice. We can talk more then." Riley felt a wave of fear for a few seconds, she wanted peace, and ended up creating another war between her and the girl!?
Making friends was another world's thing...
"Thanks Valentina." She responded by forcing her voice not to sound nervous. "I promise, you won't regret it." Val just shrugged the shoulders, turning around. "Don't raise too much hope, Andersen. I'm not promising anything, I'll just be wasting my time arguing with a Beginner like you." With that, she turned around and left, leaving Riley alone with her thoughts. She watched the other girl disappear through the door, her mind running with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she had appreciated Val's advice, the way she had helped her before, but on the other hand, Val's dismissive attitude and sarcastic comments were starting to irritate her nerves "this girl doesn't see how much I'm trying to do with her?" She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She knew that getting angry wouldn't solve anything, but she couldn't avoid the way her blood boiled with Val's constant disregard for her efforts. .. Val walked down the hallway, her mind running with conflicting thoughts and emotions. She couldn't believe in the courage of that girl, Riley, trying to act like they could be friends, like they could work together. "Did she really think Im so naive?" She mocked, shaking thr head in disbelief. Val sighed, running a hand through her hair. She knew she should just brush off Riley's offer. But something held her back, a small voice in the back of her mind whispering. "Fine," she muttered to herself, "I'll hear her out later. But I'm not making any promises." [Riley pov, Later. 2 hours after the conversation.] The game was intense, the energy in the electric ice as Riley's team faced Val's. Both sides were playing hard, determined to come out on top. Riley skated hard, her heart beating hard in her chest as she fought for the record. She could see Val through the corner of her eye, the other girl's movements were fluid and powerful as she cut through the ice, For a moment she found herself hypnotized by Val's ability, the competitive spirit. But then, in a fraction of a second, everything changed. Val made a closed turn, skating directly in Riley's path. She tried to avoid her, but it was too late. losing balance, her skates slipped underneath her as she collided with Val, causing them to both fall on the ice. Riley felt a shock of pain as she hit the ground, her shoulder throbbing, but she barely realized it. her biggest concern immediately was Val who screamed, She got up, running to where the other girl was motionless on the ice, holding her leg. "Valentina!" She screamed, falling to her knees next to her. "Valentina are you okay?!" Val was slow to get up, her face writhed with pain as she struggled to stand, her leg began to hurt, her jaw clenched as she stood up to a sitting position. "What the fuck is that, Andersen ?" She growled, her voice dripping poison. "Your awkward bitch! You could have really hurt me!" "I'm sorry, It was an accident. I didn't want to hurt you!" Val mocked, turning her eyes. "Of course, it was an accident. Just like it was in your fainting, right?!" She growled, pushing Riley back with a force. "That's all your fault, your clumsy tramp. You can't even stand alone without messing up things, fuck!" Riley felt a wave of anger, but restrained her, reminding herself that it wasn't worth getting angry, she was here to make friends, not enemies. But heaven... Making friends was giving her a lot of headache, she just wished to get up and send: "fuck you Val!" "I know you're in pain, and I'm sorry. But that's not helping at all. Let me help you get up, okay?" insisted, reaching out again, only to be rejected. Val looked ugly at Riley's outstretched hand, her lip bowing in disgust. "I don’t need your help, Andersen! You would only get in the way of what would help!" But even as she spoke, she shuddered, her face writhing in pain as she tried to stand on her injured leg. Riley could see the fight in her eyes, stubborn pride warring with obvious discomfort. And obvious (not so obvious), she found herself under obligation to help......Because everyone was looking at them. Riley ignored Val's protests, reaching out to help her get up. Who wheezed pain by putting weight on the injured leg, but she was there to support Val, wrapping one arm around her waist and another on her shoulder to keep her steady. "Easy there", She murmured, her voice soft though not even she wanted to help Ortiz, the way everyone was looking at them... would barely get her image to stand still doing nothing. "I take care of you. Let's take you off the ice and look for some adult." Together, they left limping off the ice, Riley doing her best to bear most of Val's weight. When they arrived at the locker room, the brunette finally walked away, limping to a bench and falling on it. She grabbed her leg, sibbling between clenched teeth.Riley hovered around, not knowing what to do. "Do you want me to look for an adult?" She asked timidly. "I don't need a babysitter, Andersen. it's just a dumb bruise.", She murmured, more to herself than to Riley. Nothing I can't handle." Riley next to her, her thigh brushing on Val's. Are you sure? Maybe we should take a look, just for safety." She insisted on trying to reconcile with her rival, perhaps if she remained persistent. Valentina would look at her with other eyes. When she didn't receive a response, she sighed. What was in her head that made her think they were friends? Val clearly treated her like a stray animal every time she was around. rubbing the temples. "Look, I don't want to stay here any more than you do. But I can't just leave you here until I know you're okay." Val's eyes narrowed. "Since when have you become my guardian? What, like a shitty nanny? You're doing a bad job taking care of me." "Something like that," Riley murmured, turning her eyes. "Now, will you let me check your leg or not?" There was a moment of silence between the two. And for a few seconds she was about to get up and leave. "All right," she murmured, her arms crossed. "I hope you do things right, if it makes me feel pain, I scratch your hair." Riley felt a chill going through her spine, sure enough she would get into trouble if she stayed close to this girl. Taking a deep breath, she noddded, carefully lifting the leg of Val's pants to examine the injury. she could see the bruise already forming, the skin around the joint swollen and sensitive. "Oh, Valentina," Riley sibled between her teeth, making a not-so-pleasing face. "That sounds really painful. We should probably put ice on it, and maybe raise it a little bit." gently probing the area with your fingers. "Does it hurt? You'll need to put ice on, keep it high. And you should see the coach, fit it correctly." Val sibled between teeth, your muscles tense under Riley's touch. "It hurts fucking, Genuis!" She cursed, Heaven, this girl is really a trouble..... "i've just been thrown on ice by a certain clumsy blonde." Riley ignored the jab, her brow furrowing with concern as she gently probed the bruised area. She could feel Val tensing under her touch, but she persevered. "I know it hurts, Val. I'm sorry about that," she said softly, her thumb lightly brushing over the swollen skin in a tentative attempt to soothe. "But we need to take care of this properly." Riley hurried to the locker room's small kitchenette and grabbed a few ice packs from the freezer, wrapping them in a thin towel. She returned to Val's side, gently placing the cold compress on her bruised joint. While Riley continued to put ice on Val's leg, she couldn't help but notice the way the other girl's body relaxed under her touch. Val's breathing slowed down, the tense muscles loosened as Riley worked the ice pack over the bruise. "Is that better?" "Yeah," she grudgingly admitted. "Thank you, Andersen." Riley nodded, continuing to massage the ice pack over her bruised skin. She could feel the way her muscles contracted and flexed under her care, It was strange to be so close to someone she doesn't like. Strange, but not so unpleasant. Before any of them could say or do anything else, the locker room door opened and the coach came in with a drawing board in his hand. "Andersen, Ortiz! What's going on here? Why didn't call me?" Riley jumped, scared by the interruption. "Coach, Val was injured during training. I was just helping her put ice on her leg." She explained, trying to keep her voice steady. "She took an ugly fall during training." The coach's eyes narrowed as he watched the scene, Michaels turned his gaze to Val, who was pulling the pants leg down in a hurry, his face frowned upon. "Is that true, Val? Andersen hurt you?" Val shrugged, trying to appear indifferent despite the obvious discomfort in her posture. "It was an accident, coach. It's no big deal, I'll stay alive.'" The coach frowned, clearly not satisfied with Val's response. He turned to Riley, "Andersen, I hope you focus on your own performance, not on hurting and then pampering your opponents. understood?"Riley noddded, her shoulders fell. '"Yes, coach. It won't happen again." whispered, rising from the place and moving away from Val. "Come back by training, and you're worth a few days to rest until you get better." The coach sent, grabbing Riley's wrist and practically dragged her out of the locker room. "My plans to make friends are falling apart.." Riley grumbled walking down the hallway, It's been days since she was here. The only peoples she met....didn't like her very much. The encounter with Val left her feeling drained, confused and more than a little frustrated. She had come to this camp hoping to make friends, build connections with other talented athletes. But until now, all she had been able to do was annoy people and get into trouble. As she turned the corner, Riley nearly collided with Sophie, the girl who tricked her into the chase test. Sophie staggered back, her eyes wide with surprise. "Oh, Hi Riley", she said, her voice dyed with nervousness, clearly she didn't expect to see Andersen at that time . "I, uh, wanted to talk to you about what happened during the test..." Sophie moved uncomfortably, her look running down the hallway. "Look, I know what I did was wrong... I shouldn't have fooled you that way. It was a shitty thing to do." Riley hesitated, torn between her persistent resentment and genuine remorse in Sophie's voice. "Everything is fine, she said finally. "I forgive you. And maybe... maybe we can start over, try to be real friends this time." She forgave the other girl, compared to Val. Sophia was easy to forgive - and also, Riley no longer cared about the defeat of that persecution. Sophie's face lit up, a real smile spreading across her face. "Seriously? Are you serious?" "Yes, I am. Everyone deserves a second chance, right?" Sophie smiled, throwing her arms around Riley in a quick and lush hug. "Thanks", She said, her voice muffled against Riley's shoulder. "I didn't want another person to hate me." Riley stood there for a moment, stunned by the sudden embrace. It was a foreign feeling, but not an unwelcome one. She tentatively wrapped her arms around Sophie, returning the hug. "I don't hate you, Sophie," she said , pulling back to look the other girl in the eye. "I could never hate someone who's genuinely sorry and wants to make amends." Sophie's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise and gratitude passing over her face. "You... you really mean that, don't you? You're not just saying it to make me feel better?" "No, I really mean it." "I have to go now, but I'll catch you later, yeah?" Sophie said, Already stepping away from Riley and going back to her path that was going back a moment. Riley glanced down at her phone, a small smile playing on her lips as she saw the message from Angry-Otters. He was one of the few people who truly seemed to understand and appreciate her.She typed out a quick reply, her fingers flying over the screen. "Hey there, handsome. Just had a moment of hope that things might be looking up here. Made a new friend, believe it or not! Her name's Sophie, I know she made me lose in one of the games. But hey, I'm not mad about that anymore. :) " After this message was sent, She could only see the three dots appearing and disappearing on the screen. As if her boyfriend was redoing the message all the time. Angry-otters: "this is good! I hope you make more friends there :D You deserve all the friends and support in the world. I wish I could be there to see you shine, to cheer you on every step of the way. But know that no matter where you are, you'll always have me in your corner, cheering you on from afar" Riley felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, a lump forming in her throat. She blinked rapidly, not wanting to let them fall. It was rare to find someone who understood her so deeply, who could express their feelings with such raw honesty. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before typing out a response. "you always know just what to say to make me feel stronger, braver, more capable than I ever thought possible. I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm so grateful to have you in my life. You're not just my boyfriend - you're my rock, my safe haven, my biggest cheerleader. I love you more than words can express." She knew she could be a idiot because of it. To say that -i loved this person‐ who didn't even know his real name was stupid, but who cared about it? She didn't give a damn about those details. she heard footsteps approaching, quickly wiping away any lingering tears And put a normal face, only to be found by one of the monitors telling her to return to the dorm. Was it so late at night? She didn't even realize that the day was over...
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Lost in her dreams, Riley was sleeping peacefully in her shared bedroom. Her dreams were filled with a childish aura for her age—she was at the ice cream parlor with her friends eating a huge, new monster ice cream. Suddenly her dreams changed, the ice cream parlor disappearing as a new scene took shape. She found herself standing on the hockey rink, the cold air biting her cheeks. Ahead of her, she saw a girl, one she assumed was Val's friend—she had always seen them together walking around camp.
"How could you be so careless? Val is out for two days because of you!" Dani yelled in anger, Riley didn't even know what was happening, but it certainly wasn't something good.
"What? What are you talking about? I didn't mean to hurt her," she muttered in confusion.
Dani stepped closer, poking Riley's chest with a finger, the touch making her insides freeze, "You're a menace on ice, Andersen. First you throw coffee all over her, and now this? Val can't train because of your clumsiness!"
""I'm not trying to hurt her," she insisted, it really had been an accident! Even though she had only helped other girls out of obligation.... what mattered was that she had helped Val! "I was trying to help her. She was in pain, and I wanted to make her better. I didn't think... I didn't realize..."
The girl interrupted her with a harsh laugh. "Help her? You're the reason she's hurt, you idiot! Stay away from Val before you do more damage. And stay away from the rink until you learn to control yourself." Dani pushed her, and she found herself falling into a deep, black hole. Her heart pounded, and within moments she was awake.
. She woke up gasping, her eyes wide and her heart pounding in her chest. What was that? Why was she dreaming about something like that? She wondered, looking around and noticing how her teammates remained asleep. She sat up abruptly, her heart still racing, her palms sweaty from the intense dream. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "It was just a dream," she muttered, running a hand through her disheveled hair. "It's not real." She sighed. Throwing herself back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind couldn't help but wander to the possibility of this similar scene unfolding in reality. The thought of Val being really mad at her, of not being able to train because of an injury she had caused, made her feel sick to her stomach. She knew she had to do something to make things right, to prove to Val that she wasn't the enemy. But what could she do? They barely knew each other, and every interaction they had had so far had ended in disaster. She would really have to pay for a new blouse for that girl? "That girl is definitely a tightwad to hate me for that reason..." she muttered to herself As she walked, lost in thought, Riley found herself standing in front of the hockey rink. The morning light glinted off the ice, casting a bright reflection over the empty seats. She walked over, placing her hand on the cool metal railing and stared at the smooth, untouched surface.... An idea began to form in her mind, a way to show Val that she was truly sorry and committed to being a better player. Riley knew she needed to practice more, to hone her skills and control on the ice. If she could improve, maybe Val would see that her injuries were accidents, not intentional acts of clumsiness. "That way, she wouldn't be able to call me a clumsy blonde anymore." She muttered to herself. She knew she didn't have to prove anything to Valentina. She didn't give a fuck about that girl. However, that was two shots for one Rabbit: Val realizing that Riley isn't useless, and so her reputation wouldn't be of someone who doesn't know how to play hockey. She walked out onto the rink, the cold air biting her cheeks as she skated across the ice. She began to practice her moves, concentrating on every detail of her technique. For hours, she trained, pushing her body to its limits. She worked on her skating, her passing, her shooting—every aspect of her game. She wanted to be at the top of her game, showing everyone that she wasn’t terrible. As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the rink, she finally slowed down, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She had been skating for hours, determined to prove herself and silence the doubts that plagued her mind. Sweat dripped down her face as she skated to a stop, leaning against the boards to catch her breath. Her muscles ached, but she knew that this kind of pain would be worth it in the end. — When she finally improved her skills and no longer made mistakes. She couldn't make another mistake like her fainting. Resulting in a draw with neither team having left. The counselors were in the middle of a morning announcement, their voices chattering nonstop about the day's scheduled activities. Riley could barely concentrate, her mind still foggy from lack of sleep. "...and remember, the final tournament of camp is fast approaching. I expect all of you to do your best and represent your teams with pride," the head counselor said, his voice echoing throughout the room. She shifted in her seat, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion from the long night of training. Her friends crowded close, trying to shield her from the counselors’ view as they listened to the announcements. As the counselors wrapped up their announcements, Riley’s friends glanced at her, concerned. “Riles, are you okay?” Bree whispered, noticing her friend’s haggard appearance. “You look…tired.” Riley gave a small, tired smile. "I'm fine," she mumbled back. "I just had a nightmare." "You're not going to be any good if you burn yourself out. Listen, why don't you take a break, okay? Just for today." Grace paused for a moment, wondering where Riley could sleep without any problems...dorms? Some counselors were walking by, looking for any teenagers who wanted to skip practice or extra activities... "Actually, there's no place for you to sleep." "Let me sleep in the dorm." She shrugged, being dead tired she wouldn't mind having to listen to adults fighting with her. Ortiz sat on the bench, icing her leg, which was sore after the incident with Riley. She couldn't help but feel a mixture of frustration and confusion about the whole situation. How could someone who seemed so clumsy and uncoordinated on the ice have the potential to be a decent player? It didn't make sense to her.
And another thing; how was someone like that invited to this camp!? Shouldn't there be like... only the best of the best?
As she sat there, lost in thought, her teammate approached her, a look of concern on her face. "How are you feeling, Val? That cut looked bad yesterday," Dani said, nodding toward the ice pack on Val's leg. "“I’m fine, Dani. It’s just a bruise,” Val said, dismissing her teammate’s concern with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’ve had worse alone in training.” Dani raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Yeah, but this time it was because of that new girl, wasn't it? Riley, right? She's been nothing but trouble since she got here." Val’s jaw clenched at the mention of Riley’s name. She couldn’t shake the memory of the searing pain that had shot through her leg when they’d collided on the ice, or the way Riley had looked at her with a mixture of shock and guilt in her eyes. "I don't want to talk about her," she gritted her teeth, feeling too frustrated, "She's just a clumsy rookie who needs to learn how to control herself on the ice." Dani leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I heard she skipped practice today. Probably too busy figuring out how to walk without knocking someone over next time.” Val scoffed, shaking her head in disgust. "Typical. She thinks she can just show up and be a star without putting in the effort. Well, I say let her waste her time. She'll soon realize she doesn't belong here." At that moment, a counselor approached them, a look of concern on his face. “Valentina, may I speak with you? In private?” the counselor asked, gesturing toward the empty hallway. Val raised an eyebrow, curious about the sudden request. She glanced at Dani, who shrugged in response. With a sigh, Val stood, favoring her uninjured leg as she followed the counselor away from the rink. As they walked, the counselor began to speak, "Valentina, I wanted to talk to you about Riley. I know there have been some... incidents between the two of you. I want to make sure you're okay and that you feel safe here at camp." "“I’m fine, really. It was an accident, and I’m sure Andersen didn’t mean to hurt me,” she assured him, the frustrated tone of her voice gone as quickly as leaves blowing in the wind. “I just need some time to rest and recover. I’ll be back on the ice soon.” The counselor nodded, a look of relief on his face. “I’m glad to hear that, Valentina. Please, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to let us know. Your well-being and safety are our top priorities here at camp." Val thanked the counselor and walked back to the bench, "They just wanted to make sure I was okay after the incident with Riley. I guess they heard about what happened and wanted to know how I was doing." She shrugged, explaining the situation to her friend. Dani’s eyes widened slightly, a mix of surprise and concern on her face. “Wait, so they know about Riley’s clumsiness? Does that mean there could be consequences for her?” "I don't know, Dani. I didn't ask and I didn't want to make a big deal about it. I just want to focus on getting better and being ready for the tournament." Two hours later, Riley finally woke from her exhausted sleep, blinking awake in the dimly lit room. She stretched, her muscles protesting from the intense workout and the awkward position she had slept in. She looked around the room, realizing she was alone. Her friends were nowhere to be found, probably at their scheduled camp activities. She felt a twinge of guilt for missing the planned events, but her desire to improve her skills on the ice overcame any remorse. Getting out of bed, she went to the locker room to get dressed. When she finished, she walked through the halls looking for a familiar face, curious about what was happening now. She followed the noise, turning a corner to find herself standing in front of the rink. Through the glass, she could see the Firehawks in the middle of a practice session, their red and black jerseys a blur of movement against the pristine ice. There were a few other people sitting in the stands, probably waiting for them to finish so they could practice as well. she noticed Val sitting on the bench, Their eyes met through the glass, and for a moment, she felt a pang of guilt and worry. She knew Val was hurt because of her, even if it had been an accident. The other girl's expression was unreadable, she watched her get up and limp towards the locker room, the ice pack falling forgotten on the bench. Riley hesitated, then followed her, opening the door and walking inside. Taking a deep breath, she tried to find the right words before stepping in. "Listen, Val... I know we started off on the wrong foot. Like, a lot of times.", she began, trying to keep her voice steady, her gaze drifting to the walls, ceiling. Anything. "But I'm really sorry about your leg. And the coffee thing. And... well, everything." Val, who had gone to the locker room only to gather her things, raised an eyebrow, looking at Riley with a mixture of skepticism and annoyance. “Really?” she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Riley nodded, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "Yeah. I mean, I know I'm not the best player out there. I'm still learning, you know? But I'm trying my best to get better. To be... to be as good as you." The moment she said those words, she wanted to kick herself. Seriously? To be as good as her? That sounded like Riley wanted to be just like her. And well, part of it was true, Val had been her idol for years, and even though she had discovered that her inspiration wasn't such a nice person... she was good at hockey, she had to admit that. "Did you do all this to be like me?" she asked, her face furrowed. Just yesterday she was starting to... accept this girl's weirdness, but it was hard to understand her!! "Do you really think you have a chance of being my copy?" "No, that's not what I meant," she said, her voice rising in defense. "I just... I admire your skill, okay? I want to be as good as you, but on my own terms. I'm not trying to copy you." She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment and a little anger at Ortiz's accusation. Val raised an eyebrow, looking at Riley with a mixture of skepticism and annoyance. “You really had me fooled,” she muttered, turning to gather her things. "Skating on me, spilling coffee on me, now this..." She gestured to her injured leg. "It's like you're trying to sabotage me or something." "No, no, it's nothing like that!" She insisted, stepping closer. "I swear, everything that happened was an accident. I'm just... I'm still learning, okay? I'm trying my best to get better, to keep up with everyone else. I didn't mean to hurt you, none of this." Val paused, looking at Riley critically. She studied the girl’s serious expression, searching for any hint of deceit. But all she saw was a mixture of sincerity and desperation, a fierce determination to prove herself. Against her better judgment, Val felt a pang of sympathy. She had been where Riley was now once—a young, eager player trying to find her place on the ice. And she remembered the frustration, the doubt, the overwhelming desire to be the best. "You know, when I first started, I was a mess too", She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It took me a while to find my balance. But I didn't go around hurting people in the process, Want to improve? Try to improve your focus so you don't hurt people then. " With that, Val limped out of the locker room, leaving Riley alone, LEAVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR CONVERSATION, RIGHT AT THE MOMENT WHEN THEY COULD LET IT ALL OUT AND UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. "....?"Later. The curfew had already passed, the few remaining participants were already in their respective dormitories. She couldn't help but wonder—when will this end?... She didn't pay attention to how many teams were left, but there were only a few... so, about 2, 3 days? Brushing her teeth, she took as long as possible to stay there. It was one of the only places where the monitors didn't just come in out of nowhere to check— They should do that, a lot of people hide here.— Or they just don't care about it. Anyway, she didn't feel like going back to the dark dormitory and sleeping. It had already been almost half the morning. Spitting out the rest of her paste and wiping her mouth, she sighed as she left the bathroom. Maybe she would stay on her phone all night until she fell asleep. Leaving the bathroom she walked to the hallway of the dormitories, she stopped at hers. Hesitating as she entered... something told her she needed to get some fresh air today. As she rounded a bend, she spotted a familiar figure sitting on a bench outside, hunched over with her elbows on her knees. It was Dani, Val's best friend and teammate, she couldn't quite see what was happening because she had to hide. Dani would probably try to kick her out or treat her badly after what she did to Val...and she was curious to see Dani arguing with someone along with.... Val? She squinted, trying to see through the small darkness of the night. There was a boy between them, about their age. What could they be arguing about...? "You're disgusting, you know that?" Val exclaimed, her words dripping with disdain. "She's a child, Tobias. A fucking child. What the hell were you thinking, dating someone so young?" The boy held up his hands as if trying to smooth things over. "Baby, it's not like that. She's mature for her age, and I... I love her. I can't help it if she's different from other girls." He shrugged with a cocky smile. "Different? How could you do this to my sister? She's only thirteen, you idiot!" Riley felt a chill run down her spine at the venom in Val’s voice. She’d never heard her sound so angry, so protective. It was a side of her she’d never seen before. "Listen, I think it's best if you stay away from her sister," Dani warned, finally stopping her observation and letting out her voice. "Dating someone 4 years younger than you is wrong, and if we want we can try to take you to jail. So, do us all a favor and leave her alone." "You can't tell me what to do! I love Marie, and she loves me. That's all that matters." He lunged forward suddenly, grabbing Dani by the shoulders. She stumbled back, caught off guard by his sudden aggression. "And don't fucking threaten me, you little bitch." , he growled, his fingers digging into Dani's arms hard enough to leave bruises. "Hey! Let go of her now!" Val growled, grabbing the boy's shoulder, however he didn't let go of the other girl. With a flick of his elbow, he threw his arm back, pushing Val away. "Shut up! I don't care what you say, I want you two fuck yourselfs!" Val lunged forward, her fist connecting with Tobias's jaw with a sickening crack. Tobias stumbled back, caught off guard by the sudden attack. But he quickly recovered, his own fist swinging out to meet Val's face in a brutal punch. She lunged at Tobias, slamming him to the ground. They slapping and fight, exchanging blows and curses as they rolled on the pavement. Riley watched in shock, her heart pounding in her chest. She had never seen such violence before. A part of her wanted to run away, to hide from the brutal scene unfolding before her. But another part of her knew she had to do something. She couldn’t just stand by and watch as Val hurt herself, It wasn't enough that she had hurt Val several times, she couldn't let the Latina get hurt again.
This make sense?....of course not.
"Hey! Stop it, both of you!" she stepped forward, hoping to break through the haze of anger that had descended upon them. "Huh? Riley.–" Dani was surprised by the other girl's presence. Obviously her words fell on deaf ears. Val and Tobias continued to fight, their grunts and curses filling the air. Riley knew he had to do more than just scream. She had to act. She looked around wildly, spotting a nearby water fountain. An idea formed in her mind, and she acted on it without hesitation. Rushing forward, she grabbed the hose lying on the ground and attached it to the faucet, turning it on full blast, aiming the icy spray directly at the fighting duo. The shock of the cold water that hit them stopped them in their tracks, and they both gasped and gurgled, stumbling over each other. Val and Tobias stared at Riley in disbelief, their chests heaving and their clothes soaking wet. Dani looked just as shocked, her mouth hanging open in surprise. "What the hell, Andersen?!” Val snapped, shaking the water out of her hair like a wet dog. "What you think are doing!" "I... I heard screaming and I... I thought someone might be hurt. I didn't mean to interrupt anything..." she swallowed, suddenly regretting what she had done, maybe she should have gone to the dorm...? Wait, why did she say she didn't want to interrupt them? Val stared at her for a long moment before turning back to Tobias, her expression hardening. "Get out of here, Tobias. And stay away from my sister. If I catch you near her again, I won't be so nice next time." Tobias glared back at Val, his jaw clenched. "This isn't over," he growled before turning on his heel and stalking off into the night. Dani watched him go before turning to Val, her expression softening with concern. "Val, are you okay? That was... intense..." Riley stood awkwardly, wringing her hands as she watched Tobias disappear into the darkness. She could feel the weight of Val and Dani’s dull gazes on her, and she shifted uncomfortably. “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry or interrupt...I just heard screaming and thought someone might be in trouble. I didn't know what was going on..." Val sighed heavily, running a hand through her damp hair. “It’s okay, Riley. You didn’t know. But I appreciate you trying to end it. Even if your method was a little… unconventional.” Dani snorted, shaking her head. “Unconventional? That’s one way of putting it. But it worked, I guess.” She turned to Val, her brow furrowed with concern. “But are you really okay? That guy hit you pretty hard." Val pressed her fingers to her cheek, wincing slightly. "I'm fine. Nothing a little ice can't fix." She looked back at Riley, considering her for a moment. "Listen, Andersen... I know we got off on the wrong foot. A lot of times. But I need you to keep this between us, okay? What you heard... it's personal. And I don't want it getting out." "Of course, I won’t say anything. I promise.” She hesitated, then added softly, “But… is your sister okay? That guy, Tobias… he is a little scary..." “She’s…she’s a special kid. She sees the best in people, even when there’s none. I just don’t want her to get hurt.” She sighed heavily and looked away. “But I need to handle this delicately. I can’t just…I can’t force her to stop seeing him. She needs to come to that realization on her own.” “I’ll help you, Val. We’ll keep an eye on her, make sure she’s okay." Dani placing a comforting hand on Val’s shoulder. "And if that asshole Tobias shows up again… well, we’ll deal with him.” Riley watched the girls keep to themselves. For a moment she felt left out—even though she had walked in without anyone calling her. Staring at the ground, she looked at the wet spot on the ground, the evidence of where she had splashed Ortiz and that guy...was that really a bad way to end a fight? In the movies she saw the girl walking into the middle of a fight and getting punched by mistake, and that was the end of the fight. But she didn't want to get punched unnecessarily..... Something caught her attention, there was a rectangular object lying on the floor, her curiosity got the better of her and she bent down to pick it up, picking up the phone, turning it over in her hands. The screen was actually cracked, but still functional. She was about to hand it over to Val, maybe it was the girl? But then she noticed something strange – in the notification bar, there were some messages with a nickname that looked very similar to the one she used on the Internet. Luckily, the phone was unlocked, and that's when she saw it—not only was her contact on that phone, but scrolling up the screen there were several disgusting messages from that boy talking with Val's sister (it was probably Val's sister, she assumed). She couldn't believe what she saw with her own eyes. Angry-Otters was the account logged into that phone.