problems ! 「 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 」

𝟎𝟐 . . . sorry, my jaw's still clicking

      "What's that mean?"

"We have to lose. School rules," MacKenzie explained, much to her roommate's chagrin. She shrugged, hugging herself against the morning chill in the air. "No using our supernatural abilities to win, it's an unfair advantage."

Theo frowned. "Boo!" MacKenzie just gave another shrug whilst Theo blew out an over-exaggerated sigh and continued, "Doesn't matter. I don't do sports, so you and your merry band can have fun while I watch from the stands."

There was a tentative pause as MacKenzie bit the inside of her cheek and weighed the best possible way to deliver her news. Theo slowly became aware of the growing silence, sending a sidelong glance MacKenzie's way.

"About that..." MacKenzie began as Theo's gaze narrowed. "I kind of already told everyone you were playing."

"You what?"

"I thought you said you wanted to!" MacKenzie retorted quickly. "But now I'm realizing that might have been a half-asleep dream."

Theo quirked an eyebrow. "Might?"

      "Okay, it was definitely a dream but look! It'll be fun! You'll get to make some friends or...enemies, I guess? Mystic Falls kids can be seriously mean."

"Not if I grind them beneath my boot," the vampire snapped, making MacKenzie's eyes widen. She went to speak before Theo cut her off, "We have to lose, I know."

Silence settled between the pair again, until MacKenzie smiled and nudged Theo in the side. "But we'll get to have fun doing it!"

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       "This is not fun," Theo retorted, standing beside the stands with her arms crossed as the sun beat down relentlessly.

MacKenzie glanced up from her spot on the bench. "It hasn't even started yet," she said, nodding toward the center field where the coin toss was taking place.

      "The players from Mystic Falls are literally eyeing us like racks of lamb. Meaning? To them, we're dead meat," Theo explained as seriously as she could manage. "I am not sensing the fun here."

MacKenzie squinted at her roommate a moment. "Were you always like this? I mean, before the whole...vampire thing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Theo retorted, eliciting a pout from MacKenzie. That was hardly an answer, but MacKenzie was beginning to realize it rarely ever was with Theo.

"Team huddle!" Lizzie's voice rang out, Theo and MacKenzie sharing a glance before jogging over with the rest of the team. They formed a semblance of a circle on the field, looking to Lizzie, as their quarterback, for direction. "You all know the plan, right?"

MacKenzie nodded slowly. "It's the same as it always is," she said, tone perhaps too nonchalant as Lizzie tossed her a glare. "Get our asses kicked."

       "Okay, Mermaid Barbie—" Lizzie began, causing MacKenzie to quirk an eyebrow before Josie hurriedly cut in;

       "The plan is to lose, like we do every year," she said. "Because my dad asked us to. Everyone got it?" She was silently imploring her teammates to listen to this one simple request, if nothing else. Not everyone seemed particularly happy with this arrangement, such as Kaleb who wasn't prone to losing even before becoming a vampire, but no one said anything.

Until, Theo raised her hand—though she began speaking before anyone could even register the movement. "Yeah, hi. Do we have to? What if we just...didn't lose? Is that—"