A/N: Dedicated to Nay2661 and JaNiah053
•••
Contrary to her mood, the autumn sky was tinged a warm orange and clear as the day set. She wasn't sure how long she had been sat, hugging her knees before she heard the patter of light footsteps and a fretful Lydia emerged from the corner. She'd hardly been able to speak and settled on texting the blonde her location, fortunately she had actually come.
She certainly wasn't sure what to expect from what life was throwing at her anymore.
"Cass..."
Cassandra pushed on a weak smile. "Hey." The crack in her voice echoed in the vacant stairwell.
Immediately Lydia rushed over and crouched to be levelled. "The trial's over right? Did it not go well?"
If it weren't for the lump in Cassandra's throat she would've scoffed. She shook her head.
"Tell me what happened." demanded Lydia.
It took a moment for Cassandra to collect herself. It had all went down possibly half an hour ago, vigorously fresh to the bones and threatening to have the dams keeping the waterworks at bay from leaking. Lydia was patient and waited until Cassandra found the strength to enclose the events. She explained to Lydia the preposterous trial, the choice that was made and before she could make it to the verdict, the jitteriness had her too overwhelmed.
"And?" Lydia pressed on. "What happened when you and Ramesh left the room?"
Cassandra could tell her friend was restraining herself. Taking in Cassandra's state, Lydia didn't want to overstep and add pressure. Cassandra was ever grateful and knew if she didn't say it now, she might not have it in her anytime soon.
"Two of the other members were outside." said Cassandra. "They had these listening devices that were hooked up to the conference room."
Lydia's brows contorted in puzzlement, much like Cassandra's back then. "Okay..."
"And they offered it to us if we wanted to hear it."
"Please don't tell me you said yes."
"Ramesh turned it down and I was going to but, but..."
"Cassandra no..."
"I just, I didn't like the look Andrea gave me before I left and I wanted to know." She buried her face in her hands, chastening her own stupidity. Of course it wouldn't be good. Even the doofus Ramesh knew better.
"So," Lydia swallowed, "what did she say?"
At that, it was like time itself was moving in a gruelling course. Each second Cassandra breathed in and out felt longer than the last and her breaths were growing shakier. She parted her lips and willed them to form a response.
It came to be so silent, Lydia's ear couldn't catch it before it died at the gap between them. "What?" Lydia scooted closer, a hand on Cassandra's knee. "What did she say?"
"She told them about my dad's affair."
An eon went by in silence. The fingers on her knees curled tightly. Cassandra breathed out. "She told them about the whole video and everything and how me being there could damage the image. Which I guess, fits. Oh, and how much I slag off the other girls here and how prejudice I am towards them from coming from a higher class and how my mum's desperate to climb the social ladder here."
"That's fucking horrible." bawled Lydia. "How, how could she go and say that?"
"Cause it's true." Cassandra shrugged, avoiding the blonde's eyes. The feel of them watching her was heaving enough.
"You should've said something too."
Cassandra dragged her hung head to meet Lydia's deep frown.
"No." Cassandra shook her head. "I couldn't, Lydia."
"Yes you could! You could've mentioned how she trash talked Stevie's boyfriend or feeling up Ben McCoy to avoid being disqualified—"
"No, Lydia."
"She stabbed you in the back! She told those guys something so personal after you trusted her and for what? A stupid club? How could you say you can't?"
"Because I just can't, Lydia! That's not the person I am. Andrea isn't that person either, I know it. For her, that membership is something she needs. It's a life line for her."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can't explain it to you."
"You can't or you don't want to?"
Cassandra pursed her lips. "... It's just something she needs to do. I promised to help her get in and a Lovett doesn't go back on her word."
"Screw that Lovett bull! This isn't fair. She gets to slag you off and you get booted for doing nothing wrong."
"No. I got in too."
"... Wait, what?"
"After it was done, they sent me and Ramesh back in. Andrea wouldn't look at me anymore like, like she knew I knew. And then..."
"And then?"
"The captain congratulated us and said we were now officially members."
"A-All of you?"
Cassandra numbly nodded.
"What? But I don’t— what was the point in all of that for? Just to mess with you or something? One of those dumb trick questions stuff?"
"Something like that."
Lydia let out curses, indignant and fuming. Cassandra was amazed how the girl could pack energy into anything. Cassandra couldn't find it in her to channel any fire, nor fury. Just her mind replaying back to the horrific look Andrea had on when the captain and company were applauding them all.
She was pale, pained and seemed close to tearing up. Just like on that first day they all met and learnt the true nature of the club's enlistment procedure. The day of promises, hopes and ambition were trampled on and Cassandra was that teary eyed girl's shoulder to try on.
Truth be told, it gave Cassandra this inflated feeling of pride of an alpha protecting the young but it wasn't like she was above the girl. Cassandra was sure if not for Andrea at that moment, she would've burst into tears herself.
This time, the teary eyed girl rejected Cassandra's outstretched hand and fled. Which was what hurt the most.
"I thought... we were friends." Cassandra murmured through trembling lips. "Weren't we?"
Lydia's expression said it all for what she was thinking but her mouth stayed firmly shut and she enveloped Cassandra in her arms, caressing her curls. The strained sobs were muffled in Lydia's jacket in that quiet stairwell.
They sat there in a huddle until Cassandra could bring herself to stand. Lydia fastened one hand as reassured support and they got into the car that had been waiting. Lydia didn't have to bother persuading Cassandra to take the free ride and she obediently entered.
Lydia was more than expectant it would be a silent ride and popped on her earphones wired to her iPod. She kept her left ear unplugged though, just in case.
Cassandra had glanced to the subtle gesture and considered it for a second, but decided the rest would be kept to her chest. Cassandra's next stop hadn't been the stairwell after the trial ended, it had been The Monarch.
"Hold on a minute!" She had cried out.
Adler did not and continued to exit the room. Will outright looked to Cassandra and whatever he saw, made a sullen downcast visage fall on the angel's face that madly enough made Cassandra want to punch him but console him all the same.
A hand cuffed his elbow when he was seconds away from speaking. He looked over to Stevie. "I'll take care of this." She said.
Holding her gaze momently, Will resigned with a sigh and resumed to walk out. Soon, all that was left standing in the room was Cassandra and those daunting obsidian eyes staring back, far from apologetic.
"Sorry." said Stevie.
"Sorry for what? Do you know why I'm pissed?"
"Yes. You're wondering why on earth we had this whole cons when you all passed anyway."
"You lied!"
"About what?"
"You said this one wouldn't be like the others. But it was still just that arsehole of a captain of yours messing with us!"
Stevie shook her head. "It wasn't. I designed this trial."
"... What?"
"I wasn't thrilled to do this, okay? But it was necessary because no one tells you what exactly you're getting yourself into when coming into this school or Coeus. I won't lie and say Garren didn't screw around but the point of this was for you guys not to be so easy to think becoming club members means there's any trusts, just like that. Even if some of you didn't think so, circumstances can change you."
Cassandra deeply frowned. "I don't understand."
"Of course you wouldn't, you're expected not to. Garren doesn't want Coeus left in the hands of puppets to be toyed around with by the headmaster or anyone who comes along."
"Is that your excuse you're giving him for treating us like us like shit?"
"It wasn't ideal, I know. That's why I warned you about his game plan; divide and conquer."
Cassandra's eyes widened. "So you did this just to split me and Andrea up? To put all of us against each other?"
"One of the most effective and clean ways. Garren was planning something with crossbows." Stevie rolled her eyes.
"Do you want me to thank you for that?"
"A little. I mean, I did give you a hint at the ending. I told you, 'Just make sure to show up and you'll pass.' "
"Bullshit!" growled Cassandra. "You had it out for us. You, you tricked me." Her voice a whimper.
For a moment, it looked as though genuine compassion filled the queen's eyes, her gaze softening. Stevie pressed her lips and let out a sigh. "It wasn't anything personal."
Cassandra's jaw clenched at how lightly the line was dropped. "I can't believe this." She stormed to the door, hand shackling the door knob before she could pry it open.
"Cassandra, it was the game. Don't take it home with you."
"A game?" Cassandra parroted, incredulous. "You have no idea what Andrea went through for this!"
Stevie's lips curled to a smile. An actual bloody smile.
"What the hell are you smiling about?"
"You. You're still standing up for her. What you wrote in the letter about being an advocate, because 'Coeus stood at the top and that way voices could be heard' you meant it, didn't you?"
Cassandra was unresponsive. Her lips weren't moving despite her efforts against the beaming dark brunette.
"You're a little too honest, Cassandra. But I like it. I like you." said Stevie. "Ash— Andrea shouldn't have taken it for granted."
Cassandra frowned. "Andrea didn't want to. You don't know what's riding on her future for this stupid club. She didn't have a choice."
Stevie’s eyes darkened at that. "No, Cassandra. There's always a choice. We can only be ready to face the consequences of having to make those bad choices. Understand that."
Without warning, Cassandra was struck with a feathery brush when fingers briefly felt along the bangs right by her scar and she stiffened.
"Congratulations again." That was the last of it and the gravitating eyes and smile disappeared behind the door.
Cassandra slanted her head to kiss the cooling glass of the car window, eyes shut and mind rewinding the scene. Andrea's face, Stevie's words and the unnerving touch.
**
His hands shredded through the water with expert ease, as usual. Only resurfacing for a quick breath again but he'd counted his records on that from last month and it had improved substantially. He was positive he'd knock it off the charts again this year to give the scouts that would come, a real show.
He could picture them all, rushing through the reporters, his teammates, desperate to be the first to get him. They'd shout out his name.
"Patell!"
He popped his head out of the pool, eyes settling on the middle aged man in a tracksuit by the edge. The furry mustache curved as a smile spread, "I knew if there'd be one sod still in here after school hours it'd be you. Don't a young lad like you got other things to do?"
"Just wanted to work on my backstrokes a bit more, coach." He answered.
His coach, Mr. Todd approved with a nod. "Just don't overwork those muscles."
"I know."
"See you tomorrow then."
"See you, coach."
As the man descended from the premises, Rudolph plunged back into the water and coursed to three more laps before deciding it was time to punch it in. Maybe humour his mates about that show they keep nagging him to watch. If they could harness that into their practice, then there could be someone else on the team ready on an Olympic level like him.
Rudolph snorted at his own joke. Yeah, right.
It wasn't truly cocky to say you were the best when it was true. Modesty didn't get anywhere. That was what his parents taught him and look where he was now. At the top, the undefeated, invincible star of St. Sinclair.
Once reaching the end, Rudolph gripped the edge of the pool in preparation to hoist himself up when a hand suddenly clutched his scalp.
Firm fingers tautly fastened around his locks of wet hair and vehemently pushed his head down to into waters. Jolted, his fingers slipped from the leverage of the edge and he gasped out only for it to be reduced to bubbles in the liquid surroundings. The hand grip only seemed to grow more fierce and in the startle he was vacuuming more air than necessary, breath drawing out quicker by the stupid decision. His gurgled cries seemed to mean nothing to the attacker that this joke was crossing the line and before his mind could derail into panic that this was an assassination attempt, the vice grip withdrew.
Faster than lightning, Rudolph shot his head out of the tepid holdings, slapping his arms over the flat surface for dear life. He was wheezing and coughing as the unrestricted oxygen flooded his clogging nasals.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Rudolph snapped his head to the perpetrator. "You could've...!" The words died in his throat when perceiving the raven hair tied in a ponytail.
The glare in her dark eyes had him inwardly cursing.
He waited for her to speak but she said nothing, only nodding her head to the changing rooms. Rudolph propped himself onto the surface. The squelching from his puddle trail the only noise as he walked with the girl stalking behind.
He pried off his goggles. It took extra time by how oddly jittery his fingers had decided to become. Not that he was nervous. It must've been the aftershock of the dumb joke gone too far.
When he heard the distinct noise of the door shut, he whipped his eyes to his girlfriend leant against it.
Her gaze sharp, calculative and intrusive. Just like when he first caught her amongst his fans by the stands that one day during practice.
He'd heard about the Aces crowning a queen although that was where the interest stopped.
As a star, Rudolph shone on his own. He did dates but he didn't do commitments to anything outside of swimming. That was his priority. His mates bet him to ask out the queen, thinking he would have no skill. They were jealous pricks just desperate to try to emasculate him and feel like winners for once.
Of course it didn't work. Of course the queen fell head over heels for him in an instant. Then the plot twist? He grew to like her too. She wasn't a spoilt brat like he thought.
She was reasonable, gave him space, would sit through his practices and would even study his routine to see how he could improve. She was useful, smart and sweet.
Then they were officially a couple. And he wasn't particularly sure why he hadn't realised something was wrong, until it was too late.
Like now, he was thinking she would still be at the club meeting and he'd have time alone before she tracked him down.
Her eyes swept over his body, flattering him when she licked her lips before she'd gut him. "Now, care to explain what the hell you were thinking today?"
Rudolph swallowed. "What do you mean?"
She frowned. He flinched when she inched closer and the sweetness disappeared. "Don't play dumb with me, Rudolph. I'm asking what was going through that over gelled head of yours that made you think you could handle my ass like a chew toy?"
"Chew toy?" Rudolph forced a chuckle, gripping every ounce of feigned calmness against the steely gaze. He held his head high, feeling the need to get every inch over her. "You make me sound like some sort of groper."
She scoffed. "Groper? No, groper's are arranged. They know better than to stick around after their crime but you're too narrow minded to actually see anything beyond your goggles. You don't even have the guts when you're confronted. It's no surprise why you're the fastest diver in the team— you lack the spine to stand straight."
It had been thirty four days since his girlfriend had ever complimented him. Yes, he counted. It used to be what he'd hear at their late night texts before falling asleep. Now he would go to bed looking for every chance to earn appraisal. Earn some recognition from the cold queen.
"You better give me the real answer this time or I promise, you'll regret it." She stepped closer and with her hands only inches apart from his throat, he wasn't taking any risks.
He gulped. "I-I-It was a dare."
Her talons dug into his shoulder as she tilted her head. Eyes shadowed. "A dare?"
He nodded.
He didn't believe he was one to be easily provoked but Bennet Mitchelle, the swim captain made it too tempting. "Bennet was bragging during practice yesterday at how he ploughed Bethany Winters at this concert during summer."
The tool was so desperate for attention. Going on about how Bethany was supposedly all over and on him like a cat in heat, gaining all the teammate's to be gawking and hooting. As if any girl would give that bastard the time of the day. His teammates were just idiots and virgins who believed anything the cunt spewed and Rudolph did tolerate it, until Benette came asking for trouble when he began slagging Rudolph as lacking in taking charge with his so-called relationship.
Claiming he would gladly show Rudolph a thing or two on how to top the queen. Like a ‘real baller' would.
Rudolph's blood was boiling by then. So he had to shut the dipshit up and make it clear who deserved that spotlight. It was his. Always. No one else's.
"And you agreed?" Hostility radiating off of Stevie. "You agreed to do a dare like that with a pig who uses such demoralising terms like plough to refer to sex?"
Carefully, he cupped her cheeks. "It was a stupid idea, all right? I'm sorry."
He saw her expression appear to soften and that was where he'd let his guard down. Sizzling heat rippled across the side his face at his jaw ricocheting off of knuckles slashing it. His pride was screaming at him not to reach out and touch it but he couldn't restrain his trembling hand.
It was the first time she'd ever given him a backhand. He'd fucked up. Badly.
"Stupid?" Her voice laced in venom. "What you did was pathetic. You can't go one day without trying to have those morons who will all forget you in twenty years from worshipping you. And don't you ever think for one second that dating me gives you authority to touch me however you want.
Does that entitle me to strangle you for behaving like an aboriginal spazz of a manwhore, minus the man?"
Rudolph shook his head.
"I'm beginning to wonder if all that chlorine is seeping into your brain." muttered Stevie, pacing back. His eyes involuntarily taking in the curves of her shins. They weren't runway model toned but it had left a lot to be fantasisised about since the last time Rudolph had gotten to run his hands along them.
He tensed when slit eyes snapped back to him. He lowered his head, fearful she'd read his mind. It was crazy but sometimes it was like she would actually climb into his head and find anything to throw at him when she was pissed. Or bored.
"I'm really sorry." He apologised again.
"You know, even Shaun wasn't this dumb. Maybe I'd be better off with him instead."
Rudolph's eyes bulged. "No! I can do better. I, I have a peer pressure problem, Stevie. I just need guidance."
"Are you trying to put baggage on your girlfriend?"
"No! All I'm asking for is your support, stand by me. Your presence makes a big difference to me."
As bad as it had gotten, bailing had always been shut down from Rudolph's choices. Yes, the girl literally frightened him at times but when she wasn't, she was bliss. She'd kiss him however he liked. She had a reputation she knew how to use and truthfully, he owed it to her to be the representative for the school in nationals. He was at the top. Besides, what would people say if he got dumped for the rugby guy?
The lowest budget sports club that would be disbanded next term with almost every member graduating by then.
Rudolph couldn't lose this. He wouldn't.
"Please, Stevie." He implored. "I need you. I..." What was he going to say? He loved her?
Maybe. Thinking about it, he'd never let anything distract him from his top priorities; swimming and the gym. It was like an addiction, he would go into withdrawal if he tried to quit. Clearly this girl had something special. Something she must've felt too. Something he wanted to win.
"Okay, stop it." Stevie snapped. "And quit snivelling. You're grossing me out."
He bit his lip, keeping his arms firmly kept by his sides.
A long sigh left her glossy lips. "I'm giving you one last chance, Rudolph. And if you ever want to get the privilege to touch me like that, it's when I decide so. Is that understood?"
He nodded.
She swept her gaze at his physique again and he didn't move unless it was instructed, her fingers tracing around his torso. "Working on your backstrokes?"
He nodded again.
"Do you have anywhere you need to be?"
"No." He said in a heart beat when he caught the gleam in her murky eyes. He knew 'that' look and it drove him mad.
"Good answer." She stalked to the door and he heard the unmistakable click of the door latch locking.
He was the star, for sure. Shining on his own accord but this girl held some sort of gravitating force he couldn’t resist. He couldn't. He hadn't known what it was then, granted, he was failing in his science classes but if he had, he'd had known the one thing that could snuff a star was a black hole.
And that, she was.
A/N: What are your thoughts on Rudolph?