Blindfolded by Love

Chapter 3

The cafeteria smelled like mystery meat, overcooked greens and spoiled mashed potatoes. I carried my tray through the sea of tables, eyes scanning for a neutral zone. One with few or no students there

Unfortunately, there was none at all.

A group of boys “accidentally” bumped into me, sending my pack of apple juice flying across my sweater, staining it badly. The snickers that followed were loud enough to echo through the entirety of the hall. One of them even fake-gasped, “Oops. Did the mistress melt?” The group burst out in laughter as they walked away from me.

I stood there, sticky and stunned for half a second. My peach sweater was badly stained and my lunch was just messed up. So did my mood. I had been ignoring Maxwell for the past three days. All this taunts and bullying. But now I'm fed up.

Then my eyes snapped to the Wolves' hockey team, table front and center, like royalty with a serious case of attitude problem. And in the middle of the loud and messy storm sat Maxwell Davis, casually sipping a drink and pretending I didn’t exist, pretending that he did not send his minions to disturb and harass me.

My hands tightened around my lunch tray as I finally snapped. I was done playing his childish games.

I slammed down my lunch tray on a nearby table, making all the occupants jump up in fright and grabbed the smoothie that was near me. A few seconds later, I was marching right up to their table.

The guys noticed me way too late. She stopped in front of them, then,splat, poured the entire mango smoothie onto the head of the guy who tripped me earlier. It dripped down his hair like justice flavored syrup. And I loved every bit of it.

The table erupted as theel guy stood up shouting.

"What the hell? How dare you."He roared at me but I didn't flinch. Not one bit.

"Karma's a b***h, isn't it duffus. Unfortunately for you, I don't wait for fate, I deal with ass-holes like you myself."

I turned to the Genesis of this entire issue. Maxwell. "Mr Davis, will you be so kind as to call off your dogs? They are causing a nuisance."

Maxwell then looked up, finally acknowledging me. He eyed my very sorry state and I noticed a smirk playing on his lips. Asshole.

"It seems you are too used to being around vermin, maybe that is why you think everyone is like you." His entire team began hollering at his words while I stood stern-faced.

“If you’ve got something to say,” I said, my voice cutting through the noise, “say it to me. Stop sending your pathetic little fan club to do your dirty work."

Maxwell slowly rose to his feet, towering over me.

“I do not do cowardly things, "he said dryly. "That's more up your alley you know."

I scoffed. “Excuse me?”

He shrugged. “You heard me.”

I couldn't help but narrow my eyes. “Oh, so you do speak. I thought you were mute. Or just allergic to direct confrontation.”

Someone choked on his drink and burst out coughing. Another person muttered, “Damn.”

I turned on my heel, still sticky but extremely satisfied, and left them speechless in my wake.

---

PE was a complete blur. I was too focused on trying not to die during laps to notice anyone until, bam, I collided with two girls near the benches.

“Whoa, slow down there, assassin,” said one with red locks, bold lip combo and sharp eyeliner.

The other girl, with blonde hair and green eyes, laughed. “You’re the new girl, right? The supposed Mistress baby?”

I sighed, wiping the bucket of sweat from my face. “ I’d prefer Regina if you don't mind. "

“I’m Jade,” said the first one. “This is Rhea. Don’t mind the others . They’re allergic to change and prefer to follow what others say, like mindless zombies.”

Rhea grinned. “Come with us after this. We mainly hang at the hockey rink. It’s drama-free… mostly. And I think you will be intrigued.”

I looked at their excited faces and agreed, causing them both to squeal loudly, attracting the attention of the entire class.

---

The rink was buzzing with practice when we got there. I lingered near the glass, slightly mesmerized by the holy sight of the game I adored.

Skates sliced across ice, passes flew, bodies collided. The puck kept on gliding in the air. Her fingers itched.

Instinctively, I started commenting to myself, low enough so that no one would overhear. But I wasn't as quiet as I thought I was.

“They should’ve passed back why they did the opposite. The left wing is too exposed, so there is no coverage at the corner. Damn, he’s not watching his six. He is going to get confused. That’s a weak formation like what In the world are they doing?”

Jade turned to me with a stunned expression. “Whoa. You actually know this stuff. That's super cool"

“I… study,” I mumbled and weakly shrugged.

Behind me, a voice came, “Apparently just like your mother. Charles wasn't lying when he said you two were hockey geniuses."

I turned around to see the head hockey Coach Swell. He was watching with a kind look on his tired face.

“And yet,” he continued, “your mom’s been giving advice for weeks." No one listens.”

I frowned at that. “What?”

Jade whispered, “Yeah, it’s weird. The second she speaks, everyone tunes her out. I heard it's because of Maxwell. No one respects her as the assistant hockey coach."

I stared back at the ice, with something cold blooming in my chest. And just like that, the rink wasn’t drama-free anymore. It was filled with a bunch of idiots who didn't know who was trying to coach them. The day they find out, I would love to see their bewildered expressions and make them eat their words.