Pearl Haven Academy

Chapter 10- Tryouts Day

Early morning

THALIA

I wake up with some rustling beside me and I see close to my face a red rose.

But who? Who would leave this here?

Not even a note or anything.

I twirl the red rose stem on my fingers. They even removed the thorns.

But the only friend I know is Nika and I don't think that Chester or Mr. Martin his dad would give me roses. Even Albert is out of the picture.

I get up and place the rose on a vase with some water and I place it on top of my desk.

Then I decide if I should wake Nika or not, but it's still too early.

So I just go to the bathroom to take a shower.

The tryouts is today and I shouldn't think much about the rose. I should just focus on the tryouts.

After finishing my bath, I see Nika staring at the rose on my desk.

"Where did you get this?" She asks me.

"I was wondering the same thing. I thought you were the one who left that rose for me while I slept."

"I would love to give you a rose too of course, but I would have woke you up if I did." She says at me.

Then did someone really sneak up in here? I think to myself. And here I was thinking I should just ignore it with the tryouts in a few hours.

Nika pats my shoulder. "Ah. Let's not think about it too much." She says. "We have a tryouts to prepare for."

"Tryouts? Are you running too?" I ask her.

"Nah. I'm in the cheering team, you know. I figured you want someone to cheer you on." She grabs a towel and smiles at me.

"But you didn't have to go that far," I look at her. "What about your classes? I don't want you to skip it for me."

Nika stares at me dumbfounded. "Haven't you heard? Everyone at this academy is going to watch the tryouts for today. Because everyone is going to vote for who is the best. And all the sports club is having their tryouts on the same day as you."

I knew our academy is exceptional and is focused solely on sports. But really cancelling class for everyone to watch? Now I feel a bit pressured. "Are professionals going to scout people out too?" I ask Nika.

"Maybe but of course they'll just list the names down if they find a favorite. Not like they'll take you in right away if you get chosen. They also want the athletes to finish their studies first."

I heave a sigh. "Thanks," I say. At least that lessens the pressure a little. I still want to finish my studies.

Nika rubs my shoulders to calm me. "You'll be fine. I'll just take a shower and join you after. Wait for me here." She says.

I nod as she heads downstairs and I walk to my closet and open it to find something to wear.

Then I see his red shirt on the bottom of my closet. I haven't washed it yet and I shudder imagining that time back at the garden. I hope nothing bad happens today.

I pick up his red shirt while I'm in my undies and I see that his last name is printed as I turn it upside down. So that is what he meant when he says he owns me.

But I refuse to let him own me. Never.

CHESTER

I stay outside her dorms while I see her in her undies. She looks so hot that I want to open the door and step inside again. But it still is daytime and I don't want her to scream. So I just watch from the window.

She places a shirt down inside her cabinet and I see it is red. That could have been my shirt. So she kept and didn't throw it. I smirk. I could reward her for that too later.

Then she changes into her blue jersey and ties her hair up into a ponytail and she wears matching blue jersey shorts too. It fits her so d*** well. She uses a scrunchie with a sunflower in the middle for her hair and I gape at her white neck and stare at the hair strands sticking out while licking my lips.

I want to tie her hair down too into a ponytail. Maybe someday if she'll let me.

I hear Nika's voice approaching soon they will head out together so I step away from there and head to where the tryouts will be and I head to where my buddies are.

Zade is practicing swinging his baseball bat while Wade talks to him.

I approach them and Wade waves at me while Zach keeps swinging.

"Whoa, careful there," I chuckle as I move his bat away from me.

He stares at me. "Oh, sorry didn't see you back there. You came to cheer me on too?"

I smirk. "You wish. But yeah I sure as hell do. So get out there and give it your best shot."

"Of course." He beams at me.

Then after a while Nika and my little mouse Thalia pass us by.

Wade whistles and stares Thalia down.

"Careful," I whisper. "You don't want to get a hard on now and miss Zach's turn."

"Oh, right, right." Wade turns away his attention from my little mouse. "Sorry."

Zach scoffs. "If he dare to miss, I'll punish him later." He glares at Wade who shivers.

"God, please no. I don't want to suck your d***." He mutters.

Zach keeps his glare. "Who said a thing about sucking? If you get a hard on today you're going to take it behind you like a good little boy."

Wade sighs. "Okay. Okay. If I don't, you owe me cheeseburgers."

"Deal." Zach says and they do a fistbump.

The speaker rings out to say the tryouts are starting and both me and Wade step out but not before cheering Zach on.

Zach waves at us and wears his gear then he keeps swinging the baseball bat.

Wade and I blend in with the crowds and sit beside my dad. He clearly reserved the two seats for us. So I take it.

Dad clears his throat at I and Wade. And Wade greets my dad. "Hello, sir. Fancy seeing you here." He says.

I stay quiet and roll my eyes.

Then the speaker announces that the first to begin is the track and field club.

I quickly scan from my peripheral and lock my gaze on my little mouse.

There she is. In the middle of the track and I watch her as she does some warm ups. Jumping and stretching her voluptous body. Her huge t*** also bounce and I bite back my lip to hide my groan as I sneer at her.

Wade also shifts beside me and I squeeze his thigh reminding him of what we agreed.

He mumbles. "Right, no hard ons. Got it."

Then the racers kneel and my little mouse bends down to tighten her shoelaces. I badly want to do that for her too someday perhaps. Then she fixes her posture to get a headstart.

I stand with my dad and then he suddenly brings out a big a** lensed camera from the paper bag Albert bought with him and points it towards my little mouse. Wow. He even bought that for her. And he didn't even do that for me not even once.

He snaps pictures of my little mouse and calls her by her first name. "Thalia! You got this!"

My little mouse faces us and gives my dad a thumbs up while her face is lighting up. Like my dad is the only one that matters to her and not me. I have to change that. I place my hands inside my pocket as I let my fingers curl into a fist.

Nika also steps in front of the crowd and cheers her on. "T-H-A-L-I-A! You got this, girl!" She yells.

My little mouse turns her face toward Nika and waves at her. She didn't even wave at me. It pisses me off now. I can't really wait to punish her for this little stunt.

THALIA

I gave a thumbs up to Mr. Martin and wave at Nika. I deliberately chose to ignore Chester because nothing good will come from waving at him. I don't want distractions today so I keep my gaze back in front of me as I wait for the whistle.

I breathe in and out and then as soon as I hear the whistle, I jump and rush in for a head start. There are some who are also faster than me so I keep trying to outrun them.

After a few minutes, the whistle rings again and I glance behind me. I guess I'm the first to reach the finish line. So I keep running until I reach the goal.

I beam as I reach it and the others saunter in after me.

Then Mr. Martin approach me and Nika follows next.

"I knew you could do it," Mr. Martin beams at me.

"Yeah, you nailed it, girl." Nika squeezes me in for a hug.

"We don't know yet until they post the results," I say. But I hug her back too despite us both being sweaty.

"Hey, if you don't pass you are still welcome in cheerleading. My offer still stands." She teases jokingly.

"Alright, if that happens I'll leave myself in your hands." I chuckle as we keep hugging.

Mr. Martin calls for Albert to take a picture of us three. Me, Nika and him. He said for memories and keepsakes because my parents would have loved to see me.

I nod and agree and then Albert takes a photo of us in different poses.

Then Mr. Martin says that he has to take a few more pictures and that he'll give us copies when he prints them out. I nod and Nika takes me to the vending machines.

We both buy a bottle of water and drink it up to quench our thirst.

Then she asks me. "Where do you want to go now? Do you want to keep watching the tryouts?"

"What's next?" I say.

"Well, baseball is up next. But that Zach is also there for the tryouts so..." She pauses.

"I'll watch it." I say. If they know my weak points, I have to know each of their weakpoints too.

"Okay, girl." She says and we head back to the crowds.

CHESTER

I rarely smoke but I do when I get so pi**ed about something. My little mouse had the nerve to catch my dad's attention when she would have been only focusing on having my full attention on her. I should change that. The punishment I'm thinking about can't wait any longer. I can't wait for this tryouts to finish. Because I'll let her focus only on me.

But I bide my time. Since me and Wade promised to watch Zach and I don't break my promises.

My dad steps away to get a closer look at the players as they line up and he takes a few photos of Zach just for good measure.

Well, at least he knows who my friends are.