10

"Catch the ball, you idiot!...Yes, yes run!... Go, you little son of a...!"

I've never seen Iris so competitive for any other events other than this one.

She never gets this hyped up for good test results, if she's in a room full of cute kittens, if Xavier calls her pretty, tickets to her favorite band's concert or even the Valentines dance coming up soon-- but of course, what really gets her going is The Showdown.

She won't even be happier than now when she gets married one day.

Iris really brings the spirit to our university's football team, and just the university in general. She always has faith in our team, but that's also because she's a real sporty.

I found myself smiling, and thinking how this idiot came into my life, as she stands up and screams her lungs out along with the other spectators.

Unlike them, I'm sitting down, leaning forward and resting my chin in my palm. The score is 7-4. We're in the lead, and I can already predict a win from the Phoenix Foxes.

Sighing, I twist my head to the side and my eyes lands on Daniela. She's also sitting down, circled by the other people standing around her. Her eyes are fixated on the game in front of her.

A feeling in my gut washed over me, causing a sick feeling. A feeling that made me disappointed and disgusted with myself from earlier.

The people sat down again after our team got the score. I turned back to an excited face full of adrenaline.

"I should go talk to her." I spoke over the loud cheering, "I should tell her you're not going to Xavier's anymore, so I can just crash at your place again."

She clearly didn't listen to anything I said, she just continued looking how the ball flies to the one side of the field to the other.

"Do whatever you want!" Iris shouts over the people cheering.

I take a deep breath in before standing up. The people sprung up from the bleachers again, making it difficult to see where I was stepping.

The bleachers' seats were high and big after all, it's like huge concrete steps with soft, blue cushion pads to protect your ass from the cold and hard surface.

I slither my way around, apologizing as I bump into somebody.

They made space for me, unconsciously leaning back with their eyes glued to the field.

Quickly, I stand on my toes to spot professor again and to see if I was going in the right correct.

It was difficult seeing pass all these tall people, but I saw her sitting at the same spot, a few steps up from the bottom right. Someone must've left her, because there was an open seat next to her.

Probably another professor.

I stumble down to her, hopping down next to her; and taking a seat on the pad.

"Hey."

Her head turns to me, already raising an eyebrow. "Oh, Victoria."

"About the whole sleeping at your place thing, uh..."

Suddenly, she twists her entire body to me like she gave me all her attention. Both her eyebrows raised this time.

"That reminds me, my sister will be stopping by tomorrow to pick up her dog." She said.

Intrigued, I stare at her. "Dog?"

"Yeah. Luka bought a puppy here in New York. She's flying down to come pick him up, that was the important thing I needed to handle-- why I couldn't get here earlier." She said, "Anyways, what did you want to say?"

I freeze, hesitating.

When it comes to any kind of animal, I'm a sucker. Especially dogs, young puppies or not.

I bite my bottom lip, a hundred thoughts in my mind.

It's a puppy. I need to see it.

"Oh, uh..." I gulp.

Suddenly, everyone jumped up from their seats, almost knocking me down. Loud whistles and cheers caused me to cringe.

Looking around, confused, I notice the scores and my eyes lit up.

I jumped up along with the people, happily screaming and throwing my arms up.

My eyes land on Iris who also looks back at me with an gigantic proud smile on her face.

The Phoenix Foxes went wild: throwing their helmets off and in the air, chest bumping each other, jumping up in the air. For the Crimson Knights, everyone's energy just faded. They all came together in a tiny group, some boxing the air angrily.

Their coach immediately ran onto the field to scold them out, and he truly looked furious. Flames in his eyes as he points a finger at the losing team.

Captain Balker also stepped out on the field towards the winning team, running around with them as they celebrate.

My cheering stopped as everyone else continued clapping and yelling.

With a proud smile, I tilt my head down to professor, still sitting. She was already looking up at me with a tiny smirk forming on her lips.

"We won!" I smile, sitting back down next to her, "Why aren't you jumping up and down?"

"I'm not a kid, Rivera."

My smile fades after processing her words. "I'm... offended." I mumble, "And I'm not a kid."

A loud screech from the mic echoed through the speakers, causing me to snap my head back at the field.

That sound was Elijah snatching the mic out of captain Balker's hands. Captain wanted to shout at him, grab the mic back, before Elijah sprinted towards the bottom of the bleachers, behind the low fence separating us and the field.

He scanned the crowd until his eyes met mine, and he jumped onto the tiny wooden bench.

His voice boomed over the speakers, and my heart skipped a beat as he spoke.

"There's this girl I really like..." He starts, and already, the crowd went wild. My cheeks turn red. "And she knows who she is." He smiles, "I have a really important question to ask her...Victoria Rivera, will you be my Valentine?"

The bleachers erupted with applauses. All eyes turned to me, and I could feel the weight of their gaze.

His teammates were all over him and hyping him up by jumping around him; and pushing and hitting him playfully.

The people around me started chanting, encouraging me to say yes. Before I could say anything, my mouth opened, but no words left. I spot Iris at the corner of my eye, forcing her way down towards me. Professor on the other hand, simply stared me down, her expression unreadable.

I'm not in love with Elijah, but there was no denying that he's good-looking. But he asked me earlier to go on a date with him, so he must really want this.

He's down bad.

What was happening was surreal, I struggled to process it all. And the next thing I knew, one of the football guys jumped over the fence with an extra mic and rushed towards me. He jumped all the rows of the bleachers to get to me. He held it in front of my lips.

It went quiet, everyone staring at me.

I licked my dry lips, my heart pounding fast. "Yes." I stutter, my breathing unsteady.

Not even a second went by, and everyone was making noise again. I could see his teammates yelling and jumping up and down with Elijah. He ran around the field, throwing his hands up in the air then giving the mic back to captain Balker. Iris sprung down, clinging onto me and jumping up and down.

Shocked at my own answer, I look at her.

"Holy shit girl what is going on--" She stopped jumping and furrowed her eyebrows, "Wait, you said yes? Why'd you say yes? I thought..."

"He's good-looking." I shrug.

Iris smiled again before squealing.

I smile back and tilt my head down to professor. She was looking away in the distance, lost in her thoughts.

I sighed.

The Showdown ended with Elijah giving me his number while everyone started leaving campus. Some of the people in our Spanish class congrats him and I like we just got married.

The guy's an ass... sometimes. Yes, he makes snarky comments in class about me, but playful comments. Like, and I quote, 'Of course she's going to get the highest grade, it isn't fair. She doesn't even have to learn-- she speaks the darn language!' or, 'I'm just going to copy her answers off,' and, 'Victoria's such a nerd.'

All of those things he said is true, or it really happened. He really did one time write my answers down, and it got him through the test.

I dig someone that's a bit harsh and playful with me.

Maybe I just need to get to know him first.

Iris walked along side me as we collected our bags behind the bleachers. I've been yapping to her about professor Garcia. How do I back out of this situation I got myself into? I can't go home with her.

It was too late.

The moment I approached professor's car, she was already inside and opened the door for me.

I wanted to speak, tell her that she can actually just drop me off at my home - I'll have to fix things with my dad then- but, she didn't look in a mood to talk. She immediately started the car as I fasten my seatbelt, putting my bags at my feet. Each time I turned my head to her, she would shrug her shoulders loose.

Her eyes were fixated on the quiet ride the entire time.

Is she mad at me?