A/N: Hello, hello! Welcome to this new fic of mine. It's a stand-alone prequel, so you don't have to worry about reading its sister fic. But, if do want to, the fic is called "When Red Meets Violet" Fair warning, things do get intense at the end.
For those of you coming from When Red Meets Violet, I hope you support this fic too. It would mean the absolute world to me, as I want to engage with people.
Welcome to my collaborative creation, otherwise known as the "Color Verse" where each story title is based off the character's eye colors. So creative. Much wow. (there's only two thus far including this story, but I'm planning two others in the future)
Anywho, to get some early trigger warnings out of the way, as it would greatly upset me if I hurt someone, there will be mentions of eating disorders and their habits, as well as mentions of depression.
Other than that, happy reading, and have a great day/ night :D
Fair warning, I won't update this for a bit, as there's two other fics (including WRMV) I'd like to get done by mid July! Then, if this story is doing well, you can expect much faster updates :)
-Ella
Romano's POV:
I was having a nice fucking dream. Said dream came to a halt when I realized that I had slept right through my alarm, or rather, alarms. Ugh, you bastards better not be judging me. I was Italian, all right? We sleep through everything unless food, sex, or football is involved – that's European soccer by the way. Not that atrocious testosterone-filled fuck fest where brutes tackle each other into submission.
I groaned, slapping my forehead in anger. I had to wake up Felicia, – my little sister – otherwise she was going to miss her 'soccer' tryouts. That girl was an even deeper sleeper than I was, and that's saying something. I bet you anything the airhead was dreaming about pasta.
I sat up in my bed, which was really just the living room couch. Despite only wearing a pair of boxers, I was all sticky and sweaty due to the humid July weather outside. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford an air conditioner. Or much of anything for that matter.
The past two months have been rough for Felicia and myself. Our Nonno had passed away from a heart attack in May. I told the old fucker that he should have laid off the carbs and sweets, but no, of course not, he just had to go and clog up his arteries. Nonno's death had hit us like a freight train; we hadn't been expecting it, and now we were on our own.
Felicia had always been Nonno's favourite, but I took his death just as hard as she did. The only problem was that I never showed it. Someone had to be strong through all of this, and that person just so happened to be me.
Perhaps, I should do a bit of backtracking to get you bastards all caught up with the shithole that is my life. As you can see, my thoughts are all over the place. Give me a fucking break, I just woke up.
Anyways, Felicia and I have lived with our Nonno ever since we were three and five respectively. My babbo died of lung cancer, and my mamma passed away soon afterwards from the grief. Spare me from your sobbing, for fuck's sakes. I don't need your pity.
We both had an admittedly healthy childhood. Nonno loved children and had always been a good role model to look up to. Sure, our family shouted like crazy, we didn't have much money, and we had pasta just about every night – because Felicia was a diva and always got her way, ahem – but we were always there for each other. And that's all that really mattered in the grand sight of things.
Nonno was a history teacher at a high school before he had retired. When Felicia and I became orphans, he had sacrificed everything for us. He used up his entire life savings to enroll us in extra curricular activities. We were always busy with something. Now I understand that he was trying to distract us from our parents' death.
For twelve years, Nonno worked several jobs, exhausting himself just to put food on our table. With an appetite like Felicia's, you would think that there were ten children to feed rather than two. The world's a sadistic place, and no school wanted to hire a 60+ year old teacher. Nonno had abandoned everything for us; his dignity; his pride; his money; everything.
I both loved and fucking hated that man. He was a saint, albeit an annoying one who loved to tease me at every given opportunity. I grew up with the guilt of knowing that I was a burden to him. I despised relying on other people, especially when they went out of their way for me. Nonno deserved better. I would never tell Felicia this, but I'm almost certain that he had worked himself to death. A man that age isn't supposed to be on his feet all day. The stubborn old fart, however, refused me when I had offered to get a job to help pay the bills.
Now that I was working at a pizza place seven days a week, I knew that Nonno would be rolling in his grave. I had always felt responsible for Felicia. We were even shorter on money, since I had used the last of Nonno's savings to give him a proper funeral. I don't regret a single thing. Yes, I was furious at him for something he couldn't have prevented, but I was just as stubborn as he was. He had entered this world in flamboyance, being the charismatic Italian that he was, and he had left this world in elegance. That was my final thank you to him. By giving him a dignified goodbye, I had restored the pride that he had long given up for his nipoti.
I didn't do Nonno any justice. In fact, I was a pretty miserable legacy. All I had going for me was a hard work ethic, one that I never applied in school. My time and devotion always went towards Felicia, my only family left. Don't tell her this, but I was thinking of getting a second job as a paper boy. I wanted to enroll her in a few art classes. She was amazing at what she did, and it would be a shame if she never got to develop her talents because of a lack of money.
Felicia was just like Nonno: bright-minded, a bit ditsy at times, kind, passionate, and creative. Whereas I was just bitter and angry all the time. Although, these past two months, I've rarely seen Felicia smile. Nonno's death had destroyed her; they had been so in tune with each other. They shared everything together: their hobbies, which included painting, and their personalities.
She had stopped painting after he died. I was really beginning to worry about her. That's why I worked my ass off so she could afford to tryout for the school's football team. I'm not calling it soccer, damn it. You North Americans can all go fuck yourselves with your surplus of obesity rates and ignorance levels.
So, you guys can probably all guess that I'm the overprotective brother type. Big fucking surprise, I care about my sister, and secretly hate myself because I'm a selfish prick. Blah, blah, blah, we get it already. I coped with Nonno's death by caring for my sister. Looking after her well-being had become my extra-curricular activity, my distraction.
I wouldn't stop until she had finally cheered up. It didn't feel right to have her acting so gloomy all the time. It only reminded me about how much I had failed her and Nonno. I'm telling you, I'm not a good person. I yell and snap at people all the time. My angry fits of 'passion', as Nonno liked to call them, couldn't have been good for his blood pressure. Yup, I definitely played a role in killing him. Might as well arrest me for being an asshole. I would plead guilty to the charges in a heartbeat. Oh, for the love of fuck!
Classy, Romano. Real classy for a piece of shit like yourself.
I got up from the living room couch, stretching and cussing under my breath. Working every day really took its toll on you. That's right, Nonno. Fuck you. Fuck you for lying and saying that work was good for you. It's not. Oh, don't give me that look, you selfless piece of sacred shit. If it was so good for you, you would still be here.
I scowled, looking up at the picture of Nonno resting on top of the fire-place's mantle. He was like an older version of me with tanned olive skin, dark auburn hair and amber eyes, save for the stubble, old age, and attractiveness. He even had that same odd curl that stuck out from the rest of his big fat head.
"Stop smiling at me like you're proud or something," I whispered. "Felicia was your favourite, remember? And leave me the hell alone already!"
Nonno's smile didn't waver. I don't know why it would, considering it's a fucking picture.
"Fuck!" I rubbed at my eyes. They were getting all watery again for some idiotic reason.
I trudged over to Feli's bedroom, refusing to look at the room I used to share with Nonno. That room was dead to me. I didn't want to sleep in there, let alone enter it unless I absolutely had to. The room-that-shall-not-be-named would only be used for storage.
"Felicia," I called out. "Wake the fuck up! We're late!"
I heard soft groaning on the other end of the door, which prompted me to bang my fists against the wooden frame. "Felicia, get up!" I barked in my so-called 'adult' voice. "Don't make me come in there."
"Five more minutes," Felicia whined, yawning sleepily. I heard the creak of her mattress, followed by a contented sigh.
"Oh, hell no!" I furrowed my brows, wrenching open her bedroom door.
I stormed into Felicia's room, scoffing when I spotted her drowning in a pile of pink covers and stuffed animals. Dio, I spoiled this girl way too much. Her bedroom walls were covered with different murals that she had painted, ranging from pink pasta streaks, to rainbows, to unicorns, and all that other girly shit I won't even bother to mention.
All that was visible of Felicia was her head, her messy copper curls sprawled out on her pillow as she attempted to nuzzle her way back to dreamland.
I crossed my arms and loomed over her. "Felicia," I scolded.
Felicia crinkled her nose, pretending to ignore me.
"Felicia," I repeated. "You have a football tryout in one hour. Do you really want to be that freshman who makes a bad impression? The seniors are merciless. You'll become their dog if you don't get off to a good start."
It was the summer before Felicia entered her first year of high school. I was going into my junior year, so I knew how brutal sports teams could be towards their younger members. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience here. Although, I have no idea why they would be hosting tryouts this early. The season didn't start until September. It was currently July. Fucking overachievers, I couldn't stand them.
"What's so bad about being a dog?" Felicia pouted, mumbling into her pillow. "Dogs are cute. They'll love me."
"Being cocky now, are we?" I smirked. "One day your cuteness powers won't work on someone. What will you do then?"
"I'll win them over with pasta."
Touché.
This battle for consciousness wasn't done just yet.
"That's it!" I sat beside Felicia, reaching over to shake her shoulders back and forth. "Get up, you bum! You won't make the team with that lazy attitude!"
Sue me. I was overcompensating for Felicia's lack of enthusiasm lately.
Felicia pensively opened her eyes, revealing tired brown orbs. Her skin was paler than usual, despite already having a lighter complexion than me in the first place. She probably didn't get much sleep last night. "Come cuddle with me. You're being too loud and grumpy, fratello. Let me love you."
My eyes bugged out when Felicia pulled me down, wrapping her arms around my neck. Fuck, she was strong. I had a face full of her pink nightgown. "F-Feli!" I choked. "You won't get any breakfast if you choke me to death."
That comment woke Felicia up. Anything that involved food always caught her attention. I swear, if she didn't have such a good metabolism, she'd weigh 400 pounds.
While I gasped for breath, Felicia sat up, choosing instead to hug my bare torso. "Thank you," she murmured.
"For what?" I asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"For being you," Felicia gave me a wry smile. "Ve, I really do appreciate everything you do for me."
Satisfied that Felicia's verbal tick was back, – as that meant she was fully awake – I kissed her forehead and stood up from her bed. "You don't need to thank me. We're familia. You know I'll do anything for you."
Felicia yawned, stretching her thin arms behind her head. "Si, but what about you? What do you do for yourself? You're always working, Roma. You deserve to enjoy yourself too. That's why I can also get a job! It can't be too difficult, I can just-"
I held out my hand. "Nope! None of that nonsense! I already told you that only one person needs to be working in this family! Now, go get ready. I hung up your jersey on the balcony, there's frozen water in the freezer, and a container of fresh orange slices in the fridge. Chop, chop!"
Felicia whined in protest, but I wasn't having any of it. She was too young to worry about money. Only I could be concerned with such things. Who cares if I was exhausted? Felicia would always be my top priority. She deserved to live her life without any stress. She was talented, and I knew that if I pushed her hard enough, she would do very well in life. I can already see her being an artist…
Si, working those extra hours at the pizza place would be worth it in the end. If Felicia came out on top, then so would I.
I got dressed in a simple red t-shirt and a pair of denim jeans. I was then off to make breakfast. As I set myself in the kitchen, preparing two omelettes for the both of us, I felt the nasty tendrils of fatigue begin to set in. That's what I get for working overtime four nights in a row. I've often considered dropping out of school to make things easier for myself, but I knew Felicia wouldn't take that very well.
Every time I even hinted at the possibility, she threatened to get a job behind my back. Felicia wouldn't be getting a job, period. Not if I could help it. I wanted her to enjoy life. Besides, back when Nonno was alive, I did shit all. I was a lazy, entitled free-loader who couldn't even be bothered to make his bed. I had made a complete 180 these past couple of months. Now, I was pulling all the weight in this familia.
Oh great. I could feel Nonno's picture burning holes into my soul again. Christ! Doesn't that man have a life!?...
I'm not going to bother answering that tasteless, albeit completely unintentional joke. I think it's already been established that I'm an asshole.
While I plated the omelettes, Felicia flitted back and forth across our dingy apartment in a hurry, panic written on her face. All I saw was a flash of copper curls.
"Feli," I rolled my eyes. "What are you looking for now?"
Felicia poked her head out from underneath the pull-out bed in the living room. "My shin pads!" she squeaked.
"They're hanging on the vent by the bathroom," I responded, setting our plates on the kitchen table. "Get over here and eat. You're going to get a cramp if you don't get the proper nutrition in you."
Felicia scrambled to pull on her jersey, a cheap blue Italian knock off I had grudgingly purchased from Walmart. With a huff, she sat in the seat I had pulled up for her.
"Brush," I ordered.
Felicia handed me a hairbrush. While I combed through her waist-length curls, she scarfed down her breakfast, acting as if she hadn't eaten anything in days. I began to weave her hair in a tight braid, causing her to wince every now and then.
"So," I hummed. "Are you excited for tryouts?"
It was a weak attempt at conversation, but honestly anything from Felicia these days was God's given gift. Before she spoke too much, now she hardly spoke at all. She was a quiet shell of the joyful, adorable, and more importantly, happy girl that she used to be.
Felicia took a sip of orange juice. "Si!" she trilled, causing me to smile. "Although, I'm a bit nervous about being the youngest one there, ve. Not many freshmen are brave enough to tryout. What if I don't make it? I'm always told that I'm too small, but strikers are supposed to be small! I can get past the defensemen much easier because I'm small. And I'm fast! And my footwork is good!"
I blinked back tears. Finally. Finally, Felicia was excited about something. We had always shared a love for football together. Breaking my back so she could play the sport just became that much more worth it.
I swallowed heavily. "Hair elastic," I grunted.
Felicia handed me a hair elastic.
I worked on tying the ends of her braid. "You shouldn't be nervous, Feli. We both know that you should be playing in a competitive league. High school soccer is beneath your skill, and you fucking know that. If I don't hear that you kicked ass today, I'll be super surprised. Remember everything that I taught you, and you'll be fine, promise. And if any of those older girls give you a rough time, you can sure as hell expect me to give them a piece of my damn mind. Now, who are you?!"
"A Vargas," Felicia answered meekly.
"And what do Vargases never do?" I asked.
"Give up."
"You best believe it!" I huffed. "All right. Pep talk over. We really need to get going."
I scarfed down my own omelette while Felicia did the dishes. Unfortunately, I didn't win that argument. Apparently, I 'babied her' and that she was a 'big girl.' Che, as if.
I grabbed my backpack, checking for my wallet, keys, and phone. Felicia was bent over in the front room, failing miserably to tie the laces of her bright red cleats.
"Here," I sighed, crouching next to her. "Let me do them."
Felicia blushed and looked away, too shy to refuse. She was just that adorable and helpless. Honestly, I didn't mind helping her, damn it. She was just as stubborn as me…and Nonno.
"There," I stood up, brushing off the dust from my jeans. "Checklist time."
I grinned at Felicia's horrified expression. She whined for good measure.
"Cleats? Shinpads? Socks?" I paused, bending over again to turn both of her socks the right way.
"Open your bag."
"But Romano-!"
"Open it. And no, pouting isn't going to make this process go any faster. Maybe if you weren't so forgetful, I wouldn't have to 'baby' you all the time."
"Spare socks? Water bottle? Extra hair ties? Sports wrap? Ice pack? Orange slices? Extra sweater? Change of clothes? Granola bars? Sunscreen?"
I was flitting around Felicia like a mother hen. How fucking lame and pathetic was that?
Felicia sighed, sarcastically saluting me with a dry "si" upon every necessity I listed. Most people at school thought that she was an angel. In reality, she was a watered-down version of myself; one that smiled more, ate more, and was more likeable. She could be very rude if she wanted to be, she just didn't show off this side of herself to people very often. After all, she was a Vargas; we were all made with an extra bit of spice. No, it's not racist and stereotypical if I say that, fuck you.
Dio, I missed playing football. I used to play in a competitive league before our lives went to shit. The nostalgia was so painful that it was almost numbing.
I tried my best to repress these memories. I'd deal with them later before I went to sleep. Because that's just how fucking brilliant of a problem solver I was.
"Oh!" I slapped my forehead. "You have your key, right? I won't be home until ten or so. There's leftover pasta in the fridge. When I get back, we can probably watch a movie or something. Would you like that?"
Felicia smiled, a small one, but it was still a smile nonetheless. She pulled out her key from underneath her jersey. I had forced her to wear it as a necklace, as she was often very careless and forgetful. "Si, I would like that. But I would like it a lot more if you stayed to watch my tryout."
I felt my face flush as I tried to ignore those wide puppy dog eyes of hers.
It wasn't long before I relented. Felicia was my one weakness in life. Never mind, tomatoes were also a weakness of mine. I was always a slut for a good tomato. Wait, what was I talking about again? Oh, si, si! Felicia was begging me to watch her tryout.
"I guess I could call that pita bastard, and tell him I'll be coming in a bit later than usual. It's not like the restaurant will be busy now anyway," I grumbled, biting my lip.
Damn, I could have really used those extra hours. Then again, I could never say no to Felicia.
Why?
Because her face just lit up like a fucking Christmas tree when I said that. "Really?!" she squealed. "Oh Roma, that makes me so happy, ve! I'll play extra hard, just for you!"
I bit the inside of my cheek. Fuck, she looked just like Nonno; that same unrelenting grin that spread across both corners of her rosy face. It was a smile that could cure cancer and bring peace to the world. Felicia was too precious to disappoint. For the first time in weeks, she was glowing.
I blinked back tears. Her happiness was both blinding and relieving. Fuck, she really got me good, huh?
"You better," I choked, my voice cracking. "I'll disown you if you score less than five goals today."
Felicia jumped up and down in excitement. She was a tiny little thing filled with glee and it made my heart swell. "I'll score seven, ve! I always play better when you're there to watch me! You're my good luck charm~!"
"Ha!" I chuckled weakly. "If you truly feel that way, then I'll have to come to all of your games then. Pft! Stop pretending to be modest, we both know that you'll be making this team."
"If you say so, ve," Felicia said shyly.
I made a quick mental note to myself: cheer Feli on until her ears bleed out. Well, either that or until she gets embarrassed.
I checked my watch. "Shit! The bus comes in five minutes! Out! Out! Out!"
I moved to shove Felicia out the door, but paused for a moment, choosing instead to pull her into a thoughtless hug. I did it on instinct, holding her close to me like this. I didn't know what had come over me.
Felicia looked up at me. "Roma, why are your eyes red?"
"Just allergies," I blinked harshly. "You know how I am in the mornings! Oi, out you go!"
Felicia gave me a curious look; she was oblivious to most things, but not when it came to how I was feeling. I didn't give her a chance to inquire further.
Felicia stumbled out of the apartment, as I had shoved her forward.
"Go downstairs, and tell that asshole driver to wait for me if he's already there! Run, Feli! Run!" I barked.
Felicia saluted me, this time out of respect, before determinately running off towards the stairwell. The girl could run like you wouldn't fucking believe.
I spared one last look at Nonno's picture, narrowing my eyes at him in a scowl.
"I hope you're happy, you old bastard. I'm becoming you."
…
Isabel's POV:
I was sort of, kind of, grumpy. Okay, I was grumpy. But, to be fair, I woke up at 6AM today. Why? Well, because I'm the boss of course! Basically, I was hosting tryouts for the girl's soccer team. The season didn't start until September, and yes it was July, but our team was the best in the city last year. Lots of our upperclassmen graduated, so much so, that I was given the title of captain when I was only a junior myself. I had a legacy to uphold!
Now, I was doodling in my clipboard, attempting to look serious and contemplative. I was surprised and pleased by the turnout today. There were several freshmen from last year – now sophomores - and even one freshman was brave enough to tryout. Felicia was really cute! Hopefully, she had skills to makeup for her small size. The older girls would surely take advantage of this and push her around. Heck, I was pretty small myself; that's why I played goalie most of the time!
I fastened the red headband in my hair, keeping my curls – which had a mind of their own – out of my face. I walked up and down the painted-white sideline, inspecting the new recruits as they jogged up and down the pitch. The air was muggy and humid outside, suffocating even. I could already feel a thin layer of sweat begin to bead on my forehead. Thankfully, there was an early morning wind to cool things off.
Red and yellow cleats trudged against the dew-covered ground, my long ponytail bouncing with a sense of importance. I smirked as I watched our team's infamous groupie bellow into her megaphone, chasing - more like sprinting - after the jogging, red-faced recruits.
"Hop to it, bitches! Kesesese! No pain, no gain! I could outrun you sluts any day of the week! Also, I AM AWESOME!"
Gillian cackled, her long white ponytail dragging several inches behind her. I'm almost sure that a sophomore got bitch-slapped by Gillian's hair, that's just how long it was. Poor chica…
Gillian was one of my best-friends out of a trio. She was an oddball, if her crimson red eyes and milk-white skin didn't already make this obvious, but I loved her very dearly. She was a precious goofball whom I often got into trouble with, eheh.
The other member of our trio, Marianne, wouldn't be caught dead waking up this early, let alone dare to venture out into this humid jungle. The French's hair was her most important asset, after all. She was the sane person of our group, acting like a mother to Gillian and myself. The three of us just worked together somehow, between our constant bickering, cackling, and boy-watching. You'll get to meet Marianne later though! For now, let's just focus on the tryout!
The only reason Gillian was here was because her younger brother, Lud, a freshman, had volunteered to help manage the team for me. Hence – Look at me! Using fancy terms like that! – the reason she was here. Gillian didn't have any interest in playing for the team; that would be no fun for her. She liked bossing people around, as she considered herself to be a 'Queen.' Believe me, her egotism is actually endearing once you get to know her. She has a really big heart, and always looks out for those close to her! Besides, I was the boss, not her.
"Tori! Quit wheezing! You sound like you smoke 3 packs a day!" Gillian exclaimed, again into her megaphone. Dios mio, her voice was already scratchy as is. Whose idea was it to give her a megaphone?
Too bad Lud was inside the school, filling up the team's water bottle stock. Lud was the only person who could keep Gillian in line. Usually this entailed him putting her in a headlock, but hey you don't see me complaining! Lud sure was big for a freshman; he was taller and buffer than most seniors.
I thought their sibling relationship was cute. My hermano was too old for me to have such a close relationship with him. You couldn't bond over taxes and paperwork, could you? Ay! I'm getting off track. Lo siento, I do that a lot. Marianne tells me all the time that my brain is like a croissant: full of air (I don't understand this one), butter (because I'm clingy, apparently), and sugar (because I'm sweet~!).
Speaking of which, I should probably get moving. I still had the muffin I had for breakfast to burn off.
I blew my whistle when I saw Lud come back with the water bottle basket in stow. The recruits pooled around me, with Gillian slapping the butts of the stragglers. "Bring it in, girls!" I called out, in my assertive 'boss' voice of course, eheh.
Lud rolled his eyes before picking up Gillian by the armpits and depositing her in a place where no one else was standing. "I told you that French girl was a bad influence on you," he muttered, while Gillian stuck out her tongue at him.
At first glance, you wouldn't think that Gillian and Lud were siblings. Lud looked like the stereotypical German; blond hair, sharp blue eyes, a stoic facial expression, and 'scary' muscles. Meanwhile, Gillian was scrawny, short, and awkwardly built. She was still very pretty though, don't get me wrong…
"I hope you choke on a baguette and die," Gillian smirked, draping a bony elbow over Lud's shoulder. "Besides, someone has to keep these whores in line."
I cleared my throat, ending their squabble. "Hello, everyone~!" I beamed, smiling and making sure to establish eye contact with the new recruits. First impressions were always important!
"For those of you who don't know, my name is Isabel, and I'll be your captain for the upcoming season. So far, it looks like you girls could work on your stamina. But no worries, we'll make sure to fix that over the course of this summer. First things first, we're looking to replace our striker and midfielder positions – I play goalie if you couldn't already tell by my bright yellow jersey, eheh.
"Anyways, we're in need of players who can run for a long time without getting tired. That's why I'll be hosting weekly fitness days along with our regular practices. Tryouts will run for two weeks before I post those who have made the team online. Any questions?"
Gillian made a smug comment, but other than that, there were no questions.
"All right!" I eagerly tapped my clipboard. "I'll be taking attendance now. When I call your name, please say "here" and what position you'd like to play! I'll start with the first years."
"Felicia?" I called out.
"Here," Felicia meekly called out, her voice weak. She was practically swallowed up in the crowd, going unnoticed by most. That is until Lud set his eyes on her. For some reason, his cheeks became pink. I wonder if he was suffering from heat stroke? Really though? This early in the morning? I know white people tan easily, but seriously!
"And what would you like to play?" I asked her sweetly. "I'd also like to say congrats for being the only freshman brave enough to try out. That takes a lot of guts, kid."
"S-striker!" Felicia stammered. "I'd like to play striker if you don't mind! And, uh, gracie, ve…"
Gillian bent over to whisper something in Lud's ear. "You sly introverted dog, you," she snickered. "You think that chick's cute, don't you?"
Lud swallowed heavily, his ears reddening as well. "Nein, she just surprised me. I didn't even notice her."
Felicia really was a tiny little thing.
Several of the older girls' eyes widened.
Feliksa, otherwise known as the fabulous 'Kiki' scoffed indignantly. She was one of the two seniors on the team. "Like, really? I swear, they get smaller and smaller every year!"
Kiki loved attention, which was probably why she played center-mid.
Tori, the other senior on the team, placed a hand on Kiki's shoulder, shaking her head in scolding. "Kiki, you're not that much bigger than her. Give the poor girl a chance."
Tori liked staying away from the action. She was a reliable, cool-headed defenseman who had a knack for making the right moves and assessing the gameplay well.
I smiled at Tori, whose chartreuse eyes reflected my kindness with a weak smile. "Gracias, Tori. I'll remind you all that we don't tolerate putdowns of any sort! If we're to be a team, we better start acting like it!"
"Pft, whatever!" Kiki huffed, flipping her shoulder-length blonde hair out of her face.
I ignored this outburst and continued to call out the names of the returning sophomores.
"Mei?"
"Here! Left winger!"
"Michelle?"
"Here! Right winger!" Michelle giggled, sparing Mei a playful look. Those two had been waiting to fill those positions for almost a year now. I couldn't blame them for being so excited.
"Rachel?"
"R-right d-efenseman!" Rachel stammered. The girl lacked confidence in her abilities. She was good, but it looked like she would be sitting on the bench for most of the season; again.
Once I finished calling out names, I tossed my clipboard off to the side. Lud winced; he didn't care for my carelessness, eheh.
I clapped both hands together, garnering everyone's attention again. They were all chatting excitedly, save for Felicia who didn't know anyone. "For our first drill, I want you guys to pair up with someone. We'll be practicing headers, chest control, and one-touch passing."
The girls paired up. Even Gillian, who technically wasn't trying out, was nice enough to be Rachel's partner. Edel, Rachel's usual partner, unfortunately couldn't make it here today.
This left only Felicia without a partner. I would have paired up with her, but I needed to assess the skills of those trying out.
Completely surprising everyone, Lud cleared his throat. "Felicia, is it?" he blurted out awkwardly.
Felicia nervously played with the tip of her braid. "Si! And you are…?"
"Lud," Lud answered, his lips curling into the faintest of smiles. "Since you're lacking a partner, I would be more than willing to help fill that place."
Que?! Lud smiling! Was the world ending? I looked up at the sky, just in case. Nope, the world was still intact. But what a sight! Gillian's jaw nearly dropped to the ground. Seriously, she should really close her mouth; there were a ton of mosquitos outside. She could get malaria if she wasn't careful.
Felicia's eyebrows raised when Lud shook hands with her. It wasn't long before she was giving him a toothy smile, her sweet brown eyes sparking with life. She had a friend now and had even given him an adorable nickname. Aw, how cute~!
"Nice to meet you, Luddy!" Felicia exclaimed, grabbing Lud's wrist. "Thank you for being so kind by the way, ve! I was really nervous to be here, but you just made me so happy!"
Lud stumbled forward, surprised by the strength of Felicia's grip as she towed him towards an empty space for them to practice the drill. "N-No problem. I'm just doing my job…"
"Ahaha! Why is your face so red?" Felicia asked. "My fratello's face always turns red when he's embarrassed? Are you embarrassed? Oh, that's my fratello right there, if you were wondering!"
I perked my ears, satisfied that Felicia was becoming comfortable in the team atmosphere. Who knew that she was such a chatty person? She had been so quiet before!
Felicia pointed towards an auburn-haired boy sitting off by the bleachers. "Wasn't it nice of him to come here and watch me?" she asked.
"J-ja, very nice," Lud somehow managed to stumble out in between blushing and sweating profusely. Gillian knew her brother better than anyone; she had called his infatuation with Felicia from the start. How odd, though. I don't think I've ever seen him be this tongue-tied before. He was a know-it-all who always had something to say, or rather criticize about Gillian. It was a nice change of pace.
I smirked, leaving the two 'lovebirds' to do their drills. It was funny watching Lud be dragged around by a girl so small in size.
I let my attention drift over to the boy sitting on the bleachers. Even from here, I could tell that he was good-looking. He was thin, more like lean, and had a very dignified aura about him. Despite only wearing a simple red t-shirt and a pair of jeans, he looked mysterious. He was pretty; he had smooth olive skin and a funny pout on his face. In fact, he didn't look very pleased to see Felicia practicing with Lud, a boy. Ah, so he was one of those overprotective brother types! I should probably do something to reassure him.
Without thinking, I waved at the boy when he looked up to meet my gaze. I don't think he saw me because his head snapped down and he immediately began scrolling through his phone. Surely, he couldn't be that rude if he was sweet little Felicia's older brother?
Oh well.
I went back to observing the ongoing drill.
Felicia was surprisingly good. No, she was amazing. She had great footwork and control over the ball. I'm not just saying this because I think she's cute, but she was better than most of the older girls, and I'd only seen her practice for five minutes.
Oh…
Thump-Thump! Thump-Thump!
Felicia was really, really, cute. I swallowed heavily, closing my eyes. I felt my face heat in embarrassment. As a bisexual, it was hard to keep these feelings at bay. Not that I was against who I was. It's just, I had a very bad experience in middle school that's made me afraid to show this side of myself to others. My family knew about it, and were more than supportive. They were actually fantastic! Gillian and Marianne were also amazing.
But as for the rejection I experienced? Not so amazing. My middle school boyfriend, Rodereich, treated me horribly when I had admitted my real sexuality to him. I really thought that he had loved me. He had been wonderful at first; charming, smart, nice. You know, he was an overall pleasant person to be around, even if he didn't speak all that much. That is until he opened his mouth and said something I could never forget, no matter how much I tried:
"Bisexuality isn't real. You're just greedy. Am I not enough for you?"
As you can probably guess, I was heartbroken. Rodereich had been my everything. I told him about my sexuality because I trusted him; I wanted him to know every detail about me. I expected him to appreciate my honesty. I thought that this admission would bring us closer. All it did was tear us apart, and for no good reason too. He had fooled me into thinking he was the right person for me. He would never be enough for me. Even if he, um, was the one to break up with me for my sexuality… Si, that hurt me a lot.
Although, something good did come out of our breakup. I became friends with Gillian shortly after being dumped. She had briefly gone to elementary school with Rodereich, and knew him for who he truly was: a terrible, awful, and narrow-minded person. Apparently, he had an old grudge against her. Back when we dated, he never had anything nice to say about her – that's why I had initially avoided speaking to her.
Anyway, I was already friends with Marianne at the time, so Gillian was the perfect addition! The three of us soon became inseparable; it's almost been three years since we've all become friends! They've helped me through a lot, although, I can't help but feel nervous when I get these flutters of desire in my stomach.
Oh well. (Si, I say this a lot. I'm normally a very happy person! Trust me!)
It looked like Lud was interested in Felicia. I didn't want to intrude, especially on something as rare as that. Perhaps I'll try flirting with her older brother after the tryout is over. He really was quite handsome, now that I think of it. I wanted to see him up-close for myself. I don't think I've ever seen a guy resist my sexy Spanish charm!
He was, after all, our first fan of the season!
And a fan was exactly what Felicia's older brother turned out to be when I decided to wrap up the tryout with a good old game of World Cup. The game is pretty simple. Basically, you pair up with a person and declare yourselves to be a certain country. Every pair needs to score a goal to make it to the next round. When you score, you have to say your country's name out loud, otherwise the goal doesn't count. These sudden death rounds go on until there's only two teams left; the first team to score out of the final two wins!
Here's an example: Say I'm not playing as the goalie. I'll play as Spain. I shoot the ball at the net, and it looks like it's going in. I have to shout "Spain!" for the goal to be properly counted. Then my partner and I would leave the field and wait until the next round.
Simple, right?
It's a muy fun game, if you're ever bored! It makes time pass by really quickly!
Gillian and Rachel declared themselves as Prussia, as expected of the former. I was surprised yet again when Lud let Felicia pick their country; she picked Italy. Usually Lud played as Germany, his home nation, but it was nice to see him act like such a gentleman!
Tori and Kiki were playing as Poland; Michelle and Mei were playing as Taiwan, and so on and so forth. There were too many countries and players for me to keep track of.
I put on my keeper gloves, picking up the dirt-matted soccer ball once I was ready. From the corner of my eye, I saw Felicia's older brother put down his phone. Wanting to impress him, I smirked and took a few steps back.
I booted the ball so far down the field that it was a mere speck in the air. I looked over to Felicia's brother, only to find myself disappointed again. I mean, I really shouldn't be. He was watching Felicia scramble way ahead of everyone else for the ball, just like a good older brother should. Dios mio! That girl could run! She was a true Italian, all right!
When Felicia got control over the ball, she paused, waiting for everyone to catch up to her. When Kiki dove in to steal the ball from her, Felicia swerved to the right, dancing out of the way of the Pole with quick, fancy footwork. Felicia proceeded to effortlessly deek through everyone, sprinting down the field with no one but Lud running after her.
"Like, what just happened?!"
"Go for it, Felicia!" Lud called, running parallel to her on the opposite side of the field. "The shot's wide open!"
I was astounded that Felicia was able to keep up with Lud. What's more, Lud looked impressed! I knew it! It was love at first sight~! They made such a good team!
Felicia's brother stood up on the bleachers, cupping two thin hands over his mouth. "That's it, Feli!" he cheered. "You're kicking ass!"
I blushed slightly. He had a really attractive voice; thick, smooth, and slightly accented. It was sweet how supportive of his sister he was.
All was swell until Felicia popped out of nowhere - seriously, how the heck did she do that?! – punting the ball into the righthand corner of the net.
"This is for you, fratello!" Felicia huffed and puffed, looking proud of herself. Dio, I wanted to pinch her cheeks so badly!
I didn't stand a chance, mainly because I hadn't been paying attention.
"Italy!" Lud bellowed, making their goal official.
Felicia slowed down to a walk, beaming from ear to ear. She winded Lud accidentally by pulling him into a rib-crushing hug. "Luddy, we did it, ve~!"
I didn't see this, but Felicia's older brother nearly snapped his phone in half.
Lud awkwardly returned the hug, towering over Felicia as he stiffly patted her back, his eyes bugged out of their sockets. "I didn't do a thing. That goal was all you," he admitted, flushing a faint pink.
Okay mi amigas, on three. Unos, dos, trez: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww~!
While Felicia towed a stammering Lud off the field, chatting her little head off once again – it was cute how this one curl bounced with each step she took – I scooped up the ball. I wouldn't slip up again. That first goal was lucky; I would be going full beast mode now.
I also, kinda, um, wanted to impress Felicia's brother. I felt like I was fighting against his phone for his attention. I mean, like, hola?! I'm totally attractive, and you should be looking at me, the amazing tanned girl with super dreamy green eyes and a hot body?!
Gillian and Marianne say I can be cocky sometimes. I don't really understand that. But, I am quite passionate about the things I love.
They also call me 'hopelessly oblivious'.
I don't know why they call me that either.
Before I knew it, there were only two teams left: Italy and Poland. Gillian was off to the side pouting and eating out her feelings with an entire box of granola bars that Lud had been smart enough to pack.
Felicia was dazzling the field with her fancy footwork as usual, having just made Tori look like a fool for slide tackling empty space. Si, Felicia would definitely be making this team. That was without a doubt.
"Felicia, look out!" Lud shouted, alarmed.
Too late. Ay!
Kiki violently bumped shoulders with Felicia, sending the latter tumbling to the ground.
Kiki smirked. "The Polish play dirty, little one," she said devilishly. "We have no rules."
"OI! What the hell?!" Felicia's brother bellowed, balling his fists. He turned to look at me (ah~?!), the ref. "Ref! Aren't you going to call a foul?!"
Felicia, with the help of Lud, staggered to her feet.
"Are you all right?!" Lud asked Felicia, looking her up and down with worry. Meanwhile, Tori crossed her arms and began to lecture an un-listening Kiki about playing fairly.
"S-si," Felicia stammered. She appeared to be all right. Just a bit shaken up from the fall. "I'm fine. I'm a lot tougher than I look, ve," she smiled.
I blew my whistle, aiming a playful wink at Felicia's brother. "Penalty shot!" I called out.
"So not cool," Kiki whined. "I like, barely touched her."
"You sent the kid flying three feet in the air," Tori snapped.
"So?" Kiki rolled her eyes. "She looked fabulous and graceful. You're just jealous because you can't like, kick a ball that high."
Tori looked like she was considering strangling Kiki. Although, most people often thought about doing that. The Pole talked way too much; more than I did, even!
I ignored the rest of their bickering. I grabbed the soccer ball from Lud, placing it on the goal line.
Lud looked at Felicia. "Do you want me to take it?"
Felicia shook her head, her lips pursed in determination. "No, I'll do it. I'll prove to them that they messed with the wrong girl."
Felicia looked scary serious. I made a mental note to myself to never piss off that chica. She looked like a murderous china doll.
Lud patted Felicia's back, just like comrades would. "You know what to do then," he nodded his head in respect.
Lud was right.
The ball soared into the net before I even realized that Felicia had kicked it.
"Italy!"
Que?!
Seriously, how the heck does she do that?!
…
"Need help with that?" I smiled, offering to help Felicia carry the gym bags into the school.
Unfortunately, since she was the only freshman, that meant she had to take down all the nets, and pack up the ball bags. Lud was busy doing water bottle inventory – I told him he didn't need to do that, but he did it anyway. He was just as stubborn as his older sister.
I'm sure Lud would have helped Felicia had he not been in the middle of confiscating Gillian's fifteenth granola bar. She had a tendency to distract him from getting any work done.
("You've surpassed your daily sugar intake for the whole week, you lunatic!" Lud groaned, waving the confiscated granola bar over Gillian's head. "Ack! Did you just lick my hand?!"
"Kesesesese! Your hands taste salty! It matches your arsehole of an attitude! Now, gimme!"
Si, Gillian was definitely on a sugar high. Also, que-?!
"Nein!")
Felicia looked up, her brown eyes warm with gratitude. "Oh, si! That would be very nice of you, ve!"
I felt a pang of anger settle in my stomach. I needed to remind the sophomores that they should be helping out with the clean up too. Either way, as the captain of this team, it was also my duty to help!
I crouched next to Feli, helping her fold the net properly. "You were very good today," I commended her. "I don't think I've ever seen a freshman as skilled as you~!"
Felicia's eyes became beach balls, her face flushing slightly. "Really?!"
"Yes, really!" I giggled, patting her back. Ah, she was so tiny…so cute~!
I just wanted to hug and squeeze her until she couldn't breathe!
"You kicked Kiki off her high-horse. That doesn't happen very often," I admitted.
Felicia snickered. "I have mio fratello to thank, ve. He's my good luck charm. I always play my best when he's there to watch me!"
I wonder why Felicia said 've' so often. Perhaps it was a verbal tick?
"Feli, you really ought to give yourself more credit," a male voice spoke behind us before I had a chance to respond. "You played just fine when it was only Nonno there to watch you."
Felicia inhaled sharply before forcing a smile on her face. If I hadn't been so close to her, I wouldn't have caught that. I was supposedly oblivious to things like this.
I turned around, only to find Felicia's brother standing over us. He must have left the bleachers to help us out. He looked bored with a black backpack haphazardly strung over his shoulder. Now that I could see him up close, I was even more attracted to him.
He had the most beautiful amber eyes that I had ever seen. They were almost cat-like; wry, dangerous, and perhaps a bit bitter? His lips pursed sourly. He just looked so…I don't know, casual? Like he didn't care about anything. I found myself ogling at how his auburn hair glinted red under the sun. He had that same adorable curl sticking out from the rest of his head like Felicia did.
He was very handsome, and I wanted him to look at me. He was kinda tall though, eheh. But not too tall!
Felicia met her brother's gaze. "Grazie," she whispered, her voice deflated from its earlier excitement. Hmmm. I would have to do something about that!
I helped Felicia zip up the bag before standing up and offering a hand to her brother. "Hola~!" I chirped. "It's a pleasure to meet you! Your little sister is amazing at soccer! I was just telling her that! Sorry about not calling that foul fast enough, by the way!"
Felicia's brother looked at my keeper's glove, cocking his head to the side. Blushing, I retreated my hand. I really wanted to smack my forehead for forgetting that I was wearing them. Ay! I was so embarrassed; I was probably as red as a tomato.
"Romano," he answered, cocking his head to the side with a 'what the hell' expression on his face. He appeared to be weirded out by me. Ay, it wouldn't be the first time. I really sucked at first impressions. "I know, and don't worry about it. It's, uh, nice to meet you too…?"
"Isabel!" I blurted out.
Romano…what a dreamy name!
Romano curtly nodded his head in acknowledgement. He was very short with his sentences and quick to the point. I wish he'd talk more so I could hear his sexy voice. "Well, Isabel, Felicia and I really need to get go-"
"Hey!" Gillian called out, running towards us with Lud quick on her heels. She had stolen the box of granola bars from him again. "I know you!" she said, jabbing a pale index finger at Romano. "You live in the apartment building next to us!"
Romano arched a brow at Gillian, his face showing no recognition. Instead, it showed mild annoyance. I couldn't blame him; Gillian was practically screaming in his face. Romano was also glaring at Lud, who was smartly keeping his distance from the former.
"We do?" Romano asked Gillian.
"Hell ja! I see you all the time!" Gillian blabbered. "I've tried saying hi to you, but you always ignore me or have headphones in."
"Oh," Romano hummed, disinterested. He then turned to look at Felicia. "Get your things ready. I'll drop you off at home before I go in for my shift. I still have a bit of time."
"Hey, you arse!" Gillian huffed, her chest swelling up like a blowfish. "The awesome me was talking to you! Don't just ignore me!"
Romano smirked, rolling his eyes. "Loud people like you are the reason why I wear headphones."
Lud wrapped an arm around Gillian's waist, sighing as she futilely tried to free herself from his grip. "Let me at that prick! I'll wipe that smug look off his face!"
"Sure you will," Lud rolled his eyes. "All 110 pounds of you."
Romano scoffed.
An awkward silence passed before Felicia laughed nervously, trying to ease the tension. "Ve, we'll have to visit them sometime, right fratello? We can order pizza together or something! Luddy, you never told me you lived so close by!"
Lud shrugged. "I honestly didn't know," he raised one hand in surrender. Hey, I've said this earlier, but Felicia could be pretty scary when she wanted to be.
Romano didn't look very pleased by this. "Luddy?" he just about growled.
"Yes, 'Luddy,'" Gillian scowled. "Your sweet and totally not rude sister became friends with my little bruder, Lud. So, buddy, old pal, old prick of the bleachers, it looks like you'll have to get to know me whether you like it or not. The name's Gillian. I also respond to Queen awesome, or your majesty."
Romano turned to give me an incredulous look. Si, me! He looked at me. "Does she ever stop talking?" he deadpanned.
I giggled. "No, especially since you just insulted her pride. Kudos though. Not many people are brave enough to do that."
"So, what do you say, Romano?" Felicia asked, batting her lashes. "Do you think we can hang out with them sometime? Together?"
I swallowed back a tinge of jealousy. I wanted to hang out with them too!
Also, can we just take a second to appreciate how fun it is to say Romano's name? I get to roll my r's with him! That's sexy, right? Okay, it's not just me.
"Sure, whatever," Romano shrugged, completely indifferent. "Now, let's go."
"Oi," Gillian intervened. "If you're in such a rush, we can take Felicia home for you."
"No," Romano said without hesitation, his voice dry. "Thanks for the offer, but I'd prefer taking her myself."
He really was an overprotective brother type.
"But Roma!" Felicia whined. "I can get to know everyone better. And weren't you the one who said that I needed to make more friends? Go ahead! Don't let me make you be later to work than you have to be."
Romano bit his lip – I felt the urge to cup a hand over my face to stop my nose from bleeding. His expression looked conflicted, flashing to something akin to grief and concern before he pursed his lips in a thin line.
"Feli…" he started, faltering when he saw the pleading look on Felicia's face. "Oh, all right. But I want everyone's cellphone numbers," he grumbled. "Just in case."
You can only guess how ecstatic I was when I put my number in Romano's phone. I put my name as "Isabel ❤" I know, I know. I can be such a flirt sometimes. You don't have to tell me that.
I was going to Gillian's house after practice anyway. My house was very lonely during the summer; my parents were hardly ever home.
"Be careful and don't come home too late if you stay out," Romano looked back at Felicia one last time, his expression turning to disdain when he locked eyes with Lud. His amber eyes practically spelled 'make a move on my sister, and I'll cut you.'
"Okay! Bye Roma! Have a great day at work!" Felicia exclaimed happily, dancing with Gillian, who was excitedly swinging their arms back and forth.
There was something about Romano that reminded me of a parent. He was too mature, too serious. He was like an old man; tired, grumpy; and yet still very adorable. He didn't look very happy to be leaving Felicia, but her happiness must have been enough to placate his foul mood.
As Romano began to walk away, I did something very stupid and very bold. "Hey!" I called out to him.
Romano turned around, his brows furrowing together and his gently sloped nose crinkling slightly. "I'll see you next time, si? Maybe you can even play with us! We could always use the extra help!"
I didn't see this, as he was too far away, but Romano blushed, quietly chuckling to himself.
"Sure?" he shouted back. "Uh, bye…"
"Cool~! I'll text you later~!"
Why did I say that?!
Romano blushed even redder, unbeknownst to me.
I grinned from ear to ear, while Gillian cupped my own blushing face with two pale hands.
"Oh, mein gott," Gillian sighed. "Don't tell me you like him?"
"Oi!" Gillian slapped my face, none too gently either. "You there, girlie?"
"Eheh," I laughed without realizing it, a dreamy, love struck expression on my face. "So cute."
To Be Continued…
