Songs Listened To :

Daisy - Zedd

Codec -Zedd

*Chapter 91*

"Tessa, if you keep pacing, you're going to make me dizzy," Vanellope uttered softly; she was comfortably situated in a chair that had a front row seat to the game, in which she would now have to sit out from.

"Mom," Tessa sharply complained, in a quiet tone, as she looked up from the ground finally. She gestured her hand, as if to silently convey that Vanellope should know why she is so tense, in this moment.

Tessa looked over her shoulder to find Zed, Oliver, Penny, Rancis, Tammy and Otto nervously chattering about the sudden replacement, the switch up in the game. Tessa could swear her heart was in her throat. She peered out to the glistening court, though once she set her eyes on her brand new opponents, Peach and Daisy, she felt the spark under her skin light, and a new found purpose of competitiveness began to run down her fuse. She furrowed her eyebrows and softly brought her attention back to her mother, though she gave her a curious look of apprehension once her eyes were met with mirrored hazel ones, soft honey that coated Tessa's existence with knowing. Tessa softly slumped her shoulders and took a brooding step or two closer to her sitting mother.

"Stop worrying," Vanellope giggled as she waved her free, good hand; her broken arm was in a sling, and she was given some pain medication for the rest of the game. It was clear she was a little bit dazed because of it.

"Mom, look at me," Tessa gestured to her hands; she was strapped in her usual black bikini and her pair of blue surf shorts. Her crazy, auburn hair was up in a ponytail, "Does it look like I would be able to normally hit a volleyball? I'm going to destroy the court, and lose you guys that trophy."

"Come sit," Vanellope chimed softly as she pat the seat next to her, "You have five minutes until game time..."

Tessa heaved an annoyed sigh and gently approached her mother, though she peered back to the nervously chattering group about a dozen feet away; they went over every little detail, of the switch up, with the referee. Tessa lulled her arms to her side and, as much as she wanted to continue pacing, she lightly sat down next to her mother and huffed an annoyed noise. Vanellope rolled her eyes and gently nudged her daughter's upper arm.

"I'm gunna let you in on a little secret," Vanellope side-eyed her daughter, "The wrecking powers you obtain? Guess what... I have 'em too. I play volleyball all the time, and you don't see me destroying the court."

"I'm sure it's hard to control," Tessa mumbled as she crossed her arms, Vanellope warmly smiled.

"Sometimes, yes," Vanellope eased as their eyes melted with the still court, an ironic sight, "Though, I know you'll be just fine. If you hit the ball way too hard, with your wrecking force, they'll dock you... Trust me, that's happened to me. And it pisses Taffyta off, so try your best to hold out."

"I don't think I can do this," Tessa muttered as she finally gave her mom a look of weakness, in which Vanellope responded to in a loving, incredulous grin.

"Yes you can," Vanellope smiled, "So what if you don't take home the trophy... There's always next year."

"Next year is a whole year away," Tessa grumbled as her eyes scanned the opposite end of the bunker for Daisy and Peach, "Not to mention, those two snobs don't deserve to win this year..."

"Well, y'know what I always say," Vanellope started, "These games are lucky. Either you'll win the game, or you'll win the night. Or both!"

"Win the night?" Tessa wondered in a curious, bashful way as she finally gave her mother her full attention.

"Good things always happen after these games," Vanellope smiled wistfully, "For me, anyways... Can't speak for your Aunt Taffyta. She's not an open book."

"What do you mean, 'good things'?" Tessa prod, though she could almost sense where this was headed.

"The first year I won this tournament, that night was the night I gave my code to your dad for the first time," Vanellope chuckled, "The year after, I got pregnant with Oliver, the night of the volleyball tournament."

"User almighty, mom, I didn't need this information," Tessa burst out in soft laughter.

"Just sayin'," Vanellope shrugged as she tried her hardest to adjust her broken arm, "The volleyball tournament has always been lucky for me... Maybe you should set your sights on that."

"... Are you actually insinuating that I give my code away tonight, mom?" Tessa asked in a dull tone, though Vanellope only rolled her eyes.

"I'm not telling you to do anything," Vanellope retorted through an annoyed giggle as she fixated her eyes on her daughter's, "Just filling you in on my little secret... That always keeps me positive. Good things happen on tournament day. Bring home the gold, that'll be good enough... Though, somehow, good things just continue to happen after that."

"Huh," Tessa puffed as she finally let it all soak in. As secretively as she could, she stole a glance in Zed's direction. She furrowed her eyebrows and turned back to her mother. She opened her mouth to continue on, though she was cut off.

"I may be doped out on pain medication right now, but I can see straight through you," Vanellope lightly pointed, her intelligent eyes honed in on Tessa's, in which sent a cold chill down her spine, "Don't you dare swap with that boy until his brain coding is free of that additive. Y'hear me?"

"Yes ma'am," Tessa grumbled, as if it were routine, "That wasn't on my mind, anyhow."

"Of course it was," Vanellope scoffed as she shook her head and beamed an annoyed smile, "I was in your shoes not two years ago, Tess. It's all I could think about."

"I'm just frustrated," Tessa breathed, "... Academy's prom is being held in Zed's game, and he didn't even tell me. I had to find out through the school."

"Well, maybe you should confront him about it," Vanellope suggested as she suddenly heaved a tired yawn. Tessa softly eyed her, in a curious manner.

"I don't think right before a volleyball tournament is the right time to do it," Tessa grumbled.

"Ah, maybe that's where your luck comes into play," Vanellope lightly waved her finger, "Maybe tonight, you can talk to him about it. Maybe he'll ask you to prom. You never know what's up his sleeve. Cut the guy a break."

"... I guess you're right," Tessa grumbled as she leaned her elbows on her knees and gave her small group of friends and family, across the way, a contemplative stare. Tessa suddenly jolted with Taffyta's sharp voice.

"Alright, Tess," Taffyta barked quietly as she largely pat the back of her shoulder, in such a way that suggested the bond between aunt and niece had suddenly switched to something a bit deeper. Tessa flinched and nervously stood, as if she were silently instructed to do so. Taffyta laughed gently and glanced down at Vanellope, "Hopefully you know how to control your wrecking force. It's likely because of me, Vanellope has honed that skill perfectly."

"Don't worry, I gave her the run-down," Vanellope urged softly, though she felt her face heat up as Taffyta shot her a knowing, annoyed side-glare.

"You didn't tell her that the tournament is lucky, did you?" Taffyta softly scolded, though Tessa rolled her eyes and began to trudge away from the two; she head in the direction of Penny, Zed, Oliver and the referee.

"'Course she did," Tessa barked back to Taffyta quietly, though she was glad it got the two off of her back for the time being; her mother and aunt began to largely bicker.

Tessa heaved an annoyed noise, though it easily rolled into an appreciative chuckle. The hot, glowing sand from beyond the bunker, everyone was in, was neon white and practically begged to be played on. The crowd seemed tense and antsy, though Tessa knew she was likely to disappoint; such a feeling that made her circuits drown in guilt, so much to the point of not even caring. Tessa was certain she knew squat about volleyball, though she knew she had to somehow try and bring home the gold. Her stomach nervously knot as she approached Penny, though she idly glanced at Zed, as if it were a crime. She repeated her mother's words in her head, over and over, though the raw feeling, of suddenly being plopped right in the middle of this dilemma, made her head swim. She inhaled a nervous breath and lulled her fist into her palm sideways, in a non-aggressive manner, as if to express she wanted to speak, though no words came to the forefront of her mind.

"How y'feeling?" Penny wondered softly, though the excited twinkle in her eye never faltered.

"Uh," Tessa scoffed, though she flinched once the referee approached her with supportive body tape, for her wrists and hands, "I-I guess I've been better."

"You're going to destroy the court," Oliver chuckled under his breath as he lazily ran his large hand over the top of his head and hair; she lightly gave Oliver an annoyed glare as the referee gently began taping her wrists with the hot blue, stretchy cotton-like tape. Tessa eagerly watched the process.

"I am not," Tessa muttered as she remained still, though Penny, Zed and Oliver lightly hovered, as if any sort of dialog from Tessa was now graced upon their ears, like mere mortals clinging to a celebrity.

"As stated, using your wrecking force, which is a part of your code, is against the rules," The referee softly stated as he moved onto Tessa's left hand; Tessa opened and closed her right hand to get used to the firm support of the tape, "If you don't follow this rule, you can and will be docked points."

"Noted," Tessa uttered in a mildly annoyed tone as she finally lifted her head and caught eyes with Zed; her heart stopped, she felt frustrated that he had pushed himself into a line of sight he knew she'd take.

Tessa almost felt an annoyed rage creep over her, as their eyes melted into each other's. He cocked an eyebrow lightly, almost as if to convey he could feel the tension of her upset, billowing thoughts, though he was prepared to toy with them for as long as he possibly could. With this, Tessa slowly furrowed her eyebrows and locked her dominant stare into his, as if to dare him to push the limits just to see what would happen. She tried her hardest to force back a competitive smile, though she was certain she was about to prove just how competitive she could really become, right on the court before them.

"You and Mrs. Fluggerbutter are five points away from the winning point," The referee continued as he finally finished Tessa's left hand. He put his hands on his hips and gave Tessa readied smile, "Two minutes until game time. I'd get with your new teammate to discuss her's and Vanellope's previous strategies. Game starts with the whistle."

"Thank you," Tessa gestured towards her own hands, the referee nodded softly before he began to back step a little bit. He head back out to the court to prepare to pick up the game.

Tessa lightly glanced at Penny, though she suddenly felt a spike in the tension as Penny and Oliver caught stares, as if Zed was silently expressing to everyone that he would like a moment alone with Tessa. Tessa felt her heart sink lower and lower as Penny and Oliver lightly slipped away in a knowing sort of way. She furrowed her eyebrows and watched the two leave, though she slowly peeled her attention back to Zed. She gave him a contemplative look and put her hands on her hips, as if to express proper dominance over him, though she tried not to come across too cocky in fear of him either retaliating, or retreating.

"Break a leg," Zed uttered with a knowing smile as he lightly slumped his arms to his sides; Tessa suddenly beamed an annoyed grin.

"User, I certainly hope not," Tessa retorted with a low lying layer of kindness, though Zed knew it was only surface-based.

"Y'know what I mean," Zed scoffed as he crossed his arms, a game of 'shell away' he was the master at, "I know you'll bring home the gold. You are related to the best racer in the whole Arcade."

"Says Mr. Unbeatable," Tessa retorted, she tried to hold back her snotty attitude.

"That's just it," Zed cocked an eyebrow and gave her an almost annoyed look, "It takes no skill to be unbeatable. It takes a lifetime of knowledge to be the best."

Tessa finally began to soften at his kind words, though they held a sharp after-bite to them. She furrowed her eyebrows in growing contemplation, as if their theoretical mating dance was beginning to turn into a threatening display of who would come out on top of the game. She gave him a sly, almost annoyed smile and continued to keep her hands planted on her hips, the ultimate stance of dominance she was reigning in. She finally scoffed a small laugh of the utmost annoyance and looked down to the ground. Just as she was about to open her mouth to ask the questions she was finally brave enough to ask, Taffyta suddenly lulled her arm around her shoulder.

"Alright, I love you, I love you too, c'mon lover-girl, we gotta go," Taffyta barked with a wide smile as she warmly nudged Zed's shoulder, on the way to dragging Tessa away from him, "We got a game to win."

Tessa scoffed a small noise and stumbled to keep her footing. She only lightly looked back to Zed, and in the brief eye contact of painful inquiries, she knew this was bound to be a game filled with nervous, torturous thoughts, all brimming from her insecurities. She swallowed nervously and finally realigned her eyesight and footwork. Her and Taffyta slowly began to make their way out onto the court, the glistening, perfect sand, which had been raked and reorganized to represent the beginning of a 'new game', in which a new opponent has graced the sands. Tessa squinted and felt her heart begin to throb, though the sudden roar of the crowd set her insecurities running. She finally smiled in a renewed way as Taffyta gently began to separate herself from Tessa. She lightly pointed at her niece and gave her a knowing look.

"No wrecking," Taffyta snapped lovingly, "User knows I love yah for it, but I'll show yah what for if you dock us points."

"I'll try, Aunt Taff," Tessa barked in pure annoyance, "I'll try my best."

"I know you will," Taffyta chuckled as she shook her head and moved across the sand, to her position.

Tessa swallowed a nervous, dry gulp and finally peered her eyes across the court, to her opponents. She felt that fuse of hers begin to relight as Peach and Daisy sauntered onto the court, as if they were certain they held the dominant ground here. Tessa only lightly glanced at the score board, though she felt her heart drop at the mere fact that Taffyta and Tessa were losing by merely once score. Tessa furrowed her eyebrows and fixated her gaze to Daisy, who was closest to her on the opposite court. Tessa clenched her fists and tried her hardest to push any wrecking thoughts to the back of her mind, though she knew, somehow, this game was bound to get destroyed; she smirked at the thought.