Lovely people!
As promised, I'm back with an update. I'm going to try to do updates once a week.
So, a few quick notes:
1. I would recommend going back and reading chapters 1-8. Mainly because I haven't updated in 10 years LOL. Take some time to familiarize yourselves with the characters. My goal is to add in a lot more character development in future chapters.
2. The overall plot is staying exactly the same! I'm picking up from exactly where I left off, though I'm going to try to speed things up a little. You'll see what I mean.
3. I haven't read the actual Sisters Grimm series in years, so I'm going to do my very best to stick to the book's portrayal of Puck and Sabrina's personalities. However, don't be surprised if I add in a few changes of my own!
4. In hindsight, I recognize that a co-ed soccer team like the one in this story is super rare, but we're just gonna go with it!
Okay, I think that's it for A/N. Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a review!
~Chapter 9
4:30 AM.
Sabrina rolled over in bed, grumbling as she pulled the covers over her head. It was still dark out. It was almost November, meaning it was surely chilly outside. Not freezing, but just enough to make soccer practice uncomfortable.
Her alarm went off again, louder this time.
"Sabrina, please," Madison mumbled from her side of the room, most likely trapped beneath layers of pillows and blankets. "We have got to get you a better alarm clock."
She couldn't see her roommates face in the dark, but Sabrina was sure she was scowling.
"I know, I know," she apologized, reaching blindly for the alarm and rolling herself out of bed.
"Okay, I'm turning the light on in 3...2...1." Sabrina hit the switch and light flooded the room. Both girls sighed dramatically in unison.
She glanced across the room at Madison, knowing her friend's look of exhaustion mirrored her own. Her usually bright and chipper roommate rubbed at her eyes, her dark brown hair draped messily over her shoulders, with dark circles under her eyes to match.
Not to be dramatic, but Sabrina was convinced that these early morning practices would be the death of her.
Sabrina had officially been a part of the Brooklyn Heights soccer team for two months and not only had the team remained undefeated - they were officially on their way to the Championships. The team was truly a force to be reckoned with. She often wondered how they had managed to pull this off - they had played some of the toughest teams in the state over the past few weeks after all, and never failed to come out on top.
In Sabrina's mind, she attributed their wins to two key factors: the chemistry of the team, and the inevitable, non-stop soccer practices.
Her teammates were genuine friends with one another, both on and off the field. It created a chemistry and unity amongst the Brooklyn Heights players that was unrivaled. And though she would never admit it, Sabrina had always craved friendships like the ones she had cultivated with her teammates. Bouncing from school to school her whole life (and instigating more than a few fights), had made it hard to build real connections. She finally felt like she had found her forever friends.
Madison, her roommate and a crucial defender on the team, was always there to complain with Sabrina about early morning practices and chat late into the night, laughing until their stomachs hurt. Jake, their energetic and (unashamedly flirtatious) goalie gave motivational speeches, both on and off the field, that left the whole team feeling electric. Julie never failed to give random nerd-facts (as Jake labeled them) during rides to games, and had even helped Sabrina with her Bio homework on a few occasions. And just the other day, Paris had offered to recommend Sabrina to a hairstylist that could "take care of those dead-ends". In the most back-handed way, it was the nicest interaction they had shared.
And then there was Puck, star center and team captain. Always cocky, always unreadable, and more often than not, very sarcastic. But he was a good captain (which Sabrina would never voice aloud), and was fiercely protective of his team. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of each player well - mainly because he watched them keenly during practice. Sabrina had felt his eyes on her on more than a few occasions, his gaze hot on her back as she dribbled the ball up the field. She would always turn to look over her shoulder, confirming her suspicions, and his gaze never wavered for a second as they locked eyes. He'd quirk an eyebrow, glancing to the ball at her feet before returning his sights to her. What are you looking at? His look implied. Back to work.
Asshole.
The team had found out a week prior that they had made it to the Championships. The cheers and elated screams could probably be heard across campus. Jake excitedly pumped his fist into the air and embraced Puck in a bear-hug. Brandyn, in all his excitement, lifted Madison up and spun her around - (Sabrina didn't fail to notice the pink tint on her friend's cheeks as she laughed and begged him to put her down).
She laughed and couldn't help but turn her smile to Puck, and found he was already giving her a boyish grin in return. The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, showing off his perfectly straight teeth.
And here was Sabrina, experiencing yet another moment of realizing just how handsome he was when he wasn't being a complete and utter jackass.
Before she could spend any more time ruminating on this thought, Puck quieted the group and shared that he had the brilliant idea of holding 5:00 AM practices every morning until their first match up. Talk about ruining the mood.
And so here she found herself, trudging to the bathroom to get ready for practice. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she quickly threw her long, blonde hair up into a well-secured bun. Putting on her usual practice attire - today's outfit consisted of black running shorts, sweatpants layered on top, and her usual maroon Brooklyn Heights hoodie - she was ready. Madison met her in the hallway dressed in a similar fashion, her gym bag slung over her shoulder.
"Ready?"
Sabrina sighed. "Do I have a choice?"
...
The rest of the team was already gathering out on the field as Sabrina and Madison jogged over. The wind whipped at their hair and Sabrina pulled her hood up tighter around her head, attempting to block out the cold.
Peter and Julie, the adorable couple that they were, were already seated on the grass, legs out in front of them while they stretched. Paris was almost unmistakeable in her bright pink tracksuit, jogging in place to keep warm. Cones, soccer balls, and gym bags were scattered vicariously across the field.
"Alright team, gather round!" Puck called out, and the team quickly huddled around him. His curly, dirty-blond hair whipped around his face as the wind began to pick up again. He wore nothing other than track pants and a light jacket, seemingly unfazed by the cold.
"So, a few quick announcements before we get started. First-"
"Hey, is there any way we can do this indoors? It's painfully early and painfully cold" Jake complained. He yawned loudly to prove his point.
This elicited several laughs from the group, and even Puck cracked a smile.
"You'll feel better after we get in a nice little two mile run."
The group groaned in unison and Sabrina couldn't hold back her eye roll. What she wouldn't do to be back in bed right now.
"But first," Puck started again. "I'm sure you all remember the yearly sports gala that's hosted by the Union League."
Paris' ears perked at this. "Of course! It's only the biggest event of the year."
Sabrina gave a quizzical look. "Yeah sorry, new girl here. What is this?"
"The Union League is basically a bougie country club in Manhattan," Jake explained, tossing a soccer ball back and forth. "Every year they host a gala for New York's top athletes. Scouters and recruiters come from all over. It's a black-tie event. Free food and dancing. Real official stuff."
"It's much more than that," Paris cut it. "Famous athletes from all over the world come too. It's pretty much the social event of the year!"
"Right. Anyways..." Puck drawled out. "We've been invited to attend this year."
The whole team yelled with excitement, and Madison grabbed Sabrina's arm and squeezed.
"No way!"
"This is crazy. We've never been invited before-"
"What the hell am I gonna wear?"
"Guys," Puck cut it amongst the chatter. "This is huge. This will be great publicity for our team. I mean, news reporters will be there. College recruits. This could be really big for us."
"Hell yeah!" Jake chimed in. "We're gonna be famous!"
"So," Puck continued with a laugh. "Everyone gets a ticket. And everyone gets to bring a plus-one. Do with that information what you will."
"Alright, which one of you fine ladies wants to be my date for the night?" Brandyn jumped in from the back of the group, waggling his eyebrows. "Don't all jump at once."
"Ugh, don't be crass," Nancy shoved him aside. "When's the event?"
"Yeah so funny story, it's actually this weekend. I would start shopping for outfits..." Puck looked at his imaginary watch. "Well... now."
Paris looked as if she was about to faint. "That's 5 days from now. How can I possibly find an appropriate gown by then?"
"I literally don't own any dresses. Just gym shorts," Nancy chimed in.
"My girlfriend is gonna freak out..." Declan muttered under his breath.
Puck laughed as he watched his teammates talk franticly amongst themselves. "Alright, alright, we'll figure out the details later. Two-mile warm up. Let's go!"
And with that, Puck took off down the field. Jake let out an excited holler and sprinted quickly behind him. The rest of the team begrudgingly followed suit. Sabrina and Madison shared knowing looks: this was going to be a long week.
...
Sabrina, Madison and Nancy found themselves in the library later that afternoon, textbooks open in front of them and papers scattered across the table.
Sabrina chewed on the tip of her pen as she paged through her notes. She had an overwhelming amount of homework to get through, and waking up so early this morning hadn't help. A nap was long overdue.
"Okay ladies," Madison slammed her textbook shut, causing her teammates to jump. "What are we wearing to this gala?"
Nancy cleared her throat. "So just to be clear... it has to be a dress? What about a nice pair of jeans?"
Sabrina laughed. Nancy was notorious for her tomboyish style, and was rarely found wearing anything other than her usual workout attire.
"Wait until you find out about heels."
Nancy looked stricken and her eyes widened. "No way."
"Way."
"Ohhh, Sabrina what about this?" Madison swiveled her laptop around to show her screen. "This would look so good on you!"
Sabrina stared at the screen showing a model wearing an emerald green, floor length evening gown. It was strapless and had a long slit up the thigh. The material appeared to be velvety, and far out of Sabrina's price range.
"And it's on sale!" Madison added, as if on cue.
"You had me at sale. Add it to cart," Sabrina laughed.
"It is a nice dress," a deep voice agreed from behind her, and Sabrina swiveled around to find Puck looking down at the screen.
"Puck!" Madison exclaimed. "Come sit with us. We were just talking about the gala."
Puck cleared his throat. "Actually, I need to talk to Grimm for a second." He motioned for her to follow him. Nancy and Madison's eyes shot to Sabrina.
Sabrina crossed her arms over her chest. She was in an argue-with-Puck kinda mood.
"Actually, kinda busy right now," she retorted. "Can it wait?"
She was doing what she always did - clearly picking a fight with him, waiting for him to take the bait. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as he smirked. He would bite.
"No, it can't wait, actually. It's important."
"Well I don't feel like getting up. So."
They locked eyes, and there it was. The constant back-and-forth game that they knew so well. For every sarcastic joke Puck slid her way, Sabrina had a quick retort. For every sly one-liner he made out on the field, Sabrina had a few snide words to share in return. For every arrogant comment he made, she had a well-constructed argument to humble him.
It was their never ending game.
Nancy coughed quietly. "We can just step away if you guys need a second..."
Puck held Sabrina's gaze a moment longer before shrugging. "No problem. I don't mind an audience."
He pulled the chair out next to her and sat down.
"Sure, make yourself comfortable," she grumbled.
"Grimm," he stated, his fingers drumming on the table. "Wanna be my date to the gala?"
Sabrina sat, frozen to the spot. She could see out of of the corner of her eye her teammates had done the same. She was almost positive her jaw had just hit the floor.
"Your... what?"
Puck laughed, loudly and genuinely. Madison made a small squeak from across the table.
"My date," he enunciated. I pick you-up, escort you to the event. Might even hold a few doors open for you if you play your cards right."
A younger, 12-year old Sabrina would have fainted with joy. Being asked on a date by an painfully attractive, star soccer player? Daphne would have a heart attack when she told her. She could picture the look on her younger sister's face now.
His smug grin knocked her back to reality. She picked her jaw up off the floor.
"Sounds like a pretty sweet deal for you, but what do I get in return?" She asked.
"A night out with a king. Quite literally."
Nancy laughed, but quickly covered it with a cough when Sabrina shot her a glare.
"Are you going to be a pretentious ass the entire night?" Sabrina questioned.
"It's possible."
"Will we be able to go even an hour without arguing?"
He smirked. "Probably not."
Sabrina stared at him. He was a pompous, arrogant jackass. But there was something about attending the event with him that sounded exciting. Fun, even. Her heart hammered in her chest.
"And this isn't another one of your pranks? Like when you put God-knows-what in my hair last month?" she recalled.
He put a hand over his heart, the other hand straight in the air. "Scouts honor."
"Though," he added as an after-thought. "I can't promise there won't be some shenanigans at some point during the night."
She rolled her eyes and held back the grin that was fighting its way to the surface.
"Well?" He asked. "I'm on the edge of my seat here."
"So are we," Madison whispered across the table, eyes wide as saucers.
Sabrina took a deep breath. "Yes, I'll be your date."
Puck grinned. A warm, genuine smile graced his features. His usual bright green eyes were now a cool shade of blue.
Wait, what?
Sabrina blinked and looked again. His eyes were back to their usual green.
I'm losing my mind.
Not a moment later, his face had masked into a look of cool indifference. A blond curl had fallen across his forehead, and Sabrina fought the urge to move it out of his face. As if reading her mind, he chuckled and ran a hand through his curls. He swiftly stood up from the table.
"Good. Oh, and wear that dress," he motioned back to Madison's laptop, which had long since been forgotten. "Green is definitely your color."
Her eyes widened as he walked out of the library, and Nancy and Madison stared at his retreating figure in shock.
Nancy waited all of two seconds before he was out of earshot. "Okay, what the fu-"
"The tension between you two" Madison interrupted, fake fanning herself. "Oh my god. You could cut it with a knife."
Sabrina put her hands over her head. "Did that actually just happen?"
"Yes." Her friends said in unison.
"That was so hot," Madison whispered. "I'm literally swooning. The eye contact? He looked like he wanted to swallow you whole."
"Did I just...?" Sabrina whispered.
"Yes!" Her friends exclaimed.
Madison swiveled her laptop back around to face her friend. She gave Sabrina a pointed look.
"You said yes, and you're going. And you have to buy that dress now."
...
Puck walked out of the library, backpack hoisted on his shoulder. He couldn't hide the smile that had made its way onto his face.
Asking Grimm to the gala? Genius. God-level idea.
He had been unable to fight the feeling for weeks that it was no coincidence that her last name was Grimm. Though it could be considered a common surname, there was something about her that was… different. Maybe it was her annoying, stubborn attitude, or her captain-save-the-day personality, but it was very on-brand for a descendant of Wilhelm and Jacob. That much, he knew for certain.
With every interaction, he became more and more convinced she was a part of that family. Which meant, she knew about Everafters.
Which meant, she could find out about him.
Was she friend, or foe? He could never be too careful. Especially after all that he'd been through in his thousands of years of existence. He had made it this far undiscovered, and he would not let this new girl (albeit, pretty, new girl), expose his best-kept secret.
Spending an evening with her at the gala was the perfect way to get to know her better. He needed to figure her out before she got to him first. And he knew if he played his cards right, he would get the answers he was looking for.
Seriously, God-level idea.
A/N
Phew, there it folks! Review review review! Next chapter will be much longer.