At t.i.tan National Stadium that host Olympics, where the yearly interschool sports festival was held, all the Universities" in the country of Burberry would compete to garner honor and prestige to their own school.The thousand kilometer radius colosseum was pack with people both high and low in status. The harmless sports event turned into something like a gambling fest. It was a whole week affair that was antic.i.p.ated by many, and even the monarch and government declared the interschool sport festival as a one-week holiday national event.
Daniel collected his nerves. He did this a year ago, but even so, he still felt nervous every time. All the pressure from his peers, his teammates, his family added up to his already anxious self.
Who would not get nervous?
Daniel was one of the players that were expected by many not to make a single mistake. A young man that has royal blood running through his veins.
So of course, the whole country was watching his every movement. Success and failure would significantly impact the status of the Richardson Royal Family and the country of Everland. It could also be said that Daniel was Everland itself.
Thus, failure was never an option for him.
Daniel glanced up at the line of men in front of him. There were more than twenty schools that would compete in total, but he was not interested in those low-ranking Universities. His only main focused was that tall, tanned well-built man, two years older than him, glancing and grinning and sending flying kisses to the crowds.
Asher Cole.
The basketball ace of Fate Academy.
Unmei Academy won the championship in the basketball game last year, all because of him, and that this Asher didn"t play for unknown reasons.
But now that he was here, Daniel couldn"t help but sized the guy up.
Asher and Daniel were of the same height. Only, Asher was more well-built and a little bigger than Daniel while Daniel was all lean muscles.
Many believed that Daniel and Asher were on equal footing when it came to playing basketball. Daniel admitted that he didn"t like it that someone was equal to him in something that he was very good at.
Daniel breathed a mouthful of air.
I"ll show you who is better in this court.
Tuuuut!!
The introduction event ended, and the players went back to their bench to warm up.
Daniel"s lips formed a smile when his gaze landed on that girl with fluffy pink hair raised in a ponytail, looking all cute in her white polo shirt and light blue skirt, holding a banner with his name imprinted on it and a microphone probably for cheering later. She was standing at the Academy side of the bench on the other side of the perimeter wall in an elevated seat reserved for the students and audience siding for Unmei Academy.
These past few days, various students already took notice of how Daniel and Sisley had gotten closer to each other. Of course, the girls were jealous at Sisley for grabbing Daniel"s attention. However, no one dared to gossip nor bully her for the reason that one, Sisley was a gentle, kind, and cheerful person. She didn"t have that many enemies and most didn"t want to become enemies with her. Second, Jen and Max were her best friends, and third, she now had Daniel protecting her.
"Hi!"
Daniel greeted all smiles which the girl immediately blushed that he let out a chuckle. That was one of the reasons why he likes her. She easily gets embarra.s.sed when it came to him.
"H-hi.... how are you feeling?" Sisley tucked a hair behind her ear and smiled at Daniel, showing her dimples.
"Nervous," Daniel said honestly.
"Will you be alright?" Sisley asked worriedly while her eyebrows creased in one line.
"Yeah. Don"t worry… I got this..."
Sisley bit her lips, looking left and right, then she brought out a fabric elastic band. She bent her body and extended her hand to Daniel.
Daniel was momentarily stunned, then he flashed out a dimple smile and immediately grabbed the band and put it on his right arm.
"Thank you. Let"s talk later after the game." Daniel said seriously. He thought that it was the time to make his feelings clear to her.
These past few days, he felt that he was being unfair towards her.
She was always behind his back, supporting him every time on his practice.
She would always cook for him every lunch.
She would always adjust her schedule to accommodate him in every turn.
And what did he do?
He just let her on.
Daniel made up his mind. After the game, he would confess to her and make their relationship official.
Sisley shyly nodded. "Un... I"ll wait for you."
On the other side, Max bitterly smiled to himself. He watched at that moving scene where a handsome young man was gazing at a charming young woman who in turn stared at the young man adoringly. Their eyes shining with unspoken feelings with one another.
It"s only a matter of time.
Max shook his head and continued to warm up.
Daniel said his goodbyes and was about to go back to his team when he was caught off guard at seeing Asher Cole, walking lazily toward them with a grin on his face.
Daniel instantly frowned.
What does he want?
Daniel too walked towards Asher.
However, to his astonishment, Asher didn"t even glance at him as the guy continued to walk towards the bench near the perimeter wall and glanced up towards the elevated seat with worship in his eyes.
The whole court turned quieter. Even Daniel"s breath stuck inside his throat while his eyes widened in disbelief.
In front of Asher on the other side of the two-meter wall sat a dangerous beauty. She was wearing a body-hugging turtleneck sweatshirt and fitted jeans with her silky long wavy lavender hair tied in a high ponytail.
Evangeline Heart.
Evangeline was sitting at the center of the front row cushioned seat reserved for Unmei Academy"s students. She alone occupied all the ten chairs on the front row. No one wanted to sit beside nor behind her. She was like a drop of water that the ants avoided.
While on the other side of the front row separated by an aisle, Sisley was comfortably sitting surrounded by her friends and cla.s.smates. She too was staring at Evangeline when a tall, tanned, handsome alluring man walked towards the beautiful woman.
"Yes?"
Even with all the antagonistic looks and gossiping noises, Evangeline"s face remained stoic as she glanced down at Asher without a hint of warmth in her smile.
"You here to cheer for me?"
Asher"s grin grew even wider when Evangeline flashed out a timid mocking smirk. She was acting like a high n.o.ble, talking to a lowly commoner.
And that"s the way I like it.
"I"m not here to cheer for anyone. I"m here to write a reaction paper." Evangeline simply answered, her posture straight with her hands on top of her crossing legs.
"I never peg you to be so studios, my Queen." Asher chuckled.
"Well, it is my mother"s wish for me to graduate with a degree. I"m just honoring it as I am a filial n.o.ble daughter."
Ahahahaha!
Asher laughed enthusiastically, and the crowd watched them in astonishment with jaws open.
Tuuuut!!!
"Well then my Queen. The games about to start, aren"t you going to give me a word of encouragement?"
Evangeline curved her red lips and slightly bent her body, holding her chin on one hand.
"Don"t disappoint me."
"Your wish is my command."
Asher bowed like a Prince and walked towards Fate Academy"s side of the bench, oozing with confidence and an intense air that was ready to kill.
Daniel seemed to be rooted in his spot. He wanted to know how did Evangeline got acquainted with the notorious biker gang leader, the ace of Fate Academy"s basketball team.
How?
Since when?
When did it start?
Daniel knew the rumors circulating about Evangeline. He also knew about that picture of her hanging out with gangsters, but he didn"t expect that it was Nightmare, the number one notorious biker gang in Blue River City.
So those pictures were authentic? It was not Photoshop? Does that mean that the picture of her receiving money from older men is also true?
Since when did it start?
Evangeline, how could you fall this low?
Daniel didn"t have time to ponder the questions in his head as the game was starting. He put his game face on and stormed towards his team.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the perimeter wall. Jen Combrelle couldn"t retract her eyes on that tall, tanned guy, Asher Cole.
She glanced at Evangeline with deep bone hatred.
How did they know each other?
Jen always had feelings for Asher from the moment she met him two years ago. It was just by chance that she took a glimpse of him one time.
It was the end of spring. She was on her way to Unmei Academy, and when she got out from her car in front of the Academy"s towering gates, she immediately noticed the alluring handsome man, leaning beside his motorcycle with arms crossed, glancing around the Academy like he was studying it.
Then and there, Jen fell in love with him at first sight.
She investigated him and found that he was enrolled in Fate Academy. Second son of a CEO of a famous food enterprise in BlackPine Country.
Every day, after school, she would always go to Fate Academy since their schools where not that far apart, but she couldn"t find him. It was like, he was hiding from her. Years pa.s.sed, and she finally gave up her feeling for the guy.
But after two years, who knew that she would saw him once more, and all those feelings came crushing back like a ravaging truck, hitting her straight on the heart.
Jen was the only daughter of the prime minister and the youngest of the two siblings. Though she grew with a silver spoon and was pampered to the max, she always obeyed every word of her father. She would be this prim and proper lady in front of everyone to please her father. But secretly, when she had enough and felt suffocated, she would lash out inside her room.
She had her fair share of boys, but all of them were like her – a puppet to their family.
It was no wonder that she developed a thing for bad boys.
She wanted something new, exciting, and thrilling in her boring colorless life.
Not even Sisley knew of her feelings towards the man.
Hmp! Now that I found you again, don"t think that I will let you slip from my hands.