Page 154 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

“You’re really serious about this,” Theon observed, that small smile quirking on his lips again.

“I’m very competitive,” Tessa retorted, switching to the other leg.

“This is going to be very interesting,” Luka muttered, folding his arms across his chest.

“Did you play?” Tessa asked him.

“Of course I played. I’m fairly certain everyone but Theon played Chaosphere as a child,” Luka answered, and Theon flipped him off.

A minute later, Axel showed up with a black ball, tossing it back and forth between his hands. “You ready for this, baby doll?”

“Does Theon even know how to play?” she teased, easily catching the ball when Axel sent it her way.

“I know the basics,” Theon said indignantly, swiping the ball from her as he strode past.

“You and me versus Theon and Luka?” Axel asked, coming up beside her.

“Deal,” Tessa replied, and something she hadn’t felt in weeks blossomed in her chest.

“What position are you best at?” Axel asked.

“Ground offense.”

“Really?”

“Mhmm,” she hummed, tilting her face back to the sky where the sun was trying its damnedest to peek out from the clouds.

“I feel like we should get some bonus points or something. I’m at a clear disadvantage with Theon,” Luka said from the center of the field.

“Fuck off,” Theon muttered. “It’s not that hard.”

Tessa and Axel exchanged grins before getting into position. The ball always started on the ground where it could only be moved with feet. Once it left the ground and was touched by someone’s hands, it couldn’t touch the ground again during that round.

“I’ll take Luka, and you’ll cover Theon?” Axel asked.

Tessa nodded as Theon placed the ball in the center of the field, and the four of them got ready. Axel counted down, and Tessa shot forward, kicking the ball to Axel before Theon had even moved. She wasn’t a fast runner, but she could handle a Chaosphere ball better than most. There wasn’t much for entertainment on the Estates, and most of the other children stopped wanting to be around her when she was constantly being reprimanded for something or other. Anyone with her was usually punished as well, and they learned quickly it was better to simply avoid her. She spent hours alone with a Chaosphere ball, usually off in a secluded area. The other children were always on the fields, so she would find her own space.

She ran down the field as Axel sent the ball her way again, and she laughed when Theon made the most pathetic attempt to steal the ball she had ever seen. She kicked the ball back into the air at Axel, who caught it with ease. He made it to the end of the field, dodging Luka and tossing the ball into the goal pit.

“You weren’t kidding about ground offense, baby doll. That was fancy footwork,” Axel said, gripping her around the waist and spinning her in a circle. Another laugh bubbled up her throat. It felt weird. When was the last time she’d truly laughed?

“Yeah, yeah,” Luka grumbled, stalking back to the middle of the field with the ball. “I still think I should get a few bonus points for having Theon on my team.”

“I am not that bad,” Theon protested.

“You kind of are,” Tessa replied, getting into position for the next round.

Luka got the ball, kicking it up to Theon, who caught it. She raced down the field beside him, and he glanced at her side-long.

“You’re going to defend against me? I tower over you,” Theon said with a smirk. He wasn’t wrong. Defensive players were usually muscled, built for tackling whoever had the ball.

“I don’t need to defend against you,” she replied, keeping pace with him as he made his way down the field. “I just need to defend the goal pit.”

Theon tossed the ball over her head to Luka, who barely avoided Axel’s attempt at intercepting the ball. While Theon was focused on Luka and watching the ball, Tessa went for the goal, where she prepared for their attempt to score. Luka tossed the ball back to Theon, who tossed it towards the goal pit, and Tessa easily blocked the shot, catching the ball.

“You really are terrible at this,” she said with a laugh.

“I am not that bad,” Theon grumbled.

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