The next day, Megara, Laura, and Jane sat by the school fountain, their laughter echoing through the air, oblivious to the sneers of the mean girls. They watched as Amaya and Tanya, dressed in lowly maid outfits, mowed the lawn.
"Honestly, Megara, don't you dare pity them," Jane playfully chided, nudging Megara's arm. "It serves them right, don't you think?"
Megara sighed softly. "I guess so, but it still feels a bit… harsh."
"Harsh?" Laura scoffed. "They're lucky Uriel didn't do worse after what they pulled."
Megara simply smiled, then admired the matching bracelets her father had made for them. "These are so cool. Dad really outdid himself."
"He always does," Jane agreed. Just then, Hugo sauntered over, whistling a cheerful tune that drew their attention.
"Hey, guys!" Hugo called out, his smile wide as he approached Megara.
Megara's smile widened in return. Laura and Jane clapped their hands, teasingly. "Look at the lovebirds!" Laura giggled.
"Ugh Laura?! Stop saying that." Megara mouthed, patting Laura's hand.
"We should probably get going so you two can have a good chat." Jane suggested offering a knowing nod to Laura.
"No way!" Hugo exclaimed, waving a hand. "I just got here. I came to join you guys!" They settled back in, their conversation flowing easily, even as gossiping students gathered around the fountain.
Their joy was short-lived. Uriel emerged from the building, his gaze sweeping over the fountain area. Pedro approached him, relaying that the soccer competitors from Shinhwa High were waiting for him.
"Pedro, tell them to stall for a few minutes," Uriel instructed, his eyes fixed on Megara and her friends. He strode towards them, his anger mounting as they remained engrossed in their conversation, completely unaware of his presence.
Finally, he cleared his throat loudly, drawing everyone's attention. Students swarmed around them like ants to sugar syrup. Megara, however, merely rolled her eyes and turned away. Jane and Laura exchanged terrified glances, and Hugo was speechless.
"Uriel, what are you doing here?" Hugo finally managed to ask, his voice a little shaky. "Aren't you supposed to be at the soccer field?"
Uriel, maintaining unwavering eye contact with Megara, who still refused to acknowledge him, lied smoothly. "The team needs one more player to complete it. A last-minute substitution, you see."
"But I have a serious injury!" Hugo protested, holding up a bandaged wrist. "I wouldn't play for the school team even if you offered me thirty billion right now!"
"I don't want you to play, Hugo," Uriel retorted, his gaze still fixed on Megara. "I want Megara to play for the team."
A collective gasp swept through the crowd. A brunette girl whispered to her friend, loud enough for others to hear, "He totally wants to get back at Megara for all the humiliation she caused him. Remember basketball training two weeks ago?"
Her friend nodded vigorously. "Oh, definitely. This is classic Uriel." A ripple of giggles spread through the onlookers.
Megara, who had initially found Uriel handsome in his purple and black school sports uniform, black Adidas trainers, and 24-carat gold chain, now saw him as nothing more than a "brainless goat with a golden leash around his neck." She fought the urge to beat him senseless.
Finally, Megara turned to face him, her eyes blazing. "If you want to mock me, Uriel, you've won," she said, her voice tight with suppressed fury. "But I'm not playing this football match."
Uriel's response was ruthless. "Then I'll make Hugo or Jane play. If Hugo's injury escalates because of it, you'll be blamed. And if the match turns brutal, Jane won't survive the first round without her face being bashed."
Megara bit her lower lip, glancing at her trembling friends. "Don't go too far, Uriel," she warned, her voice barely a whisper. "You're crossing a line."
"Play, Megara," he insisted, his voice unwavering, "or I'll carry out my plan. The choice is yours."
She glared at him, her hand twitching, wanting to strike him. "You think you can just… force me?"
"You'd pay twenty trillion pounds in compensation if you laid a hand on me," he reminded her, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Think about it."
With no other choice, Megara, followed closely by her friends and schoolmates, walked towards the soccer field.
At the field, Uriel ordered Chris to bring a jersey and shorts for Megara. "Chris, get Megara a uniform. And make it quick."
"Right away, Uriel," Chris replied, hurrying off. As Chris went to retrieve the attire, Uriel stepped aside with the coach, talking intently. "Coach, about the new player..."
Unbeknownst to him, his gaze drifted to Megara, a flicker of admiration in his eyes as she stood by the sidelines. His expression hardened, however, when Jarod, the captain of Shinhwa High, approached her.
"Hey, I'm Jarod," he said, extending a hand to Megara. "I haven't seen you play before. Are you new to the team?"
Megara, caught off guard, smiled politely. "Something like that. I'm Megara."
Jarod chuckled. "Well, it's certainly... unexpected to see a girl on the field. But I'm sure you'll do great."
Uriel grew suspicious of whatever Jarod said to make her laugh. Without thinking, he left the coach mid-sentence and stalked back to them.
"Is there a problem here?" Uriel's voice was cold, making Jarod visibly flinch. Megara merely folded her arms and looked away.
"Oh, hi," Jarod stammered, clearly intimidated. "Do you two know each other? And what are you doing here, Uriel? I thought you were with the coach."
Uriel glared, terrifying Jarod to his core. "Don't you ever approach my person again," Uriel warned, his voice low and menacing. "Is that understood?"
Jarod's eyes widened in shock. "Your... your person?"
Before Megara could process Uriel's possessive statement, Chris returned. "Here's the uniform, Megara. The changing rooms are this way." He quickly pulled her towards the bathroom.
Inside the toilet, Megara overheard the cheerleaders gossiping."Can you believe her, flaunting herself in Uriel's way?" one whispered.
"And seducing Hugo into vouching for her," another chimed in. "Her sorcery is making the whole Z3 fight against themselves!"
Megara, now changed into her uniform, stormed out of the stall. "What did you just say?" she demanded. But she was stopped by Amaya, who was acting head cheerleader due to Brianna's suspension.
"Oh, look who it is," Amaya sneered. "The great Megara, come to grace us with her presence."
"Let's show her who's boss, girls!" Tanya added, and they grabbed Megara from behind.
As she struggled, Chris burst in. "What are you doing?!" Chris demanded, his eyes wide.
Amaya shoved him aside. "Stay out of this, Chris! Don't you dare side with a newbie who insulted your master and even caused your masters to quarrel among themselves!"
"Amaya, don't you dare approach Megara," Chris reprimanded, his voice firm. "She's Uriel's to deal with! You heard him outside!"
Amaya scoffed, infuriated. "Oh, listen to the little errand boy! You're nothing but a rich heir who lets the richer heir walk all over him, making you Uriel's pet!"
Chris was speechless, his face flushing. Megara, seizing the moment, pulled free from their grasp and grabbed Amaya by her ebony black curls. "Apologize to Chris," she demanded, pulling harder.
Amaya shrieked. "Never! Tanya, help me!"
"Don't even think about it, Tanya," Megara threatened, her eyes narrowing. "Or I'll do the same to you." Tanya, fearing for her hair and makeup, stayed put. The other girls watched as Megara forced Amaya to apologize to Chris.
Amaya, breathing heavily, finally relented. "Fine! I'm sorry, Chris," she mumbled, glaring at Megara.
Chris looked at her menacingly, then his gaze shifted to Megara, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Is that enough for you?" Megara asked Chris.
"Yes," he replied. As they prepared to leave, Uriel burst in, his eyes widening at the sight of Megara still holding Amaya's hair. He was stunned, but quickly masked his surprise with a hardened expression. He grabbed Megara's wrist.
"Uriel, save me!" Amaya pleaded, her voice a desperate whine.
He only gave her a death stare. Knowing his interpretation, the girls slunk to the floor.
Outside the toilet, in the hallway, Uriel still clutched Megara's hand possessively as they made their way through the hallway.
"Release me, Uriel!" she ordered, trying to pull away.
After what felt like an eternity, he let go, but then blocked her path, gently pushing her against the wall. His voice was low and dangerous. "What was that all about with Jarod? You were practically draped all over him."
Megara glared at him. "I was just being polite! And what were you saying to him, 'my person'? Are you serious?"
"And don't think I didn't notice you deliberately planning to make me late for the soccer competition that we're both participating in!" he accused, his voice rising slightly.
"Are you insane?" Megara scoffed. "I was busy chatting with my friends when you threatened me! You said if I didn't join the team, my friends would pay the consequences! Remember that, your highness?"
Uriel was momentarily speechless, but then his gaze fell on her captivating grey eyes, sparkling with mischief and defiance. He gently brushed a few golden locs from her forehead. "Look, just don't do anything stupid to tarnish my reputation or the school's," he warned, his voice softer now. "Otherwise, I won't stop at bullying you. I might even come after your friends and your father. Understand?"
Megara punched him lightly on the chest. "Go to hell, Uriel," she muttered, before walking away, tying her hair into a tight bun.
Uriel hadn't realized he was smiling until Zack cleared his throat behind him. "Well, well, someone looks happy."
Uriel playfully punched Zack, who swiftly dodged, continuing their friendly banter before pushing Uriel back. "What's with the goofy grin, man?" Zack asked. "You've been smiling too much for one day. Don't tell me you're in love with Megara now?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Uriel scoffed, though the smile lingered. "Let's go. We have a game to win."
He walked out of the building and onto the soccer field, which erupted in cheers for him and Zack.
From the crowd, Hugo watched, his hands sweaty. He, Laura, and Jane clasped their hands together, silently praying for Megara's safety. "She's going to be okay, right?" Laura whispered, her voice trembling.
"She has to be," Jane replied, squeezing Hugo's hand. "She's Megara."
They had no idea the surprise Uriel was in for. Megara wasn't just brilliant and a good fighter with a commander-in-chief captain for a father; she was also a skilled sports practitioner, and soccer was just the tip of the iceberg.
The match between the prestigious Royal Von High and Shinhwa High was about to begin, each player facing off against their opponent. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. "Why is a girl playing against a team of 21 males?" they whispered, laughing. "She'll ruin her pretty face." Megara remained undeterred. She met Uriel's gaze, but he seemed unconcerned, his attention fixed on Chaplain Bonner, a "perverted" player from the opposing team who looked as if he could devour her at any moment.
"Megara!" Hugo screamed from the crowd, cheering her on.
She smiled back at him, then refocused on the game. The coach's whistle signaled the start of the match, and the showdown began. Megara played clumsily at first, drawing laughter from the crowd.
"What is she doing?" Uriel muttered, clearly frustrated. "Megara, stay behind me!"
She merely laughed, passing the ball to him. "Just watch me, Uriel."
Royal Von High progressed to a 4-2 lead under intense pressure. Megara scoffed at their slowness. "Amateurs," she mumbled. Snatching the ball from Jarod, she sprinted towards the enemy goal post. Chaplain attacked her, but she easily defeated him, scoring the school's fifth goal and shocking everyone.
She smiled, waving at Uriel, who unknowingly smiled back. Chaplain, however, walked close to her, hitting her butt with his hand before sauntering away as if nothing had happened. Uriel noticed her frown and immediately went to her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowed. "Why are you angry?"
"It's none of your business, Uriel," she snapped, turning away from him.
"Megara, don't walk away when I'm talking to you!" he called after her, but she ignored him, returning to the game.
As the match progressed, Chaplain continued his assaults on her. She pushed him away repeatedly, but it only infuriated him more, and he continued his inappropriate advances despite her attempts to refuse.
Royal Von High emerged victorious with an 8-4 win against Shinhwa High. As they stood celebrating their trophies, which they had won through the teamwork between Uriel and Megara, Chaplain was busy assaulting Megara again, slipping his hand into her shorts and over her skin. She couldn't tolerate it any longer. She finally pushed him, landing a heavy punch to his face that sent him sliding to the ground. His body sprawled as he groaned painfully, curling into a fetal position. The crowd erupted in shock, phones flipping out to record the incident.
"Erase the phone and block their internet access," Pedro commanded into his strap phone, his voice firm as he relayed instructions to the ICT team.
Meanwhile, Chaplain's teammate stood up, eyes fixed on Megara, clearly intending to retaliate. But before they could get close, Uriel let out a low growl. The first football player to charge forward was met with a powerful kick to the head, sending them sprawling. Uriel moved with shocking speed, taking down the rest of the team in a matter of minutes. They lay scattered across the floor, while Jarod remained frozen in fear. Uriel then turned his attention to Chaplain, delivering aggressive punches as his emerald eyes blazed with fury.