Megara watched, stunned, as Uriel unleashed a barrage of blows on Chaplain. His ferocity was disorienting; it was as if years of animosity fueled his every punch. There was no mercy in his assault, and despite Zack's desperate attempts to pull him away and everyone else's futile efforts, Chaplain's face became a bloody, smashed mess.
"Megara, please!" Zack pleaded, his voice strained. "Only you can stop him!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Megara screamed, throwing her arms around Uriel from behind, desperately trying to pull him away. He finally disengaged from Chaplain but not before delivering one last kick as the paramedics dragged Chaplain away. Uriel turned to face Megara, his hand gently caressing her cheek. "Are you fine?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly soft. His eyes narrowed, and a chilling edge entered his tone. "And which hand did he touch you with? I'll make sure to destroy both of them."
Megara stared at him in disbelief, then down at his bloodied knuckles. Tears streamed down her face. She had never witnessed such raw ferocity. This incident would only add to her already mounting troubles, and she was certain she would lose her scholarship.
Uriel gently pulled her into a hug, allowing her to sob against his chest. Her loud, aching sobs filled the silent stadium; the world around them seemed to fade. After a while, she pulled away, her face red and tear-streaked. She looked up at him, their previous hostility momentarily forgotten. "Is your wound painful?" she asked.
He shook his head. "My wound isn't painful at all." He took her arm, leading her towards the grass where their trophy lay. He picked it up and handed it to her. She stared at it in silence.
"Take it," he insisted gently. As she did, his expression hardened instantly. She was startled by the transformation of his once gentle gaze into something cold and unrecognizable.
"Can I tend to your wound?" she asked.
A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Is this your way of getting into my bed?"
Megara's face flushed with fury. She delivered a thunderous slap, the sound echoing through the stunned stadium. "Stay away from me!" she warned, her voice shaking. "Stop daydreaming of the impossible!" She stormed off, leaving him chuckling, finally content that he had diffused the tense atmosphere.
Zack, however, was not amused by Uriel's behavior. "That was uncalled for," he scolded. Uriel's teammates were still reeling from the earlier events. As Uriel turned to leave, his face connected with a fist, sending a fresh stream of blood from his lips.
Hugo stood before him, looking beyond furious; he was livid. Even Zack couldn't contain the storm brewing within him. Hugo lunged, punching Uriel, who easily dodged. "Is that all you got?" Uriel taunted, wiping blood from his lip. "Even Megara's punches have more force than yours. If this is your thank you for saving your supposed girlfriend, Megara, then you're not welcome. But I'll let it slide, only because I don't want to ruin your face and damage your modeling career. We've been friends for years, after all."
"Stay away from me and from Megara!" Hugo warned, his voice tight with anger. "I don't want a psycho like you hurting Megara's feelings on a daily basis. I met her first, and if you dare to trouble us again, things will get much uglier than they already are."
Uriel grabbed Hugo, pushing him back until his body was flattened against the iron cage barricading the field. "Be watchful of your words," Uriel warned, his voice low and dangerous. "I don't like threats, and I won't tolerate any form of insult, even if it comes from my closest relatives." He shoved Hugo away before storming off.
Zack offered to help Hugo up, but Hugo pushed his hand away. "Pussy," he spat, before walking in the opposite direction, towards the female restroom.
Hugo wished he could quit the Z3 group and teach Uriel a lesson he wouldn't forget. But his father had threatened to disown him if he did, and his modeling career would hang by a thin thread. He had to find a way to destroy Uriel without harming his career, but first, he had to make sure Megara was solely his, even if it meant tarnishing Uriel's image in her eyes.
In the Restroom
Inside the restroom, Megara stood by the mirror, replaying the recent events. She admired Uriel's heroic, yet frightening, stance against her molester. She pulled her hair band away, letting her hair cascade over her shoulders, admiring herself in the mirror. Realizing her self-absorption, she scolded herself and entered a stall to change back into her uniform.
After changing, she returned to the mirror, adjusting her uniform before pulling her hair into a tight ponytail. As she exited the bathroom, she found Hugo waiting at the door. He quickly hid his bruised knuckles from her, unaware that she had already noticed.
"How are you?" he asked, his voice strained.
"Fine, if not startled by the incident," she replied. She recounted the entire ordeal, how Uriel had been her savior one moment and then transformed into his usual cold, careless self.
Hugo listened, feigning shock. Sensing her vulnerability and hoping to capitalize on it, he warned her, "You need to stay away from Uriel. Don't talk to him ever again. He attacked me and said he would ruin all of us for your mistakes. He won't hesitate to press charges if you don't quit schooling." This was a blatant lie, but Hugo was ecstatic, knowing he had successfully sent Jane and Laura to get coffee, keeping them from witnessing his fight with Uriel and potentially exposing his deceit.
Megara, unaware of the lie, felt a surge of annoyance at Uriel's audacity. She inspected Hugo's wound, noticing only bruises on his knuckles and a small, barely visible cut. She blew softly on it.
Hugo chuckled. "Am I a child?"
Megara laughed back. "You are for now. Stay still, or you won't be able to write properly."
Jane and Laura arrived, spotting the two of them together. They handed the coffee to Hugo, barely acknowledging his wound before embracing Megara as if she had just survived a life-or-death situation. Megara was happy to see them too, hugging them deeply. "It was so nice playing with the team," she told them. "I'm going to sign up next time to officially become a part of the soccer team!"
"Don't do that," Hugo quickly interjected, trying to dissuade her. "You're already in hot soup for what happened today. It's doubtful the coach will even let you play with his team."
Megara remained optimistic. "I have what it takes. The coach wouldn't give up a prodigy for one single mistake."
Jane and Laura were happy for her and didn't try to talk her out of it, but Hugo was clearly displeased. Her joining the team would bring her closer to Uriel, ruining his chance to confess his feelings for her. He forced a pretentious smile and gently sipped his coffee, attempting to ease the awkwardness.
Jane playfully snatched the coffee from Hugo. "Trying to drink the whole thing yourself, are we?" she teased.
Hugo denied it, winking at Megara before handing her the coffee. Unbeknownst to them, Uriel watched from behind a nearby wall, observing their happy chatter without him. He was not happy. He clenched his fist until it bled, but he didn't care. He simply walked away, fuming, but quietly enough not to alert them.