Chapter Thirty-Five

New Year, New Game

It was a new year and the team started off, playing against Southern University. They had to play in an indoor stadium because of the weather outside. This would be the last game before they have to play against their number one competitor Eastern University. If the team could win this game they would have a great advantage against Eastern University, the stakes were high, so everyone was at the edge of their seats.

Everyone was in the changing room getting dressed. Daniella sat on the bench looking at the ground while everyone changed into their uniforms. Luhan took off his shirt and threw it in his locker out of frustrations. He got out his phone and texted Daniella one last time. "I sure hope, that she shows up" Luhan sighed when he put his phone into the top shelf of the locker.

Daniella pursed her lips as she heard Luhan's words. Guilt was written all over Daniella's face ‘Where is my phone?’ Daniella thought. She looked through her bag hoping to find it quickly. ‘I should tell him that I won’t make it’ The coach walked into the changing room and called everyone to take a seat.

“Listen well ladies. I hope that our little trip to England helped you improve your soccer. Now get out there and show me what you've got!” The coach shouted making the team all hyped up. The team shouted and cheered their way out of the changing room. Daniella looked back and saw Luhan who looked sad.

The team started off with some stretches as the crowd settled down. Luhan kept looking into the audience hoping he could spot Daniella. “She'll come” Kris whispered to Luhan.

Luhan shook his head, with Daniella on his mind he got distracted very easily. The team got ready as the referee blew his whistle making the game start. For the longest time Southern University had most control of the ball. The team had gained more powerful players who had alot of upper body strength. When Luhan went to get the ball out of one of the guy's grasp, he got body checked.

The referee blew the whistle calling out for the Southern University player. He got a yellow card giving the player a warning for his actions. The team huddled up as the captain made some changes. “Everyone give the ball to Daniel, they won’t be able to catch him if he has the ball” Kris then looked over at Daniella. “If you see an opening, shoot or give it to one of us to shoot, got it?” Kris asked and Daniella nodded.

The referee blew the whistle and the players got back into position. Daniella ran side by side with one of the players from the other team, she then used her foot work to trick the player and switched the ball to her side. Daniella ran with the ball in the other direction, none of the players could catch up to her. Daniella saw Luhan wide open so she kicked the ball towards Luhan.

Daniella's mouth dropped as she saw Luhan letting the ball pass right by him. “You've got to be kidding me!” Daniella shouted. She then walked over to Luhan and shoved him to the ground, the whistle blew making the game pause “Why didn’t you kick the ball into the net?” Daniella shouted. Everyone surrounded the two players.

Luhan didn’t even realise, he was too busy looking at the audience when Daniella passed the ball. “I-I’m sorry” Luhan stuttered as he got back up.

“You two break it up” The referee said and blew the whistle again. The game continued, however Daniella and Luhan weren’t getting along. Whenever Daniella had the ball she would pass it to someone else rather than Luhan, even if he was wide open and could make the shot. Both fought for the ball when they were running side by side, the others looked at the two and shook their heads. The coach called them both out making them sit on the bench.

Daniella crossed her arms and looked away from Luhan. ‘He is so dead to me’ Daniella thought Luhan was ruining her chances to prove herself on the field. When Daniella did look at the field she saw the score board was 4:0 meaning their team was losing badly. Daniella finally gave in and looked over at Luhan, he had puppy eyes looking into the audience ‘Is he that hung up on me not showing up to cheer him on?’ Daniella thought.

The coach looked like he wanted to kill everyone on the field and when it was finally half time he yelled at the team in the changing room. “If you don’t get your butts into gear we won’t be able to beat Eastern University!” The coach yelled and stormed out of the changing room.

There were still twenty minutes until the team had to go back onto the field. Luhan took out his phone from his locker and sighed heavily. “Maybe Daniella doesn’t... Ugh I don’t even know” Luhan ruffled his hair. Lay patted his back and his friends came closer to console him. “I thought at New Year’s we you know... became a couple. I even took Daniella out for dinner a couple of times, went to the ice skating rink. Those are all couple things people do, but now she is ignoring my texts and calls. I thought Daniella would support me during my games like Suzy did” Luhan couldn’t help but be sad.

“Maybe Daniella is one of those girls who just use the guys that she dates?” Tao suggested not helping the situation. Luhan walked away and went to the bathroom to think. Luhan turned the tap on and washed his face, he looked at himself in the mirror. ‘Have I been the only one giving in this relationship?’ Luhan thought.

When Daniella heard all of the commotion she felt guilty. “I don’t think Daniella is like that, come on she waited so long just to be with Luhan” Lay supported Daniella.

“But then why is she not here supporting Luhan? To me it seems like she's just using Luhan. He is the richest guy in the school. Maybe her intentions were only to get with Luhan for his money, I think we should be careful with her” Tao was worried for Luhan's sake.

Daniella just stood there feeling guilty. ‘I’m not that type of girl’ Daniella thought. Her cheeks burned and she started to get watery eyes. Daniella grabbed her bag and went out of changing room, she took out her phone and called Luhan. “Hey” Luhan's voice sounded quiet and weak.

“Can we meet after the game?” Daniella asked nervously.

Luhan was in the bathroom still looking at himself in the mirror and thinking. ‘She's going to break up with me’ Luhan thought when he heard Daniella asking to meet up. “I think the guys were going to have a small celebration, we're winning you know” Luhan lied.

Daniella laughed. “Luhan I’m not breaking up with you, I have a surprise for you” Daniella couldn’t help but smile. ‘I know you too well Luhan, I know what you’re thinking’ Daniella thought. “So meet me at the gates after the game and you better win or else no surprise” Daniella said and hung up the phone. Daniella called Leo and told him about the situation, Leo said he would be there with everything she needed. She then went back into the changing room and listened to Kris' plan.

A couple of minutes later, Luhan joined everyone with a smiling face. “Why are you suddenly so happy?” Chen asked.

“Daniella is coming to see me after the game” Luhan smiled brightly. Everyone else gave a worried look to Luhan. ‘Maybe it was better when he was dating Suzy, she was only using Luhan as a rebound. Daniella could be using him for his money.’ Kris thought, he was worried for his friend. Kris then told Luhan the plan, the team all placed one hand over each others' and cheered.

When the team got back onto the field they were more determined to win, especially Luhan. ‘I've got to show Daniella I am a winner’ Luhan thought. The referee blew the whistle causing the game to continue. Daniella was up against the same guy, she tried to use her foot work to get the ball but instead she got elbowed making Daniella fall to the ground.

Luhan went up and shoved the Southern University guy to the ground. The referee blew the whistle giving the Southern guy and red card and Luhan a yellow. Luhan gave a hand to pull Daniella up from the ground. “Thanks” Daniella said. Luhan smiled and patted Daniella on the back.

Within the last five minutes of the game Daniella and Luhan got three goals each. Making the impossible become possible. The team cheered and the Southern University players became speechless. Little did they knew that Daniella and Luhan had a great bond and when they worked together they become the best. ‘It’s a good thing we won, I wouldn't have known what to say to Daniella if we lost’ Luhan ran around the field with Daniella shouting and raising their hands up in the air.

The coach even got the water cooler and dumped it on the two. Luhan then patted Daniella's back. “I have to go back to the dorm and get ready to see your sister” Luhan winked and ran away from the field. Daniella's eyes widened as she looked at the audience, she saw her friend Leo and went running towards him.

“God, look at you” Leo was disgusted at how Daniella smiled and was soaking wet. “Come on lets go” Leo pulled Daniella into the changing room. Leo made sure no one was around. “Take a shower and then get dressed into this” Leo handed Daniella the bag of clothes.

She looked into the bag and smiled “Did you design this?” Daniella asked.

“Yeah, and it will go well with this” Leo hand Daniella an envelope. She opened it and smiled. “I don’t understand how you have these kinds of things in your room” Leo was a bit confused.

“I got these months ago, Sehun and I were supposed to go together. I wasn’t going to go since I had this game, people think I'm using Luhan for his money” Daniella then stepped into the shower. “It’s not that I didn’t want to spend money on Luhan, he just never let me. I would go to pay my bill but he would just stop me and pay everything” There was a slight pause. “Leo do you think I’m using Luhan for his money?” Daniella asked.

“What do you think of Luhan when his name pops into your mind?” Leo asked.

“I don’t know... Everything. My heart races when I think about him and I only feel safe and relaxed when he's around” Daniella started to cry, but her tears wiped away with the shower water hitting her head. “Luhan was my best friend first before he was my boyfriend... wait he never asked me to be his girlfriend” Leo started to laugh. “Does that mean we're still courting each other?” Daniella asked. She stepped out of the shower and dried herself off.

“Well I guess this event would be the perfect time to ask?” Leo passed Daniella shoes and waited for her to come out.