Chapter Fourty- Eight

The Big Game

“Come on Daniella” Leo as he pulled on Daniella’s arm. “We bought tickets months ago and I got a spare one for my date, however with the circumstances I want you to go with me” Leo was trying to pull Daniella out bed ‘why is this girl so stubborn’ Leo ask himself, he then gives up and lay’s down next Daniella on the bed.

“Everyone is going to be there” Daniella mumbles in her pillow “Especially him” Daniella pouts.

“It’s the soccer game of the year, are you seriously going not going to go because some boy hasn’t called you back in days?” Leo questions “What happen to the strong independent girl who would beat up me up because I kicked the ball wrong” Leo pokes Daniella’s making her squirm “I didn’t want to say this but. . . Who is ever going to tell me what is going with the game, I may even cheer for Eastern University” Leo looks at Daniella with one eye.

“You wouldn’t dare?” Daniella gives Leo a glare.

“You know me; everyone looks the same when running after a ball” Leo chuckles. However his plan works as Daniella gets off a bed and puts on her sweater.

“Let’s go” Daniella said in a low tone voice. Leo happily cheers and links arm with Daniella. When they reach the bottom of stairs Daniella is surprise to see her father there standing before her “D-dad?” Daniella stutters.

“I bought tickets before I knew your secret was revealed” Daniella father Henry smile.

“He knew before I did!” Mrs. Oh shouted. Both parents were dressed up fancy clothes with expensive jewelry “Honestly Daniella” Mrs. Oh was upset as she crossed her arm and looked away. Daniella sat on the stairs and pouted ‘Do I have to hear this right now’ Daniella roll her eyes “By the way, you are looking really good” Mrs. Oh blushed as she quickly walked out the door.

Everyone snickered and smiled as they followed Mrs. Oh out to the cars. Daniella sat in the passenger seat of her Volkswagen beetle while Leo drove and Ashley and Kayla sat in the back. Daniella looked out the window and bite down on her thumb ‘Everyone bought tickets to see me play the game’ Daniella felt sad as all of her hard work was going to all to waste.

When Daniella look down on her feet she notice a plastic bag “What is this” Daniella opens the bag and pulls out her soccer shirt.

“Well we think you shouldn’t give up because they find out your secret” Leo place one hand over Daniella hand “You should fight even harder because they know how good you are as a player” Daniella clenched her teeth hard and shoved the shirt back into the bag.

“Half the team didn’t know I was a girl, they don’t trust me” Daniella was trying to hold her tears.

“Is it the team or is it Luhan?” Ashley questions “I talked to Taemin and the team agrees you should play” Ashley notice Daniella expression lighten “You should fight” Ashley tried pushing Daniella one more time.

“I-I’m afraid, everyone would attack me because I am a girl” Daniella fondled with her shirt “Damn it!” Daniella held pieces of her hair as she scream “My future was based on this game and now what? How am I going to convince the coach, principal and the whole school just for me to play” Daniella rested her head back onto head rest.

By the time they got to the school Daniella didn’t know what to do. She walked back and forth in the parking lot not knowing what to do. After a while she makes a decision and walks into the audience sitting with her friends. Daniella leg shakes as her nerves start rising “Are you going to do something?” Kayla ask and Daniella shrugged her shoulders.

Daniella couldn’t help but watch that one person who came out onto the field. She quickly looks away and holds her breath when she looks back she sees Luhan looking right at her “I can’t do this” Daniella gets up from seat and walks out of the bleachers and out of the stadium. ‘He looked mad at me’ Daniella frowns. She gets a call and quickly answers it “I can’t watch, just tell me how the game goes through the phone” Daniella hangs up on Leo.

Daniella sits on the ground against the wall, she listens to the crowd’s cheers and boos. Daniella kept getting text from Leo who scored and what was happening Apparently Western University was losing badly, can’t even get control over the ball. “Daniella he got benched” Leo said over the phone. Daniella bites down on her lip ‘He always lets distraction get in his way of playing the game’ Daniella sighs.

“Is the coach doing something about it?” Daniella asked. She can’t bare seeing the game but needs to know what is happening.

“He looks really pissed and seems to be yelling at the principal as well . . . oh god Luhan just got a card” Leo gasp. Daniella stands up ‘I’m going to do it’ she then walks to the car. Daniella gets the bag and heads to the boys change room and change into her soccer uniform. She looks at the time ‘Half time should start about now’ Daniella turns around as she hears the door opening.

The team piles into the change room, they stop when they see Daniella standing there.  Taemin goes and high fives Daniella, while others smiles. The coach comes in and is furious from the game, he pushes through the team “why is everyone standing around!” The coach yells. The coach stops in his tracks when he sees Daniella “It’s about time, I was hoping to see you when the first ball was scored” The coach hugs Daniella and welcomes her back onto the team.

The team cheers and joins in on the hug “Great to have you back, but what about the rules” Kris frowns, he doesn’t want to get disqualified because there is a girl on the team.

“Don’t worry I got it covered” The coach clasp his hands. He then went to the drawing board and erase the ious planned and wrote a new one “Do you guys remember what we had plan before Daniel… Daniella left?” The coach asked. He watch everyone nod their head “Ok we are going back to the plan, however instead of covering Luhan we are going to covering Daniella. Everyone is going to set out to get her” The coach then pointed to Luhan “I hope you are a good bluffer” The coach nodded.

Everyone got excited and left the change room to play the second half of the game. Daniella didn’t leave as she notice Luhan sad face “Just pretend I am Daniel and play the game” Daniella said and turn around however her elbow was grabbed making her freeze.

“You can’t play, you will get hurt” Luhan heart race. As much as he tried to forget about Daniella he couldn’t. To Luhan, Daniella became one of the biggest part of his life. He was willing to give up his money and status to be with her. Now with Daniella on the team he couldn’t help but feel concern for her safety. He knew how guys played “Please” Luhan begged.

“If I was Daniel wouldn’t be saying that right now” Daniella roughly pulled her arm and left ‘I can’t believe him’ Daniella was furious. Even though she wanted to be good terms with Luhan, she wants to play soccer as well ‘He should know how much soccer means to Daniel’ Daniella huffs air before she runs onto the field.

“What is this?” The eastern university coach comes running onto the field pointing Daniella with a rolled up piece of paper. Daniella coach comes and stand in front of Daniella protecting her “What is she doing here” The coach stands and continue to point at Daniella. The ref’s comes in to see what is going on and the crowd whispers causing both teams to join in.

“I don’t see what is the problem is here?” Daniella coach shrug his shoulders and smiled.

“That player is a girl” Eastern University shout making everyone in the bleacher talk “You can’t add random people, especially girls onto the team” He crossed his arms thinking he got this in the bag.

“I have here papers of this lady signing papers for her to play, she had followed all the rules and regulations to play. Daniella tried out for the team practice with the team, played against Southern and northern university” Daniella coach then crossed his arms.

“I never heard of this, a girl playing on a guy’s team. They can’t do this right?” The Eastern university coach turn the referee.

“Uhh this is the first, and I don’t think there are any rules” The ref shrug his shoulders and then blew the whistle “Let the game start” The teams went onto their side of the field. Daniella heart raced as she saw everyone looking at her.

“Kill her” The coach yelled. The referee blew his whistle making Daniella run after the ball. Without her bandage she was able to breathe better making her run even faster. Just like the coach said everyone was after Daniella making the team protecting her whenever she had the ball.

Western University was able to score two goals making it even. Daniella was on the roll with ball however she had someone on her tail who caught up to her. Eastern University member was side by side with Daniella, he purposely elbowed Daniella making her fall onto the ground on her back. Everyone stop to look back at Daniella.

Daniella held her nose trying to get the blood to stop. The referee blew the whistle “I’m fine” Daniella said, however Luhan went straight to the Eastern University player and punched him right in the face. Gasp were heard as Luhan goes on top of the player and keeps punching the guy until his face started to bleed.

“Red card for you” The referee gave it to Luhan “And for you” The referee passed it to the guy who hurt Daniella and got a beating from Luhan.

“Luhan” Daniella was speechless. However Luhan walked away and sat down on the bench. Daniella quickly cleans her face before the referee blew the whistle. The game continue and ended with a tie Daniella had a chance scoring one goal into the net.

Eastern University got there chance against western and missed the shot against Tao at the net. Daniella was chosen to take the shot against Eastern University. She stood in front of her ex-boyfriend who smirk “Come’ on baby, if you miss then you are mine” Donghae joked.

“Over my dead body” Daniella could hear Luhan from afar. She smiles and fixes her hair ‘Luhan don’t you know I will never be his’ Daniella shakes her head. She then runs to the ball and kicks ball. It was like the world was in slow motion as she watches the ball go into the net. Donghae flies into the air the trying to stop the ball into the net.

Daniella jaw drops, she feels warms hugs from her friends “You did it!” The coach yelled. The whole team cheered and lifted Daniella up in the air. They all cheered and chanted Daniella name through the crowds. Water was poured over Daniella’s head, she laughed and looked at her friends. She took in the moment until she made eye contact with Luhan.