CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
ALEX DAVALO
Never underestimate the weak!
Lara had called me that evening, her voice bubbling with excitement. “Hey, Alex! Can you do me a favor?” she asked, almost a little too eagerly.
I tried to hide my sigh. “Depends on what it is. You know I’m busy with helping out with the pack, right?”
“Oh, come on! This is important!” she said, the urgency in her voice catching my attention. “I need your help to convince Sandro to go with me to the inter-college basketball competition in Oklahoma. Please?”
I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. “Lara, you know how tough Sandro is when his mind is made up about something. It’s like trying to move a mountain.”
“But he listens to you! You’re his brother! Just talk to him, okay?” she pleaded. The desperation in her tone was hard to ignore.
I let out a soft chuckle. “Fine, but it’s going to be a tough sell. You should already know he doesn’t like watching basketball.”
There was a brief pause on the line before Lara added, “But you’re going too, right? If he finds out you’re going to be there, he might change his mind.”
I thought about it for a moment. “Okay, I’ll talk to him,” I said. “After all, if there’s one way to get Sandro to go, it’s definitely because you’re involved… and you know Nadia will be there.”
“Exactly!” she chirped. “You know how much he can’t stand her. Just use that against him! I’ll owe you big time!”
“Deal,” I agreed. After hanging up, I walked to Sandro’s room, feeling a mix of determination and apprehension. Walking in, I found him sitting on his bed, scrolling through his phone.
“Hey,” I said casually as I plopped down on his chair.
He glanced up, curiosity lighting his expression. “What’s up? You look like you have something on your mind.”
I snickered, deciding to dive right in. “So, Lara called me…”
Sandro’s brow furrowed. “What does she want again?”
“She wants you to go with her to the basketball competition in Oklahoma,” I said, watching his face closely for any flickers of interest.
Sandro rolled his eyes, clearly uninterested. “No way. I’m not wasting my time watching that stupid game. I hear Nadia is playing, right? Like I want to watch her be embarrassing again.”
“Well, here’s the thing,” I said, leaning forward, trying to keep him engaged. “What if I told you that going to see the game was one way we could make Nadia’s life miserable? We could bully her right there in front of everyone. There’s just no way she will be able to survive that”
That caught his attention, and I could see the way his eyes lit up with intrigue. “Huh? You think so?”
“Think about it,” I continued with a wry smile on my face. “There’s no better way to make her feel terrible than to see us mocking her while her team is losing, as I expect them to. We could even make it a whole event…the Ultimate Nadia Roast!”
Sandro grinned, the corners of his mouth curling up as his previous anger transformed into excitement. “You should have said that at the beginning! Now you’re speaking my language! When do we leave?”
I chuckled, relieved that I had managed to flip his mood. “We can leave tomorrow morning. Lara is picking us up at nine. Just be ready for the ultimate showdown!”
“Yeah, I’ll be ready!” he said, enthusiasm bubbling over.
The next morning, as the sun peeked over the horizon, the four of us gathered-me, Sandro, Lara, and Bethany. The car ride was filled with chatter and laughter, a perfect blend of anticipation and excitement. Lara kept talking about her hopes for the game, while Sandro was simply focused on our master plan to make fun of Nadia.
“I can’t wait to see the look on her face when we start shouting,” Sandro announced with a mischievous glint in his eye.
“Just make sure you don’t get kicked out,” I warned, though it was all in good fun.
“We’ll be seated nice and high. Nadia won’t even know it’s us until it’s too late,” he replied confidently.
“I can’t wait to see how she reacts,” Bethany said, sounding ecstatic.
“Me, too,” Lara added.
When we arrived at the stadium, the energy was electric. Spectators were buzzing, chattering amongst themselves, sporting jerseys and holding up banners painted with their team’s colors. The atmosphere was filled with the smell of popcorn and hot dogs as fans eagerly filed into the bleachers.
“This is awesome! Look at how many people are here!” Bethany exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
Through the throng of bodies, we found our seats, ensuring we had a good view of the court. Just as the teams started warming up on the court, I couldn’t help but laugh at a few of my friends who were sporting absurd wigs and face paint, all a part of being a die-hard fan. “I love the spirit here!”
As the opening whistle blew to signal the start of the game, the place erupted with cheers. We all settled in, and it wasn’t long before Nadia got her chance at the ball. The moment she touched it, I turned to Sandro with a smirk.
“Here we go! Time to make her life miserable!”
Sandro nodded, and we exchanged excited looks. “Let’s do this!”
With the game in full swing, every time Nadia touched the ball, we found ourselves yelling something at her, making sure our voices were loud and clear enough for her to hear. “Nadia! Watch out! Maybe don’t drop it this time!” or “Easy, Nadia! You’ll bruise your ego!”
It was effective. Every time she tried to run or make a play, I could see her confidence waning. I smiled, seeing her visibly flinch each time our taunts hit their mark. Eventually, she asked to be substituted, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Looks like she’s had enough!”
Sandro’s eyes sparkled with glee. “This is too good! I can’t believe how easy this is.”
“She has always been a weakling,” Lara laughed.
The game continued, and our college team was not only losing but struggling to keep up as their opponents pressed their advantage. It looked like her teammates were falling all over the place, either faking injuries or genuinely getting hurt. Each time they stumbled or fell, Lara and Bethany would stifle laughs, while Sandro and I cheered!
Finally, the coach shouted out a substitution. He turned to Nadia. I could see her body tense up. Whatever he said must have worked. She took a deep breath, shaking out her shoulders, and walked back onto the court.
Sandro burst into laughter. “Look at her! Is she really going back in? Poor decision!”
Nadia cast a fleeting glance our way, and I saw a flash of defiance. She smiled briefly before turning away, ready to prove us wrong. The game shifted at that moment.
From that point on, it was as if something clicked inside her. She took control of the ball with fierce determination, weaving through the defenders like they were cones in a drill. It was incredible to see. Each time she had the ball, the crowd began to cheer, and her teammates rallied around her, finding a new sense of encouragement.
“Uh-oh! Looks like she’s actually figuring it out!” I said, surprised.
“Come on, how is this happening? She wasn’t even this good before!” Sandro exclaimed, both shocked and irritated.
It became a completely different game as Nadia scored bucket after bucket. Each shot seemed to defy physics as she sank three-pointers in rapid succession. Her team began to rally around her energy, gaining confidence. The momentum shifted, and suddenly, they were in the lead.
With each successful run, I could see Sandro’s excitement turn to disbelief. “No way! She’s dominating! This isn’t how this was supposed to go!”
Finally, the referee blew the whistle, signaling the end of the game. The scoreboard flashed, confirming the win for Nadia’s team. I was in shock. “How? How did this happen?”
As the crowd erupted in cheers, Nadia stood victorious, a broad smile plastered on her face. They announced her as the Player of the Match, and I couldn’t believe it. There she was, bowing to the cheers, living in the moment that just moments ago had seemed impossible.
At that moment, she turned around, scanned the crowd, and locked eyes with us. A knowing smile crossed her lips as if to say, “I told you I could do this.” Then she simply looked away, catching the cheers of her teammates who were jumping around her.
Sandro’s jaw dropped. “She turned it around! Unbelievable!”
I was glad that our team won, but I needed to convince myself that I did not feel any attachment to Nadia, which was why I was so bent on taunting her.
I shook my head, still astounded. “I think she just made us look like idiots. Can’t believe how wrong we were!”
Sandro clenched his fists in frustration. “We’ll get her next time. For now, let’s just get out of here before she spots us!”
Just then, I saw an opportunity to get back at her. “I’ll be right back. I need to use the restroom,” I said to Sandro and the girls.
I’m grabbing this by the scruff of the neck!