Page 86 of Shadowed Whispers

Plus, I’ve never actually gone to one of the games here, and Matteo and Leo would appreciate it. I chew on my cheek as I waver on my decision. Do I go?

“Okay,” I finally relent, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Let’s do it.”

Tori squeals in delight, practically vibrating with excitement. “Yes! This is going to be epic!”

She grabs my hand, pulling me toward the door with an energy that’s impossible to resist. I barely have more than a second to grab the jersey and my backpack. As we make our way out of the dorm room and into the bustling hallway, I feel a sense of anticipation building within me, a flutter of excitement mingled with nervousness.

“Are you sure Matteo won’t mind?” I ask, a flicker of doubt creeping into my voice as we navigate the crowded corridor.

Tori waves off my concern with a dismissive gesture. “Nah, he’ll be thrilled to see us there. Trust me.”

I nod, trying to push aside the lingering doubts and insecurities that threaten to cloud my mind, focusing instead on the possibility of an unexpected, memorable night ahead.

I can step out of my comfort zone.

The dorm is bustling with excitement, a lot of students dressed in our school colors of black and red. The air is thick with the scents of perfume, sweat, and the fresh ink of game day banners. Tori and I navigate through the sea of students, their chatter and laughter adding to the buzz of anticipation in the air. It’s as if the entire campus is alive with energy, pulsating with the promise of the night ahead.

As we step outside, the cool evening air wraps around us like a comforting embrace, the scent of freshly cut grass mingling with the faint hint of excitement. I pull the jersey over my head, the fabric soft against my skin, and adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder. The jersey feels like a shield, a layer of camaraderie in this new, thrilling chapter of the night.

Tori flashes me a grin, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Okay, so the stadium is in the next town over. I figured I’d drive.” Her voice is light, but there’s an undertone of determination, as if she’s ready to take on the world.

Nerves bubble in my belly as we work our way through the swarm of people. It’s loud, even outside, as Tori leads me through the throng toward the parking lot. “Alright,” I answer hesitantly, because I don’t like going places without an escape plan. My voice trails off into the din, a small testament to my lingering anxieties.

“It’ll be fun, I promise.” We pause at her little red car, which looks more like a vibrant adventure capsule than a vehicle. She presses a button to unlock the door, and at the same time, the top slowly rolls backward.

“This is a death trap,” I mutter as I slide into the passenger seat.

“Lies,” she retorts playfully as she starts the car. Her excitement bubbles over as she pulls away. “Alright, so here is the thing…” She draws the last word out as I struggle to get my hair under control and weave it into a braid.

“That sounds ominous,” I mutter to her as I finish my twist. “What’s the thing?”

“This team is one of their biggest rivals.” She glances at me as she chews her bottom lip to within an inch of its life. “And it’ll be pretty crazy.”

I snort. “Aren’t all rugby games crazy?” Not that I’d know. I’ve never actually been to one.

Tori crosses the bridge, following a trail of cars out of campus. Her head tilts from side to side as though she is weighing her words and thoughts. “No,” she drawls after thinking on it for a long few minutes.

“So is this the final game of the season then? Like a playoff thing?” I ask as she drives the car out of town.

“No.” She glances at me as she stops at a light. Grumbling to herself, she begins to put the top up. “Can’t have wind for this conversation.”

I just raise an eyebrow as the top clicks into place. She only had it up for a mere few miles, and all of a sudden, she’s getting insanely serious.

Not only that, but she also puts all the windows up, turns the heat on, and locks the doors.

“Are you going to murder me?” I ask as the locks click into place, the question a half-hearted attempt at humor that masks my rising unease.

“What?” she shrieks, her reaction bordering on comical. “No, no, nothing like that.” She shakes her head back and forth while licking her lips, clearly nervous. “So um... Shit. I don’t know how to have this conversation.”

“Tori?” Something inside me begins to teeter toward panic. I don’t know why, and I’m not entirely sure what the trigger is. Maybe it’s being locked in the car, or maybe it’s blindly trusting this woman who only chose to befriend me yesterday.

A thousand reasons flash in my vision, each more sinister than the last.

“Right, right.” She pulls away on green, her thumbs tapping a rhythm on her steering wheel. “You know how you got mad at me for taking over the cove?”

I snort. “You guys had a bonfire after following me and never cleaned up after yourselves.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” She winces. “But the cave…” Her voice trails off, suggesting a deeper revelation is about to unfold, hinting at secrets that could change everything I thought I knew about tonight and possibly about Tori herself.

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