Vanilla

Eighteen

A/N: HI SORRY IM LATE BY AN HOUR EEP im so tired i worked saturday 8am-9pm liVinG the JapAnEsE worK eThIc. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter as much as you did the last. Your reactions were pRicElEsS. Always looking forward to reading your screeches. ;v; Wheee

Also, if you're American and preferably over 19, I really need your help ;u; please head to my message board to find out more. O-or follow me on Instagram at hisangelchip.

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[Vanilla]

"You," I began as soon as he was within earshot, nearly breathless from crossing the distance but somehow unable to keep a straight face. "Are an idiot."

I couldn't quite tell if my captain was being serious since nothing seemed to be wiping that look of sheer confidence on his face, enough to play with his words. "And you like it."

"Oh is that what you think?" I adjusted my glasses and decided to look elsewhere. "I'll give it to you. You're good at convincing yourself."

He laughed at this, reaching over in an attempt to execute the usual forehead flick that I'd seen coming a mile away and successfully avoided at once. Both the audience and the team behind him seemed particularly amused by this, which only served to further embarrass my already-embarrassed self. Thankfully, our brief interaction or odd exchange of targeted remarks was cut short by an announcement for the captains to gather for instructions; leaving me to fend for myself in a group of six other strangers.

Already, Si Yin was wildly gesturing for me to introduce myself. I had no choice but to give in.

"Hello everyone. Nice to meet you. I'm Julian White from—"

"We know who you are," said Rosi, dismissing my humble attempt to reintroduce myself after the chaos of having formed teams of eight. All thirty-two of us remained on-stage, awaiting further instructions while the rest of the school were free to inspect and examine our every expression and general body language. Needless to say, I wasn't the best at hiding my discomfort; or the fact that I was still recovering from missing out the probability of Leroy drawing the second wild card in the box. "So. It's outdoor cooking."

"Any ideas?"

The seven of us had gathered to form a general circle, leaving a space for the captain who would probably have to join us soon. Already, Si Yin was blending in faster than the wind and myself, number three's self-proclaimed childhood playmate and supposedly familiar with the rest of his friends, seemed perfectly out of place. Completely unfazed by the fact that no one had clapped, cheered, or acknowledged her as Leroy had called her up on stage, she was the first to prompt the group for ideas.

"Blow their minds with some good Brazilian cuisine," concluded Raul, snapping his fingers as though he'd laid out the best idea yet. "Just take this and that and everything, whatever we learnt from days before and we get the trophy. Done."

"Hi I'm Nabila," piped the girl to my right, dressed fashionably in fishnet stockings and combat boots. Her red tracksuit jacket was at least two sizes up and she'd snipped her shorts thigh-high. "A senior."

Rosi clapped her hands in warning, giving the two of us (me, a non-participating participant of the conversation) an ice-cold glare. "Hey, why are we introducing ourselves?"