Post by Rayven Hardy on Nov 18, 2024 21:51:07 GMT -8
The neon lights of the arcade buzzed faintly, casting an electric glow over the space. The air was filled with the chaotic sounds of laughter, machine beeps, and the pounding bass of music. Groups of Crucible students were scattered throughout, some lined up to enter the laser tag arena, others crowding around games.
Ozzie Savell was in his element, leaning casually against a railing near a claw machine, a smirk playing at his lips as he scanned the crowd. The chaos suited him—it was easy to disappear in it, easy to watch without being watched.
It was then that his eyes landed on Maya Hardy, standing alone by a wall of arcade games. She was focused on the screen in front of her, her lips pressed into a thin line as she tried to beat whatever challenge the game was throwing at her. No Jaime Idol in sight. Interesting.
Ozzie pushed off the railing and strolled toward her, his movements deliberate but unhurried. He came to a stop just a few feet away, the hum of the arcade around them seeming to dim as his presence loomed.
“Funny seeing you here alone,” he drawled, his voice low and smooth but carrying an unmistakable edge. His smirk widened, but there was no warmth in it. “Not like Jaime to let you wander off without a babysitter. Or are you just trying to prove you don’t need him to keep you safe?”
He stepped closer, just enough to invade her space without fully crossing the line. His dark eyes flicked to the screen she was playing on before locking back onto hers. “Hope you’re better at laser tag than you are at keeping out of places you don’t belong.” His words hung heavy in the air, a veiled threat wrapped in a tone that could almost pass for casual.
At first, Maya tried to focus on the game, not even looking at him, but by this point, her attention was diverted. The game made a sound reminiscent of being a game over as Maya turns to face Ozzie. Her fists clench at her sides, something he would surely notice, though they weren't as dangerous as her feet. Known throughout Crucible as having the toughest kicks of any of the students, she was quick, but now, she was holding back.
"What do you want? I'm just here to play some games and have a good time. I don't want any trouble." She wasn't afraid, but she was visibly nervous. In the back of her mind, she remembered the conversation she had with her brother about The Division, she had to play it cool.
Maya takes a single step back, the heels of her shoes touching the arcade machine that she was enjoying a few moments ago.
Ozzie’s smirk twisted into something sharper as he caught the nervous flicker in Maya’s eyes. Her clenched fists didn’t go unnoticed either, and the way she stepped back—a subtle retreat, even if she was trying to play it off—only added fuel to the fire. He leaned in slightly, not enough to crowd her, but enough to let her know he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Trouble?” he echoed, his voice dripping with feigned innocence, though his dark gaze betrayed the malice behind it. “Why would I want trouble? I’m just… observing. Watching the little idol of Nightfall try so hard to blend in when we both know you’re not cut out for this.”
He tilted his head, his smirk deepening as he took a step forward, closing the distance she had tried to create. “You’re nervous, Maya. That’s smart. I’d be nervous too if I were standing here alone, with no one to back me up, no Jaime, no faction to hide behind.”
He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping just enough to ensure only she could hear. “You’re trying to play it cool, but let me remind you of something. This isn’t just about laser tag, or games, or whatever fun little distraction you thought tonight would be. The Division sees everything, and we don’t forget.”
Ozzie straightened up, giving her a slow once-over, as if sizing her up before adding with a chilling calmness, “So, keep your head down, play your little games, and stay in your lane. Because the second you don’t?” He let the silence hang for a moment, the unspoken threat as loud as any shout. “Well… let’s just say I’d hate to see Jaime’s face when things go sideways.”
He stepped back finally, his smirk firmly in place as he glanced toward the laser tag entrance. “Have fun out there, Maya. Maybe I’ll see you on the field.” With that, he turned on his heel and sauntered away, leaving her with the weight of his words lingering in the air. What would Maya do? Will she storm after him and give him a piece of her mind?
"Stay here...just let him go...let him go." She says to herself. He was just a few steps away, but her voice was quiet enough to conceal itself around the sound of the arcade games. A million things run through her mind. The advice that her brother Jvstice gave her, but she was also thinking about how she was being told she didn't belong here, not just from Ozzie, but everyone. If word got out that he cornered her and she did nothing? It could ruin her. She would be easy pickings, but if she goes after him, then that protective bubble Jvstice provides could crumble.
"Fuck it." Maya says and her Puma's carry her towards Ozzie, almost in a daze as if she didn't know she was making this move, this bold decision.
With the distance closed, Maya grabs Ozzie and spins him around. There was no sneak attack, there was no dishonest or mean spirited surprise, they were locked eye to eye again. Maya blinks a few times, her fingertips shaking at her sides as she once again clenches her fist. It was chilly, but she wore an unzipped pink hoodie and a fashionable top that showed off her toned stomach, and if Ozzie looked he would see her skin moving in and out quickly as her breaths were deep and a fast paced.
"I AM cut out for this." Her statement was loud and clear, the entrance to the laser tag was in the visible distance, but the other students were focused on what they were caught up in, so Ozzie and Maya were still in their own little world as far as things went.
"I've worked my butt off to get here, and I'm not going anywhere. It doesn't matter how many times Charli attacks me, or you corner me, or the others taunt me and call me a weak link. My teammates believe in me, my trainers believe in me, my family believes in me, and I...I believe in myself." Her eyes darted a bit, but she stands her ground, her fists relaxing as she flexes her fingers at her sides.
"And whatever you're doing with Jaime? Drop it. He beat you fair and square. Just let it go..."
Ozzie hadn’t expected the grab—hadn’t expected her to turn around, let alone to confront him with that kind of fire. As Maya spun him and their eyes locked, his smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, just enough for her to see it. But then it returned, sharper, more deliberate, as he listened to her words. Her voice was steady, her stance firm, but her breaths betrayed the storm raging inside her.
For a moment, he said nothing, letting the weight of her defiance hang in the air. His dark eyes scanned her, from the clench of her fists to the rise and fall of her chest. When she mentioned Jaime, though, his expression shifted—just slightly, a flicker of something cold beneath the surface.
“Wow,” he finally said, his tone dripping with mock admiration. “That was quite the speech. Inspiring, really. Almost makes me feel bad for you.” He leaned in just a touch, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. “Almost.”
He straightened up, the smirk spreading across his face again like a predator sizing up prey. “You believe in yourself, huh? That’s good, Maya. You’ll need that. Because belief? It’s the only thing standing between you and being torn apart out there.”
He took a slow step closer, invading her space once again, though this time his voice carried a quieter venom. “As for Jaime… You think this is about a match? About who pinned who? That’s cute. You have no idea what’s coming, do you?”
He tilted his head, his smirk sharpening as he added, “This isn’t about fair or unfair. This is about reminding him—and you—that there’s a reason people like me are at the top, and people like you are still scrambling to prove you belong.”
Ozzie’s gaze lingered on hers for a beat longer before he let out a humorless chuckle and stepped back, his hands casually slipping into his pockets. “But hey, you keep telling yourself you’re cut out for this. Maybe if you say it enough, you’ll actually start to believe it.”
With his hands in his pockets, the immediate threat of a punch or violence faded, calming Maya down enough to settle her breathing. It felt good to stand up to someone and Ozzie's slow retreat felt like a win, albeit a small one, for someone who has taken a beating verbally from most of the students in Crucible that weren't a part of the Nightfall faction.
"This IS about wrestling for most of us. It's why we signed with Crucible. To learn, to grow, to prove that we belong, all of us, not just me. You're a Savell, of course you have other plans, but the majority of us? The people in that laser tag game that we're missing? More of them feel the same way I do."
It was time to fire back and to put his feet to the coal a bit. "I get it, okay? You have a reputation. Your last name carries weight. Failing to live up to that can have some pretty brutal consequences, but maybe if you let me help, let Jaime help...we can get through it. You don't have to be the next Julian, Ozzie, you can be the first you."
Ozzie's expression was hard to read, was he just listening, or was he actually pondering what she was saying? Deciding to play on an equal playing field, Hardy tucks her hands into her hoodie pockets, showing that she has no intentions of trying to punch him or strike him.
"Imagine how much of a change we can make right now if we walk over to the laser tag game together, Division and Nightfall, Savell and Hardy...what do you say?"
Ozzie’s lips curled into a slow, mocking smile as she finished, and then, just as quickly, a sharp laugh escaped him—a cold, hollow sound that echoed louder than the noise of the arcade around them. His hands remained firmly in his pockets, but his posture shifted forward slightly, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made it clear he wasn’t taking her offer seriously.
“You’re joking, right?” he scoffed, his voice dripping with condescension. “You think one pep talk and some cheap appeal to ‘unity’ is going to change the way things work here? Maya, come on. You’re smarter than that.”
He took a deliberate step closer, his smirk widening, his tone laced with derision. “Walk into laser tag together, hand in hand? Division and Nightfall? That’s what you think makes a statement? Newsflash: I don’t need a statement, and I sure as hell don’t need you—or Jaime—to tell me who I am or who I should be.”
Ozzie’s eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped, cutting deeper. “You’re so desperate to prove you belong that you’d latch onto anyone—even someone like me—just to make yourself feel important. But let me make one thing clear, Hardy: I don’t need to prove anything. Not to you, not to Jaime, and definitely not to the nobodies in there playing laser tag.”
He leaned in slightly, his smirk now sharp and venomous. “You? You’re still fighting to survive. To matter. To scrape together some scraps of respect from people who’ve already decided you’re not worth it. And that’s fine—you keep believing your little fairytale that unity fixes everything. But me? I’m not here to play nice. I’m here to win.”
Ozzie straightened up, his mocking laughter returning as he glanced toward the laser tag arena. “You and me, teaming up? Please. That’s the kind of fantasy that gets you eaten alive here.”
With a final scoff, he turned on his heel, his smirk still firmly in place as he walked toward the crowd gathering for the next round of laser tag. “Good luck proving yourself, Maya,” he tossed over his shoulder without looking back. “You’re going to need it.”
Ozzie Savell was in his element, leaning casually against a railing near a claw machine, a smirk playing at his lips as he scanned the crowd. The chaos suited him—it was easy to disappear in it, easy to watch without being watched.
It was then that his eyes landed on Maya Hardy, standing alone by a wall of arcade games. She was focused on the screen in front of her, her lips pressed into a thin line as she tried to beat whatever challenge the game was throwing at her. No Jaime Idol in sight. Interesting.
Ozzie pushed off the railing and strolled toward her, his movements deliberate but unhurried. He came to a stop just a few feet away, the hum of the arcade around them seeming to dim as his presence loomed.
“Funny seeing you here alone,” he drawled, his voice low and smooth but carrying an unmistakable edge. His smirk widened, but there was no warmth in it. “Not like Jaime to let you wander off without a babysitter. Or are you just trying to prove you don’t need him to keep you safe?”
He stepped closer, just enough to invade her space without fully crossing the line. His dark eyes flicked to the screen she was playing on before locking back onto hers. “Hope you’re better at laser tag than you are at keeping out of places you don’t belong.” His words hung heavy in the air, a veiled threat wrapped in a tone that could almost pass for casual.
At first, Maya tried to focus on the game, not even looking at him, but by this point, her attention was diverted. The game made a sound reminiscent of being a game over as Maya turns to face Ozzie. Her fists clench at her sides, something he would surely notice, though they weren't as dangerous as her feet. Known throughout Crucible as having the toughest kicks of any of the students, she was quick, but now, she was holding back.
"What do you want? I'm just here to play some games and have a good time. I don't want any trouble." She wasn't afraid, but she was visibly nervous. In the back of her mind, she remembered the conversation she had with her brother about The Division, she had to play it cool.
Maya takes a single step back, the heels of her shoes touching the arcade machine that she was enjoying a few moments ago.
Ozzie’s smirk twisted into something sharper as he caught the nervous flicker in Maya’s eyes. Her clenched fists didn’t go unnoticed either, and the way she stepped back—a subtle retreat, even if she was trying to play it off—only added fuel to the fire. He leaned in slightly, not enough to crowd her, but enough to let her know he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Trouble?” he echoed, his voice dripping with feigned innocence, though his dark gaze betrayed the malice behind it. “Why would I want trouble? I’m just… observing. Watching the little idol of Nightfall try so hard to blend in when we both know you’re not cut out for this.”
He tilted his head, his smirk deepening as he took a step forward, closing the distance she had tried to create. “You’re nervous, Maya. That’s smart. I’d be nervous too if I were standing here alone, with no one to back me up, no Jaime, no faction to hide behind.”
He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping just enough to ensure only she could hear. “You’re trying to play it cool, but let me remind you of something. This isn’t just about laser tag, or games, or whatever fun little distraction you thought tonight would be. The Division sees everything, and we don’t forget.”
Ozzie straightened up, giving her a slow once-over, as if sizing her up before adding with a chilling calmness, “So, keep your head down, play your little games, and stay in your lane. Because the second you don’t?” He let the silence hang for a moment, the unspoken threat as loud as any shout. “Well… let’s just say I’d hate to see Jaime’s face when things go sideways.”
He stepped back finally, his smirk firmly in place as he glanced toward the laser tag entrance. “Have fun out there, Maya. Maybe I’ll see you on the field.” With that, he turned on his heel and sauntered away, leaving her with the weight of his words lingering in the air. What would Maya do? Will she storm after him and give him a piece of her mind?
"Stay here...just let him go...let him go." She says to herself. He was just a few steps away, but her voice was quiet enough to conceal itself around the sound of the arcade games. A million things run through her mind. The advice that her brother Jvstice gave her, but she was also thinking about how she was being told she didn't belong here, not just from Ozzie, but everyone. If word got out that he cornered her and she did nothing? It could ruin her. She would be easy pickings, but if she goes after him, then that protective bubble Jvstice provides could crumble.
"Fuck it." Maya says and her Puma's carry her towards Ozzie, almost in a daze as if she didn't know she was making this move, this bold decision.
With the distance closed, Maya grabs Ozzie and spins him around. There was no sneak attack, there was no dishonest or mean spirited surprise, they were locked eye to eye again. Maya blinks a few times, her fingertips shaking at her sides as she once again clenches her fist. It was chilly, but she wore an unzipped pink hoodie and a fashionable top that showed off her toned stomach, and if Ozzie looked he would see her skin moving in and out quickly as her breaths were deep and a fast paced.
"I AM cut out for this." Her statement was loud and clear, the entrance to the laser tag was in the visible distance, but the other students were focused on what they were caught up in, so Ozzie and Maya were still in their own little world as far as things went.
"I've worked my butt off to get here, and I'm not going anywhere. It doesn't matter how many times Charli attacks me, or you corner me, or the others taunt me and call me a weak link. My teammates believe in me, my trainers believe in me, my family believes in me, and I...I believe in myself." Her eyes darted a bit, but she stands her ground, her fists relaxing as she flexes her fingers at her sides.
"And whatever you're doing with Jaime? Drop it. He beat you fair and square. Just let it go..."
Ozzie hadn’t expected the grab—hadn’t expected her to turn around, let alone to confront him with that kind of fire. As Maya spun him and their eyes locked, his smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, just enough for her to see it. But then it returned, sharper, more deliberate, as he listened to her words. Her voice was steady, her stance firm, but her breaths betrayed the storm raging inside her.
For a moment, he said nothing, letting the weight of her defiance hang in the air. His dark eyes scanned her, from the clench of her fists to the rise and fall of her chest. When she mentioned Jaime, though, his expression shifted—just slightly, a flicker of something cold beneath the surface.
“Wow,” he finally said, his tone dripping with mock admiration. “That was quite the speech. Inspiring, really. Almost makes me feel bad for you.” He leaned in just a touch, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. “Almost.”
He straightened up, the smirk spreading across his face again like a predator sizing up prey. “You believe in yourself, huh? That’s good, Maya. You’ll need that. Because belief? It’s the only thing standing between you and being torn apart out there.”
He took a slow step closer, invading her space once again, though this time his voice carried a quieter venom. “As for Jaime… You think this is about a match? About who pinned who? That’s cute. You have no idea what’s coming, do you?”
He tilted his head, his smirk sharpening as he added, “This isn’t about fair or unfair. This is about reminding him—and you—that there’s a reason people like me are at the top, and people like you are still scrambling to prove you belong.”
Ozzie’s gaze lingered on hers for a beat longer before he let out a humorless chuckle and stepped back, his hands casually slipping into his pockets. “But hey, you keep telling yourself you’re cut out for this. Maybe if you say it enough, you’ll actually start to believe it.”
With his hands in his pockets, the immediate threat of a punch or violence faded, calming Maya down enough to settle her breathing. It felt good to stand up to someone and Ozzie's slow retreat felt like a win, albeit a small one, for someone who has taken a beating verbally from most of the students in Crucible that weren't a part of the Nightfall faction.
"This IS about wrestling for most of us. It's why we signed with Crucible. To learn, to grow, to prove that we belong, all of us, not just me. You're a Savell, of course you have other plans, but the majority of us? The people in that laser tag game that we're missing? More of them feel the same way I do."
It was time to fire back and to put his feet to the coal a bit. "I get it, okay? You have a reputation. Your last name carries weight. Failing to live up to that can have some pretty brutal consequences, but maybe if you let me help, let Jaime help...we can get through it. You don't have to be the next Julian, Ozzie, you can be the first you."
Ozzie's expression was hard to read, was he just listening, or was he actually pondering what she was saying? Deciding to play on an equal playing field, Hardy tucks her hands into her hoodie pockets, showing that she has no intentions of trying to punch him or strike him.
"Imagine how much of a change we can make right now if we walk over to the laser tag game together, Division and Nightfall, Savell and Hardy...what do you say?"
Ozzie’s lips curled into a slow, mocking smile as she finished, and then, just as quickly, a sharp laugh escaped him—a cold, hollow sound that echoed louder than the noise of the arcade around them. His hands remained firmly in his pockets, but his posture shifted forward slightly, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made it clear he wasn’t taking her offer seriously.
“You’re joking, right?” he scoffed, his voice dripping with condescension. “You think one pep talk and some cheap appeal to ‘unity’ is going to change the way things work here? Maya, come on. You’re smarter than that.”
He took a deliberate step closer, his smirk widening, his tone laced with derision. “Walk into laser tag together, hand in hand? Division and Nightfall? That’s what you think makes a statement? Newsflash: I don’t need a statement, and I sure as hell don’t need you—or Jaime—to tell me who I am or who I should be.”
Ozzie’s eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped, cutting deeper. “You’re so desperate to prove you belong that you’d latch onto anyone—even someone like me—just to make yourself feel important. But let me make one thing clear, Hardy: I don’t need to prove anything. Not to you, not to Jaime, and definitely not to the nobodies in there playing laser tag.”
He leaned in slightly, his smirk now sharp and venomous. “You? You’re still fighting to survive. To matter. To scrape together some scraps of respect from people who’ve already decided you’re not worth it. And that’s fine—you keep believing your little fairytale that unity fixes everything. But me? I’m not here to play nice. I’m here to win.”
Ozzie straightened up, his mocking laughter returning as he glanced toward the laser tag arena. “You and me, teaming up? Please. That’s the kind of fantasy that gets you eaten alive here.”
With a final scoff, he turned on his heel, his smirk still firmly in place as he walked toward the crowd gathering for the next round of laser tag. “Good luck proving yourself, Maya,” he tossed over his shoulder without looking back. “You’re going to need it.”