The day of the first scrimmage was here. Once school day was over, the club gathered at the bus station alongside their advisor, Ms. Stone.

  "I wish they paid me extra hours for this," Ms. Stotered under a heavy sigh. "Everybody here? Owo, three... You're missing one. Where's Ben?"

  "Should be on the way," Vi said. "I haven't heard anything-" Loud orchestra musiterrupted his words. It sted for just a couple of seds, but that was more than enough to leave an impression. "Oh, I got a message. Let's see here..." He fiddled with his tablet.

  "Ben is... not ing," Vi wore a difficult expression.

  "Seriously?" Yuel couldn't believe this guy. Just whearted thinking that maybe Ben was alright because the guy has been stayira hours during training, Be ahead and pulled this nonsense. Seriously, what was his problem?

  "So, we're just going to ighis?" Yuel asked.

  "Nothing else we do," Kai averted her eyes pulled down her bck cap. She was visibly frustrated by this development as well, yet she chose to let this crime slide.

  What was so special about Ben that let him get away with these repeated offenses? Kai wasn't the type to keep quiet about such things, yet she acted all meek about it. This was so puzzling.

  It 't go on like this. Yuel decided. I have to get to the bottom of this tomorrow. Either Ben is part of the club, or he isn't. I don't know what lingering attats he got for the basketball club and, frankly, I don't care. If he wants to tinue being a part of the club, he has to act like a proper club member.

  Missing practice from time to time was still fine. Ben made up to it by being one of the hardest w individuals on the days he resent. He always stayed until the very end and he never zed around, unlike a certain sleepy girl who always dozed off at 3 pm.

  That's why Yuel was fih Ben's misduct for the most part. Ben exhibited enough seriousness about Cssmao pass as a club member, even with all his unexpined absences.

  However, missing a scrimmage was a whole different story. This club was small. With only seven members, it was easy to rotate pyers around a everybody py a couple of matches in one scrimmage. In case Stratus gains an early lead, Yuel po let Ben py Top Lane in his stead, to let Ben gain some partial experience like the rest of them.

  Besides, the team might legitimately require Ben's help this match. Based on past years, Taurus wasn't an oppoo s. They will surely pose a challenge, maybe even enough to make Kai surrender Bot Lao Yuel and Lars.

  If that happens, Vi will take Top. He was a det all-rouop Laner, but Ben’s defensive pystyle was better for certain matchups.

  Not to mention, Vi was currently the better Top Laner in part due to the differences in their experience. Vi was a senior, so he spent more years pying Cssmancers. Therefore, a scrimmage would’ve been a great opportunity for Ben to accumute plenty of experie ond take a step closer toward being the team's main Top Laner, or at least bee a reliable situational sub. As it stood, Ben was her.

  "Don't be so mad, dude," Lars patted on Yuel's shoulder.

  "I'm not mad."

  "Nah, you totally are. I know dat look of total disappoi. It’s like ya thinking dude itted the worst crime in the world and now you've lost all faith in humanity and stuff, haha."

  "I'm just disappointed," Yuel sighed. "Despite all his unexpined absences, I thought he art of the club. But, now he pulls this."

  "Hey, Ben is a nice dude. I'm sure there's a reason behind it."

  "Reason, huh." Was there really such a thing? It’s the excuse Kai and Vi have been feeding Yuel since day ohe more time passed, the harder it became to swallow. Things couldn't go on like this. Yuel will have to sort this out after the scrimmage.

  Unknown to Yuel, until a very short time ago, Ben had every iion to e to the scrimmage. In fact, he was giddy about it.

  Today is the big day. Ben took a deep breath. The mere thought of pying on a real stage gave him the shivers. But, it wasn't just ay, it was excitement too.

  Pying on a big stage at Proter was like having one leg in the pro se. Proter even hosted some real pro matches, it was that kind of serious pce. And, their small middle school team was going to py there too. It was amazing!

  I just hope we don't mess up. Ben gulped as he made his way to the bus station. Well, we got strong pyers this year, so we should be fine. I’d like to py too, but I'm not as good as Yuel and Vi yet. I o practice harder.

  Practice. That one word stabbed him like a knife. How many club practices has he missed over the past few months? He missed at least one day every week without fail, out of the three practice days they had. So, he worked about 30% less than everybody else. It was unfair towards them.

  Even though he regurly practiced at home after school, it didn't make up for the amount of missed club activity. The level of experience he gained in the club was invaluable. He got to py alongside high-level teammates and faced strong oppos. No amount of solo training could make up for it.

  At home, he mostly pyed alone. Sometimes Vi joined in with voice-call and they pyed together, but that's about it. The friends Beo py with no longer pyed Cssmancers. And, it was rgely his fault. He made them quit. It was a sin he had to bear for the rest of his life. They had no iion of ever fiving him for it. Speaking of the devil...

  "Hey, Meatball!" A cheery voice called out to him. Oh no. Please no...

  "H-Hi..." Ben replied timidly, but he didn't stop to greet the speaker. He kept walking toward the bus station.

  It was a Slenderman situation. If Ben turns around, he's dead. Oher hand, if he reaches the bus station first, he might still have a ce. It'll be harder for these guys to pull anything in a crowded area.

  "Hey, Meatball. He just called ya, didn’t he?" An arm ed around Ben's shoulder, like a srapping its prey. It was over. They caught him.

  "What's with the cold treatment?" The first boy, Mike, caught up. "That's how you treat your friends?"

  "S-Sorry, I was in a hurry..." Ben mumbled. His forehead broke out in cold slease, just let me go...

  "Heh," The boy holding him, Larry, chuckled. "Hurrying to yirlfriend or something? Haha."

  "Pft, as if this fatso got any ce of sg with anybody," the third boy, James, shook his head. All three of them were here. They were Ben's "friends".

  "So?" Mike, the leader, interrogated. "What's the hurry? What's so important that you don't have time to turn around and greet one of your homies?"

  "Um, I got a scrimmage today..." Ben answered timidly while trying to wiggle out of Larry's tight grip. It was no use. They trapped him.

  "A scrimmage? Whew," James whistled. "Makes our Mancers club sound like a big shot."

  "Yeah, a big shot with zero wins in its entire history," Larry added with a mean giggle.

  "So, you're pying today?" Mike demanded.

  "Um, maybe..." Ben answered holy.

  "ow, would you look at that! Somebody is turning into a pro over here, khaha!" Larry ughed in his usual coarse voice. "I heard they're holding ‘em scrimmages at Proter and all."

  "No shit?" James's eyes popped. "They get to enter for free?"

  "Yep. A great deal, right? Too bad we couldn't make it into the club."

  "Yeah, too bad," Mike agreed with a stern tone. "If only we weren't screwed over by some hyena."

  "Ah..." Ben's gaze naturally fell onto the ground. His friends didn't get into the club, but he did. It's all because he was selfish. He wao get into the club so badly that he ended up betraying his friends. He was the worst. A total scum. He was the type they burned in hell for all eternity.

  "Well, a scrimmage is a big deal," Mike said. "Guess we have to let him go."

  "R-Really?" Ben blinked. He was expeg the worst, but they'll let him go? Just like that? Really?

  "Yeah, ain't gonna hold you up," Larry released Ben out of his unbreakable grip.

  "T-Thanks," Ben smiled. Turned out they were still his friends after all! I'm so gd. Maybe they'll five me if I perform well today. I’m the only one who made it, so I have to prove to them I deserve to be here. Maybe that’ll make them feel a little- "Guh!?" Sharp pain traveled into his abdomen.

  "Ugh!" Ben crouched on one leg. His insides burned. W-Why did he...?

  "Hey, hey, what's wrong, Meatball?" Larry asked in a joking tone. "Not feeling well? Ma a grip."

  "I-I'm fine," Ben ehe pain and slowly stood up.

  "Here, lemme give ya a hand," Larry came closer and pulled Ben up. At first, it really seemed like he came to help. However, the moment...

  "W-Whoa!" Ben found himself falling backward, crashing into the ground! Gah! Pain traveled across his babsp;

  "eatball. You're so clumsy," James snickered. "All that weight is too much for your ps, doncha think? 't even lift yourself, haha." They all ughed.

  I should've known. Ben pursed his lips. His "friends" won't just let him go.

  This was his punishment for betraying them. They'll never five him for it, no matter what he does or how much time passes. Even if he bees a pro pyer, they'll still resent him for what he did st year.

  "You don't look so good," Mike said. "Here, lemme help you get to the nurse room."

  "N-No need, I'm fine," Ben jumped on his feet and did his best to stand straight. He'd be lying if he said none of this hurt, but he had to stand firm. He knew all too well they had no iion ing him to the was just an excuse t him away.

  "Hey now," Mike's eyes turned sharp like a bde. "Here I am, going out of my way to help a friend, and you gonna spit in my face like that?"

  "N-No, I didn't mean to..." Ben trembled. It was hopeless. The moment this gang captured him, there was no escape. I should've left earlier for the station. I don't think I make it anymore...

  "Then , let's go," Larry pushed from behind, almost making Ben dive into the ground again. "Let's get you checked and all that, hehe."

  "You should be thankful for having such g friends," James added with a mean smile.

  "Y-Yeah, of course I'm grateful," Ben forced the words through his dry throat. It was all over for him. He won't make it to the scrimmage today.

  As the pack of wolves dragged him away, all he mao do was send Vi a single message.

  Sorry, I ’t make it today

  And so, Ben was absent from the team's first scrimmage...

  DarkestCymore