He’s leaving. Tonight.
That was all that mattered now. She didn’t even care about the championship anymore. She just wanted to be alone with him to figure out what was happening. Vee stared at Cypher’s profile, unable to even look at the screens, the teams on either side, or the announcer addressing the fans.
One by one, the top five teams were named.
She vaguely realized that she and Cypher were never called. It wasn’t until Deadly Dearest was announced as the winner of this year’s game that she tore her gaze from him.
The crowd went wild as Diatrix and her team of women surged onto every screen in the stadium. Fireworks went off, and vibrant lights flashed as Deadly Dearest accepted their win. Tears were in Diatrix’s eyes.
Vee reached out and grabbed Cypher’s hand, squeezing it. Her eyes trailed back to his face. He didn’t squeeze her hand back.
It was over.
Attendees came out and ushered them off the stage. The crowd in the bleachers started to disperse. A few minutes later, she and Cypher were back in their lounge, empty now of her parents. It’d even been cleaned, as if no trace of them or their stay had ever existed.
Her heart squeezed.
It was over, all of it. Over.
Cypher released her hand and went to stand by the window. She remained rooted in place.
“I’m sorry,” he said, stunning her. “I’m sorry you didn’t win.”
“You’re sorry?”
He ran his hands through his hair. “You’ve worked your whole life for this, Vee. Of course I’m sorry. I didn’t fucking help at all, it seems. You didn’t even place.”
“I don’t care that we lost.”
“Of course you care.”
She shook her head. “I… don’t.” She really didn’t care, she realized. At least not about the championship. It’d only been a game after all.
Cypher turned to look at her.
“I care about other things more,” she whispered.
Pain flashed across Cypher’s face. He knew what she was referring to. A crack formed in her heart.
Vee took a step forward. “You didn’t tell me you were leaving.”
“You knew I was.”
“But not so soon. Not so soon after…”
“Would it have mattered? Would it have changed anything?”
Vee folded her arms around her stomach. “I could’ve prepared.”
“For what? You needed to focus on your dream, and I wasn’t about to let that slip away,” he groused. “But it has, hasn’t it?”
His words only made the crack in her heart bigger. “Stop making decisions for me!” she snapped. “You should’ve told me.”
“You’re asking a Cyborg to relinquish control. Impossible. I chose not to hurt you.”
Tears beaded her eyes. “But you have.”
He took a step toward her, and she turned away, moving to the table. If he touched her, tried to comfort her, she was going to turn into a wrecked puddle. Only threads of her pride remained, and if she was going to survive this, she needed them.
