The Villains Must Win-Chapter 138: Reid Graves 18

The soul inside Tabitha had been that girl—the one who wasn’t just invisible, but actively bullied for existing. The kind of girl who wouldn’t dare set foot at prom unless she wanted to become the punchline of some cruel prank.

(And if you were wondering whether her classmates had pulled a classic "Carrie" moment on her . . . well, let’s just say that pig’s blood wasn’t involved, but the emotional scars? Oh, they were there.)

This time, though?

This time would be different.

She had a fresh start, a new life, and—most importantly—a prom ticket in her hands.

Sure, she was still technically an outcast, but she was a new person now. She had Reid, and despite his tragic lack of athletic ability, he was going with her.

Which, by the way, he hadn’t fully processed yet. But she was calling it a done deal.

Tabitha practically sprinted to the dress shop, ready to finally experience what high school girls in movies always seemed to enjoy—trying on the perfect dress for the perfect night.

. . . Even if her date was an emotionally constipated genius who would rather solve quantum physics equations than slow dance.

Baby steps.

=== 🖤 ===

Reid was suffering.

Physically. Mentally. Spiritually.

He was standing at home plate, gripping the bat with all the confidence of a drowning man holding onto a pool noodle. His knuckles were white, his palms were sweaty (he really hoped no one noticed), and his heart was hammering in his chest like it was trying to escape his ribcage.

He was this close to graduating at the top of his class. This close. But of course, his one weakness—the bane of his very existence—stood in his way. Sports.

Why did he need to pass Physical Education to be recognized as a genius? Why did the school board insist on tormenting him like this? Why couldn’t they just let him calculate batting angles on paper and call it a day?

"Come on, nerd!" someone from the enemy team jeered.

"Be careful, you might hurt yourself."

A group of girls standing near the bleachers giggled, pointing at him. "Oh my God, look at how stiff he is. He’s holding the bat like it’s a broomstick."

"I bet he’s never held anything remotely manly in his life," another whispered, snickering.

The insults kept coming. So did the laughter.

Reid tried to tune them out, but his ears felt like they were on fire. His glasses slid down his nose from the sweat, but he couldn’t push them up because if he moved even an inch, he’d probably trip over his own feet.

The pitcher smirked. "This is gonna be easy."

Reid’s own teammates groaned behind him. "Ugh, why does he have to be in our team?"

"We’re so screwed."

"We should’ve just let the coach fail him."

Reid exhaled sharply. He could already see it in his head—his failure. He’d miss, his team would lose, and then he’d be that guy. The guy whose tragic incompetence cost them the game.

Just when he was about to resign himself to his miserable fate— freewebnoveℓ.com

Boom.

The field’s entrance doors burst open.

And in walked Tabitha.

Wearing a cheerleading outfit.

For a moment, it was as if time itself paused.

Every single eye on the field turned to her.

Her long, multicolored hair was braided into two thick plaits, making her look like a mischievous little kid. Her cheerleading skirt swayed as she strutted onto the field, her tall, chubby frame unbothered by the stares. And, most importantly, she was beaming.

Reid watched in stunned silence as she raised a pair of pompoms and actually started cheering.

"LET’S GO, REID! LET’S GO!" clap clap

"YOU GOT THIS, REID! YOU CAN DO IT!" clap clap

Reid blinked.

Then he blinked again.

The laughter? The whispers? The mocking smirks?

Gone.

The girls who had been gossiping about him? Now staring at Tabitha with open-mouthed shock.

The guys who had been jeering? Looking away awkwardly, suddenly aware that their insults weren’t quite as funny when someone with actual confidence was in the room.

Even the opposing team seemed slightly thrown off.

Whether it was her jiggling curves, her off-tune singing, or a chaotic mix of both, she commanded attention like a one-person circus act.

Tabitha didn’t care.

She cheered, danced, and twirled her pompoms like she was the star of the show, not caring in the slightest what anyone thought of her.

Reid, despite himself, felt something in his chest unclench.

The weight of a thousand eyes on him didn’t feel so heavy anymore.

For the first time that day, he inhaled properly.

Alright. He could do this.

He would do this.

Except he still sucked.

The first pitch came. He swung.

And missed.

Laughter echoed from the stands again, but it wasn’t as bad this time.

The second pitch. Another miss.

His teammates groaned dramatically behind him.

"Ugh, just end it already," someone muttered.

"We’re doomed."

The enemy team smirked. "We got this. That nerd couldn’t hit the ball if his life depended on it."

Reid’s grip on the bat tightened. His jaw clenched.

His life didn’t literally depend on it . . . but his dignity sure did.

Then, through all the noise, a single voice cut through—

"REID!"

He snapped his head toward the bleachers.

Tabitha was standing on the bench, one hand cupped around her mouth.

"You can do it! Feel it!"

Feel it.

Reid exhaled.

Tabitha had been shouting that at him since she started training him.

"Don’t think, just feel."

"Stop overanalyzing, just swing!"

"Your brain is a weapon, Reid, but sometimes your instincts need a turn!"

Reid closed his eyes for a second.

Alright.

He wasn’t going to calculate angles or worry about aerodynamics.

He was going to feel it.

The third pitch came.

And this time—

Reid swung.

CRACK.

The bat connected. The ball soared.

Silence.

Then—

Chaos.

His teammates exploded into cheers. The crowd roared. The enemy team scrambled as the ball flew past them.

"RUN!"

Reid blinked, still processing what just happened as he carefully placed the bat on the ground.

"FOR FUCK SAKE, REID, just throw that damn thing and RUN!" Tabitha shouted.

He bolted.

And for the first time in his life, he ran faster than he ever thought possible. His feet pounded against the dirt. His glasses nearly flew off. His lungs burned, but he kept going.

First base.

Second base.

Third base.

He could hear people screaming, but he had no idea what they were saying.

The enemy team was right on his heels.

He could hear the ball being thrown. Someone was yelling to tag him out.

He dived.

He hit the dirt, sliding face-first toward the plate.

Silence.

Then—

"SAFE!"

The entire field erupted.

His teammates swarmed him, screaming and hollering.

Reid barely had time to breathe before his teammates grabbed him and threw him into the air.

The next thing he knew, everyone was tossing him up like he was the MVP of the game.

Which was wildly inaccurate, but he wasn’t going to argue.

The only thing louder than the celebration was Tabitha’s laughter, full of pure joy as she cheered from the bleachers.

For once, Reid didn’t feel like an awkward, scrawny nerd.

For once, he actually felt like part of the team.

And for once . . .

Playing baseball didn’t seem like the worst thing in the world, and all those traumatic childhood memories of his was replaced by this moment and it was all because of her . . . Tabitha.