The worst part wasn't getting benched.
It was watching everyone else slowly accept it like it made perfect sense.
Glenda was the first traitor.
I watched her from the corner of my eye, still mid-fume, as she hesitated for exactly half a second… then quietly dismissed her entire skeleton army.
The clattering swarm that had been locking down half the field just vanished like they collectively decided they didn't want to be associated with her anymore. She walked over with the kind of careful steps people use when they know they're guilty, then sat beside me and hugged her staff like it was emotional support.
"…I think I got a bit too excited," she admitted, staring very hard at the ground.
I stared at her.
"You had an army," I said, voice flat with betrayal. "You had leverage."
She sank a little deeper into herself.
Then Nieda joined.
No hesitation, no shame, just walked over and dropped beside me, pulling her knees up like we were suddenly in some kind of timeout circle.
