Chapter Text
Anya and Damian sat on a park bench facing each other, ready to pick their option: Rock, Paper, or Scissors. Their friends, classmates, and other students surrounded them, eager to witness either of the two: a commoner destroying the Desmond scion, or Desmond destroying the girl no one could defeat. The two players scowled determinedly, both confident in the inevitability of their victory.
I need to use the first round to test my theory, thought Damian. He lowered his hands to his stomach. Her eye movements would confirm whether her strategy involved his hand or face.
Theory? Anya was confused. Is Sy-on boy talking about homework?
Round 1
“Ready? Rock, Paper, Scissors!” Becky kicked off their match.
Damian picked Rock; Anya picked Paper.
Score: 0-1.
Heh. Anya gave Damian a goading smile, but his expression didn’t change.
Then, not the hands, he thought.
Huh? Anya frowned.
Round 2
Damian decided to play Paper; Anya picked Scissors.
Silence engulfed them. Damian had actually picked Rock.
Score: 1-1.
“H-how?” Anya stammered. Wasn’t he going to play Paper?
“See, shrimp. Told you I can defeat you,” he said smugly.
“…”
“No!” yelled Becky. “That was a fluke!”
“Yeah? Then how come Bossman is the first one to win by fluke?” asked Emile.
“Bossman can totally defeat stubby legs!” cheered Ewen.
Anya’s head reeled. Did Sy-on boy change his mind at the last minute?
Round 3
“Let’s go, shrimp. Or are you scared?”
Anya glared at him.
“Ready?”
Damian decided on Scissors; Anya picked Rock. But Damian played Paper.
Score: 2-1.
Anya gawked at him. How can this be possible?
The pompousness radiated off him. Anya tried to read his mind, but two defeats in a row had unnerved her. The motley of emotions and thoughts of the crowd began seeping into her head.
Of course, Damian Desmond is winning. How could a commoner win?
Noooo! My poor Anya! (This one is Becky, obviously)
Why does she get so much attention?
Oh no! I wanted Anya to win! How can she lose?
Good. Forger gets a few Stellas and thinks she’s something amazing?
How is Desmond defeating her? Forger was playing astoundingly well before this.
I think he’s just getting lucky. Forger will turn the tables.
Bossman will win! Bossman will win!
As the spiral of thoughts coiled tighter, she felt her surroundings sway slightly. She hadn’t noticed the growing crowd; the voices got louder. Anya squeezed her eyes shut, her fists clenched as she attempted to find Becky’s thoughts and tune out everyone else.
Emile and Ewen cheered, congratulating Damian for crushing the Forger girl as Becky argued that the game wasn’t over yet. However, Damian’s attention was entirely on the pink-haired girl. He felt the sweet sense of triumph slip into the abyss of her misery.
Is she dumb? This is just a game! How can it affect her so much?
“Shrimp,” he whispered unintentionally. He looked around, grateful that no one heard him. Then he cleared his throat and yelled, “Oi! Are we not continuing the game?”
The crowd quieted, waiting for her response. The noise in her head faded away as well. Anya’s eyes snapped open.
“Are you conceding defeat?” he asked, his voice devoid of the expected competitiveness. “I can win by forfeit.”
“Of course not! I will win!”
Anya tilted her head, trying to read his mind and figure out his strategy.
Is she better now? That’s how Max tilts his head. She is so weird. I don’t know why I even bother.
Anya grimaced. Sy-on boy’s mind is useless. He’s just thinking of insults for me. But how did he win those rounds?
Her eyes widened. Can Sy-on boy also–
She shook her head.
No, that’s not possible. But he is changing his choice while playing. I just have to play the option he picked before changing it!*
Anya grinned.
Round 4
“Ready?”
Damian decided on Scissors but played Paper.
Anya picked Scissors, smirking at him.
Score: 2-2.
Damian frowned. Did she read my face wrong? Why did she pick Scissors?
He saw her delighted expression.
No. She knows.
“Starlight Anya always finds her way to the top.”
Round 5
I’ll have to take a chance, he thought. I’ll pick at random and observe.
Anya panicked. How do I pick then?
They both played Paper, Scissors, Rock.
How is Sy-on boy doing that?! Why can’t I see what he is picking?
Wait, thought Damian. I think I have figured it out. I can guess her next move.
Anya read Damian’s mind. No! Sy-on boy can’t win!
Damian picked Rock, and Anya, still lost in the ramblings of her mind, pointed a finger at him. (Her Scissors faltered at the last moment.)
“That’s not even one of the options, dummy,” he said.
Anya shook her head, beads of sweat rolling down her cheek. Pay attention, Starlight Anya. You can do it.
Damian wore a cheeky smile. She’s rattled. And she should be. I can read her face like a book. The next move will be my final one. Heh!
Aaaaaah! Anya screamed internally in frustration after reading his mind. How?!
She gritted her teeth and glanced at the plate next to her. I have to win! These are MY cookies! And cakes! And candies!
Damian smirked. I am going to eat that all right in front of her!
Anya’s face fell. Her lips quivered, but she looked up at him defiantly.
Round 5, contd.
I WILL fight back. What should I pick? Scissors? No, Paper?
I think, thought Damian, I have to pick Sci–
Unfortunately, he glanced into her anguished eyes, and when she made her choice, his hand remained where it was – as a fist.
Score: 2-3.
“Yay!” Anya squealed, and Becky joined her.
The crowd murmured or cheered, depending on whom they were rooting for. Damian pushed all the noise away.
“No. No. No! I hadn’t picked yet!”
Becky and Anya ignored him, hugging and jumping in joy.
“It’s okay, Bossman. Good game. You almost won,” said Ewen.
“Yeah, no one else was even close.”
Aftermath
Damian was burning up in anger and embarrassment.
Why couldn’t I?! I knew what she was picking. This is ridiculous. My guess was right!
Anya whipped around. “Huh?”
“What do you want, shrimp face? Do you want to rub in your victory? This was just a game of chance.”
“Yeah? As if you wouldn’t have gloated if you’d won,” said Becky. “You were so smug. But no one can defeat Starlight Anya! She is amazing! You’re just upset your bout of good luck ran out!”
“It wasn’t luck!” screamed Damian. I could read her face! Ugh! I can’t say that out loud. That sounds stupid.
“He’s right,” said Connie. “It wasn’t luck. The ghosts supported Anya. He fought hard, but even he can’t win against ghosts.”
Damian wanted to pull his hair out. Idiots! All of them. I could have won! I could have shown her how smart I am! Her? No, not her. To everyone! Stupid cry-baby and her stupid sad face. I don’t care if she cries out an ocean. Stupid. Stupid. STUPID!
Anya would have paid attention to his thoughts if she weren’t blissfully lost in her own world. She shovelled 3 cookies in her mouth at once, while Becky and Connie argued with Ewen and Emile.
Damian grumbled. Why is she so happy? Has she never eaten a cookie before?
He gave up and walked away. Moments later, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around.
“Sy-on boy, you played too well. I almost lost. You can have one cookie. It’s caramel.”
Damian turned the same shade of pink as her hair. Becky and Connie giggled.
“G-go away from me! Do you think I can’t get my own cookies? I can eat 500 cookies if I want!”
“Okay. But you shouldn’t. That is bad for your teeth. And tummy,” she responded sincerely.
Aaaaaaah! Damian screamed on the inside. Why do her stupid eyes look like that? I– I hate–
Sy-on boy is scary. He looks so angry. I should leave.
Anya shoved the cookie into his hand and ran back to her spoils of war.
“Urgh!” Damian stomped to their next class. He needed peace.
Epilogue
A week or so later, Anya sat in her room, searching for the homework she needed to show Papa. While reaching inside her bag, she found a green packet tied with a golden ribbon. Puzzled, she tugged it open.
“Whoa!” A giant cookie the size of her face.
She bit into it and fell to the floor.
Peanut Butter cookie. The best one in the world!
She scarfed it down within seconds.
She was daydreaming about living in a castle made of cookies and cakes and peanuts when Papa yelled, “Anya? Where did you disappear?”
Anya shot up. “Coming, Papa!”
She never wondered where the cookie came from.