Cooper jumped in glee. His classmates rejoicing and are going down to the court to greet their players. Cooper was about to join them when Kristine stopped him from going. Cooper looked confused.
"Let them go first. Don't cram with them. Before you can even reach your destination, you will smell like sweat."
"But I smell like sweat right now. What is even the difference?" Cooper complained. "Besides, we have to congratulate them."
"The difference? If you smell like sweat now, after squeezing there like a can of sardines, you will smell like a mix of all body odor and I don't want to smell that, after all, I'm always with you."
"Understandable." It was all Cooper can say.
They wait for a moment for the crowd to disperse. They both sat down on the bench. Cooper was humming the song that he heard a day ago, lightly tapping his feet in rhythm. Kristine, on the other hand, took her cologne out of her quilted bag. She sprayed it on to herself. She also sprayed some on to Cooper. Cooper choked on the smell and it made him sneeze.
"Bless you." Said Kristine, laughing lightly. She finds it cute.
Cooper grumbled. His hand was on his nose, scratching it lightly.
The people inside the covered court lessened and the only one left are the two sections with Mr. Abel.
They went down, going to their classmates' direction. Cooper smiled. "Congratulation to us! We won!" He expressed energetically, doing a small dance.
The boys and girls cheered, some clapped too. Who wouldn't be happy? They just won a full score in their test today AND they are exempted in their first quarterly exam.
"Don't get excited yet." Someone said. It's Mr. Abel. "Only those who took part can have an exemption."
'You can't even know who does and who didn't. You are focused on the game.', This is what the half of the class thought.
Mr. Abel looked at their faces and deduced immediately what they are thinking. "Oho! You think I didn't think this through? I spend five years doing this and I know what to do. Ms. Henderson, can you give me the list?" He asked.
The section showed confusion. They don't know what is the paper's content.
Ms. Henderson, their class president, gave the sheet to their teacher. Mr. Abel raised it up so they can see it and waved it lightly. "This is the list of people who cheered and supported their classmates. If I don't see your name here, expect to answer the written exam."
There was an audible sound of gulping. When Mr. Abel saw their faces, he smirked. He was pleased about their reaction.
Satisfied, he left them and went to the other section.
Noticing the gloomy atmosphere, Cooper tried to cheer them up... and complained at the same time, although he tried to make it not notable.
"At least we won, right? Cheers to the players and cheers to those who cheered them!"
They only glared at him. They did not appreciate the thought.
Cooper dropped his energetic smile and gave them a sheepish grin.
"Peace." he said while making a peace sign. He pouted. I was only joking, hmph!
Adrian, who noticed the looks their classmates are giving to Cooper, evade their attention to him.
"Don't be like that. Cooper was just trying to appease you."
"Oh? The guard dog is protecting his master. Why don't you stay the f*ck off? It's not that we're doing something bad to him." One girl said.
Adrian didn't like that. He was about to reason with her when Kristine stopped him. "Stop. All of you. Mr. A is still here. If you don't want to be in detention, shut your trap."
Cooper pursed his lips. There was a frown on his face. He didn't like what the girl said to his friend and he want to say something but he understand the consequences if he tried to fight.
The girl just rolled her eyes and walked away with her friends.
The small group dispersed and the only people left are the four: Adrian, Cooper, Calvin and Kristine.
Calvin was sitting on the bench wiping his sweat. He was clearly tired because of the game. Add the lack of sleep and it gave a toll to his body.
Adrian drank a bottle of water and sat down.
"Sooo... Now what?" asked Cooper. "Are we going to go home now? I'm starving." He complained.
"Oooh we could buy some food at the store near our school." Kristine suggested. "It will be my first time going there. Did you know that the cashier there is so handsome?"
"How would I know and how would YOU know when you have not been there yet?"
Kristine tutted. "You shouldn't underestimate the power of rumors, and I am the queen. What did I tell you? Earth has ears, news has wings, and I have connections." She explained, smug about it.
"I am coming with you." Calvin said. It surprises the two that he initiated first. Before they need to drag him so that he comes.
"Oh, okay." Kristine agreed. She didn't bother asking Adrian because she knows that wherever Cooper goes, Adrian follows.
"Before we go there, maybe you two boys need to shower. You reek. Ew." Kristine said disgusted.
Cooper smiled, finding it funny.
The two went to the school's shower room.
~
Walking down the streets towards the store felt like an adventure to Cooper. He felt giddy, happy.
Minutes of walking and they reached the said store. Cooper was the first to enter... tried to enter. He couldn't pull the door even with all his might.
"Pfft." When he heard a suppressed laughter, he looked at the perpetrator: Calvin.
"Haha, it's so funny. Are you satisfied? Can you help me now?" He requested with a little sass.
"How about a no?"
Irritated, he stared at Adrian with his puppy eyes. "Ari, can you help me, please?"
Adrian didn't answer. He just walked towards the door and pushed it.
That was when Cooper realized why he couldn't open the door. No one commented on it. They entered the store.
First thing Cooper noticed are the foods on the shelves. There are so many varieties and supplies there. He glanced at the cashier.
'Riri said that the cashier is a boy. Why is it a girl then?'
Cooper asked his doubts. Kristine looked confused too, thinking that the rumors are false.
The cashier noticed them. "Oh Calvin, thank gosh you're here. I need to go. I will be late on my date. Lock the store before you go okay?" she hastily exits the building.
The three looked at Cal. Kristine was shocked. He didn't know that it's Calvin all along.
Calvin walked towards the comfort room to change his clothes.
After that he went behind the counter and looked at them. "Welcome to Happy Hour Store, how may I help you?"