"...and a powerful spike coming from Elaine!" a commentator promulgates as the audience cheers for our university's women's volleyball team on one of our universities' most giant grass fields.
The sun's resplendent glow radiates through the players' flesh and sweat as they navigate the field. Aaron stares keenly at one of the university's top players— Jude Elaine.
"They're such beauties, aren't they?" Baron eyes at Aaron, with his eyes wandering in a daze.
"Mmmm..." Aaron replies in affirmation, locking his eyes sternly on Jude Elaine's smooth moves along the field.
"Look, look, look!" Baron beams at Aaron as he shuffles both his hands on Aaron's shoulders, taking his attention.
"What?"
"Do you know who she is?" Baron asks Aaron as he points at one of the players.
"No," Aaron pauses as he looks at the girl Baron points at. "Why, do you know her?"
"Of course!" Baron quizzes. "She's the future, Mrs. Kelvin!" Baron exclaims in delight. Aaron smacks Baron's head. Baron scratches his head in return.
"What'd you do that for?"
"I did that to wake you up from your delusional dreams. Heck— she doesn't even know your existence, how dare you pair her with that poor surname of yours?" Aaron mocks Baron while Baron continues to stare at the girl he was staring at.
"She doesn't have to know me," Baron smiles as he looks at her swift movements. "She can be mine in my dreams." Baron continues smiling innocently as she gaggles over her.
Not long after, the match goes on a break. Jude calls her teammates over. Meanwhile, on the benches, Aaron continues to stare at Jude. Her poise, her stature, her demeanor— she's just too perfect in his eyes.
Baron looks at Aaron's face as he continues to gawk over Jude's perfect figure. Baron smirks as he derides Aaron.
"Who's that girl you're staring so intently at?"
"None of your business," Aaron replies impartially.
"Be confident, you know." Baron discusses. "Even though your sense of fashion isn't the best," Baron denotes as he grabs the tips Aaron's uniform, "You can at least be better." Baron nods. "You can start with your rounded glasses and that horrendous braces of yours."
"Still, none of your business." Aaron mumbles.
"Still not telling me? Fine." Baron rolls his eyes at Aaron and keeps quiet for a few moments. Suddenly, Baron shouts and waves at the volleyball team.
"Excuse me, excuse me miss." Baron blurts out, standing up, as he exuberantly waves both of his hands. "Excuse me, miss Jude Elaine. My friend here, Aaron, likes you."
"Baron, you jerk," Aaron exclaims as he smacks Baron's head again, trying to stop his scandalous behavior. The volleyball team looks at the two boys, some of the girls are giggling while Jude Elaine stares intently at Aaron's flustered face.
"Miss Jude Elaine, my friend likes you!" Baron shouts again, laughing boisterously as he points at Aaron.
"Stop it, Baron." Aaron sheepishly exclaims as he hides in embarrassment.
"Thank you!" Jude Elaine exclaims from the other side of the field, making a funnel using her hands, amplifying her voice. After the commotion died down for a bit, Jude Elaine shouts at the two boys again.
"How you— yes, you, how about you?" She clamors as he points at Baron. "Aren't you interested in one of my girlfriends?" She crows as she grabs her friend— the girl Baron has been staring for a while now. "Take my friend Ivy, she's single," Jude smirks as she grabs Ivy's hands. "I've noticed that you've been staring at her ever since break time."
Ivy hides her face in the corner while Baron crumples up, flustered and blushing. Baron sits down and hides his face in embarrassment too.
***
Aaron lies neatly on the dry foliage of grass as he stares at Jude together with Ivy, sitting down in one corner of the field, both looking at their phones. As the sun sets, he feels the chilly night zephyr, blanketing the school grounds. Birds start flying back to the towering sycamore trees' branches with the skies tinged in red, orange colors, and mostly the hue of a dark violet shift.
A quaint rustling sound is heard on the area, opting Aaron to do a ninety-degree turn. Aaron spots Mr. Grant with his typical suited-up polo shirt and pants on the dark side of the field, his glasses reflecting glare from the yellow streetlight nearby. His image is barely visible as his body is covered by the darkness.
Aaron approaches Mr. Grant, who emits an intense, stern look upon spotting Aaron, his sharp jawline manifesting a clenching stance, intimidating Aaron. Aaron still continues to walk through him, asserting his superficial dominance. Mr. Grant remains oblivious.
"Mr. Grant? What are you doing here?" Aaron approaches him smiling, waving his hand.
"Nothing." Mr. Grant mumbles, maintaining his repulsive behavior.
"I thought student-teachers like you were always busy."
Mr. Grant stays silent as his facial veins start to clench at the constant pestering Aaron is doing to him. He stands back, signifying disinterest.
"So, what'd you doing this late?" Aaron repeats his question.
"What are you doing this late?"
Aaron stops for a moment, thinking about his answer. He's here for Jude, but it'd sound creepy if he were to say that. He clasps his hands together while fiddling with his thumbs.
"Well, I'm here to get some time to relax— you know, the usual." Aaron smiles as he answers the question. Mr. Grant eyes him keenly, looking at him from head to toe.
"Where's Mr. Kelvin, that friend of yours?"
"Ah, he went home earlier."
"And you didn't go with him?" Mr. Grant inquires as he raises his brow.
"No, I didn't—" The sound of a motorbike rattles through the area, driving through the field, stopping in-between Aaron and Jude. In the motorbike was a guy probably five feet eleven tall, wearing an all-black leather suit with red outlines. He removes his helmet to show his sharp facial features, eye-level slicked-back hair, and smirking lips.
"Jude, Ivy, time to go." The guy alarms both the girls, who both walked to his direction, riding the bike. Jude sits in the middle while Ivy sits in the last row.
"I told you to go with Ronin, Ivy!" The guy exclaims, giving Ivy a stink eye.
"Ronin said he had something to do." Ivy asserted. "Besides, you always go with me. Aren't you, my brother? Why do you always go with Jude, Mark?"
Jude laughs as she touches Ivy's head while she tries to wear a helmet. "That's because I'm prettier."
Ivy leers at Jude. "Not really. That's because my brother likes you—"
"Hold tight, girls. We need to hurry." Mark exclaims, halting her sister as he tries to start the engine. Not long after, the rattling sound of the motorbike's engine fills the air again. Not long after that, the motorbike's sound dissipates into the deafening silence of the empty field.
"I guess my job here is done." Mr. Grants mumbles as he walks away, his knees hitting the bushes, making a rustling noise.
"Wait—"
Aaron stands confused, stone cold. That guy— Mark looks familiar. Too familiar actually. Many questions linger across his mind as he thinks about the last phrase Ivy said before they left.
"That's because my brother likes you."
He stumbles for a moment, the voice echoing again and again all over his head. After a short pause, Aaron acts quick, his feet and knees snap into position as he runs through the dry grass into the somber alley. He slides through the front gate, grabbing the nearest taxi. He rushes inside the vehicle.
"Can you please follow that black motorbike about two-hundred meters ahead of us?" He asks as the motorcycle speeds through the freeway, not halted by traffic. "Oh— and can you go faster? I'll pay you extra."
The taxi driver giddies up as he prepares for departure. "Sure," he nods, grabbing the gear lever. He then speeds through the empty expressway, chasing down the black motorbike.
Aaron gears his hands as the taxi speed goes through the charts, lowering the gap in-between. He sits back with cold sweat.
"It's time to sleuth." He whispers to himself.