Dennis…
My walk with Jeff and Howard didn’t remain boring after the convenient store. Howard didn’t stop laughing at his own jokes which were very appealing to Jeff too. I laughed at some of his jokes but I had already heard most of it. The afternoon wind was refreshing. It lessened the uncomfortable feeling I had from my sweat drenched long sleeves.
Howard didn’t stop from cracking his jokes. Admirably, he didn’t get over his boundaries that
I was his instructor and he needed to be cautious with the jokes he was throwing at me. He knew how to choose her words. Even Jeff’s jokes were carefully chosen but still very funny.
It took us another twenty minutes of walking before we reached the ark of Peak Homes Subdivision. Honestly, I didn’t recognize the last minutes of our walking because I had fun laughing at the two.
“There’s tricycles here at the corner. Aren’t we taking the ride now?”, I joked with them.
“Are you kidding sir? We already walked that far. Are we not going to finish it until the end?”, Jeff asked in a serious tone. I keenly looked at him and he was not joking. He didn’t catch my drift. Howard and I exchanged looks and we obviously understood each other.
“I hate you.”, Jeff uttered as Howard and I laughed at how gullible he was at that.
“You are not good at picking up jokes, aren’t you.”, Howard said to Jeff but didn’t care to notice him anymore. Jeff walked away with heavy feet from us. Howard ran after him while still laughing. I forced myself not to laugh as well. I let Howard take the fall for this one. I followed the two as the two walked away. I would make it up to Jeff later when we reached the court and his feelings already subsided.
After a few turns, we finally reached the place where my class was practicing. Even at a few corners away, we could hear the sound of many students talking at the place and Valdez was in the middle of them.
Valdez saw me walking from a distance and waved at me. I saw Jeff and Howard enter the court and placed their bags on the bleachers. I could still see Howard apologizing but Jeff did not care and continued looking over his gym bag. In my opinion, Jeff was very sentimental. He couldn’t take too many jokes. But clearly, he couldn’t care any less at his jokes thrown to us earlier while we walk.
“Maybe I offended him, not Howard.”, I told myself.
When we entered the courts, some of my students greeted me. I nodded in acknowledgement and gestured to them to continue what they were doing. I walked to where the two had put their gym bags down. Seems like they’re still not talking with each other. I intended to intervene but I chose not to. I let whatever heat was in between the two subsided first.
I put my bag down and looked over the court. It was located inside a well-developed subdivision. A small home owner’s office was on its side. The light in the court was lit already since it’s almost dark outside. Valdez might have made an arrangement with the homeowners for us to be allowed to stay this late for practice.
“Sir, I’m happy you are able to come.”, Valdez greeted me when he approached.
“Since time were you all here?”, I asked
“We got here after class. We tried to come here late so that It won’t be too bright when we start.” - Valdez replied.
“Is this presentation that impressive that we need to hide it by practicing at night?”, I wondered.
“Haha, not really sir. Just wait and see the presentation later. I am sure that you’ll love it.”, Valdez explained. “Sir, didn’t you have a hard time looking for this court?”
“Not really, no. I was with Jefferson and Howard. And how does anyone get lost after walking from the University to here?”, I said sarcastically.
“Really sir?! You walked with them all the way here. How did you survive?”, Valdez uttered with slight mockery.
“I was caught off-guard. I thought the subdivision was just beside the University. I had no idea that it was this far.”, I responded.
“My apologies sir. I thought you knew.”, - Valdez
“Don’t worry. Those two kept me company the whole walk anyway.”, I pointed to Jeff and Howard from a distance who obviously still were not talking with each other.
“I see. Well, I need to get back to the rest of the class sir so we could start the practice. It’s almost done. We just need a little polishing.”, Valdez said confidently.
“Don’t let me keep you. Go. I’m just here for some comments and suggestions.”, I told Valdez and getured him to go.
Valdez went back to his classmates and left me. I sat on the bleachers where I could see all of them when they started practicing.
“Sir, we’ll go with the rest of the class and practice.”, Jeff said as he passed by me. Howard was right behind him. I nodded at him because I still didn’t know what he was thinking of me. I slightly gestured to him asking how he was doing. Jeff shrugged his shoulders in response. The two of them walked towards their classmates.
***
As I watched my class practice, I realized that it was not hiphop or anything with fast beats. It was more like an interpretative dance. I was actually impressed by their choice. I’ve watched several interpretative dances but this one they’d prepare was peculiar. I was not familiar with the structure.
I noticed that most of my students were talented dancers. Even Jefferson and Howard were both amazing as they moved. I was happy Jefferson found Howard. He was no longer isolated. Those two clicked. I really hoped those two get well with each other soon.
The class practiced for 30 minutes straight. After the last run ended, I heard Valdez called for a water break. The class dispersed. Each grabbed their towels and took a gulp from their bottles. I saw Jeff and Howard go back to their gym bags by the bleachers. Howard was still approaching Jeff for his forgiveness. I saw Jeff nod his head at Howard. Presuming it was okay already but obviously, Howard was not convinced. Jeff grabbed his towel from his gym bag and hastily wiped his face dry from sweat. I saw him throw his towel back to his bag and briskly walked back with the rest of the class.
They were on break for at least five minutes only before Valdez called them back to practice. He said they were on their last two sets before getting into the curtain part.
What curtain?
Most of the students were at the center already when I waved at Jeff and Howard to come to me fast. Howard saw me and nudged Jeff at the side to look at my direction. The two run to me.
“You can put your gym bags here with me so I can look over them. Your classmate’s bags are here anyway.”, I offered. The two looked at a number of bags lined up at the bleachers.
“I’ll take our bags for us.”, Howard offered and ran towards their gym bags. Jeff was about to stop him but Howard was already out of reach.
“Let him be.”, I said to him who simply shrugged. Jeff may have had bad feelings on me.
Jeff looked at Howard as he was getting their bags. He was on his back. Something told me I should come to him and say sorry but I stopped myself. I was joking. Why wouldn’t he get that? Howard was cracking all sorts of jokes at him but he was never upset. How come when I cracked jokes at him, he’s mad. I was about to approach him to start a conversation but as soon I made a step forward he walked away to meet Howard.
“Put those bags here.”, I told the two as they came towards me. They left their gym bags along with the rest of their classmate’s. Howard smiled at me, grateful for me looking over their bags. But Jefferson obviously was avoiding me. He didn’t even give me a glance. I felt his cold treatment. As if we weren’t just laughing on our way here earlier.
The two rushed back to their classmates the moment they dropped their bags. The rest of the class started practicing again. But unlike their practice moments ago, now they were raising two poles at front. Others are putting some sort of electronic lights at their backs. The court had lights installed. Where were they needing those lights for? After they rose the poles, they unraveled these long white sheets of cloth and hooked it on top of the poles.
“Is this what I think it is?”, I whispered to myself. “If I am right, this is going to be amazing. This is genius! This will break grounds in the University. No one has done this before. Haha, I can’t wait to see Sam’s face on this.”
While others were installing the white sheets, the rest of the class were changing into their black costumes. All black and skin fit garments. Maybe intended to see their shapes behind the sheets. The girls went to the restroom behind the court and the boys changed clothes by the bleachers. I saw Jeff and Howard changing clothes on the other side. The two didn’t care about their classmates and took off their clothes as well.
Howard had a nice build. Build of a young man. Juicy and sporty. His arms and shoulders looked hard. Judging by his Jordan rubber shoes, maybe he was playing basketball. His chest was well-shaped as well. Meaty. Howard may not have abs but his flat tummy implied that he was not the fatty type of guy.
Jefferson was beside him. Unlike Howard, he was looking shy in changing his clothes. Maybe he was not used to such set up. The way I saw him at the tree, he wasn’t really sociable. After a few minutes, I saw him poke Howard by the shoulder. He looked like asking him for help. Jeff looked very uneasy. Howard pulled Jeff’s costume and laid it loose. Even Jeff was showing reluctance at the idea, he had no choice but to do what his classmates were already doing.
What was he shy about? All of his classmates were topless. Most of them had their clothes on already. If he wouldn’t hurry, the more others would notice.
Jeff took off his shirt. His white skin and slightly skinny body went out in the open. Unlike Howard’s, His was not as firm but his flawless white skin was unparalleled. Even at a distance, I could say they were smooth, soft and unscorched even by the slightest sun. Jeff’s back was on me and they were perfectly shaped.
After a short while, Jeff turned to face my direction. If his back were mesmerizing already, I couldn’t get my eyes off his front. His nipples were pink like strawberries on top of a short cake. Who wouldn’t stare at those? It’s a good thing that I’m far from them because if I weren’t, I may have not contained myself. It was hard to get a hold of oneself if such a man would be in front of you, who would right?
I was so caught up at Jeff’s godly facade that I didn’t notice I was staring. I was staring so bad that I didn’t notice Howard was looking in my direction. Staring straight at me. I immediately changed where I was looking so that he wouldn’t think what I was expecting him to think.
I shook my head to remove the idea and get back on track.
After everyone got dressed up, they went at the back of the white curtain they’d set up. I could see them getting into formation. I was waiting for their music to start when I heard something ringing in one of the gym bags beside me. I ignored the sound.
After a few minutes, I heard the sound again. It wasn’t a ringing call tone actually but rather a notification tone from an app. An app that I was very familiar with. I looked at the bags again and scanned where the tone might be coming from.
And for the third time, I heard that very distinct tone from that app I myself was very fond of using.
“Whose bag is that sound coming from?”,