~~Ashley's POV~~
The harmonious rhythm that filled my eardrums when I had my headphones on became the most exciting feeling for me. Whenever I had them on, it felt like I was in another dimension, even the sound of my thumping heart was nullified to a reasonable degree.
Yes, I'd finally gotten a perfect picture of Makayla's murder culprit on paper, but the feeling of imaginative drawing never left my mind and fingers. Whenever the lecture hall was empty, grabbing my drawing book with the headphones on served as a breather.
I gasped softly when someone barged in on my quiet. Two hands suddenly popped before me on my table, giving me quite a scare. I sighed deeply before raising my eyes to meet Archer's radiantly boring eyes on me. I didn't flare up because I already suspected him to be the only one to make such an entrance when approaching me. I didn't want to, but I slid down my headphones to hang on my neck instead.
"What's up?" I asked sluggishly. I never had the energy to match his.
"What's your team?" he asked out of nowhere. 'My team?' my inner voice re-echoed then my face betrayed the sudden confusion that set in.
"What team?"
"Yet to pick slots, right?" He spoke more gibberish. 'The hell are you talking about?' Sitting laid back suddenly felt uncomfortable, so I sat upright.
"Care to explain in a language I'd understand?"
"Sports team, Ashley. You're yet to join any, right?" 'Oh...' That reminds me. IUC's had the custom of staying actively in sports for as long as I'd been with them, at least. At the beginning of every new session, slots were picked, and students had to choose various clubs/teams to belong to. Of course, it wasn't compulsory, but it was fun. And the students would do anything but miss out on anything "fun." So the majority were usually active participators and no one was even allowed to be indifferent even if they wanted to. I for one used to be on the volleyball team with Makayla but this time I was really down in spirits to even move a muscle.
"Not interested," I said flatly. How could I say that bluntly? Archer was pretty sensitive and for some strange reasons, I cared about that.
"I know, right? So why don't you come oversee me? I'll be joining the soccer team. Come watch me play," he requested rather sweetly. He didn't seem shaken. 'Lol.' He sure had guts to make such comical requests of me.
"If you're picking slots today, why do you need to play a match?" I needed an excuse to get off the hook.
"It's a friendly match to kick-start the drive," he added, making dramatic hand gestures.
"Still not interested." I deadpanned and then tried reaching for my headphones but he grabbed my hands earnestly.
"Ashley please," he stressed, almost crouching to my level. 'What the hell?' My eyes widened as I least expected what just happened. Then they wandered a bit to see if someone else was watching but the class was nearly empty.
Taking my eyes back to him my brows creased, but he wouldn't back off. My sternness had zero effect on this guy. And that's how he somehow managed to get me to do his bidding almost every time. But I didn't give in just yet. I tried pulling my hands but he tightened his grip instead, giving me those wobbly eyes like a child asking for something. "Fine!" I exclaimed out of frustration.
"Alright!" He let go. "I'll be in the dressing room. We'll be using the pitch the farthest from lecture halls, okay? Don't keep me waiting," he chattered taking receding steps without turning around.
~~Daniil's POV~~
There. I had my answer. My neverending dilemma finally met its end. I decided to join the soccer club after I just overheard Ashley's conversation with Archer and thought using him to get to her wouldn't be a bad idea after all. At first I was lackadaisical but now I wanted to prove my talent to Ashley. I didn't need to be sport-oriented to be good at anything. Just one touch on the ball and I'm already in charge of the pitch. What I'm trying to say is, I excelled at anything and everything without even trying. Soccer wasn't going to be different.
I waited a bit after Archer left before packing my bags and following suit. Ashley still lagged behind but she'd already given her word so I was surely going to see her there.
About one hour on…
Everyone who wanted to join the soccer team assembled on the pitch to get their names registered. After which we changed up in the locker room. I wasn't any different but I was distracted. The match was almost starting and Ashley was nowhere within eyeshot. The bleachers around us were scanty so if she was around, spotting her would be a piece of cake. I stole a glance at Archer standing with the ball beneath one feet but he didn't seem perturbed like he believed Ashley was going to be here no matter what.
We formed two lines, divided in two teams. Myself and Archer were in opposing teams but I was told that was just a friendly match. Actual teammates were yet to be decided. And oh, Jordan was also here, on my team. Both teams wore tank tops – blue and black respectively. My team wore black.
The whistle went off.
"What are you doing?" Someone scolded when I just stood, fixated on the direction Ashley would most likely walk in. I didn't realize the match commenced just yet until I felt the ball graze my leg.
Unlike Archer who looked like the king of the pitch, my moves at first were sloppy. I got hit in the shin a couple of times, my hair got ruffled, "friendly match," my foot. Beating the urge to do worse to these guys who seemed they had fun toying with me, I sucked it all in and just focused on mastering the game. Sooner than I expected my legs went in rhythm and before I knew it, I started dribbling players on the opposing team. Whatever chances I got, I seized to play rough, feigning inexperience.
The pitch came to a standstill when I had the ball in my possession. "Hey! Long-haired dude. Pass me the ball," a blonde guy wearing black a few feet away from the goalpost beckoned. Standing a few inches away from the line of scrimmage, I scanned the area before me. There were two guys of the opposing team marking me to the left and to the right, narrowing my chances of making a seamless shot. Surrounding the players marking me directly were a mixture of both teams assuming strategic points to get the ball. Tilting to my right my chances were even slimmer; three hefty guys stood guard at the rare, taking a stance ready to dive the ball.
"Over here!" A voice echoed from my left, automatically calling my attention. My eyes followed the guy run through the blockades, and stood in the path between the two guys marking me, behind them as it was less crowded. 'Hold on a minute.' I retraced my eyes then caught sight of Ashley sitting amongst the front row of seats, Northwest of the pitch. I lost focus for a second but that was until one of the two guys charged towards me.
I rolled the ball back and changed its course to the left, then facing the sideline. A bizarre idea loomed in my head causing a wry smile to spread across my lips.
I shot the ball. Out of the sideline.
"Ouch!" Ashley's yelp – accompanied by a grimace – re-echoed through the pitch. That's right. I curved the ball to land on her head.
Before I could move an inch, I felt someone zoom past me. I looked ahead and saw the hero – Archer – was already on his way to save the day. Instinctively, a few others including myself walked up to her.
"Are you hurt?" "Do you need ice?"
"Are you okay?" Archer's tender voice broke through the unanimous chorus, inspecting the hit spot.
"Ash…" Jordan tried to hold her when she swung her hand aggressively out of his reach in such a way she almost threw him a punch, without even sparing him a glance. 'This girl must really hate you.'
"Is hurting girls your thing?" Only an inch away from my face, Archer rained lours on me seizing hold of my collar while I was distracted. He either has never won a fight, or never been in one before. I could discern from his rickety grip. He probably was just putting up a show. A punch using only a quarter of my strength would do the job but I needed to make an impression.
My eyes inclined downwardly over his shoulder to see Ashley's narrowed eyes glistening with spite and disdain as usual. She looked as through she could see through the façade, like she saw right through my dirty tricks. For the very first time I lost in a peering contest; they wavered. "I'm so…"
"It's okay, Archer." Her dulcet voice interposed. It was the first time I heard her from up close and trust me, her voice was breathtaking. Angelic as a matter of fact. That sweet sound immobilized Archer. His grip loosened, his horses appeared lulled.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," I nonetheless completed but I guess it didn't matter now.
He turned around to the sitting figure once more. "I hope your headphones are fine," he uttered softly.
"Yeah, they are."
"Sorry about that."
"I wanna go back to class."
"I'll come with." Their whispers became incoherent as they walked out together.
The others returned to the pitch except Jordan. Like me, his eyes remained glued to their path as they walked farther away from eyeshot. "Do you like Ashley?"
"Wha… what?!" he stuttered saucer-eyed, literally thrown off balance. I just had to ask. It looked like he was also hung up on Ashley for some reason I was yet to comprehend. "I'm dating the hottest chic on campus. Why would I want to settle for less?" His voice broke at intervals; he was clearly flustered.
"If you say so." I shrugged indifferently while he ran back to meet the others.
"Is hurting girls your thing?" Archer's words tingled in my ear, pausing me in my tracks when I turned to follow suit. 'Hold on a sec. Was he in the cafeteria the day I fought with Yoshida?' I veered back to them and saw they were gone. If he was there, that meant Ashley was too as the duo seldom had lunch separately. Could that be the reason why her glare couldn't be more intense? 'Fuck!' I sucked in air through my teeth. The 'good guy' act ended before it even started.