As the first rays of dawn gently illuminated my room, I found myself gradually emerging from the cocoon of sleep, my eyes responding to the cheerful melody of chirping birds outside. In the quietude of the morning, I lay in bed, my senses still entwined with the remnants of dreams, my gaze fixated on the familiar patterns of my ceiling. The ebbing tide of drowsiness gave way to the incoming tide of awareness, like a subtle dance between two contrasting states of consciousness.
In the quietude of that moment, a subtle self-awareness unfurled within me, prompting a pondering thought:
"Was it a dream? Why did that memory suddenly resurface?" Like a delicate blossom, my self-consciousness bloomed, leading me to revisit the fading fragments of the most recent dream I had just emerged from.
A few weeks had passed, and the recollection of a distinct memory surfaced. I found myself seated in the living room, positioned directly across from Cliff and Layla. The clock seemed to mock me as I spent what felt like an eternity—forty-five interminable minutes of my life—listening to Cliff's incessant monologue about his prime.
As I stirred from my reverie, I sat up, a small, restrained sigh escaping my lips as I shook off the lingering memory from my mind. The physical toll of that spar yesterday manifested itself – my body ached, with subtle soreness nestling in areas like my shoulders and arms. It was a stark reminder of the unintentional endurance test I had faced.
With a twinge of discomfort, I cast my mind back to yesterday, recalling the catalyst for my current state. The realization struck me, and I couldn't help but think,
"Mr. Ridge really doesn't know how to hold back against kids." The memory of his relentless approach lingered, leaving a tangible imprint on both my body and mind.
With that said, I had to get my day started. This was only my second day out of being grounded and I've already got a packed schedule.
All that said, feeling a strange lethargy seep into the marrow of my bones, I voiced a little yawn and threatened to succumb to the early sensation of listlessness.
Suppressing the superior urge to groan, I heroically extricated myself from the clutches of my cozy bed, ready to face the day. However, my peaceful morning aspirations were shattered as Kyle and Don burst into my room like a pair of overenthusiastic tornadoes.
"Reo!" they belted out in stereo, their enthusiasm reaching deafening levels.
"Hey, Reo! Feeling lively?" Don greeted me with a peace sign and a grin that could rival a sunrise.
Unable to enjoy the serenity of my morning, Kyle voiced his concerns, "What are you doing still in bed, Reo? Did you forget about our rendezvous with Mr. Ridge today?" Don added a touch of complaint to the morning symphony.
Caught in the crossfire of their zeal, I couldn't help but question their audacity.
"What... what the hell are you two doing, barging into my room like a pair of caffeine-fueled ninjas?" Suppressing my emotions behind a nearly breaking smile, I lowered my head and growled with mock irritation.
On the inside, I felt this was at least better than having a rock to the face as a wakeup call?
"Quit your whining, and let's roll. We can't leave the others twiddling their thumbs outside," Don declared with authority. He shot a significant side glance at Kyle before fixing his gaze on me, his expression swiftly transitioning from casual to neutral yet stern.
"Take his other side," Don ordered, a simple but impactful directive.
"Mmh," Kyle nodded, a hint of determination in his agreement.
"Wha..." Taken aback a lot by this sudden mood change, I instinctively shifted backwards.
And before I could understand what was happening, the two rascals pounced on me.
***
"Oh, by the way, what took you guys so long?" Trise interrupted our progress, turning with an arched brow to question Don, Kyle, and me.
Don, with the casual air density, shrugged dramatically. "We had to get Reo naked."
"N-n-naked?!" Trise's face practically puffed into steam, her complexion shifting to a shade of red that could rival a traffic light. She stuttered, caught in a whirlwind of disbelief.
Glancing over at Lia, I couldn't help but notice her gaze had ventured into a world of its own. For some inexplicable reason, this sent a chill down my spine. Her cheeks mirrored Trise's sudden blush, creating an unexpected symphony of embarrassment.
"It's not like that!" I hastily protested, desperate to avert any further misunderstanding.
"A naked Reo, Don, and Kyle..." She began, but it became painfully apparent that the two girls were already light-years away in their imaginative galaxy. I could almost swear I heard Trise dragging poor Leon into her whimsical fantasy.
Internally groaning, I sighed and shot Don a side glance.
"...what?"
He muttered while I resigned to the fact that some misunderstandings were simply beyond my power to dispel.
Speaking of Leon, we were en route to his place after the unexpected room raid that led to my hasty change of clothes and an unceremonious eviction from my own house. With no chance for resistance, we met up with the girls down the hill and collectively set off on our journey to Leon's house.
In the blink of an eye, upon our arrival, there was Leon, casually leaning against a tree, awaiting our grand entrance. As he noticed our approach, the blonde boy offered a wave and a friendly smile.
"What took you guys so long?" he inquired.
"We-" I quickly interjected, cutting off any potential revelations from Don.
"I, uh, slept in a little." I confessed with a sheepish grin, attempting to divert the blame before Don could spill the beans
Leon's gaze grazed me for a brief moment before taking a detour to the woozy duo, Lia and Trise. Lia was in the middle of a mysterious monologue, muttering something to herself with a degree of fervor that rivaled a conspiracy theorist piecing together a grand puzzle. The shades on their faces resembled tomatoes, as if they had just stumbled into a salsa-making contest with no exit strategy.
"... What's up with them?" Glancing back at us, Leon raised a finger at the girls and asked.
I tried to downplay the situation, chuckling nervously as I waved it off.
"What do you mean? They're perfectly fine! I don't see anything weird with them, do you?" I strolled past Leon, hoping my nonchalant demeanor would divert attention from the unfolding spectacle.
"We should get going, Mr. Ridge will be waiting for us." I spun around with feigned casualness, attempting to steer the conversation
away from the tomato-tinted drama with a grin.