𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 [a rini au]

EIGHTEEN

         Ricky ignored Big Red's dinner offer, choosing to pass on food and do homework on his own. The boy strolled around campus, searching for an intimate, quiet location where he could work in peace. He found himself on the outskirts of campus again, approaching what seemed to be an unkept soccer field. It was lined, but the grass was overgrown and the previously white goals were cracked and run down. Similar to how he felt at every spot on campus, Ricky seemed so small as he walked onto the field. He laid his woven blanket out at midfield, placing his backpack down next and then sitting himself. He popped his AirPods in, shuffling his classical music study playlist before opening his AP Calculus textbook.

          The boy eventually found himself lost in unit circle problems and trigonometric formulas. He loved the way the piano melodies swam through his ear drums, overpowering the subdued sounds of crickets in the woods a few feet away from the field. He recalled how some people at his old school would tease him for choosing Mozart over artists like Post Malone or Travis Scott when it came to music, but Ricky never minded. Perhaps that was the one good thing about this new place – he could isolate and hide his interests as much as his heart desired.

          That reflection didn't last long, though, for when Ricky looked up from his work to capture a quick Snapchat story around sunset, he lowered his phone to see a shadowy figure standing just beside the hill in front of him. It was too far in the distance for Ricky to make out the person or for the person to spot Ricky, so the curious boy kept staring until he saw another figure rise over the hill. When the two mystery people met up, they exchange a quick dap up before walking closer to the field. Ricky was frozen, clueless as to what to do, so he remained in his position and tried to keep his head down. But, once they were in earshot, Ricky peeked up again. Although their words were just inaudible mumbles, the figures were now visible to him, and they luckily weren't paying any attention to the soccer field.

          Now standing next to the woods entrance, Ricky watched as Charlie Kingston pulled what looked to be two tiny vials out of his soccer duffel. At the same time, Ethan–EJ?–Caswell swiftly stuck out his muscular arm. With the unidentifiable vials in hand, Charlie reached to shake EJ's, and once they separated, EJ's hand balled into a fist as if he now held what Charlie previously did. That assumption was confirmed when EJ smoothly stuck that hand in the pocket of his Varsity jacket, zipping it up as Charlie patted him on the back. Then, the two proceeded to walk alongside the border of the woods until they reached the closest sidewalk. Ricky watched with bug eyes as they turned in the direction of the gymnasium and disappeared out of sight.

Ricky's body tensed as he gaped at where the two athletes once stood. He was entirely unsure of what he just witnessed, but he knew whatever it was couldn't have been good. In shock, the boy scrambled to shove his books into his backpack and slung his blanket over his shoulder. He jumped up from the messy field and speed walked towards that same sidewalk. He did a double take down the right side, seeing the silhouettes of Charlie and EJ heading into the Leopards Lair. Ricky almost tripped over himself as he gawked, but he eventually caught his balance and hustled back to Stoneham.