By the time the second whistle blew, the day was already heating up. The field shimmered faintly under the rising sun, and the air carried that mix of cut grass and sweat. Adrian rolled his shoulders as he walked back from the medal check-in for his first event, the 400-meter relay. Of course he'd won. Passing the baton had felt almost cinematic, his teammates feeding off the main-character energy radiating off him like it was sunlight.
First win of the day secured. Medals would be handed out later, but everyone already knew how this story went. Adrian Lowell, main character energy incarnate. Like always, he'd snatch the first place. He'd walked off the track like it was a runway, basking in the cheers without missing a beat.
Now, the second activity loomed, dodgeball. Adrian rolled his shoulders, joints loose from the warm-up, a grin tugging at his lips. The chatter on the field was electric as it filled with students swapping predictions and classmates rooting for their side. Adrian's own corner of the bleachers was loudest of all. His unofficial fan club waving glittery banners, pom-poms, and God knew what else.
This year, though, Ethan was also being uncharacteristically competitive. He was stretching near the edge of the court, his eyes sharp and his movements precise. The guy had already demolished the long jump earlier, the win practically in his pocket. Competitive streak dialed up to maximum today.
Adrian eyed him, smirking. What's got him so fired up this year? Trying to impress his ex or something? The thought made him chuckle to himself. That's stupid if it is.
On the side, Leon slapped his palms together, jogging up to Adrian. "Dude, good luck out there."
Adrian cocked an eyebrow, grinning as he tugged at his sleeves. "Good luck? Come on, man. You should be cheering for me, not wishing me luck. I don't need luck." He wiggled his brows
Leon snorted, jerking his chin toward the sidelines. "You already have a full stadium over there." His tone dripped sarcasm, and Adrian only shrugged like it wasn't his fault girls wanted to throw themselves at him.
"Leon, really? Only wishing him good luck?" Ethan cut in, eyes narrowing.
Leon didn't even blink, tossing him a lazy grin. "Yeah. Why not?" He didn't bother offering Ethan anything more than that and sauntered toward the benches.
Adrian clapped his hands together, leaning toward Ethan with a teasing sing-song tone. "Aww, don't sulk. Good luck, Ethan~"
Ethan shot him a mock glare, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward in challenge. Before anything else could be said, the loudspeaker crackled to life. "Attention! Participants for the dodgeball match, please take your places. The game is about to begin."
The teams lined up, tension thick in the air. On the sidelines, students buzzed with excitement, the benches packed with noisy supporters. The rubber balls gleaming at the center of the court like a promise. Adrian bounced lightly on his feet, rolling his neck. Ethan stood next to him, coiled like a spring. Ivan sat quietly in the corner section, his sketchbook tucked away, and instantly regretted his choice of seat. Somehow, he'd ended up right beside Adrian's fan club.
They had banners, actual banners...One with glittery letters spelling out "Fighting, Adrian! We're here for you!" Some were covered in doodles of his face, others had hearts and lips sketched across them. One even had a disturbingly detailed lipstick kiss.
Ivan pressed his lips into a thin line, eyes shifting away. They really went all out this year. He crossed his arms and stared fixedly toward the court, pretending he wasn't sitting in the middle of a glittery war zone.
The whistle blew. Round one started with a bang. Balls flew fast across the court, thudding against the ground, whistling through the air. Adrian dodged with fluid, almost lazy ease as he was flipping out of reach as if he were dancing rather than competing. Every successful move earned him a wave of shrieks from his cheering section.
Within minutes, their class snatched the first win. The fan section erupted, chanting his name like he was already a celebrity.
Round two, however, was rougher. The opposing class came in strong, pelting balls like their lives depended on it. Ethan dove for catches, Adrian barely slipped past a few near-misses, but eventually, the enemy managed to clinch it. The crowd went wild. Finally, a match with real suspense. The game evened out one to one.
Ivan shifted uncomfortably as the girls beside him screamed every time Adrian so much as raised an arm. Their squeals grated in his ears, sharp against the hum of the crowd. He edged his seat a little farther away. His expression smooth but his annoyance was starting to prickling beneath the surface.
The whistle shrilled again. It's round three. Adrian darted across the court, body twisting just out of reach of the rubber ball that whizzed past his shoulder. Sweat dotted his forehead, gleaming under the sunlight as his breath came steady and controlled. The fan club's cheers rose to a fever pitch, shrill enough to draw a few side glances from other students nearby.
Ivan flinched subtly at the sharpness of it, his eyes narrowing as he dragged his gaze back toward the court. Adrian dodged again, light on his feet, the picture of athletic confidence. Then a ball grazed him, sending him out for the round. He jogged off the court with a grin plastered across his face, dragging the hem of his shirt up to swipe away the sweat along his temple.
The fabric lifted just enough to flash his toned abdomen. The muscles catching the sunlight. Predictably, the fangirls shrieked, giggling and whispering among themselves. A couple even clutched their banners tighter.
Ivan froze. His throat working as his gaze lingered a fraction too long. Then Adrian's head tilted, his blue-green eyes locking in Ivan's direction. It could've been the fan section he was looking at. It should've been. But it didn't feel like it.
Adrian's grin curved, slow and cocky, and then came the unmistakable wink. The girls squealed louder as they were convinced it was meant for them.
Ivan's pulse spiked. He tore his eyes away, fists curling in his lap as heat prickled beneath his collar. His chest felt uncomfortably tight, and he forced out a low sigh. Absolute shameless. His ears burned, heat crawling down his neck. He inhaled deeply, trying to will it away.
On the court, Adrian rejoined his team, shoulders squared. His grin remained intact while his inner monologue was smug, practically echoing. I showed off one hundred, twenty percent of my dodging skills. No way he's not impressed.