Spectators gathered closer almost immediately. First-years who had finished running drifted toward the side lines, some still panting, others sitting on the grass. A few second-years not playing leaned against the fence, arms crossed, watching with interest.
Noah's talking stopped.
The game started fast.
Alfred's team pressed forward immediately, short passes, quick movement. Elijah's side responded with aggression, trying to break rhythm rather than match it.
"Whoa," Noah muttered. "They're serious."
A first-year nearby squinted. "Is this normal?"
Another replied, "I think this is them holding back."
Alfred received the ball near midfield, glanced once, then sent a clean pass forward. His winger sprinted down the flank, pulling a defender with him. The center opened.
"Watch the gap," Tyler said quietly.
Noah blinked. "What?"
Too late.
The ball slipped through the opening. A shot followed almost instantly.
The net shook.
"Goal!" someone shouted.
Alfred didn't celebrate. He just turned, jogging back to position, already resetting.
"Did you see that?" a first-year exclaimed. "That was fast."
"That's what happens when people know where to stand," another replied.
Elijah clapped his hands once, grinning. "Alright. Wake up."
His team pushed harder after that, pressing Alfred's midfield more aggressively. The game grew rougher, shoulders bumping, feet tangling. Coach Ryan's whistle blew twice, warnings given, but play continued.
Noah leaned closer to Tyler. "Okay, I get it now."
"Get what?" Tyler asked.
"This isn't just running," Noah said. "This is… thinking."
Tyler nodded. "That's soccer."
Elijah intercepted a pass and drove forward himself, cutting past one defender, then another. He drew attention deliberately, waiting until the last second before passing.
"Left!" someone shouted.
Elijah ignored it and went right.
The shot curved cleanly.
Goal.
Cheers erupted from his side of the field.
"See!" a second-year yelled. "Captain's not unbeatable!"
Alfred glanced at Elijah, a corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "One one."
"Game on," Noah whispered.
The pace intensified.
First-years on the sideline began choosing sides without realizing it. Some cheered when Alfred's team advanced. Others shouted encouragement for Elijah.
"Pass it!""No, shoot!""You're open!"
Tyler stayed silent, eyes moving constantly.
He noticed how Alfred adjusted his position after every play, how he communicated without shouting. He noticed how Elijah relied more on instinct, momentum, and presence.
Two different styles.
Both effective.
Alfred's team struck again near the end of the half. A clean buildup. Three passes. One decisive finish.
The scoreboard updated.
Two one.
A ripple of reaction passed through the crowd.
"Captain's team is scary," a first-year said.
"But Elijah's not done," another replied.
Coach Ryan's whistle cut through the air.
"First half over!"
Players slowed, some bending over, others stretching. Sweat darkened jerseys. Laughter mixed with heavy breathing.
Noah exhaled loudly. "I feel tired just watching."
Tyler smiled faintly.
On the field, Alfred looked toward the sideline.
Their eyes met briefly.
The second half waited.
The noise of footsteps, laughter, and scattered voices slowly gave way to something more open, more spread out. The late afternoon air felt lighter here, carrying faint echoes of bouncing balls and distant whistles.
Eris walked between Clara and Sofia, her pace unhurried.
"So," Sofia said, glancing between the two of them, "first day impressions?"
Clara smiled softly. "Big. Bigger than I expected."
"You're not from Darsen, right?" Eris asked.
Clara shook her head. "Malcro City. It's quieter. Smaller schools. Everyone knows everyone."
"That sounds… peaceful," Sofia said.
"It was," Clara replied. "Sometimes too peaceful. I finished primary school there. Same classmates for years. I wanted something different."
Eris nodded. "Central Academy definitely qualifies as different."
Sofia laughed. "That's one way to say it."
They continued walking, the sports hall coming into view ahead. The building was wide and low, with tall windows lining one side. Through the glass, movement was visible. A basketball arced through the air. Sneakers squeaked sharply against polished flooring.
"My primary school was here in Darsen," Eris said after a moment. "Nothing special. Average classes. Average days."
"That doesn't sound like you," Clara said.
Eris smiled faintly. "I wasn't always… this."
Sofia tilted her head. "This meaning?"
Eris shrugged. "More open. I used to keep things to myself."
Sofia considered that. "Guess middle school changes people."
"Or gives them space to," Clara added.
They reached the entrance of the sports hall.
Inside, the space opened wide. Multiple courts stretched across the floor, lines painted cleanly in different colours. Basketball hoops hung from the ceiling supports. Badminton nets were set up along one side, their thin frames casting narrow shadows on the floor. A few students jogged between areas, carrying equipment or calling out to friends.
The noise was constant but not overwhelming. It felt alive.
"This place is huge," Clara murmured.
"It's shared," Eris said. "Basketball, badminton, sometimes indoor athletics. They rotate."
As they stepped inside, Eris's eyes moved instinctively, scanning the room.
She spotted familiar faces almost immediately.
A girl from her primary school waved from across the hall, already in a different uniform patch marking her as 1-B. A boy she recognized from elementary days nodded awkwardly before returning to his game.
Near the benches, Chris and Kai sat side by side, attention locked on the basketball court. A group of second- and third-years were playing, movements sharper, faster than the first-years scattered around the edges.
"Looks intense," Sofia said.
Chris shouted something unintelligible from the bench, pumping his fist when a shot landed. Kai leaned forward, elbows on knees, focused and analytical even while watching.
"They're everywhere," Clara said quietly. "Your group."
Eris smiled. "Yeah. Somehow."
They turned toward the badminton area, where a few girls were rallying casually, laughter breaking out whenever someone missed an easy shot.
A senior noticed them approaching and stepped forward, racket resting against her shoulder.
"You guys here for badminton?" she asked.
Eris nodded. "We wanted to check it out."
"I'm Rina," the senior said. "Second year."
"I'm Eris," she replied. "This is Clara and Sofia."
Rina smiled easily. "Nice. Not a lot of first-years come here on day one."
Clara glanced around. "It looks… calm."
"It is," Rina said. "Compared to soccer, at least."
Sofia smiled faintly. "That explains the noise outside."
Clara hesitated, then asked, "Is there a coach here?"
Rina shook her head. "Coach Ryan handles all physical activities, but right now everyone rushed to the soccer field. He'll be running between places."
Sofia glanced at Eris. "Isn't Tyler there too?"
Eris nodded. "Yeah."
Rina raised an eyebrow. "First-year?"
"Yes."
Rina laughed. "Then he's either sitting around watching or running laps until he regrets it."
Another senior nearby giggled. "They don't just let first-years play seriously. Especially not on the first day."
Eris just nodded politely.
Rina noticed and cleared her throat. "Anyway. Badminton's easy to join. We don't have many girls interested in this, so there's space."
"That's good," Eris said.
"If you want," Rina added, pointing toward a large locker near the wall, "you can grab rackets and play now."
Eris turned to her friends. "Want to?"
Clara nodded immediately. "Sure."
Sofia shook her head. "I'm just here to guide. I'll sit."
She moved toward the benches, settling down comfortably, eyes following the game.
Eris and Clara grabbed rackets from the locker. The wood felt light but balanced in Eris's hand.
As they stepped onto the court, Eris glanced once more across the hall.
Chris shouted again. Kai leaned forward. The ball bounced. The whistle echoed faintly.
Different rhythms. Same day.
She turned back to Clara and lifted her racket. "Ready?"
Clara smiled. "Let's see how bad I am."
Eris laughed softly. "We're beginners. That's allowed."
The shuttlecock rose high, spinning lazily beneath the bright lights of the sports hall.
Eris tracked it without conscious effort. Her feet slid into position, weight shifting smoothly as she lifted her racket and sent the shuttle back in a sharp diagonal. It skimmed just over the net and landed cleanly.
Clara lunged but barely managed to return it.
"Okay," Clara said as they reset, breathing lightly, "you're definitely holding back."
Eris adjusted her grip and smiled. "I'm not. You're just getting better."
"That's a polite way of saying I'm losing."
"Not losing," Eris replied calmly. "Learning."
From the bench nearby, Sofia watched with her legs crossed, chin resting in her palm. "You two look way too serious for a casual game."
Clara laughed as she served again. "She started it."
"I didn't," Eris replied, returning the shot with ease.
The rally stretched longer this time. Clara moved more confidently now, hesitation fading with every exchange. She stopped apologizing for missed shots and started correcting herself instead.
"You know," Clara said between hits, "badminton is harder than it looks."
"That's every sport," Eris replied. "People think it's just swinging."
The shuttlecock clipped the net and dropped short.
Clara groaned loudly. "No fair."
Eris lowered her racket slightly. "The net doesn't care about fairness."
A loud cheer suddenly erupted from the far side of the hall.
The sound echoed sharply, startling Clara. Her next serve flew off angle and dropped near the sideline.
She froze, then laughed. "You got lucky."
"I'll take it," Eris said without apology.
Sofia sighed theatrically from the bench. "Why do boys shout like they're being attacked?"
Eris glanced sideways. "Looks like the basketball game finished."
They both turned.
Players were dispersing from the basketball court, some wiping sweat from their faces, others still arguing loudly. Near the bench, Chris stood with his hands on his head.
"No way," he said, disbelief sharp in his voice. "They were winning five minutes ago."
Kai stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes still on the court. "They weren't winning. They were ahead."
Chris turned sharply. "That's the same thing."
"No," Kai replied evenly. "Winning means control. They lost it."
Chris frowned. "How?"
"They rushed shots," Kai said. "And stopped communicating."
Chris opened his mouth, then shut it, looking back at the scoreboard. "…That's stupid."
"That's basketball," Kai replied.
Chris huffed, then noticed Eris and Clara still playing. "At least they're enjoying themselves."
Kai followed his gaze. "Let's go over."
They walked toward the badminton court as Eris and Clara resumed their rally.
"You're improving," Eris said, returning another clean shot.
"You said that already," Clara replied.
"And it's still true."
Clara paused briefly, resting her hands on her knees. "Let's make it interesting."
Eris raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"We stop when the final bell rings," Clara said. "Whoever's ahead wins."
Eris nodded once. "Deal."
They began again.
This rally was faster. Sharper. Neither wanted to miss now. Sneakers squeaked against the floor. Rackets snapped crisply against the shuttlecock.
Behind Eris, Chris crept closer, glancing once at Kai.
Kai sighed quietly. "Don't."
Chris ignored him.
He caught Clara's eye and pointed subtly at Eris, then pressed a finger to his lips.
Clara hesitated.
Then smiled.
The shuttlecock came toward Eris again.
She stepped forward.
Chris shouted.
"HEY—"
Eris flinched. Her swing went wide. The shuttlecock skidded across the floor.
Silence followed for half a second.
Then Chris doubled over laughing. "That was perfect."
Eris turned slowly.
Kai rubbed his temples. "You are unbelievable."
Sofia giggled. "I wasn't expecting that."
"CHRISS," Eris shouted, stepping toward him.
Chris backed away, hands raised. "Come on. First day. Memories."
Eris crossed her arms. "You're dead."
She looked at Clara. "And you."
Clara immediately pointed at Chris. "He told me to stay quiet."
Eris stared at her, then sighed and laughed.
The bell rang.
Sharp. Final.
Eris looked up at the clock mounted high on the wall. "That decides it."
Eris tilted her head. "Tie?"
"You win," Clara said. "I cheated a little."
Eris rolled her eyes. "Figures."
They gathered their bags as Chris and Kai joined them.
"Time to go," Kai said. "Others will be heading out."
Clara adjusted her strap. "Do you all live near Midtown?"
Chris nodded. "Yeah."
Eris added, "Close by. Different neighbourhoods."
Clara relaxed visibly. "Can I walk with you?"
"Sure," Chris said. "Just don't stand too close to Eris. She'll convert you."
"HEY," Eris snapped.
"I'm joking," Chris said quickly. "Mostly."
They returned the rackets to the locker.
Rina looked up. "So? Interested?"
Eris glanced at Clara.
"Yes," Clara said immediately.
Rina smiled broadly. "Great. I'll share schedules tomorrow. Bring PE clothes."
They thanked her and headed toward the exit.
As they stepped outside, noise rolled toward them from across campus.
"Tyler! Tyler! Tyler!"
Chris stopped. "Are they cheering for our Tyler?"
Kai frowned. "Or a senior."
Sofia laughed. "Probably a senior. First-years don't get that treatment."
Chris crossed his arms. "Then why did basketball seniors tell us to watch?"
Kai looked at him. "Because they were better."
Chris sighed. "I thought they were being nice."
Eris smirked. "You're innocent."
Chris shook his head. "Let's go see."
He turned toward the soccer field.
The others followed, curiosity pulling them forward as the chanting grew louder.
Something was happening.