“…10 o’clock.”
“And what time is it now?”
The current time is 1:05 AM.
“I’m sorry.”
“Go upstairs and sleep quickly. And you’re grounded for a week.”
“Yes, yes.”
Grounded. It’s not a big hit since I don’t go out much anyway, but somehow receiving this punishment makes me feel bad. Anyway, I got ready for bed and lay down looking at the ceiling, when my smartphone lit up and a popup appeared saying a new DM had arrived on social media.
Sophia
2 weeks grounded 🙁
My curfew got moved up an hour too
How am I supposed to live?
I got a week ban
After exchanging messages with Sophia for a bit, I discovered someone had sent me a friend request through the social media channel I’m currently using.
Liam Blake
North Carolina Moonbeam High
QB of Moonbeam Rangers
Liam Blake. I hesitated for a moment, then registered him as a friend, and soon scrolled through his post feed that appeared. There weren’t many posts on Liam’s feed, but there was one impressive post. It was a photo of an ice cream sundae sold at Peggy’s Diner, and this sundae is my favorite snack.
Liam Blake This is really delicious though?
This ice cream sundae really is delicious. I was about to glance and move on when I saw Leda had left a comment at the top of the post. As if possessed, I clicked on Leda’s name and checked her social media.
Leda Swaaaaaan
North Carolina Moonbeam f\in High School
HATE BALLET:-@
Leda’s profile was quite straightforward and aggressive.
Leda Swaaaaaan Today was really the worst. What idiot suggested throwing a party? Leda Swan? Even the name sounds idiotic.
Leda’s most recent post was full of comments. Most were concerned about her self-deprecating attitude.
Olivia You’re not upset because of me, are you? You’ve been so low-pressure lately. Is there anything I can help with?
***
Nathan It was boring because I didn’t go to the party.
***
Charlotte Please butt in where you belong, Nathan.
***
Liam This might be insensitive to say, but I had fun. Don’t blame yourself too much.
***
Looking at it, there’s a trace of Sophia leaving a sad-faced emoji on the post. Should I leave one too? No. That seems pointless, so let’s not.
I was organizing my head that was getting complicated and really about to sleep when a new DM arrived. This message wasn’t from Sophia or from Virgil.
Liam
:->
It’s Liam.
Oh
Thanks for accepting my friend request
I wasn’t actually grateful. It was just a formality.
Liam
Thanks for accepting it
Is the party over?
I already know the party’s over, but I have nothing else to say to Liam besides this.
Liam
The host unilaterally ended it. Said it wasn’t fun
Leda seemed to be in a bad mood, I hope she feels better
Liam
Seems like she’s in a big slump. You know?
I know
Slump. I know because I’ve experienced it.
“Cheicky, I know you’re not sleeping!”
While exchanging messages with Liam, I heard Mom’s yell from downstairs. I hurriedly put down my smartphone and went to bed.
The next morning. As soon as I arrived at school, I was seized by a premonition that today would not be a good day. Aiden was standing in front of my locker with his arms crossed. Standing there so menacingly, as if he’d clock me with his rock-like giant fist the moment I appeared.
I’m an athlete too, so I’m rarely outmatched in build, but standing in front of the football team guys, I feel like I’m facing a giant buffalo without any protective gear. These guys who are overwhelming even one-on-one have the characteristic of traveling in packs, so how threatening is that?
I hid, hoping Aiden would disappear on his own, but he didn’t seem likely to back down easily. Can’t be helped?
“Uh… hi, Aiden? If it’s okay, could you move? I need to get my books.”
When I hesitantly asked, Aiden laughed meanly with a nasty face, then got angry saying did I know how much trouble he got into because Olivia and he fought over last night’s incident.
“I’m sorry about the Olivia situation. But isn’t that something you brought on yourself?”
“If you and that shorty hadn’t been hanging around right in front of us!”
When Aiden approached as if he was really going to hit me, someone slammed their locker shut hard enough to break it and said in a voice without any interest.
“Seeing you act like a moron from the morning, you still haven’t gotten your head straight, Aiden.”
The person who spoke to Aiden was Leda. As soon as Aiden saw her, he got more worked up and angry.
“If it weren’t for Olivia, I would’ve already smashed the nose of someone arrogant like you who doesn’t know their place.”
“How ridiculous. Aren’t you the one who doesn’t know your place and acts arrogant?”
“Our team even won the championship at last year’s competition. But you? Isn’t going to a few auditions and getting pathetically rejected the sum total of your accomplishments from last year?”
“…You son of a bitch!”
As shouting began to fly between Aiden and Leda, Liam appeared out of nowhere and stood between the two.
“Aiden, you’re going too far. If you continue being rude to Leda like this, I won’t just stand by.”
“Yeah, you just need to take care of your wonderful girlfriend, right? Hey, do you think that arrogant bitch only gets on my nerves? Everyone on our team hates her! Ask them! Eight or nine out of ten guys who say they like her only want to fuck her.”
At Aiden’s insulting remarks, as Liam’s brow furrowed, someone raised their fist and landed a punch on that broad face. The one who did that bold act wasn’t Liam or Leda—it was me.
***
For the crime of hitting Aiden, I was dragged to the detention room to listen to a lecture, made my mom come to school, got another earful, and my grounding period extended to a month… After going through all those processes, I was able to return to the field.
“You really caused quite a scene today.”
As soon as the track coach saw me, he said this jokingly instead of a greeting. Without responding to that, I asked to just start the practice I’d been late for.
The uprights, crossbar, and mattress. I feel most at ease on the track field where these three things are set up. Running toward just one goal, looking at the sky with my eyes, and clearing the bar hung high up with the ground at my back—the feeling at that moment is indescribably refreshing.
Absorbed only in practice, having completely forgotten about today’s events, I drank some water in a shaded area to catch my breath for a moment. Then Sophia and Vigil appeared, and oddly enough, Liam was with them.
“Even though your face got beat up to this state, you’re still forcing yourself to practice? What incredible passion.”
As soon as Vigil saw me, he spoke as if there was no stopping me. Since I threw the first punch at the fighter Aiden, it was a foregone conclusion that I’d get beaten to a pulp.
“Leda asked me to thank you on her behalf. This was something I should have handled. I’m sorry for getting you involved.”
Liam looked at me and apologized.
“No. I didn’t get involved—I butted in.”
After telling them I was grateful they came all this way but to go ahead, I went back to training. The three of them continued to stay even after I left, and when Sophia—who must have wanted to stay later since Liam was there—left because her curfew was moved up, Vigil left with her too. Even though Liam was left alone, he stayed until the end.
After practice ended, I approached Liam, who was still there. Then I asked if the football team wasn’t practicing today.
“I’m a bit restless because of the Aiden thing. I made all sorts of excuses and came here, but seeing you makes me think I did that for nothing.”
“Why? Think you’ll get scolded by the coach?”
Our school’s football team coach is famous for his nasty temper.
“No, I already got scolded… Well, knowing our coach’s personality, he’ll scold me again. Anyway, you know. When you see someone working hard, you get… motivated. I’m not scared of getting scolded, it’s just that kind of feeling. You know what I’m saying, right?”
When Liam asked, I nodded once and gathered my things.
“Um, Cheick?”
“I’m listening.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk more.”
Do we have more to say to each other? Maybe Liam wants to talk about Leda. Since I, who’s not even her boyfriend, stepped in and even used my fists over her being insulted might have seemed like going too far.
“Sorry. I’d like to, but I got grounded for a month because of today’s incident.”
This was the first time I was so grateful for the existence of an extended grounding order, since it helped me avoid continuing an uncomfortable conversation.
“Can’t be helped.”
Liam gave up cleanly, said he’d see me at school tomorrow as a goodbye, then disappeared. When I got home, I had to listen to another lecture from Dad about fighting with Aiden.
“Cheicky, your physical abilities are a product of God’s blessing and your own efforts. Don’t you think using something so precious for things like brawling is very foolish and pathetic?”
“…I agree with Dad’s opinion.”
After receiving Dad’s permission to go to my room now, I came up to the second floor and stood in front of the mirror hanging in the hallway, looking at my messed-up face. Then, wondering lightly if I’d done something unnecessary, I returned to my room without getting any answer.
Vigil
No matter what anyone says, you’re a hero. That bastard Aiden deserved to get hit. You know how much I suffered because of that asshole.
