Kevin didn't have the luxury of idling around as he quickly grabbed his bag and left. His mind went back to the house, not that ahead of him was Andrew walking with careful and measured steps as always.
'Talk after I'm back, where was that when she found about me?' Kevin found it absurd that what Andrew faced was a slap on the wrist while he was grounded for two months. 'Is it because he's still fresh in her mind and can't bring herself to properly reprimand him or what?'
That was the only conclusion that Kevin's mind allowed, his glare boring into Andrew's back who didn't bother looking back at him.'However I doubt the same can't go for when he gets to school.' He was sure that rumors would bloom and Andrew would be at the center of it all.
Waiting for the bus as well as the ride to school was filled with unspoken tension, with Kevin stealing glances at Andrew and the latter looking at nothing in particular. 'Are you so far gone that you can't recognize the damage that you bring to those around you?' Done peeking glances, Kevin turned and faced the window, looking at the world passing them.
"Have you heard? The kidnappings have stopped. It was all over the news." A student said as the pair made their way into school grounds and parting. "Oh, but did you hear about the pursuit that happened as well?" Kevin butting in caught the two students off guard.
"Yeah, we saw that. I can't believe that's someone's life. High stakes and luxury while I go to school pursuing a useless degree." The downplay of the pursuit elicited a deep frown from Kevin before leaving the pair. Making his way to class, Kevin would hear the buzz in the air. If it wasn't about the ceasing of kidnappings then about the pursuit.
"Looks like none of them know that Andrew was the driver." His frame slouched in his seat, waiting for the rest of his classmates to pour in. 'It would be odd for me to go around and say that it was Andrew as well.' Letting out a groan, he buried his face with his hands and waited for the lessons to start.
. . .
"You're telling me that the one who was driving like that was him?" Pauline whispered as she looked at Andrew concentrated in a match. "Yeah, my uncle too was stunned when he saw it. Those at the scene were interrogated and that's what they saw. Though it was a race and the other racer was Adrian." Claire added as the match met it's end, this time the cheers being few.
Andrew had been garnering a controversial notion to him within the chess community. As much as he was praised for never losing a match, his silence and aloof demeanor also drove students away as he wouldn't bother helping them. Coach Calvin had talked to Andrew about this issue but seeing how he was, it seemed that bearing no fruit.
"Illegal races, good at tennis and chess. The more I get to know about him, the more fascinated I am about him." Pauline's murmur catching the two who shot her skeptical glances. "If you're that into him then why don't you ask him on a date?" Claire taunted resulting with her receiving a playful punch from Pauline.
"Don't get ahead of yourselves, I didn't mean it in a romantically but from a point of perspective. Besides why would I make a move on Claire's crush anyway?" Pauline had expected the punch and dodged out of the way, the only one who seemed disgruntled was Eliot who adjusted his glasses. "Should we tell the board? That way he could be expelled and we wouldn't have to worry about him."
Eliot's proposal made the playful air melt away. "Even if we wanted to, we don't have any proof and I doubt that us just saying this would be enough to convince anyone." Claire let out a sigh as she made her way to Andrew and requested a match. Pauline and Eliot inched closer and watched the match take place.
"Andrew, you wouldn't mind me asking this, right?" Pauline's inquiry hitting the two absorbed in their match. "I don't mind." The flatness of his voice something that Pauline had familiarized herself with. "Since you're so good with chess and tennis, are there any other hidden talents you may have?" Claire grit her teeth staring daggers at her best friend. 'Did you have to be so straightforward with it! What happened to subtlety?'
"Feel free to pick my brains when we're free this weekend." Pauline's taut face froze for a moment. "Oh, as much as I would love to, I have work to get behind but I'm sure that Claire could be my replacement." Claire who had been mouthing for Pauline to stop let out a nervous chuckle. "I can't, I've got classes this weekend so Eliot wou-"
Eliot's answer was resolute. "No." Andrew didn't mind as with a flick of his wrists secured his victory. "Before you leave once again another question." Claire who was busy analyzing her loss let out a frustrated sigh. 'Is there no end to this woman's questions? I get that she's a reporter but still…' Pauline's question halting Andrew's departure.
"A nasty rumor has been going around that you could be dating Brittany. I just wanted to hear from you whether this is true or not is all." Andrew looked at the trio before giving his answer. "We're not dating, just offering each other benefits." His response sparking more questions than answers to not just Pauline but Claire as well.
However before they could ask, Andrew had already left. "Friends with benefits, huh? Casual sex with Brittany? Did I miss something for the two to get that close?" Pauline faced her two friends who were equally baffled. "Your guess is as good as ours." Jason who appeared out of nowhere cut the tension. "Did you hear that Adrian was beat up? He's in the hospital right now."
"Yeah we know." Eliot replied smoothly taking Jason by surprise. "Wait, how did you know this when news about this just hit?" The realization hit the three, they couldn't tell that they had inside information about this. "Uh, some random guy talked about it during a match is all. After all,the thing with rumors is they spread faster than you think."
Claire's chuckle did it' charm as Jason quickly moved on. "So where's Andrew? Coach has told me that he would be placed in the tournament without qualifications given his streak so far. All he has to do is face some older students and if he beats two out of three then he's in." Pauline didn't think much of it but Claire and Eliot had surprised looks.
"And since when was this a rule?" Eliot was the first to point out. "Since today apparently. But I really can't blame coach. Andrew has yet to lose and if he manages to get into the tournament then I'm certain that he could emerge victorious." Any comments ceased, with the two slowly realizing Calvin's train of thought. "But to bend the rules like this."
Jason however didn't seem to care that much as he shifted the topic. "Have you seen Andrew? I have to tell him this." With Pauline showing the way Andrew had left, Jason quickly followed. "You two don't seem that thrilled to hear Andrew's in the tournament." Pauline chuckled as the three began to sift out of the auditorium and to the shades.
Many other students could be seen flock here, some busy on their laptops, others their notes and others mindlessly chatting away. "I mean can you blame us? Seriously what is going on with Andrew for things to be like this?" Pauline didn't bother protesting as she agreed that Andrew was an enigma even she was having a hard time piecing together. "It feels like everything's just going to him. Brittany, then this. What's next at this point?"
. . .
Jason found Andrew in the tennis court, this time Brittany looking every once in a while at him. "I can't actually believe that you managed to catch her attention. And here I was, thinking that you would be nothing more than a hopeless romantic."
Andrew didn't look at Jason, his gaze focused on the matches that followed. Taking a seat next to him, Jason too looked at the match, surprised with the prowess displayed before Brittany entered the scene. Her game was different from the rest, while others dragged on, hers was nothing short of pure domination that concluded the game in a matter of minutes.
"And she's not bad at tennis as well. If you play your cards right then who knows, she might fall for you." The silence something Jason had expected. Bringing his one sided laughs to an end, a look of seriousness replaced his guffaws. "I'm here to tell you that coach wants you to be in the tournament so you'll have to face some students coach handpicked this weekend. If you manage to beat them then you'll have a secure spot in the tournament."
Seeing Andrew give a faint nod, Jason prepared to leave. "Though you do know that she does have a boyfriend right. Even though in comatose a boyfriend nonetheless." Brittany made her way to the two, a small smile on her face. "Looks like your pointers really did help."Completely ignoring Jason who inched back to let the two have some room.
"Don't miss it or you'll be automatically disqualified." His figure quickly disappearing from the bleachers. Taking a seat next to Andrew, the two let the silence settle between them. From the outside looking in, it wouldn't be outrageous to think of the two as lovers. "I broke up with Adrian." Brittany broke the silence, her tone soft as she looked at the girls who faced instructions from their coach.
"Interesting." Was all Andrew said before falling back to quietude. "And Matteo told me everything. Thank you for saving me back then because my father would kill me if he knew that I was involved with illicit racing." She let out a chuckle, her hands twiddling with her racket. "Though I do have to ask, how did you know Matteo and how did you get him to be on your side?"
Brittany hadn't expected a response, knowing Andrew silence would be his answer. "Money, besides I engage with other people aside from you and Claire." Brittany narrowed her eyes, her tone getting serious. "You do know that her uncle is a detective looking into you, right? It wouldn't be a stretch to say that she could be looking into you."
A light breeze kissed the two, lightly swaying their hair. "I'm aware of this." Brittany followed on. "And yet you let it happen. Or do you think that there's nothing for her to find given how close you're letting her get to you." A dangerous smile tugging Brittany's lips. "Have you eaten someon before?" His question catching her off guard.
Brittany lowered her voice, looking around to make sure no one else was eavesdropping. "Maybe I have? Why?" As of late she had felt free around Andrew, the silence that clung to him something she came to grow used to. "I don't mind you eating me.You can take it as far as you please." The absurdity of his words stunning Brittany before she recovered. "You- Subtlety really was never your strong-suit." Recalling something, she added. "Could you do it this weekend? I can't bear to wait any longer."
"Or are you going to refuse me? It was your own words that said my greed was more than justified, that it should be cultivated."Given seeing Jason, she deduced that it was something to do with the chess tournament. 'Is he going to turn me down? It makes sense that he would.'
"Very well. Where do you wish to meet?" The sounds of the tennis ball and ladies grunting echoed to where they sat. "You'll be disqualified if you miss this, right?" The calmness of his tone low-balling the actual weight of the tournament. "Yes." Brittany switched her focus to Andrew, trying to take in features she had already seen.
"Well in that case don't be late. Be there by nine."