The Elusive Prince

Chapter 38: You Play?

Merideth

Cassian threw me a look at that question and I couldn't help but snicker a bit.

"Isn't that still school related Merideth?" he teased.

"Well yes but atleast it doesn't hurt my brain like earlier. So...what clubs?" I persisted and he smiled, amused.

"I don't even know what types of clubs existed in here so I can't really say. How about you? What clubs are you in?"

"Me? Hmm...let's see. I'm part of the schools archery team and well the schools theatre. I'm not that huge on clubs like the others but I tend to drop by some club rooms once in a while. Depending on what my mood is that day."

"Really? I thought you would join more than that. You seem to be the type to be involved in stuff."

"Do I really? Well sorry to disappoint you but I'm not. Although, when it comes to competing for the school, I'm game to whatever really but I don't like to busy myself too much."

"So why join the schools theatre? You don't strike me as the spotlight type."

"You're right, I'm not. I usually work backstage. I'm a stage manager and sometimes I help with the choreography."

"Wait stage manager? Well I guess that fits you."

"Yep exactly why I took the role. We only have plays once in a while though so I'm not that busy and there's two of us so we switch sometimes to lessen the workload. As for archery, I just like it and the sports festival is once a year really so that doesn't take up much of my time."

"But don't athletes practice regularly? And there's tournaments too."

"Yep. I do practice thrice a week but since mid-terms are nearing it's reduced to just once a week for now. Once mid-terms are done and the sports festival is fast approaching, I need to get back to training. As for the tournaments, there's really not that much and besides I'm not the star player so I don't join that often."

"When do you even practice?" he asked, curious. I just laughed at that.

"You know those special lessons on Thurdays? It doesn't apply to you since you need to learn the fundamentals of being a royal but for us, it's the day where we practice our chosen skills. I have dance, archery, violin, and theater. We go to classes for two hours each." he seemed surprised at that and I couldn't really blame him since he was indeed stuck on more lessons on Thursdays while we hone our chosen skill.

"Wow, I'm missing out huh?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure you will come around. I heard from somewhere that you are catching on quick so it's only a matter of time."

"And where did you hear that?"

"Somewhere." I said vaguely before standing up, having finished my breakfast and he was too.

"Come on, let's return this to the mess hall then I can show around some clubs. See where you might be interested in." I trailed off while exiting the garden.

"I'm sure the others are awake by now and some are probably in their club rooms. We'll pay them a visit." he nodded and followed after me.  

After returning the boxed lunches, and assuring Rosie the lunch lady that we will surely get the special dish later, Cassian and I ventured through the buildings scattering around the school. Since it was quite late in the morning already, there were more students scattered around the school, doing their own activities.

We weaved through the growing population on the hallways and ignoring the curious looks thrown our way. I don't even know what the stares are for but I don't really mind since I often get stared at by other students, with my title and everything, so it doesn't faze me anymore but someone definitely was.

Sensing Cassian walking stiffly beside me, probably self-conscious about the stares, I grabbed his wrists and tugged him to the direction of the club building, giving him no time to react as I speed walk there. He was probably surprised and I can feel the students around us being the same but I ignored that and instead powered through the next building where there were even more students around.

As soon as we arrived into the club building, I let go of his wrist and turned around to face him. He gave me a very wide eyed look and he seemed to be going a little red. Tilting my head in question for his sudden flare in color, he barely manage to stutter out a reply, clearly frazzled, but in his relief, someone interrupted us before he could even get his words together.

"Hey Mori is that you? Fancy seeing you here!" a very familiar and annoying voice cut through the busy hallways. Barely containing an eye roll, I turned around to see Kairo and his attendant Eiler along with a couple of his teammates in soccer in their casual clothes, greeting me.

"Why? Am I not allowed in the club building?" I replied sassily and his teammates just teased him for that which made him playfully shove one of them off.

"Don't mind him Merideth, he's just not right in the head at the moment because coach told him to run laps later." their team captain and our senior, Haiden replied for him which made Kairo squawk out in protest.

"Is that so? He's just being whiny then."

"Yep! Anyways! Why are you here for? I thought the Archery team didn't have to meet in the morning? Did they change your schedule?" he asked and took a quick glance behind me and smiled suddenly.

"Oh is that...who was it?" he thought for a while before coming to realization. "Oh right! Cassian was it? The new prince from Trost?"

At the mention of his name, Cassian straightened up from behind me and it makes me wonder why they didn't even see him there until now.

"Oh Cassian you're here too?" Cassian just nodded to Kairo and was silent once again. He must be shy.

"Yeah got a problem with that? Anyways, before you ask again, I'm giving Cassian a tour. Apparently he didn't know about the clubs."

"Is that so? Didn't you give him a tour last time Mori?" Levine came into view with a bottle of water in hand. He must've been left behind earlier because he suddenly just popped out the back.

"Yeah. I totally forgot about it. Besides, I thought he already knew about it on the orientation or something but apparently not so here we are." I sighed.

"Really then he isn't a member to any club? How about we show him around? I'm Haiden by the way, the soccer teams captain. Do you play soccer?" Haiden jumped into the conversation and of course it was to recruit Cassian into the team.

"Umm not really? I'm familiar with the game but never really played it much." Cassian hesitated behind me which made Kairo smirk. I think I know where this is going.

"Then how about you join us? We just happen to head into the field for a friendly game. Gotta play even if there are no required practice you know? Keeps the fitness in check." Haiden laughed a little before turning serious. "You can observe first then join us then you can decide whether or not you want to join the team." Kairo offered but with a sleazy grin on his face. I knew Cassian was hesitating behind me so I turned around to him.

"Do you want to join? You can always just say no." I whispered and he just shook his head and looked at the awaiting soccer team for his answer who I just know were grinning like hyenas probably.

"I'll join you guys but I can't promise that I would be good at it."

The devils, I mean the soccer team of course were grinning like the devils that they are as they pulled Cassian along, Kairo even swung his arms around his shoulders and proceeded to tell him that he would teach him everything. I scoffed. As if, Kairo was a bad teacher.

Not having a choice (actually I have but I ignored that), I followed after them. I can't just leave Cassian by himself to fend of to these overly enthusiastic soccer players. He seems to be the type to never deny a request and if he was to play with these people, it's best that I was there to pull him out if it ever gets heated (because it always does). That and I had nothing better to do really.

Trailing behind them, we reach the field where some students were playing. Their coach was nowhere to be seen but I think that's probably because he wasn't allowed to meet with them and asked Haiden to sub for him instead.

I let myself sit on the bleachers beside the grassy field where others were already playing around. Since it was Sunday, there were a couple of people lounging around the bleachers and even regular students were playing around. As I have said before, before mid-term exams, there were no required practices for the athletes in school. Most of the time though, teams would still meet for some friendly game with the other students who wanted to play too. Currently, that was what was happening on the field.

I couldn't hear them from here normally but I clearly heard Kairo shout something about who wanted to play. He was dragging a reluctant looking Cassian along who had no way out as more students surrounded them to play. I don't know how they decided on the teams but it was evenly split up with half the soccer team on one side along with the other random students on the other. I think it was for a fair game or something although Cassian was with Kairo and Levine, probably to help lure him into joining the team. Haiden acted as the referee on the side.

I leaned back on the bleachers and watched as they settled themselves on the field. Kairo was sticking close to Cassian and was telling him something but seeing as I was far away, I didn't hear any of it. Levine was the one tasked for the kickoff and he was against a random student I don't know the name of.

As soon as Haiden blew the whistle to start the game, the ball was already on Kairo's team as Levine successfully kicked it off to their side. Of course, there was a lot of tackling and chasing as the ball rolled off into the grassy field. The sun was fully up by now so it wasn't that chilly anymore and besides I don't think the players on the field could feel the cold anyway. Not with their passion burning them up even though it was just a friendly game.

I didn't really understand soccer that much so all I know is that they were the kicking the ball into the goal post as much as possible, although that was proving to be difficult since there were rather experienced players on the field. They were going back and forth for a long time, since the goalies were great at their job too. I tried finding where Cassian was in the midst of this and lo and behold, he was just standing there where Kairo left him, looking at the battle to kick the ball into the opposite teams goalpost. It was quite funny looking at him just standing there with a lost look on his face.

I was about to scream at him to get moving but by some divine intervention, he did and ran into where the others were. I don't exactly know what happened but Kairo suddenly passed him the ball and as if like a professional, he kicked it hard enough and expertly into the goal post where the goalie wasn't expecting the sudden attack at all and didn't block it on time. The ball rolled into the goal post and lightly bumped on the net. There was silence for a few moments as they take in what happened and I didn't know what possessed me but I stood up from where I was sitting and cheered for Cassian which made his team mates scream too. It was just one point and it was a friendly game but right now they were acting as if it was the winning shot and they were fighting for championships.

Sitting back down, I looked at Cassian getting patted rather aggressively on the back by Kairo and his other teammates. He just smiled slightly before Haiden called them up to the center spot to resume the game. They were still thumping him on the back but got back to the game while Cassian smiled at the side.

They resumed playing for a few more minutes and finished with Kairo's team winning by 4-2. It was after all a quick game and a friendly one at that too. The results weren't really that surprising but what's surprising is Cassian scored two out of their four points. Currently, he was being surrounded by the soccer team who was probably talking to him about the game. He just smiled shyly to them before excusing himself as the others regroup for a new game.

Cassian walked into where I was sitting and plopped down on the seat beside me. I raised an eyebrow at him but he was looking down and missed my questioning gaze and smirks directed to him by Kairo and Levine who was back on the field again for another game.

Silence reigned between Cassian and I while the others were screaming on the field again as they play. I was looking at them playing and tried to suppress my curiosity but couldn't hold it in anymore and turned around to face Cassian who was looking at the field too.

"I thought you didn't play soccer?" he gave me a pointed look.

"When did I say that?"

"Ah, back when Haiden asked you. You said you don't play but what you did back there couldn't be beginners luck either."

"I didn't. I just said I don't play much." this time he grinned.

"What a sly boy. You really had us believe you don't know anything."

"Nah not really. I'm pretty sure the Captain knew I could play. Why do you think he invited me to join them?"

"Hmm maybe out of courtesy?"

"Don't think so. If he didn't know to an extent that I could play, he probably wouldn't have invited me to join them. Even though it was a friendly game, you think he would let me join it if I didn't know anything about soccer?" he has a point there so I turned back on the game where currently Kairo was running across the field with the ball.

"You have a point there. Having knowledge about something and actually acting on it are two different things." he nodded and went back to looking at the game.

We stayed in silence for a few moments and just watched them play when I decided to hop off the bleachers and into the field to fetch water because the heat was making me thirsty, Cassian following behind me. We were both walking towards the cooler that the team brought on the side (they wouldn't mind if I took some anyway) when Kairo kicked the ball way too hard and it came hurtling towards my direction. I heard Cassian and Kairo shout at me because it was going to hit me but jokes on them, I had quick reflexes so I avoided it on time and it hit the post right in front of me instead. I heard Cassian sigh beside me and Kairo looking panicky because he knows exactly what would happen now.

Picking the ball up, I dropped it near my feet and I saw Kairo visibly turn pale while the others snickered beside him. He tried running away but I didn't give him that chance and kicked the ball hard and hit him square on his legs which made him fall down because he was running. There was laughter fluttering around the field as he grumbled while Levine helped him up.

I scoffed, smug before reaching into the cooler and pulling out a bottle of water and handing it to Cassian before uncapping mine. Cassian was looking at me with eyebrows raised and I tilted my head in question to him.

"I didn't know you play soccer." he said with a little smirk.

"I don't. I just know how to kick a ball when I see one." I shrugged and chugged the water down as Cassian burst out laughing.