Chronos Shift

Unexplained Shiver

The gym never looked so lively since the last Mike and I trained here. The once quiet building was filled with laughter, violent yet playful shouting mostly from Blake, shoes screeching on the wooden floor that made my teeth grit from time to time. And a lone Arronn in the corner, eyeing us with a neutral expression.

 I took a breather from jumping and rolling around the floor preventing the ball to fall. I sneaked to Arronn and jerked his shoulders. But, his eyes darted in every direction, not even noticing me in front of him.

 I wave my hands in front of his face. “Hey! Earth to Arronn!”

 “Oh.” His eyes turned to me for a second, “Are you okay?”

 He looked tense to be honest, clenching his fist into a ball as he glances at the court occasionally then back at me.

 “I should be asking you that,” I slump down beside him, “you’ve been eyeing us for the past two hours!”

 He stays silent and goes back to his staring. I shrug my shoulder. Propping myself up with my hand behind me, I mimic what Arronn was doing. Examining the gym in its full-of-my-classmates glory. Mike and Alex going at it in volleyball.

 They were just playing basketball awhile ago, the versatility they have.

 Demi finally places her book down as she contemplates her next move on her chess board, scratching her chin in the process and fiddling with the bridge of her glasses.

 And woah!

 Blake rolled on the floor, and in one swift motion receives the ball, knocking it up in the air. A smile beaming off his proud face. Lucia stares at the impending ball nearing her, she makes a quick glance to her side to see Tara, Hollie, and Charlotte all staring at Mike who is approaching for the ball. He runs up and went into a spiking motion.

 Thump! Thump! Thump!

 The ball falls graciously on the ground, and three girls screams in disappoint. Lucia still having a blank expression on her face as she claps Mike and Blake’s hands. I chuckle at the great feat.

 We are definitely going to win.

 Alex raises his hand in T-gesture and everyone walks to the side. Mike presses a blue button on the wall.

 Whoosh!

 As the cold air dissipated, 10 water bottles appear in a water holder. Feeling a little thirsty myself, I stood up.

 “Hey, let’s get some water.” I ask Arronn.

 “Oh, sure.”

 We walk to the others chugging on the water around our piles of bags. I grab two and hand the other to Arronn. In one swift motion, he drinks the bottle. So do I and the cold liquid runs down my throat, cooling my body.

 “Ahh!” Everyone saying in unison as they bring down their bottles.

 The gym filled with laughter, but Arronn muttered a low snicker and went back to becoming a brooding statue.

 “Is there a shower here?” Alex asks, wiping a sweat that dripped from his neck.

 “Yeah,” Mike points at the other end of the gym, “over there.”

 Alex mouths a thank-you but scoots to Arronn side. I glance at the couple to see Alex rubbing Arronn’s head and smiling.

 “Hey,” a hand rests on my shoulder.

 I turn around to see a drenched Mike with messy hair and a carnal look on his face. He inched closer towards, the addicting scent of testosterone invading my nostrils that clenched every opening in my body.

 He leans in my ear and whispers in a low growl. “Wanna help me in the shower.” His warm breath tingling the hairs on my skin, a hot feeling storming inside my body.

 A salacious grin formed in his lips and I punched him in the arm.

 “There’s people here.” I said through gritted teeth.

 He looks defeated with slump shoulders and his grin turned into a force frown.

 “This is your loss.” He mocks, planting a kiss on my forehead as he walks to the showers.

 “OOOH! OOOH! ME TOO!” Blake announces with such volume as he dashes to Mike’s side.

 I look into the girls that decided they shower together. They giggled while walking to the shower, except Lucia who still had a blank expression in her face. I turned to the couple behind me, Alex’s arms draped around Arronn who has the same expression as Alex.

 I checked my phone at the cluster of bags near me and the time read 2 PM. A playful grin in my face predicting what their reaction will be when they find out. I smirked then placed my phone in my bag and headed to the shower.

 It’s a tiled mix of plain white, and a sink made of marble. The doors even blended well with the whiteness of the room without the gaps made by the hinges. I am in the men’s section of the shower and you can see Alex and Mike’s tall figure from over the door. Gazing at Mike’s wet body sent shivers in my body to which Mike saw, flashing a smirk in his mouth as he continues washing his hair. I went to the far-end, stripped my clothing and washed off the sports aftermath.

 After 30 minutes, everyone came out of the shower in a fresh set of clothes and wet hair.

 “Are y’all hungry? I wanna eat something.” Tara asked clutching her stomach.

 A mixed reply of yeahs, yes, and very from my classmates.

 “Why don’t we go the mall! There’s a new restaurant there!” Tara says excitedly as she rushes to her bag. She grabs her phone and all the excitement drained from her face.

 “Uhhh,” she glances from her phone to us, “check your phones.”

 Everyone except Mike and I soured into confused expression in their face. Gasps and shocked faces eyes the two of us.

 “We went in 2 PM,” Hollie pauses as she clenched a ball of her hair, “and it’s still 2 PM!”

 I glace at Mike with a Should-we-tell-them look. He replies with a I-think-we-shouldn’t look.

 The gym fell silent as expectant eyes bore into our figures.

 Jesus, it’s introduction day all over again.

 I step in front. “Come on! Let’s eat! I’m hungry!”

 The lively gym went back once more as everyone decides what restaurant for us to eat in.

 “Cafe Mont.” Lucia monotonously suggests.

 “Meat Haven!” Alex shouts.

 “I second.” Mike from behind me raises a finger.

 “How about the library.” Demi’s soft voice overpowered by…

 “CHINESE!” Blake.

 I stepped in the middle and spin around to address them all. “Let’s just go on a buffet.”

 “I don’t have money with me!” Tara cries as she checks her wallet, feigning a crying expression.

 “Me too!” Hollie cries and hugs Tara.

 “I got you all, don’t worry.” I flash a reassuring smile.

 “You sure?” Mike places his hand on my hair, ruffling it.

 “Hey!” I swat his hand away, “yeah I got it, come on, let’s go!”

 Everyone slings their bags on their shoulders and heads to the glass doorway. Mike and I stop but forgot to stop them from leaving. But, they were fine. Still chatting with each other. The both of us sighs a breath of relief and follows them afterwards.

 We left the house and the sun still shone above us, everyone seeming to forget the time dilemma as they talked about what food their gonna eat, drinks their going to make. We wait for Mike’s jeep to exit the garage and all of us climbs to our previous seats.

 Tunes blared inside the car and everyone sings to their heart’s content on our way to the mall’s buffet. After awhile, we reach the buffet built near the seaside, the smell of the salty sea making our stomachs grumble. We head into the busy buffet where array of food sprawled in clothed tables formed large lines that held plates.

 “Table for how many?” The receptionist asked.

 “10 please.”

 “Right this way sir.” The receptionist motions us to follow her.

 We are seated at the large table on the center, facing the door and directly above the glass ceiling. Everyone placed their bag on their respective chairs. Alex and Arronn facing each other with Alex facing the back of the door along with Demi focused on her book and Lucia surveying the place with Charlotte eyeing Lucia’s piercings. Mike and I seat at both ends of the table, joking a I-can’t-hear-you gesture at him to which he chuckled lightly. And those facing the door will be Blake who laughs heartily with Tara and Hollie that earned stares from the other customers.

 “Come on! Get some food!” I announce and everyone shoots up from their seat.

 I look at Mike and told him to get some food and I’ll guard the bags. Before he can reply, the two of us shivered involuntarily.

 Oh no!

 A dreadful feeling swirled inside my body. Mike and I glance at the array of food where everyone scattered to different sections. My heart beat faster than before, and a nauseating feeling swept over me. A cold sweat fell on my temple as my breathing starts to get hitched. A commotion brewed at the door, turning our attention to it.

 Our classmates come back with plates filled with food.

 Fuck! No! Hide!

 Everyone chatting with each other as they sat back down on their seat. They also noticed the commotion in front as the receptionist try to calm down the man at the doors.

 I rush to Mike’s side. “That can’t be nothing right?”

 “I don’t know, but we have to get them away.”

 “Are you two okay?” Lucia butts in a monotonous tone that startled us.

 “Oh, nothing, nothing, just eat!” I force a smile.

 “Yeah, something’s wrong.” Alex looks around.

 I hear Arronn tries to say something until he starts to shiver just like what we did and stares at us. I glance at Mike who had the same shocked expression.

 Suddenly, the shattering of glass  above us broke our gaze.