Secrets and New Discoveries

As dusk settled over Hoover, Jackson trudged wearily homeward, his mind still whirling with thoughts of the day's tryouts. 

He arrived at his modest house around 7:45 PM, relieved to find it empty. His mom, Evelyn, was still out, likely busy with her long shift at the hospital. The reprieve gave him precious time to clean up before she returned.

Not wanting his mom to see his dirt-caked football gear, Jackson hurriedly stuffed his jersey and socks into the washing machine. He then made a beeline for the bathroom, eager for a refreshing shower.

The warm water was a welcome balm, easing the soreness from his body. As the steam enveloped him, he felt his muscles slowly unwind from the day's tension.

Emerging from the shower, Jackson moved quickly, hoping to retrieve his clean gear before his mom got home. But as he entered the living room, he heard the front door creak open. His heart skipped a beat as Evelyn stepped in, her cheerful greeting catching him off guard.

"Hey, sweetheart!" she greeted cheerfully, her warm smile lighting up her tired face. "How was your day?"

Jackson's heart raced. He knew he was only a second away from being caught. But he forced himself to remain calm. "It was good, Mom," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Just a normal day, you know."

Evelyn's eyes narrowed slightly, her motherly instincts kicking in. "Are you sure everything's okay? You seem a bit... off!"

Jackson chuckled unnaturally, a nervous edge to his laughter. "Yeah, everything's fine. Why wouldn't it be?"

Evelyn gave him a strange look but didn't press further. "Alright, if you say so. I'm going to change out of these clothes."

As she headed to her bedroom, Jackson let out a sigh of relief. He hurried to the small laundry room near the kitchen and quickly retrieved his now-clean football jersey and socks from the washing machine. However, just as he turned to dash back to his bedroom, he found himself face-to-face with Evelyn, standing quietly in the doorway.

Jackson's thoughts almost blanked out, the only question coursing through his mind: how does she move so silently?

In the meantime, Evelyn eyed the jersey and socks in his hands, her expression gradually turning curious and a bit stern. "Why are you being so sneaky, Jackson?"

"Uh, I—" Jackson stammered, trying to muster an excuse. "I was just... making sure my clothes were clean for tomorrow. You know how it is, right?"

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care so much about doing laundry?"

Jackson forced a laugh. "Since today, I guess. Just trying to be responsible."

Evelyn crossed her arms, clearly not buying it. "Are you sure there's nothing else going on? Like why are you still not eager to repair your spectacles? You said you'd do it last weekend."

Jackson bit his lip, searching for another plausible excuse. "Oh, right. About that... I've just been busy with schoolwork and, you know, other stuff. Plus, I'm getting used to not wearing them. It also feels nice not having to worry about them breaking again."

Evelyn softened a bit, her concern evident. "Well, if you need new glasses, let me know. I don't want you straining your eyes."

"Thanks, Mom," Jackson said, grateful she didn't push the issue further. "I promise I'll take care of it soon."

She nodded, still watching him closely. "Alright, but don't forget. And if there's anything else you need to talk about, you know I'm here, right?"

Jackson nodded, a pang of guilt hitting him. He wished he could tell her everything—the tryouts, his newfound determination, and the strange magical changes he was experiencing. But he knew he had to keep the Solar Heartstone a secret. "I know, Mom. Thanks."

Evelyn gave him one last searching look before turning back to her room.

Jackson exhaled deeply, clutching his football gear to his chest as he heard her bedroom door close behind her. He had at least managed to dodge her questions for now, but he knew he couldn't keep everything hidden forever. For now, he was just grateful for the chance to pursue his football dreams, even if it meant keeping a few secrets along the way.

As the evening wore on, Jackson's worries faded into the background. His mom seemed to have forgotten about his odd behavior, and they enjoyed a delightful dinner together, exchanging stories and laughter.

Evelyn regaled Jackson with stories from the hospital, her eyes lighting up as she spoke about the patients she helped. Jackson listened intently, finding solace in the familiarity of their routine.

After dinner, Jackson thanked his mom and retreated to his room. He fought the tiredness that weighed down his eyelids and forced himself to focus on homework. His desk was soon cluttered with textbooks and notebooks, evidence of his dedication to his academic and athletic aspirations.

He spent two hours immersing himself in his studies, reviewing math equations, historical dates, and English essays. He worked hard to memorize and internalize formulas and facts, as he knew that staying on top of his schoolwork was just as important as succeeding on the football field.

Finally, at around 10:30 PM, Jackson placed his books aside and took a moment to stretch. He couldn't help but wince as his muscles protested, sore from the day's exertions.

He struggled to head to the bathroom, and after freshening up and brushing his teeth, he eagerly jumped into bed. The soft mattress seemed to embrace him, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep shortly.

He slept like a log, exhausted from the tryouts. When his morning alarm blared, he groaned, the sound pulling him from the depths of slumber. Jackson pushed himself up from the bed and switched off the alarm, feeling throbs of pain assaulting his muscles and joints.

He just wanted to crawl back under the covers and sleep a bit more. But determination eventually won out over fatigue, and he finally got up.

Jackson put on his tracksuit and quietly left the house, the cool morning air an annoying contrast to the warmth of his bed. He jogged to his usual training spot, the large rock on the outskirts of the nearby woods.

The sky was still dark, but a faint glow on the horizon hinted at the approaching dawn. The rhythmic sound of his feet hitting the ground helped clear his mind, focusing him on the task ahead.

Arriving at the rock, he sat down cross-legged, the soreness in his legs more evident as he stretched them. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as the first rays of the rising sun kissed the horizon.

The world seemed to momentarily hold its breath as Jackson began practicing the Sun's Embrace Technique, absorbing the Sun Qi from the new day.

A comforting warmth spread through his body as the Sun Qi entered him, soothing his tired muscles. The practice of the Eternal Radiance Scripture felt smoother, probably due to the intense exercise from the previous day's tryouts. Jackson could feel the energy revitalizing him, washing away the fatigue that clung to his bones.

However, as he transitioned to the Solar Veins Mantra, aiming to open his abdominal meridians and link them to his Dantian, he suddenly faced a challenge.

The Sun Qi was difficult to move through those channels, and he struggled to unlock the first connecting channel to his Dantian—a crucial step to becoming a rank-four meridian-opening stage cultivator. Frustration bubbled up, but he pushed it aside. His determination was sky-high, and he refused to give up.

For thirty minutes, he meticulously guided the Sun Qi through one of his meridians, eventually managing to unlock about one-twentieth of the channel. When he opened his eyes, a hint of disappointment lingered as he realized it would take at least twenty days to fully open and link his first meridian to his Dantian.

Pushing his frustration behind him, Jackson stood up from the rock. To his surprise, the aching in his muscles had vanished. Practicing the Sun's Embrace Technique and the Solar Veins Mantra seemed to have a hidden benefit—it could help his body heal from fatigue and hidden aches.

His mood soared with this new discovery, and he jogged home, ready to face the day ahead.