7 We get sporty I guess

He shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Ernestine's face glowed ominously in the yellow light. Her grey eyes reflected the yellow light from the tiny fusion crusts on the meteorites in her glow bubble.

It blinked fading.

"It's a little...heavy." She grunted and dumped it.

The dented scrap metal that used to be the monster groaned in response and she stumped on the meteorite till it shattered. "Hopefully, this never happens again."

He grinned. "You wish."

....

FRIDAY

Soccer field

Clancy Junior High

The school had a soccer team called Clancy FC. They had a friendly match and Coach Stewart clapped. The first players wore yellow jerseys with white elbow sleeves and purple shorts. The others wore purple jerseys and black track pants.

AJ Johnson was a defender. He had a round face and coloured skin, and he wore fancy glasses. If anyone saw AJ. They would think he lacked coordination. Because of how chubby he was. He back-kicked the ball to the goalkeeper to take the pressure off himself. "Phew."

The goalkeeper Felicity possessed the ball and gave one powerful kick.

Stephen watched them play on the field drily. Watching while time dilated was boring.

He could tell that AJ the defender was about to get wrong-footed by Lance. His male best friend. He slowly started to grin. Cheering him on, mostly for the laughs.

Lance's eyes flashed as he dribbled AJ with. He swivelled around him, The ball was tucked in between his cleats and he fell over.

Stephen laughed when Lance landed on his back. AJ stepped over him and kicked the ball to the other side.

The whistle blew off and the yellow team scored a goal.

2-1

"AHAHAHAHAHA."

He was not bored with the look of things anymore. His slow perception of time, only enhanced how funny it would be before it happened. It was like a reverse VAR system. He laughed hard when Lance marched to the stairwell. The other kids played on.

He took off his cleats.

"Well, that was exhausting." Lance wiped his neck with a towel.

He had black hair, caramel brown eyes, a pointed nose and thin lips. He had a pointed chin too. His nape length hair complimented his pointed chin.

He was older than Stephen by a month, he was going on thirteen soon, this year.

Stephen and Lance not the best of friends. They had a beef at Summer Camp over a stolen toy truck. They usually beat each other up after recess or stole each other's lunches.

Lance looked dimly at Stephen. "If you think it's so easy. Then why don't you join the team?" He pointed.

Stephen shrugged drily. "Meh. Then my Saturday's ruined, don't have time for soccer games."

He looked aside indifferent.

Lance scoffed.

The school team Clancy FC won so many times in the last season that Stephen felt like joining would not make any difference. He grinned to annoy him. "I'm all for basketball anyways."

Lance shrugged and arranged his black duffel bag. He had an extra T-shirt and a pair of shoes in there.

Stephen had a stunned look on his face when he noticed Lance wore black nail polish.

"Huh?"

He looked at the field and his eyes glazed at two players in slow motion. They were in running poses about to collide with each other. [ Yes! ]

AJ stopped short on the field. "Time out!"

Oof. The two crashed. Stephen giggled.

AJ clapped the ball before it hit him.

He faced the two of them. "Hey, bitches! Get down here! We're currently undermanned!" He yelled.

"Who says undermanned anymore?" Stephen said resting on his elbows.

"Nah, he's probably trying to impress the coach again." They both laughed outloud.

He groaned. "Aren't we all? Whatever, men. Jump in."

...

Ernestine crossed her arms on the field watching a school bus leave angrily. Her legs were crossed too. Far away from the group of boys playing football. She sulked.

The cheerleaders danced in synch.

Be Aggressive Be Be Aggressive! Clap*

Be Aggressive Be Be Aggressive! Clap*

Drew Larsen, a girl with black hair, round hazel eyes, and a heart-shaped face sighed. Twisting her shoes.

"I am so dead tired."

Drew Larsen was from Baltimore. She had a fairly peaceful life. Initially, she and Ernestine were not best friends or definite friends either. They resented each other over wearing the same outfit and then they learned that they both enjoyed Greek Culture. Read the same books. They even went to the same concerts last year.

"How come you're still at home?" Ernestine asked.

"Oooh," She drew in her breath in a hiss and mugged. "I dropped out at the last minute."

She grunted.

"Why did you forfeit? You had a good chance." Ernestine pestered.

She shrugged.

Ernestine shook her head. "Look, I know, you wanted to go to Washington DC. I tried to recommend you to Mister Mateo. But gah..."

"We... can't see each other anymore." She raked her hair and stood up.

"What?" Her heart pummeled. "Why?"

"Uh...practice?" Drew mugged waving to the girls and boys forming a pyramid down the field. The top boy who was the lightest fell over them. And they crashed.

"Oh. Well..." She gripped her books firmly. "Bye."

"I already called it. See ya, Ernie." She clapped Ernestine on the back and clambered down the steps.

'Go team! Woo!'

...

She went to an AV club activity. She took extra credit projects even if she didn't have to. She studied half the time in the study hall. She saw her old aptitude test paper sticking out. Her heart pumped at the 62 in red ink. She stiffened at the test score and crumpled the sheet.

She took a deep breath as Darla Fox her aunt taught her to. "Relax, Ernie, don't starve your brain." She exhaled.

Lance waited by the exit and he smiled standing up. He wore a black shirt, grey jeans and boots.

"Hey, Ernestine. How have you been?"

"What do you want?" She asked snithy standing akimbo.

Lance's eyes rounded looking back awkwardly. "Okay...I just needed to ask you something." Lance reached into his pocket while she waited.

"What is it?!" She prodded quickly.

He paled. "Ah...is it okay if you sent this to Drew?" He looked hesitant. "It's for a party, Friday night."

She looked drily at him, her eye twitched. "Oh. Well, by all means...Lancelot. You don't need to ask me for perMISSION!" She stressed loudly.

Stephen was walking outside the school exit wearing a fake moustache. He was cleaning ice cream off his T-shirt at hyper speed. He looked up when she spoke and stopped whistling before Lance looked at him.

"Oh, hey Stephen."

He raised a card and then faced her. "Thanks Ernie. You're sweet." He gave the card to her. "I used to think you were so uptight but I guess you're alright."

He teased her with a light punch on her shoulder.

"Well, see you around," Lance said to Stephen and hopped on his bike, riding home. "And see you at the field! Next week!"

"I'm not coming to practice!" Stephen said raising a middle finger.

"Oh, so we don't have limits at school too huh?" Ernestine said angrily to Stephen while he adjusted his fake moustache.

"Don't look at me. You're the one using your powers." He shrugged and she turned red.

"Me!? I did nothing_"

[ Stephen, Ernestine. You have a weekly quest. ]

"Wtf??"