An Exquisite Lie: Zodiac (Still Under Construction)

Chapter One Part Two

One

ARRIVAL

Syle A.

“Jesse Noel, Kent Mercado, Bernard Mendoza…” the coach was calling out.                  

“I hope I had made it in,” Syle said hopefully.

“Sure you did! You’re the second best swimmer I know,” Will encouraged seeing the look on Syle’s face.

“I’m the second best?” That one confused Syle.

“Nick Alonzo, Dennis Castro, Syle Aguirre…” the coach continued with his list.

As the coach completed the list, the newly recruited athletes rejoiced with pride.

“Yes! I’m in!” Syle was very excited. He’s achieved something on the first day of school.

The coach approached the two lads. He was a tall man with a pointed nose. His eyes were brown, and he had a round semi-shaved head. From a distance, he would look like an egg that grew hair and had a carrot stick stuck on. His name plate read “Mr. Robert S.” on the top corner of his shirt.

Coach Robert extended his arm to congratulate Syle.

“Glad to be having you on the team Mr. Aguirre,” he said. “You know you’re very good. You’re even my top choice. With my training, you’d be as good as me in six weeks.”

“Thank you sir!” Syle replied as he shook the coach’s hand. “I appreciate the compliment.”

“No need to thank me. There’s no doubt that you would get in the team,” Coach Robert gazed at Syle. He patted his chin then said “Look at your athletic built. It’s obvious that you’ve been swimming since you were young. How old are you son?”

“Eighteen sir,” Syle replied.

“Eighteen? You’re almost as old as my son.”

“How old is your son?” Syle asked trying to know more about his coach that he would be training with for six weeks.

Coach Robert patted his chin, “Hmm, I’ll ask him.”

Then Will rolled his eyes and said, “I’m nineteen, dad.”

Blood rushed through Syle’s body as if lightning had struck him. “He’s your dad?!”

Will nodded while Coach Robert tugged him by his side. “Will might have gotten his eyes and hair from his mom, but his handsomeness and hotness came from me.”

Syle wanted to disagree, but he doesn’t want to risk his position in the swimming varsity.

Will managed to smile even though he didn’t like the fact that he looks like his father.

After introducing Syle to his father, Will remembered what he had to do. “Dad, where are the fields in this university?”

“The fields?”  Coach Robert pointed north to a passageway. “Just go straight there. You wouldn’t miss the fields because there’s a game going on."

“Ok, thanks dad,” Will crossed his arms behind his head. “I’ll be on my way then.”

“Can I come with you?” asked Syle. “There’s nothing else to do here anyway.”

“Sure you can come along, but you need to put clothes on first.”

“Oh, right,” Syle smiled. He was still wet in his trunks.

Zauri L.

The university field was vastly covered with grass, and towering trees lined the edges.

The field was an enormous elliptical land which had a race track embedded around it. At the right end of the field were three soccer fields, and at the left was a huge baseball diamond. Benches were set so that the audience could sit and watch the games.

This field is a common place for the school’s athletes. A lot of girls would also pile up there usually to observe and gossip about the jocks. This field also served as the evacuation spot whenever accidents and disasters occur at the university. The whole population of St. Jean’s could fit in it with still a huge space left.

During events, the perimeter was guarded by the school security. Two guards would stand by the entrance, while eight others roamed around the area. St. Jean’s wasn’t called prestigious for nothing.

Beside the soccer fields wherein a game was transpiring, a group of stylish girls were having a discussion. One of them, probably the most popular from the group, was handing out invitations for a welcoming party that would be held at her house that night. The invitations that she distributed were neatly enclosed in scented envelopes sealed with a flower-shaped sticker.

A girl with auburn hair approached. She was wearing a white blouse and a pleated skirt that reached up to her knee. She was wrapped in a jade-green jacket, and her shoes and socks complemented it. Obviously, that girl was a member of the group.

“Zauri,” the girl who was handing out invitations called. “Here are your invitations. I’m giving you three. Don’t forget to invite your brother Will and his friend Mattel. I’ll be very glad if you would.”

“Thank you Lauren, but I think I’m gonna need more,” Zauri replied, her flawless face lit up.

“Right, you’ll invite more guys,” Lauren said picking out three more invitations.

“Thanks again. I’m sure I’ll need these extras.”

The girls in the group started giggling. “Typical Zauri and her perfect intuition,” one of the girls started. “With those extra invitations, I’m dying to meet the guys you’ll be bringing tonight,” she said with her eyes sparkling in excitement.

“I don’t care about the other guys, just make sure you introduce me to your brother,” Lauren interrupted.

Then one other girl stepped in, “Well, if your brother will not like Lauren, you could introduce him to me next.” The other girls in the group asked Zauri the same thing.

Zauri couldn’t believe how many girls had fallen for her brother. “Why do you like my brother so much? He’s so annoying. He’s two years older, and he always tricks me into doing the chores while he dazes off in deep thought.”

“Sorry if I do that to you sis, but you’re just so obedient,” said Will who was apparently there hearing the girls’ discussion.

Upon Will’s appearance, the girls blushed. All of them were excited except for Zauri who was just annoyed by her brother’s presence.

“Zauri, you could give an invitation to Will now,” said Lauren with tenderness in her voice. Then she noticed that Will wasn’t alone. “You could also give one to your brother’s friend here.”

Zauri took two of the sealed envelopes and handed them to Will and Syle . “Why are you even here?”

“I’m looking for Mattel, have you seen him?” asked Will.

Zauri nodded. “Yes, I have seen him, but I think his kind of busy right now.”

“That’s alright. I just wanted to know where he is. Could you please tell me?”

Zauri pointed to one of the soccer fields where a game was occurring. One of the players was about to score as the goal keeper was intent on catching the ball. “He’s in the game playing as the goalie.”

Will immediately spotted Mattel and called his name.

Mattel heard Will’s call, so he turned to face where Will was standing. The enemy player took advantage of this distraction, and kicked the soccer ball real hard so that he could score a goal.