The Elf on the Soccer Team And the Girl Hidden in Shadow

Chapter 2- Elf Explains all

Chaaya sat behind the metal bleachers, tapping her foot impatiently on the sidewalk. Auris had said 4 pm, but he was now a half-hour late. She'd been a tad worried at first, the sense of fear of such a powerful person as Auris a difficult dread to overcome. Now, with the fact that she'd promptly shown up 30 minutes early paired with him being 30 late had whisked her fear away, replacing it with anger.

"He stood me up!" She huffed to herself, stomping her canvas topped shoe on the cement one time in a pitiful attempt to release some of her rage. She began stepping away, leaving the meeting spot behind her as she headed back towards where her car sat in the parking lot beside the soccer/football stadium. That's when she heard it. Bomp. Bomp. Bomp.

The sound was distant, coming from the far side of the concession stand that sat adjacent to the entryway to the stadium. Something deep inside her told her Auris was making the sound, and she followed both her sixth sense and the sound. Bomp. Bomp. Bomp.

She circled the concession shack, which was really quite large, the metal doors folded shut until usually fifteen minutes before a game. The sound was growing louder, coming clearly to her ears as she came to the backside of the building. And there he was. 

He juggled a soccer ball with his feet, thighs, and head, briskly keeping it aloft before it could touch the ground. She was mesmerized as she watched him flawlessly bounce it around, and could tell that he wasn't even concentrating on it. The mind that sat behind his shimmering emerald eyes was busy contemplating something unknown to her, his body autonomously keeping the black-and-white octagoned ball from grazing the ground. He'd bring the ball high into the air, stepping back to resettle it, giving a few quick and low bounces, flipping the opposite foot overtop the ball as the other kept it from the ground.

His jersey sat loose upon him, hiding the narrow frame that it hid. But ever now and then it would pull tight across his chest or stomach, and Chaaya could see that he was quite fit. The material seemed to enhance the abs that flexed beneath. With one powerful lift, he brought a foot up from the ground so fast that a trail of dirt followed, lifting the ball up into the sky. His eyes for the first time broke the mysterious thoughts that occurred behind them, flipping up towards the ball. He bent forward, bending his neck a tad, and the ball fell perfectly between his head and back, catching in place.

Chaaya had to remind herself to be angry. She cleared her throat to gain his attention. The ball left its perch, finally touching the ground for the first time as let it drop and began stepping towards her. "You're early. Thought you'd watch me for a bit first, you--"

"Early?! It's 4:30! You never showed!" Chaaya snapped back, not waiting for him to finish whatever insult was forming. Auris glanced up at the sunny sky as if he could tell something from it.

Apparently he could, "Huh, you're right. Sorry, I get lost in thought allot. It's actually why I was late to school today."

"Yeah, when you vaulted the fence. I recall." Chaaya replied, unamused, folding her arms to display her impatience.

"Ok, well, um, so I don't really know what to say, so why don't you just ask me what you want?" Auris replied, brushing some dirt from his wavey blond hair. 

Chaaya stepped back, leaning up against the concession stand, "How did you get to the top of the fence?" She realized she was setting herself up for a cocky I jumped! response and quickly rephrased. "How do you have the ability to jump that high? It's beyond human capabilities."

"Ah, can't even warm up into it, gotta go straight for the big questions. I like that." Auris winked, but his charm was ineffective on an unamused, and unapologetically angry Chaaya. She wore her emotions like a mask, and Auris took the hint. He released a sigh, and leaned up against the building beside her. "I'm a purebred elf. My physical abilities are around fifteen times greater than even the most athletic of humans."