Burdens [Furry BxB]

Chapter 9 - Ball

He thought he had been awake, but only when he awoke had he realized that it was false. The sun was coming up and he had his face in his legs. The air was cold and moist, it smelled of dew and morning.

For the moment, he was disoriented. He suffered a slight amnesia from his unintentional drifting, but he recollected himself quickly. He sat in front of the classroom of which his first destination resided. He checked his watch.

He had a little less than half an hour until class started. He stood up, stretched, and looked around. He noticed that his body was no longer sore, and he was only slightly groggy, but not really tired.

There were others there, wandering about, sitting, talking. He sighed, and waited.

The teacher arrived shortly, and he was allowed inside. The wait continued for what seemed to be forever. His work was finished, and he managed to acquire the day's homework and finished that, as well.

Drowsiness struck the fox again. He did not know why he suddenly felt so tired. He blinked, and it was class time. He looked around, surprised, but also somewhat refreshed.

Everyone was already seated and attendance taken. The class had actually proceeded while he slept and, as he concluded from a peer, the teacher had let him sleep, confident in his skills.

He tried to figure out what was wrong with him, why he had suddenly become so tired. He thought about the night before, and his trouble sleeping. His body had been tired from what physical exertion he noticed that he had placed. He attributed his current state to that.

Time passed, and class was over. The rest of the day seemed to move by just as quickly. Was it the dread he felt, to face the wolf again and make more mistakes? Or was it that he would be going to his house on that day, to carry out the promise he had made?

He was not particularly afraid of football, he was not brittle or weak, but he was definitely not as strong as his new friend. He was not afraid of a new house, he had been to houses that belonged to strangers before, though by now they were no more stranger than his parents.

Perhaps, as he thought, he was afraid of disappointing his new friend. He never asked for one, of course, but he obtained one, and he had to make a good impression. He felt that the impression he did give so far was hardly anywhere near the status he wanted it to be.

Lunch came quickly. He sat with his friends and they all were chatting about their classes and their classmates. It was the same routine as usual, and every so often they delved into other subjects, like what video games they would play, or movies they planned on watching.

A friend of his spoke to him, noticing that he was silent. "Hey, what's up? How's the tutoring?"

He shrugged. "It's okay, I guess. Slow."

There was a laugh. "I bet it is, you got the dumbest kid in the school. How do you even manage?"

His heart sank from a twinge of guilt. Those were his thoughts as well, and part of him still believed them. "He's actually trying and is doing a lot better," he responded, in the wolf's defense.

"No amount of trying is going to fix that," his friend responded in like. Before waiting for an answer, he subtly pointed at a fox passing by and nudged him. When she was out of earshot, he asked, "So when are you going to ask her out?"

Roger felt better that the subject had been changed, though he did not really like the place where it had stopped. He responded, "I don't know, it's not the right time. What if she says no?"

The fox in question had been the target of his stares for the past year. She had worn somewhat tight shorts, a t-shirt, and a small jacket. She carried her bag on one shoulder.