Rizal Maya Street, Roundabout park. - September 21, 2019.
The atmosphere shifts as they silently communicate. Atlas suddenly stands up and… walks away..!??
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Miguel panics and rushes after him, clearly embarrassed.
"What are you doing!!" Miguel whispers sharply, "This is your chance!!" Atlas stares at him like he's completely drained, eyes blank. "I don't even know her that well.." he mutters, glancing back at Amber.
"Well.. why don't you talk to her then??" Miguel suggests, nudging him with a grin. Atlas stays quiet, still unsure.
The moment felt awkward and tense, but something was about to happen. Atlas slowly walked up to her and asked, "Uh.. w-what sports do you play..?" He was nervous and kept stuttering, unsure of what to say.
(Miguel: Bro… what is this guy doing...)
"Huh? I play volleyball," she said, looking up at him. Her eyes were bright, so bright that they could make someone fall in love.
Atlas felt even more nervous. His heart was racing.
But when he heard the word "volleyball," it brought back a memory from earlier… someone he had met before.
Atlas's eyes lit up with curiosity and sudden confidence.
"Do you have a ball?" he asked. "Maybe we could play?"
Amber blinked. "What the… I mean, okay, sure?"
She was surprised by the question, but she stood up and got ready. It was perfect timing as she needed to work on some of her skills to practice for one of her volleyball games tomorrow.
Atlas stood ready. Well, kind of.
Amber tossed the ball and gave it a soft spike, knowing Atlas was still new. The ball floated toward him in perfect slow motion.
(Atlas: Wait… how do I even hit the ball back..?)
Turns out, Atlas had absolutely no experience when it comes to playing volleyball. He seems to forget that he was trying something completely new. His eyes and mind went blank as the ball was flying towards him.
"HEY!!! ATLAS, MOVE!" Miguel shouted as the ball flew through the air. Atlas snapped out of his daze and quickly shifted his body just in time, receiving the ball. He received it pretty decently yet the ball wobbled a little, but it stayed in play.
Amber was surprised. A sudden quick movement, that shift in weight, most beginners couldn't do that, but Atlas had something special. His pure and raw talent showed in that short scenario. Amber's eyes shimmered with firm hope, and bumped it back to him
Atlas's lack of experience made it difficult for him to position himself to properly receive. His body cannot comprehend quick shifts repeatedly so his movements aren't steady. Still even with a bad posture, he managed to lift the ball and keep it in play.
After a while of going back and forth with gentle spikes and receives, Atlas began to slowly improve and adapt. His positioning getting better, his receiving skills getting more accurate and the motivation of his friend helped him to keep going.
"Keep going, you can do this!!" Miguel encouraged Atlas.
Suddenly, Amber accidentally served the ball, being more powerful than usual.
"Wh- I went a bit too hard.. Sorry!!" Amber shouted after realizing what she did. It went faster than usual, going over Atlas. He ran for the ball but couldn't keep up with the speed. Although he managed to touch it, it flew out of his control.
Miguel watched the scene unfold. He dashed after the ball, barely reaching it. He crouched low and performed a set. It wasn't perfect but still. Pulling that off was impressive after all, Miguel wasn't great at volleyball either, yet he somehow made it work.
"Bro- WHAT??!!" Atlas's eyes widened, extremely stunned by Miguel's unexpected skills. Fueled by adrenaline after watching his friend perform an impressive move, he bolted after the ball and bumped it up high, perfectly aimed at Amber's direction.
"That's-" Amber's voice caught in her throat. Her heart raced wildly, the rush of the rally awakening something she hadn't felt in ages. The rhythm, the grit, the joy, it was all there. She smiled, radiant and breathless, and moved into the ball's path. Her arms lifted, steady and sure, as she received it cleanly back into play.
The field pulsed with energy. Three players, one moment, and a game that suddenly felt like more than just practice.
Miguel tossed the ball high up to the air at Atlas as he dazes, glaring at Amber after watching her receive while smiling,
("She's so.. wonderful, how can someone look so admirable while playing sports? Even though I'm playing for fun and practice, I never cared how people look while playing.. Wait, why am I thinking of this in the first place? I can't seem to take my eyes off her.")
Atlas was amazed by her beauty, to the point it shifted his focus and he stopped for a second, his eyes met with Amber's as the the wind blows swiftly, the grass swaying gently.. The atmosphere changing as they connect, a sweet feeling of Love.