At the top of a certain building's rooftop, with the sun not yet risen to take its rightfully place in the sky, it was still chilly but sooner to be warm considering the sun will at some point rise... And perhaps, this will be a start to a good day.
It's early in the morning, people probably at this point already waking up from their slumbers and ready to live their daily life just like any day before that... And that can be also said to certain someone...
"Huff... Huff..."
Someone was apparently running around at the top of a rooftop, circling as they go, huffing in the midst of that which showed their exhaustion. Despite that, they didn't show any sign of slowing down rather with a calm jogs as they continued doing so.
This person was none other than Jeff himself, done with the other three for his early morning session; and now he's down to his last one before it all ends for his workout session of a two-a-day circuit, in the early morning.
'Okay... I managed... To do the other three... I struggled a tad bit but I still managed to finish them...' Still in the midst of his last circuit whilst posing a thought to himself, back then, much cannot be seen even with some source of light was installed here at the top, albeit it's weak. Now, vision getting clearer as the chilly yet cold atmosphere finally settle down, inviting the warm yet cool ones... Chilly fogs that tingle with your senses now drift slowly, fading into nothingness...
...And with all that, finally. A low-pitched beeping rang out from somewhere, with the source actually coming from Jeff himself, specifically from his pants pocket... The moment he heard; he who was still jogging as he goes finally stopped not as abruptly, rather coolly, and just immediately let his backside fell to the ground not that gracefully. He was finally done.
...With his hand reaching toward and taking out something from his pocket. It was revealed, the beeping had actually came from his phone which was now being held by him... Turning the power on from pressing the button on its side... And then tinkering as he searched for a certain application within the phone, obviously to stop the phone from its incessant beeping...
It didn't take long to find it. On his phone screen with the app was already running, as it also indicated that he already completed the things he had been doing before this... And just straight-up tapping a button that instantly killed the beeping... Putting his phone back to its place as the beeping finally quiet down...
Face facing upwards with hands behind and on the ground; supporting his body that was leaning a bit backwards, eyes closed as he relaxed whilst taking heavy and deep breaths in a moment... Clearly exhausted, ragged as he breathed in and out...
Its probably had been a minute or even past that... Jeff, still just how he was described, with eyes closed now finally opened.
"...Man, this worked out really well... I can for sure manage with this..."
After relaxing himself, with steady breath he spoke rather in a calm gait... Despite sweat running down from his body...
The session worked out better than he thought, considering the ones before this was... Well, disastrous. Now, feeling better than before... He then stood up, brushing off his backside just because.
Taking breaths but rather in a refreshing manner... Looking around as he goes toward the entrance of the rooftop and in the midst of that, having a hand reaching out toward his pocket... And taking out his phone yet again...
"Woah, the session lasted for 2 hours? I guess that's not bad?" The phone was now being held just closely to his face... And with it being turned on already, all that just to check what time it was now... And what had been shown by the phone was: 7:10 AM.
"Hold up... This was hella early... Does that mean...? I can come to school very much early?"
A moment of realization struck, but not that mind boggling. He stopped for a moment on his track, but then moved again. "Well, that doesn't sound bad? Actually, dang I'm liking that!"
When was the last time he come to school early? There was probably like 10 out of 1000 times? But alas coming to school early for him was that rare.
Arriving to where he wanted to be, a hand to the door handle as he looked around again...
The sun, apparently was in the midst of rising... And sunlight albeit still not much right now... slowly but surely getting brighter the more time passes and will then bask earth under its sunlight...
Looking at short and tall buildings alike... A thought fell into his mind.
'...Well, this atmosphere was amazing...' Saying so, as he turned the handle — twisting it and opening the door, without missing a beat; then walked and gone straight-up back to his unit...
.
Showering, wearing and going! Boom!
It didn't take long for him to be at the backstreet that lead all the way to his school, or just where the path that he always frequent and bullied at. Walking down the alley, and the day was quiet as ever.
With a phone held by his left hand... And with the screen turned on and the time now showed 7:30 AM as he looked at it... Well, he was really early.
Walking down the alley, from the moment he left his apartment complex and all the way to now, there was some people that he passed by, some looked like they're friendly and some don't. But, hey! He's minding his own business.
Whilst walking—he too was checking out his surrounding, not to be caught off guard again like back then... Because, not doing that might just have him ended up with him getting beaten so badly that he fainted. He really don't want to experience that again, but if he somehow gotten himself into that again... Well, he ain't gonna stay put and be wussy.
After all, he was a vigilante.
Shoes tapping away and echoes rather disappointingly throughout the walks as he nared the exit...
"Finally, out of the gutters..." Spewing out those very words as he exited the alley, now onto the road and with him being on its sidewalk... Attention drifted, as he looked forward; at the faraway building of a certain institution... Well, it was his school.
Standing still and with blank expression worn over his face... and that, just as suddenly—brightened.
"Well, just within my sight now heh?" With freakish face he said that, a corner of his mouth slightly raised and smugliness also laced to his voice. He finally resumed walking toward his school back...
Female and male students was also spotted, obviously heading toward the school too, some was wearing traditional school attire whilst there was also wearing clothes that was still formal and appropriate to be worn... But, Jeff... stayed with the classic attire! What a good student he was, following the rule so intently! Although, he was always late to school...
"...Dang, these guys came this early huh?"
The school was like always, the same as ever. Jeff who was now closer than ever to the school gate, Uttering those very words rather quietly not too draw attention to himself and with eyes shifting as he looked around him and now back at the front; where he can see a certain someone... Well, he can recognize who that was right away...
Everytime he was late, she gonna be always there to do her deeds and they will go with their usual conversation... Nothing less nothing more... But today, it's gonna be slightly different... Or was it from now on that it's gonna be different?! Well, things was already different for him, behind the mask as vigilante... And then without it...things with his every day life will change too?!
'Sweet guacamole!'
A thought came across his mind and Jeff, who was looking at the girl, waving at students that was passing by, either her friends or students that would love to just greets... She would still just greets them...
Ah yes, the girl was smiling as she greeted students alike... And like always, her attire was that of your typical school attire... A white school shirt overlapping against the blazer that's buttoned up… And at the spot where the necktie was supposed to be; a bowtie in black and red stripes, with black as its primary color… Wearing a black skirt halfway to the knees, which was a good match-up as they paired very well with each other... And not to forget, she was also wearing black shoes, and her socks came in white.
"Well, to be honest—that wasn't bad."
Indeed it was... Jeff who was now apparently already before the school gate... Walking as he finally entered the school grounds and looking at where the girl, Sydney was. From where he was seeing the girl... it had gotten more clearly now, since he was closer...
Although, she was busy greetings the other students, that still wouldn't have stopped her from noticing him. As she looked at faces that came into the school grounds through the gate... It's given that she will at some point, spot him... And she did, her eyes which was looking at the students that came in, then drifted as it darted to Jeff who was walking, not in a hurry but still just wanted to mind his own business and go toward his classroom... But alas, it looks like she decided otherwise...
"Jeff...? You came early?" With eyes that widened just a tad bit... She approached him whilst posing a question to him... Well, it looks like he can't avoid this... He kinda want this happens but also not at the same time... Things just happens after all.
Jeff who had his body facing forward and with blank expression worn over his face... Now turned his head to the side... Looking at the girl who had spoken to him... Slowly coming to a halt that came as abruptly and he stopped, with himself still looking at her; an answer then came rather in very much calm gait...
"...Oh, hey Sydney... And yeah, I came early... Being late always wasn't such a good habits... I'm changing y'know."
...A corner of his mouth was raised a little, grinning tad bit as he answered to her... And that opted for her to looking at him quietly when he said that...
Glasses worn on her face, set before her black eyes... Her brown hair which was tied in a low ponytail cascading just halfway to her waist... It swayed as she suddenly tilted her head to the side just slightly, and looking at him like that... And that surprised Jeff a little...
'...Why is she looking at me like that...? And does she even need to that?'
Sydney was looking at Jeff with eyebrows raised a tad bit and eyes looks like she wanted to question what Jeff had said, even the mouth somehow looks like it's puckering... And the guy himself, feeling pressured by all that combined... Backing away little by little... Kinda sweating.
"...Okay, that's actually good for you..."
Finally, she was done with all that... Now back to how she was... Standing upright and her expression was neutral as ever... Students went passing by as they only stood not that far from each other...
'...Dang, that's kinda weird...?'
Although, he doesn't show it on his face but a thought resounded within his mind... He can't help but think Sydney be acting slightly out of character... Well, it was just him overthinking over nothing... '...Well, whatever...'
Looking straight at Sydney... Eyes locked to each other, as he mustered to say something... Like, standing there any longer wouldn't be that beneficial...
"Okay, so I'm going to the classroom first. See you in the classroom?" With a finger gesturing and pointing toward his back; to the school as he said those words to Sydney... Although, he said something unnecessary at the end... But, well...
'...I guess that's fine? I said that cause we're classmates and... We meet early in the morning for every time I'm late? We're basically acquaintance now kinda?...Uh' Thinking that within himself, which gonna be going for God knows how long if not for Sydney finally replying back to him...
"Okay, you go on first... I will be staying here until it was time to close the gate... It's not gonna be long, since there's no one to wait for anymore..."
In a clear yet calm voice she had said to Jeff whilst he only listened to it... Nodding at what she said all the way to the end, he looked as if in understanding... But, then something click... A question popped up on his mind when he recalled what she said...
'What does she meant by that? No one to wait anymore...? Hell nah, had I been the only causing her trouble all this time?'
A moment of realization, but he's jumping into conclusion just as suddenly. But it just might be possible, she probably tolerated it and didn't even speak up about it...
'...Okay, now I felt guilty about that... Ah, dang it! Whatever...' It was silent between them after that, when Jeff suddenly shook his head side to side after thinking that... Sydney who was looking at Jeff, doesn't show much expression on her face it stayed rather neutral... But who would have known about that... She's really good at managing expression?
"...Okay, I'm going right now... and sorry for the trouble..." A hand raised as he spoke and apologized at the same time, resumed walking as he looked at Sydney... She who was listening to Jeff... kinda have that questioning looks when he suddenly apologized all of sudden?
"Oh, okay... I don't why you're apologizing but I forgive you..." With a hand raised too, she just forgave him even without knowing what it was about, or she might just know and decided to remain as if clueless... Who knows.
Jeff who was actually walking backwards as he goes, now had his body turned facing the school building as he with a calm stride... Keep on going forward... But then, he heard it...
"Ah, Jeff...!"
"Huh? yeah?" Jeff who was in the midst of walking suddenly got called out by Sydney... Although, he wasn't sure did she screamed or just spoke loud enough? Could be somewhere in between... But that wasn't important, just why did she do that? Now looking at Sydney, who had their mouth raised just a little forming that smile on her innocent face, as the reason for what was this about finally got revealed right after.
"...Good morning, Jeff."
The moment she said that, Jeff was just... Staring at her for a moment... Eyes widened a bit as he finally out of it...
"...Oh, good morning to you too..." And thus, back to facing where he was before and resumed walking away... Although, it looked like he lagged a bit there; probably was processing just what happened... She had greeted him, like to any other students that went past the gate... And its not supposedly to be that deep, but that... Actually made him felt better...
'...That was nice to hear... Really.'
.
...Her gaze which remained on the back of Jeff as he walked away... Her expression now returned back to how it was before; neutral as ever... And her smile gradually fading...
With the boy finally gone inside the building... Squnting her eyes just a tad bit... As a thought also bubbled up...
'I really can't tell... Hmmm...'
Apparently, she was still in doubt of it... Can't be completely sure nor do just accepting it as is... But, the truth will be uncovered sooner than later.... Whenever they like it or not...