Yes this is a short chapter, but I had limited amount of time to work on it, and I'm sure all you Axel fans (*shudder*) out there would be relatively happy. Enjoy!
This chapter is for NightmareFairy, thanks to her I'll be keeping my story on the net rather than a composition notebook.
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In the early hours of 10 a.m. the already heavy sun beat down from cloudless, pale, blue skies. If you didn't know it was summer you'd think it was afternoon with the burning ball of light as high as it was. The metal body of the car was an unforgiving temperature. One touch would be enough to sizzle your skin, and the inside of the car was no better. With a broken air conditioner the temperature was at least another ten degrees higher inside. There was no shade around this side of the building and it would take another two blocks before finding that type of seclusion. But Axel didn't want to waste his time on a small luxury. He stared up at the apartment window, even with the sun partially behind him; its rays were still blinding. Demyx sauntered around his apartment frantically gathering his belongings. Even from a distance Axel could read the panicked expression over his friend's face. Pulling himself from his relaxed position leaning against his car, he reached through the rolled down window to open the door not daring to touch the burning outer handle. Starting the ignition the car came alive with a gracefully purr of the engine. The motor ran with a soft hum as Demyx burst through a back door of the apartment, seeming to have run down to the stairwell to make better time.
"What took you so long?" Axel demanded.
"Sorry, over slept!" Demyx said in a quick breath.
"How is that possible? I called you over an hour ago."
"It's not my fault, like anyone wants to stay awake in this hot weather? To be honest, I'd rather put myself in a coma than suffer this."
"That's a weak way out Demyx, besides, can't have you sleeping on the benches during finals."
"Like that'll happen." Demyx said shoving his duffel bag into the back seats and plopped himself into the front passenger side.
"Man, why do your seats always seem to sweat?" Demyx groaned as he slammed the door shut.
"That's just you." Axel replied, putting the car in gear. Demyx ignored his comment and tried leaning his arm on the open space of the rolled down window, managing a nice burn in the process. He screamed in pain and clutched his throbbing arm.
"How thick can you get?" Axel asked.
"Shut up and drive." Taking the change to laugh at his friend's misfortune once more Axel veered the car out into the street. Warm air blew in from the outside through the open windows hitting the boys hard in the face. None of them seemed to mind as they drove in silence to a deserted basketball court. This part of the city was normally lively, but with the sudden heat wave the neighborhood seemed empty. Broken street lights flashed red, yellow and green; the rules of the road were more of a suggestion then laws around these parts. Few people ventured on the hot walkways. Most inclined to staying indoors using every means possible of staying cool. Not these two; for them basketball was their life and they consisted just about everything they did around it. Axel was the more passionate of the two, he made it his business to make this sport his life and dedicated every hour he could to perfecting himself in the game. Demyx shared his enthusiasm but was not quite as obsessed, he knew sports look good on a college résumé and would help earn him a scholarship. His dream was to work in marine biology, if that failed he would join the navy. So long as it got him near the water he was happy. This city was so dry, and when it rained it was dirty, but it was all they had and he made the best of it. Pulling around the corner, a gigantic brown metal fence came into view. The heavily rusted gates were always a welcoming sight for it boxed the best court in the hood. The white pin striped, pale red busted up camaro pulled into the lot and parked in the furthest corner. The corner had the best shade and would help cool the burning car.
"One of these days we gotta get you a working air conditioner." Demyx plainly stated.
"Yeah that'd be nice, and just how do you plan for pay it seeing how I'm not the one complaining?"
"Hey that's not fair, I'll help to pay but it's your car not mine. Besides, it'll be a lot cheaper than paying a medical bill for a stroke that you'll get if you don't."
"The heat can't cause strokes you moron."
"Yes they can, what do you think a heat stroke is dumbass?"
"Whatever, since when are you a medical genius?"
"You don't have to be a genius to know these things it's basic information."
"You know what else is basic information, me kicking your a-"
"Axel, who's that?" Demyx said, pointing his finger at the basketball court. Axel was annoyed that the other interrupted him but turned in the direction Demyx was pointing. Amazingly enough Demyx had pointed out something credible; there in the courtyard was a small figure running the grounds, dribbling the local ball and making passes to a faux player. He played both parts quite well, catching the ball in each pass and shooting the ball into the hoops each time he ran below one. Strangely enough he seemed to he favoring scoring the east goal, the post Axel used regularly for himself in his games. The mysterious person was wearing dark pants and light grey hooded sweatshirt, the hood was up so you couldn't make out his face. The chest was obviously flat so Axel was sure it was a guy he was watching. Then player ran all the way to the end of the court and launched the ball. It sailed smoothly through the air and went cleanly through the hoop all the way on the other end of field.
Demyx suddenly burst out in cheer at the amazing shot. This grabbed the other's attention instantly and he snapped his gaze in their direction. When facing them Axel still couldn't make out the other's face. Suddenly the person took off without warning.
"Hey wait, don't go!" Demyx yelled after them.
"Nice going jackass, you scared him off." Axel growled as he hit the other in the arm and watched the nameless player speed out of the gated arena, down through the back alleyway and disappearing out of sight.
"I couldn't help it! That was a great shot they made, even you would have to admit it." Demyx restored and rubbed his arm.
"Well they're gone, shame too; maybe we could have played against each other. You and him and against me, you may have even stood a chance for once."
"Yeah right, I'm almost as good as you are and that guy was really good too." Demyx replied as they walked to the basket court.
"Too late now, we'll never know how good he really was. Doesn't matter though, anyway it's your ball." Axel said shooting the ball to the other's hands. Demyx caught it easily and began dribbling steadily to prep himself for the game. Excess heat lingered from the warmth of the previous player's hands. The texture ball was eraser smooth in many places from the wear of so many local games, the ridges had been ground down after time from the all the plays. Demyx launched the ball making a pass around Axel, then quickly sped after it and sent it flying for the hoop. Axel was quick to respond and knocked the ball out of its path sending it spiraling back across the court yard. Demyx followed after it hot on its trail, once retrieving it he started his way back to the other end of the court. Axel played a powerful defense and once again knocked the ball away from the other, this time taking the ball for himself. Abiding past Demyx he sped down the court and landed a quick goal. This kept up for a long time, both them becoming more aggressive in their plays as time progressed. After-thirty minutes of hot pursuit the two agreed on a break.
"I still can't beat you." Demyx said panting, wiping the sweat from his forehead onto his arm.
"Yeah, but you're catching up." Axel said back pulling off his shirt and using it to wipe away the moisture running down his neck.
"Yeah, yeah... Damn, it's still so freak'n hot." Even in the shade of surrounding buildings the sun was so radiant it lessened the darkness of the giant shadow, which in turn gave everything under it a tone of faded grey.
"You're telling me." Axel said as he looked up towards the sky.
"You think we're good enough to win state?" Demyx asked. It had been something on his mind for quite a while.
"Well yeah, we're good enough." Axel answered.
"You know what I mean. With Seifer running things, sure we're beating everybody, but at what cost? All we do is trash them throughout the game to get enough players out, then beat them when they're down. It's like war with him! And I'm pretty sure the referees at finals won't be so lenient on us. If things keep going like they are we'll be disqualified before the preliminaries even get started." He groaned he hit his head back against the rusted gate.
Axel didn't answer him this time; he just stared out at the ground thinking it over. Demyx was right; sure they were winning but was it really worth it? Were they really the best team or just the most dominate? Everyone knew about what happened at Wilson last week: not only was there mutilation and defacing on Wilson's campus, but some of Wilson's basketball team players had been jumped outside of the school ground coming home. It was disgusting the way the school was acting, but it's not like they could do anything to stop it.
"I don't know Demyx, but Seifer's gotten real popular at the school. We can't go against him or it's our necks on line. But maybe we can suggest a few things that'll help lighten him up on the plays."
"That's a good a idea, have anything in mind?"
"No." He answered flatly.
"Oh, well, that's a relief." Demyx replied sarcastically.
"Shut up." Axel said and the two remained in solemn silence for the remainder of the morning.
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Question of the chapter: What's your dream car or the hottest weather you've been in?