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[sub][@TootsiePop][@Rosalia][@metanoia][/sub]
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[color=darkgray][indent][indent]Holding his own basketball, Griffin roamed the main courtyard, leisurely making his way to the cafeteria where the groups were meeting. The only thing he was looking forward to during this last minute invite to participate in a school sanctioned scavenger hunt was spending time with Sol. Nicholas was aiiight, but Sol was the person he trusted the most in this tiny bubble that was their school. 

Dressed in [url=https://data.whicdn.com/images/308636507/original.jpg]all black[/url], Griffin imagined himself at an intense game, on some outdoor b-ball court, with some of the more challenging street ballers he’s ever played, and began dribbling, pretending to read a defender. With a cool smile on, he did a lateral behind the back hesitation into a cross jab combo. After pretending to shoot, jumping high in the air, like he had wings and his feet seemingly hovered over the ground, he smacked his hands hard on the ball, tightly gripping it. Alas, he wasn’t a bird. Gravity did it’s job and brought his feet back to the ground. 

A couple weeks before he was hospitalized, Griffin realized he was pretty damn good at basketball. How could he possibly forget a hobby that he loves? When he first got here, he was just a smart nerd that went to the gym. Now everyone sees him as the basketball jock that’s part of the Apex Predator squad, as if he was always like… this… since day one. 

Then again, ever since then, he felt a longing desire that he didn’t understand. Like he was trying to be the best to prove a point, like what he wanted wasn’t pumps to help him fly but someone to be there and watch him soar. He had too much time to think when he was caged in the medical center and as a result, he was [i]on edge[/i]. 

Hanging out with Wes and B-Rad didn’t fully satisfy his craving of getting up to no good. They told him all about the party and he knew that’s where he needed to do something to release some tension, scratch an itch, and/or break a thing or two. Until then, he had to catch up with friends while playing a game of make-believe as they ran around campus as Clubhouse Detectives. 

[color=8A4C40][i]Oh joy.[/i][/color] 

From a distance, he could see his partners and decided the best approach was to surprise them, especially Sol. Changing his route, Griffin hid himself in plain sight, where the other students camouflaged him. Gliding on the gravel, he silently approached Sol from behind. 

Ever since the groups for the stupid scavenger hunt had been announced, Soleil had been in a sour mood. The mere thought of having to spend any time with Quinn and her stupid, obvious little crush on Theodore made the young woman see red. Luckily, being paired with someone cool like Nicholas definitely softened up the blow, but the news was enough to keep her annoyed for a while. On the day of, she had taken position in the main courtyard with one of her hunt buddies, waiting for Little Miss Shy Girl to make her appearance. The time of the event was quickly ticking by, and Quinn was nowhere to be seen. Although this made Sol happy in a way, it ticked her off that she was keeping them waiting.

As upset as she was about the whole Quinn situation, it wasn’t enough to keep Soleil unaware of her surroundings. Upon the first signs of movement behind her she immediately tensed up, listening closely to the nearly imperceptible sound of Griffin approaching and patiently biding her time. When she knew he was mere inches away from her back, the dark-haired girl spun around and connected a playful, gentle left hook to the boy’s stomach.

[color=darkred]“Too slow, buddy,”[/color] Shady teased with a grin, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Dramatically playing along, Griffin dropped his basketball, making sure to secure it with his foot, hugged his stomach and made a painful expression, as if that left hook was more than a gentle tap but something she’d do on the ring, [color=8A4C40]“You got me, Tiger Toes,”[/color] he groaned in faux exasperation. Once the joke was over, he rested his hands behind his head and knowingly grinned at the two, [color=8A4C40]“So, how you guys feeling about all this?”[/color] 

Nicholas offered the two a half-assed shrug. [color=steelblue]”It’s a lot more interesting than sitting in class. And it gives us an opportunity to just take our sweet time if we wanted to.”[/color] Not that he would, but it was refreshing to have the option.

[color=8A4C40]“Some people might actually take this seriously.”[/color] Glancing at their surroundings, Griffin found himself amused at how excitable some of the students were, like his friend’s (Wesley’s) team. Well, when there was nothing else to look forward to, it made sense that they’d be bouncing off the walls for a game that took no effort, at all. [color=8A4C40]“Where’s your third, anyway?”[/color] He played it off like he wasn’t participating. 

Now it was Soleil’s turn to shrug and glare. [color=darkred]“Don’t know; and don’t really care, either. We’re better off without her anyway. She was probably going to hold us back anyway,”[/color] she answered, the disdain for Quinn ringing clear in her voice. [color=darkred]“Nicky and I can take these suckers out by ourselves [i]easy[/i].”[/color]

He visibly cringed when Sol called him [code]Nicky[/code] [color=steelblue]”I believe I’ve told you to [i]never[/i] call me that, especially when there are people around to hear it.”[/color] He glared at Soleil for a solid five seconds.

The sour expression Shady had previously was replaced by another mischievous grin when she noticed how annoyed Nicholas seemed to get at her nickname of preference. [color=darkred]“Uh-huh. And I believe I told you I was only half-listening when you said it, so I can’t remember not to call you Nicky,”[/color] she lied, suppressing a smirk. [color=darkred]“Sorry. I meant to say [i]Nicholas[/i].”[/color] God, she was spending [i]way too much time[/i] with Leo, and it was starting to show. 

[color=8A4C40]“Damn, didn’t think I’d ever see the day Nicholas would get his panties in a bunch.”[/color] Griffin couldn’t contain his laughter, and as he did indeed laugh out loud, he picked up his basketball and started spinning it on his finger. 

As much as Nicholas could argue with Sol and even Griff, this wasn’t the place and they didn’t really have the time. The fact of the matter was this: Quinn was nowhere to be found and they couldn’t very well do the scavenger hunt with just the two of them, especially if there were going to be puzzles because lord knew, while Soleil was talented in a lot of areas, but using her less-than-optimal mind for puzzles was not one of them. 

Same went for Griff. Dude could shoot baskets and run faster than either of them, but again, like with ...Tiger Toes, he wasn’t ideal for any mental challenges. So that left Nicholas as the one to handle anything mental. He wasn’t savvy like some were, but he was observant and was able to focus on tasks if he really put his all into it. That made him as great of a choice as any.

[color=steelblue]“Okay, listen up!”[/color] Nicholas looked at both of them, his eyes going from left to right. [color=steelblue]“Quinn is obviously not coming. And as much as I would [i]love[/i] to have her abilities to tackle puzzles, that’s not happening. So, Griff- !”[/color] He centered on his basketball-twirling frenemy. [color=steelblue]“You’re in,”[/color] Nicholas hoped a sly smile would make up for his attitude a few moments ago. [color=steelblue]“You two can do whatever physical challenges are demanded of us and I’ll handle everything else. Deal?”[/color]

[color=8A4C40]“Dude, I know I’m in. That’s why I’m here. Quinn had an allergic reaction.”[/color] He forcibly tossed the ball at the guy and muttered, [color=8A4C40]“Think fast.”[/color] 

He side-stepped the ball and it flew past him. [color=steelblue]“Looks like you’ve lost your toy,”[/color] Nicholas snickered.

[color=8A4C40]“Yeah, you’re right. You’ll suck at physical challenges.”[/color] Griffin rolled his eyes and jogged to retrieve his toy. [color=8A4C40]“Don’t think so highly of yourself, I bet your ass I can solve the mental shit faster than you.”[/color] Picking up his ball, he turned on his heel and smirked, challenging Nicholas with a confident glare.

[color=steelblue]“You better not complain when you get stuck on the first riddle we come across and I have to bail your ass out, proving without a doubt that I was right from the beginning.”[/color] Nicholas didn’t always like being this way, but someone had to say it.

[color=8A4C40]“Says the dude that already thinks he’ll scrub at every other challenge.”[/color] Nicholas knew nothing about Griffin and it was obvious to see how much he underestimated him, only seeing the jock in him, and not the intellect. [color=8A4C40]“[b]You[/b] better not complain when you look like a fool trying to rock climb or throw a football or whatever stupid challenges they have waiting for us.”[/color] 

Although Soleil had enjoyed the back and forth between Griffin and Nick, she had quickly gotten tired of their meaningless back and forth. If they had ended up throwing hands, she would’ve let it happen, but these petty word exchanges had gotten old fast. [color=darkred]“Alright then, ladies: let’s save all this energy for the actual challenges, okay?”[/color] she scolded, feeling the need to take position in between the two of them. [color=darkred]“I know this is bullshit and all that, but I’d like for us to at least [i]try[/i] and win this thing. I don’t do well with second place.”[/color][/indent][/indent][/color]