Sober

The Dryopteris Hunt:

Tiffany's POV:
"I think we should consider asking him! He could possibly have a soft spot behind those hardened facial muscles"I suggest and Aiden laughs quietly.

"I know him Tiffany!"Aiden retorts. "He's the worst"he adds as we file out of the lecture hall together.

"I'll tell you a story while I  drive there"he suggests and I shrug. We walked together to the parking lot. My eyes land on his car and it's a beautiful black Toyota Venza. He politely opens the passenger door for me and I sit in while muttering a 'thank you'. He moves swiftly to the other side and starts the engine. He drives out of the parking lot and into the road with a rock song playing softly from the radio.

"So what's this story?"I ask while buckling my seatbelt.

"It's about my neighbour"he says with a slight chuckle. "I remember one time, my little cousins visited us at  our house on a holiday. They're three in number. Two naughty boys and one cute little girl"

I laugh lightly. "So what happened next?"

"The two naughty boys were playing with a tennis ball in our backyard while the little girl was inside having a tea party with her toys"Aiden huffs in annoyance.
"She really loves tea parties"he stresses on it. I just chuckle.

"It just so happened that the tennis ball ended up in our grouchy neighbour's backyard "he narrates and I chortle, knowing where this is heading to.

"To be honest with you, everyone and I mean everyone hates that man in our neighbourhood"

"The poor guy"I sympathise. "You people are just being rude towards the poor old man"

"He is number one on the list of the most hated people in our vicinity"He continues and I can't help but laugh at this one.

"I think he needs love! Your love "I suggest confidently.

"Love? Please you don't know him"

"So what happened to the tennis ball? Is it still in your neighbour's backyard?"I ask while chuckling at the end.

"Apparently yes"Aiden answers to my surprise and I giggle.

"Seriously? How many years?"

"Two years. The ball has been there for two solid years"he replies and I burst out laughing.

"Couldn't you retrieve it? Why didn't you go for it?"

"Tiffany it's not that simple"Aiden scolds. "The man is like a monster in disguise"

"That's really serious. What a creep! Does he have friends?"I question and Aiden rolls his eyes.

"Hell No! Who would befriend such a person? Besides, he's number one on the list of the most hated people in the entire World"

"Now you're exaggerating! He's only hated in your neighbourhood"

"Did you even try to retrieve the ball? He might have given it to you"

"This is the part I was waiting for"Aiden says as a sinister grin creeps up his face. "We went to his house and rang the doorbell as normal people would do "he commences and I nod.

"Then what?"

"Then he came out and we told him our ball had fallen in his backyard"

"Then what?"

"He just said some strange words and when we asked him what he meant, he yelled go away and slammed the door in our faces"

"Strange"

"Yeah he's cranky. He really describes that word. He's strange and bad tempered"

"What if something is bothering him?"