Caught Up in the Moment, <open>

December 28; Mid Afternoon

Sweat beaded on Roberto da Costa's forehead as he jogged back to a good position. The black and white checkered ball rolled just in front of him, coming to a stop. Using his imagination as a guide, he dribbled, weaving through and around invisible defenders, unseen to all but his mind's eye. Rearing back with his left leg, Bobby struck out with full force, sending the ball flying into a corner of the net, snagging yet another goal. It took a few seconds to retrieve the ball from the net, then he was back at it again, repeating the same drill.

It was no secret to anyone who knew him, and even many who didn't, that he loved soccer, and was pretty highly skilled at it. If the Institute ever decided to add a soccer team, he would be the first in line to sign up. Dribbling back up to the halfway mark on the field, his dark brown hair fell over his eyes. At the midfield mark, he paused for a moment, attempting to catch his lost breath. He was dressed very skimpily for the weather, clad in only a white t-shirt, black shorts, and of course, his cleats.

Though it was a typical New York winters day: windy, only about 30 degrees at its highest, his abilities had the added bonus of keeping him at the same temperature, unaffected by the weather; the air surrounding his person was actually quite warm. It also didn't hurt that the sun was shining, however weak its rays may currently be. With stress and boredom relieved, Bobby decided he'd had enough for today. Quicky, he picked up his ball and water bottle and headed toward the benches.

Upon reaching them, he picked one and settled down into it. He was still slightly sweating, but the feeling of absorbing the sun's rays into his cellular structure slightly decreased his fatigue. He raised water bottle to his lips, and with a quick swig, rested his head on the tree behind him. So soon after the Christmas holidays and close to New Year's, the day had to hold something interesting.

Beep Beep Beep...Damnit. Rhiannon climbed out of bed and rushed to her closet. She was supposed to have a training session with Storm and Jean today, and she didn't want to be late, she was never late. Amber orbs glanced at her clock. Shit, she was already late. She hated it when she overslept, but, she couldn't help it, it was an animal thing.

Quickly she put on a pair of black leather pants, her black boots, and a white leopard halter top in place of her jammies. She brushed her pearly white teeth, combed her long, luxurious raven locks and and grabbed the keys to her bike as she looked in the mirror and the headed out the door. Slender, lean legs carried her down the halls down the stairs, to the foyer, and out the front door to the garage.

She found her red piped black yamaha R1 and climbed onto it. With a turned of the key, the engine roared and she sped off into the streets. She had already missed the training session, so she had nowhere to be. So she decided to take a break at the park for a little while. She zoomed through the streets, past everything and everyone.

Her speed slowed as she came upon central and parked her bike by a group of trees the led to the forest. The engine shut off and she took the out and shoved it in the pocket of her pants and headed into the lush trees. It was so nice out it was perfect, not too hot nor too cold. Her thin black furry tail was wrapped around her waist like a fuzzy black belt, so no one would know what she really was.

Her intended place of venture was the forest, but, somehow her slender, lean legs carried her astray. She was headed toward an alley, why, she didn't know. Just to be. But of course, she she didn't stay long for she simply hopped back onto her motorcycle and headed back to the mansion. She had decided to just work out, even if she had missed her training session for the day.With a quickness she sped through the streets until she reached the mansion driveway, and proceeded to the garage behind it. Though, as she did, she passed by the sport field next to the mansion, and with a curiousity, she parked her bike next to the field when she saw a guy playing soccer by himself.

Slowly she took off her black and red helmet, and set it on the left handlebar, then let her lean, slender legs carry her over to the bench he had just now sat upon, hands in her pockets. "Looks like fun. You come out here often?" Her smooth, cool feline vocals purred as those bright sky blue orbs of hers looked at him. He was attractive, though was he friendly?

A slight windy breeze tickled Bobby's nose, bringing with it the cold dirge of the beginnings of winter. A few curly strands of jet black hair were blown over his eyes, but he just sat back, enjoying the moment. The tree leaves far above his head were rustling, the world was quiet... A calming, peaceful sensation swept over him, enveloping him from head to toe. And, of course, it was interrupted. How totally typical. Bobby sat up, brushing his hair out of his eyes and turning towards the source of the unwanted noise.

However, his sentiments changed upon seeing who the interruption was. A quite pleasant suprise: it was always nice to see an unfamiliar face around the mansion, especially when that face was pretty easy on the eyes. He reconsidered starting a conversation; he really wasn't looking his best, somewhat sweaty and probably a bit musty by now, but it seemed he wouldn't have to. The woman was getting off of her bike and walking his way.

For the first time now, Bobby was really able to scope her out. And she was really pretty. Her slender, lean figure was pretty imposing, even if he was only about an inch or two taller. The way she walked was as if she had some innate gracefulness or something running through her veins, and it was really quite attractive.

Dozens of flirty conversation starters instantly popped up in his mind, but for once, he pushed them away. Maybe he shouldn't drive this one off, and use his charisma for getting a reaction better than rolled eyes and being ignored. It couldn't hurt to attempt to make friends. "Looks like fun. You come out here often?" He hadn't had to speak first, she seemed interested in having at least a conversation with him too.

"I guess it is... And yeah, I guess I am out here a lot." He rose from where he was seated on the bench, using his foot to flip his soccer ball into the air and catching it, then leaning his whole body up against the tree. "So, I've never really spoken to you around the mansion, have I? Bobby da Costa, Sunspot." It was good for starters, at least.

He seemed to scope her out pretty well as her long, lean and slender legs clad in leather carried her toward him, exposing that innate feline grace that she had been born with all those years ago. Her bright, cerulean blue orbs gazed into his eyes, never wavering as she made her way to him, showing a playful and friendly glitter within them.

Rhiannon watched him as he lifted himself from the bare comfort of the bench that he had been seated upon. Her feline orbs shifted to the soccer ball as he kicked it up and caught it. The ball, it drew her attention, like it would to any vivacious feline, she watched the ball land into his hands, but then tore her gaze from the ball, and back to him when he leaned against a tree. "Ah, that's cool.....it's been awhile since I've kicked a ball around." Those smooth, cool, feline vocals rang.

She payed close attention to his name, and took a mental note of it, so she wouldn't forget a name like that. "No, you haven't, and I haven't seen you around. Are you new?" A warm, friendly smile came across her soft, lush pink lips as she stepped forward and extended a slender, lightly tanned ivory arm out to him, her hand for him to shake if he wanted to.

"Nice to meet you Bobby. I'm Rhiannon Mathias, otherwise know as Bast, but you can just call me Rhia." He smooth feline vocals purred playfully as she looked at him, her slender form facing him, showing an obvious interest in him. Then again, she was part cat, so it was natural for her to be either friendly, or cautious. Course in this case, it's friendly.