Chapter 15
: Ethan POV - Recruiting help
Ethan's P.O.V.
I checked my phone and read the messages that the guys sent in the group chat. I was fuming because they seemed to ignore my warning. I was thinking of how can I possibly stop their stupid bet and came up with nothing. I decided to swim in our pool to destress. I was doing some laps when a certain person popped in my brain. I got out of the pool and opened my phone. I dialed his number and waited for him to answer.
Tyler: Hey, man! What's up?
Me: Hey listen. I have a favor to ask.
Tyler: What is it?
Me: The boys are having stupid bets and I need help in keeping an eye on someone.
Tyler: Let me guess. Maddie?
Me: Yeah, Maddie. They are making a bet on who can score on her, and I am not even close to Maddie to warn her about it. I am worried that something might happen to her.
Tyler: Sure, man. What do you need me to do? Keep an eye on Maddie?
Me: Monitor the boys. I will keep an eye on Maddie. She is with me in every class, so it's going to be easier for me to keep an eye on her. The boys are barely in my classes.
Tyler: Sure thing, man. I will let Logan know as well.
Me: Thanks a lot, man. I truly appreciate it.
Tyler: Anytime. But speaking of Maddie, when will you ever court her? Prom is just a few months away. Are you even going to ask her to Prom?
Me: I don't know, man. Whenever I try to just talk to her about it, I just get lost in my own thoughts.
Tyler: Stop being a coward and just ask her out, man. You are wasting time. Anyway, I have a date with Chloe, so I gotta head out soon.
Me: Okay, man. Have fun and thanks again.
Tyler is one of my best friends. We don't hang out too much in school because he hangs out with Chloe all the time. We have been practically friends ever since grade school. We were classmates in grade 7 when we were in New York. We have been best friends ever since. When Mom told me we are moving back to Griffinfield, I was sad because we were inseparable. When I told Tyler about me moving, he said that they were moving too.
We went to the same high school. That is where he met Chloe and where I first saw Maddie. Chloe, Brooke and Maddie were volunteers to show new students around the school. They were assigned to our group. After the tour around the school, Tyler did not want to leave yet, only to find out that he was smitten by Chloe. I had to drag him to the car so that we could leave. I have never seen him so excited about going to school. He did not waste any time and asked Chloe out on a date in the first week of school. They dated for a couple of months before Tyler asked Chloe to be his girlfriend and had been together ever since.
I have been focused on basketball ever since Sophomore Year. I had a crush on Maddie ever since the tour, but I was so focused on Basketball that I never really took the guts to ask her out. Tyler is the only one who knows about my feelings for Maddie. I thought it was just a simple crush in the beginning. We had to take Drama classes during Junior Year. She was in my class. We had to perform a play, and that was the first time I have ever seen her in a dress. She looked like an angel. I knew at that moment that my crush was not a simple crush anymore and that I am falling for her already. Tyler knows about my feelings and has been pushing me ever since to ask Maddie out, but I have been a coward. So having Maddie in all my classes this Senior Year made me happy. I am planning on becoming friends with her first before asking her out. Hopefully, I can do that before prom so I can take her as my date.
I was actually relieved that Tyler will help me monitor the boys while I keep an eye on Maddie. I just really pray that none of the boys would try to do anything stupid. Knowing those boys, I am pretty sure that they are head on doing something stupid. Out of all the girls they plan on making a bet on, they just had to choose Maddie.
The next day I skipped jogging and got ready for school right away. I got to school pretty early, so I went to the library. I stayed there for 20 minutes before heading to the classroom. I was playing on my phone when I saw Maddie and the girls arrive. Maddie looks different though. She looks like she is not feeling well. I wanted to talk to her, but then the teacher already arrived. We were scheduled to watch a documentary about World War I. During the documentary, I saw Maddie sleeping. She never sleeps in class. I got worried and when I checked the time, class was almost over.
I decided to slowly wake her up so that the teacher will not see that she was sleeping the whole time. I tapped her shoulder lightly to not scare her.
"Hey, Maddie. The documentary is almost over." I whispered when I saw her adjusting her eyes to the light from the projector.
She seemed confused, and it took her about 30 seconds to come into the realization that she fell asleep in class. She looked over at me and thanked me for waking her up.
"Did you stay up late studying?" I asked.
"No. Just some headache." she replied, then focused her attention to the documentary.
I wanted to tell her she should have just stayed home when she was not feeling well, but we are not really close friends for me to say that. I don't even know if I am considered as her friend already.
After the documentary finished, we were given a homework. We have to write an essay about the documentary we just watched, then we were dismissed. I saw Maddie left right away. I tried catching up on her but I got held up by the boys.
"Hey Cap. Do we still have practice later?" Zach asked.
"NO. Coach said we can rest for today." I replied before heading for my next class, which is Biology.
I got to my next class, and I saw Maddie already preparing her books and notes for Biology. I was just about to take a seat when Mr. Bennett arrived.
"You guys will have seatworks for today." he said passing the papers for us to answer.
15 minutes after the bell rang for 2nd Period, Maddie asked permission to go to the bathroom. She looked pale when she got up. I was worried about her, so I asked permission to go out 5 minutes after she left. I was waiting by the stairs when I heard the door for the girls' bathroom open. I saw Maddie come out, and she is using the wall to keep herself from falling.
I did not want to look like a stalker, although I am already looking like one. So I waited for 2 minutes before checking on her again. I was about to peek from the stairs when I heard her voice. She sounded like she was struggling. I immediately checked and saw Ryan pushing her to the wall and trying to kiss her. My vision went dark and pushed Ryan off of her.
"What the fuck, Ryan?!" I whisper-yelled at him. I was trying not to be so loud as to not cause a scene.
"What the hell, man?! It's just a kiss." Ryan said.
"Did I not warn you?" I said holding him by his shirt.
"What is the problem with you, man? It's not like this is the first time we ever made such bets." Ryan reasoned pathetically.
"Get lost before I do something that you will regret." I said pushing him. I am trying so hard to get myself together. I went over to Maddie right away. She was barely holding herself up. When I got to her side, she fainted. I brought her to the clinic right away. The nurse checked on her right away. I was so worried. Thankfully, Ryan did not get to do what he planned on doing to her.
The nurse asked me what happened, and I told her she was having a headache and she fainted. I don't even know what I was going to say because I don't really know what she was feeling other than what she told me. I stayed beside her the whole time. I only left her to grab our stuff from the room and to let Mr. Thompson know she is in the clinic.
I was in the room with her. I held her soft hand. I was just thankful that I checked up on her. I don't know what would have happened if I did not. She was sleeping so peacefully and the nurse told me to call her once she woke up. I am sorry that I was late earlier. I am sorry that I did not get there sooner. I would have not forgiven myself if something happened to you. I wish I can have the courage to tell you how I feel. I'm falling for you and it's happening fast. I fear what you think about me. I don't know if you think I am just like the rest of the guys who just play around. I just wish I know how you see me and how I see you.
I kissed her hand lightly. I heard the bell rang. That means the 2nd Period is over. I dialed Tyler's number right away and informed him about what happened. I left the clinic to find Chloe or Brooke. I found Chloe just outside the cafeteria and told her about Maddie. She ran to the clinic right away. We were standing by the door of the clinic room talking about what happened.
"What happened to her?" Chloe asked.
"She was on her way back to the class when I saw her leaning on the wall. I was going to approach her, then she fainted. I caught her before she fell, so I brought her straight to the clinic." I explained.
Chloe was looking over at Maddie's sleeping form when her facial expression changed. I looked at the bed and saw that Maddie was already awake and trying to sit up. Chloe stopped her from doing so. I let them be and called the nurse. The nurse came and checked on her.
"How are you feeling, Madison?" the nurse asked.
"I am feeling much better." Maddie replied with a smile.
"That is good. You even look better than earlier when Ethan brought you here. You looked pale." the nurse explained. "Did you feel anything other than the headache earlier?" she added.
"I felt dizzy earlier, then I threw up a little before I fainted in the hallway." Maddie replied.
"I see.I suggest you take the rest of the day off. You should rest at home. I will just write you an excuse slip." the nurse said then left.
I followed the nurse and asked her if Maddie was fine or was it just really a headache. After getting confirmation from the nurse that she just had a headache, I left and went to the parking lot.
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