The next few days passed in a blur.
With the school's Sports Festival in full swing, Madison was entirely consumed by her tennis tournament matches, making only rare appearances at Benson's Gym. Meanwhile, Ethan and the rest of the crew kept up their usual daily training schedule.
Then, the final day of the festival arrived.
The grand auditorium was packed with students and faculty for the closing ceremony, where tournament champions were recognized and awarded their medals and other prizes. Madison secured first place in her tennis bracket, drawing loud cheers from the crowd as she stepped up to receive her trophy.
Sitting in the bleachers, Ethan found himself clapping enthusiastically.
Why the hell am I so happy for her? Ethan thought, a strange smirk touching his lips.
As Madison descended from the stage and returned to her seat among her friends, laughing and chatting in the crowd, a sudden, heavy warmth settled deep within Ethan's chest, followed by a strange feeling.
At the podium, Alice took the microphone to announce the next award winner—Chris. But after a brief pause, she reported him absent.
Ethan scanned the surrounding bleachers. Chris was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Jake.
Where did those two disappear to?
Ethan wondered, leaning back in his seat with a slight frown.
VIBRATE.
Ethan pulled his phone from his pocket. A notification lit up his screen—he had just been added to a new group chat created by Lucas. Scrolling up, he saw the group comprised their entire MMA gym squad: Lucas, Alice, Alberto, Emma, Madison, and now himself.
He slid the phone back into his pocket just as the assembly paused for the afternoon break.
By late afternoon, the final awards had been distributed, and the ceremony officially came to an end.
"Dear guests and students, thank you all for attending," Alice announced into the microphone. "This officially concludes our annual Sports Festival!"
As the crowd began to filter out of the hall, Ethan stayed behind to help haul away the staging equipment. Madison, acting as the student coordinator in charge of the event, remained in the venue as well.
Soon, the hall was empty.
Ethan walked over to her, a faint smile on his face. "Congratulations on the win."
Madison gave him a quick nod and a thumbs-up. "Thanks."
She glanced toward the stack of folding chairs, audio equipment, and tables where awards and prizes were placed. "Shall we start moving the equipment?"
"Yeah," Ethan agreed.
"Actually, let's wait a few minutes for the rest of the committee members to show up," Madison suggested, taking a seat in the front row of the empty auditorium.
Ethan sat down beside her.
An unbroken silence settled over the vast, empty hall. Yet, despite being completely alone together, the silence felt remarkably comfortable—devoid of any awkwardness.
It's quiet,
Ethan thought, casting a subtle side-glance at Madison as she sat with her hands folded neatly in her lap.
Even with just the two of us here... it feels completely natural.
"Is something wrong?" Ethan asked softly.
Madison scanned the empty doors. "Just wondering where the rest of the crew is."
Ethan stood up, stretching his arms. "If we keep waiting on them, it would get late. Let's just get started."
Madison nodded in agreement.
Working together, Ethan handled the heavy lifting while Madison organized the storage layout. A short while later, a few other committee members finally arrived to help clear the remaining gear, wrapping up the job much faster than expected.
With the hall cleared, Ethan grabbed his bag and headed back to his empty classroom to pack up his desk.
He sat down in his chair, leaning back as the crimson glow of the setting sun painted the room in warm shades of orange. His gaze drifted toward the window, his thoughts instantly turning to Madison.
Madison...
A heavy, unfamiliar wave of exhaustion suddenly washed over him. Without realizing it, Ethan rested his head on his arms against the cool surface of the desk, his eyes drifting shut.
The scene around him shifted into a faded, sunlit memory.
Ethan found himself standing in the courtyard of an old orphanage. Turning around, he saw a gentle woman sitting on the grass, surrounded by laughing children. Her back was turned to him, but Ethan recognized her instantly.
That's... Madison's mother.
A little boy stumbled across the grass toward her, tears streaming down his face. Madison's mother immediately wrapped the young boy in a warm embrace, gently stroking his hair.
"Don't cry, sweetheart. I am right here with you, Ethan," she whispered softly.
Ethan's eyes widened in realization.
So that was me... Ethan thought, watching the memory unfold. I completely forgot this ever happened.
The dream shifted again.
Inside a dimly lit bedroom, Madison's mother sat on the edge of a small bed with little Ethan in her lap, reading him a bedtime story. As she closed the book, little Ethan looked up at her with bright eyes.
"Mother, I really liked that story," he said.
She smiled, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad, my dear."
She stood up to leave. "Good night, Ethan."
As she turned away, she felt a soft tug on her dress. Little Ethan was holding tightly to the fabric of her skirt, reluctance written all over his face. Smiling warmly, she sat back down beside him.
"Mother... do you have a baby of your own?" little Ethan asked innocently.
Madison's mother gave a faint, bittersweet nod. "Yes... I have a daughter. She's probably right around your age."
"Woah! Really? Where is she?"
"She is... very far away," she replied softly, her smile tinged with sorrow. "I think... she might not like me very much."
Little Ethan puffed out his chest, gripping her hand tightly. "Don't worry, Mother! I'm here with you! Don't be sad. And if I ever meet her, I'll tell her how wonderful you are!"
Madison's mother stroked his hair, kissing his cheek once more. "Thank you, my sweet boy..."
"ETHAN!"
Ethan snapped awake, blinking against the dim light of the classroom.
The sun had fully set, leaving the room shrouded in evening shadows. Madison was standing right beside his desk, looking down at him.
Where am I...? Ethan thought, rubbing his eyes.
"I thought you had already gone home," Madison said, her arms crossed. "I checked the halls before going on my way out and saw you sleeping in here."
Ethan sat up, clearing his throat. "Thanks, Madison."
"Come on, let me lock up," she said, turning toward the door. "Let's go."
"You go ahead," Ethan replied quietly.
Madison paused, turning her head to look at him as he remained seated in his chair.
Ethan looked back at her, his expression unusually calm. "There's something I need to take care of."
Madison searched his eyes for a moment before giving a single nod. "Alright then. See you tomorrow." She handed the keys to Ethan.
"Yeah. See you."
Madison turned and walked out, her footsteps echoing down the quiet hallway until the classroom door softly clicked shut.
Left entirely alone in the dark classroom, Ethan leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk and running a hand through his hair.
He let out a long, heavy breath, staring out the window at the distant city lights under the night sky.
I never expected any of this... Ethan thought, the memory of his past and the warmth of the present settling over him all at once.
All this time we've spent together... the signs were always right there. I just kept denying them.
Ethan closed his eyes, taking one last deep breath before exhaling slowly into the quiet room.
I've fallen in love with you... Madison.