Madison checked her phone, reading Ethan's battle plan with a small smile before typing back.
Madison: Ethan, your plan is great. I'll discuss it with Alice, and you talk to Lucas.
Ethan sent back a single thumbs-up. Sitting across the row, Finn caught the exchange and offered Ethan a quiet, knowing smirk.
When the sign-up sheet was passed around, Ethan penned his name down for the tug-of-war and the track race, while Madison opted for tennis. Joe gathered the completed roster and carried it straight to Mr. Henry's desk.
Henry took the paper, scanning the entries with a slow nod.
So, everyone is participating... except for Allen, Henry thought, his eyes narrowing slightly.
His mind drifted past the classroom walls.
Murphy is overseas, and the Shadow Syndicate is making its moves. But what is Jacob up to? He never cared for the underworld before—always preferred minding his own business...
"Sir? Is everything alright?" Joe asked, noticing the teacher's heavy silence.
Henry snapped out of his thoughts, smoothing his expression with a quick smile. "Yes, just a bit tired. Good work, Joe. You can head back."
"Thanks, sir." Joe nodded and exited the office.
The moment the door clicked shut, Henry leaned back in his chair. Suddenly, his phone buzzed against the desk. He picked it up to find a message from Beast.
Beast: Henry, that student who was in jail just got released. Someone bailed him out.
Henry stared at the screen for a second before typing a brief reply: Got it.
A few days later,
Sports Day arrived.
The high school grounds were fully transformed, draped in colorful banners, designated track lanes, and court barriers. Madison, serving as one of the event organizers, rushed across the main courtyard with a clipboard and phone in hand.
"Make sure all the gear is placed by the courts," she instructed into the receiver, double-checking her checklist. "The festival is starting shortly!"
As she hurried past the gym equipment area, she spotted Ethan lifting heavy barricades into place. Their eyes met, and Madison offered a bright wave. Ethan gave a sharp nod before getting back to work.
Madison glanced at her watch and pressed the phone back to her ear. "It's time. The guests will start arriving now."
Within thirty minutes, the bleachers were packed with parents, alumni, and local spectators.
Alice's voice echoed clearly over the high-school loudspeaker system: "Welcome, everyone, to the Annual Sports Festival! Now that our guests are seated, we will officially begin today's events. Up first on the main field..."
Near the edge of the bleachers, Henry walked alongside a few fellow faculty members, keeping a watchful eye on the crowd—until a familiar, booming voice caught his attention.
"HAHAHA! Today is going to be great!" Beast roared, clapping his massive hands together as he settled into a middle-row seat.
Henry paused, tracking the sound. Beast spotted him almost instantly and gave a enthusiastic wave. He then nudged the man sitting next to him. "Look, Henry's over there!"
The man turned around, offering Henry a calm wave of his own.
Henry froze in disbelief. Benson? What on earth is he doing here? Henry smirked.
Behind the main stage, Ethan walked up to Madison. "How are things looking with Lucas and Alice?"
Madison smiled, holding up a finger. "Perfect. Alice is managing the announcements, and Lucas is assigned to oversee the soundboard to keep everything running smoothly. They're stuck together until the mid-day break, when the next shift takes over so they can compete, in their respective games."
Ethan caught on immediately. "So basically, they'll be spending the entire morning side-by-side. If Lucas has any courage at all, he'll make his move."
Madison gave him a crisp thumbs-up. "Exactly!"
"Which games are you in?" she asked.
"Tug-of-war and the race," Ethan replied.
"Tug-of-war is up next on Field B against Class 2-W," Madison noted, checking her schedule.
"What about you?"
"Tennis. My match starts at the exact same time on the upper courts," Madison said. "Good luck out there, Ethan."
"Good luck to you too, Madison."
"Brother!"
Ethan turned to see Daisy jogging toward them, a wide grin on her face.
"Daisy?" Ethan blinked.
Daisy stopped in front of them, looking between the two with an arched eyebrow. "Am I interrupting something?"
"NO!" Ethan stammered instantly. "We were just talking about the schedule!"
Daisy chuckled. "Sure you were. Anyway, I came to tell you that Mom just arrived! She's sitting near the front row."
"Great," Ethan said, catching his breath. "After our events finish, we can go meet her."
Daisy's smile widened playfully. "You two are going to meet Mom together?"
"No!" Ethan stammered again.
Before Daisy could tease him any further, the loud speakers blared: "The teams for Class 2-H and Class 2-W, please gather at Field B for Tug-of-War immediately!"
"That's my cue," Ethan said, turning toward the field as Madison headed toward the tennis courts. Daisy shook her head, smiling to herself as she walked back toward the stands.
Moments later, Ethan lined up alongside his classmates on Field B, gripping the thick rope. Across from them, the students of Class 2-W took their stance.
The referee blew the whistle.
With Ethan anchoring the front, Class 2-H completely overpowered their opponents, dragging Class 2-W across the line within seconds.
The referee blew the whistle again, declaring Class 2-H the victors. The group erupted into high-fives and cheers.
As the excitement settled, Ethan looked up toward the bleachers. Standing near the railing was his mother, clapping warmly with a soft smile on her face, with Daisy standing right beside her.
Ethan felt a sudden warmth in his chest. He raised a hand and waved to her; his mother smiled back, waving in return.
The loudspeaker crackled back to life: "Congratulations to Class 2-H on their victory! Up next on Field B..."