Fortuitous || Jack Steele [1]

fifteen

11:30pm. July 2nd, 2020.

Max, Bytes and I get home from the game, all exhausted.

My feet drag against the floorboards, eyes drooping after the long day. At this point I don't know how I haven't collapsed. Max and Bytes look like they're about to all asleep whilst standing. Unfortunately none of us can go to sleep until we shower. We've made it a rule because more than ever, especially with COVID around, we want to be clean after having been at a public venue.

I lug myself up the stairs. As soon as I reach my room I place my camera equipment on its dedicated shelf and grab clothes to change into. I walk into my bathroom, turn on the water and throw the dirty clothes in the corner basket.

As soon as the scolding water hits me my shoulders sag in relief. My eyes close as the stream runs down my face welcomingly. I scrub the grime from my body and wash my hair thoroughly. I then hop out, get dressed and dry my hair. I head to bed.

12:15am. July 3rd, 2020.

I curl up in the blankets, head resting on the cotton pillow before drifting off in no time.

4:00am.

I somehow wake up to a singular buzz but I don't have the energy or even the patience to check it. I fall back asleep pretty quickly.

5:30am.

I flinch awake painfully to the sound of my phone ringing. It gives me quite a scare that I barely reframe from swearing at the top of my lungs. Instead I curse under my breath to express my foul morning mood and my distaste with being sprung awake. I would've smashed my phone but this isn't an alarm, this is a phone call. Who the fuck would call me at 5:30 in the morning?!

I'm about to forcefully reprimand whoever called me but when I see the contact Jarryd Roughead I restrain myself. I bite my tongue and answer the call.

"Morning, Roughy. You better have a good reason for waking me up on this Friday morning," I speak into the phone. It crackles.

"Morning, Madelyn. Sorry for the inconvenience of this but it's really important. Did you receive the message sent earlier this morning?" Roughy asks.

"Uh... hold on." I open my phone and go to my messages. There's an unopened one. So that's why I woke up at 4am and didn't see what it was. Unlucky. They should've tried harder to wake me up. I shrug and read the message nonetheless.

*EMERGENCY 7AM MEETING FOR ALL ST KILDA FOOTBALL CLUB STAFF, COACHES AND PLAYERS.*

"Oh, that message. I've seen it now if that counts," I say optimistically, smiling. I can practically feel him shaking his head through the phone.

"We're calling everyone to come in. Some people haven't answered so we have staff who live close to ensure they know. It's all very over the place but it has to be done," Roughy informs me.

"Is everything alright?" My mind is whirring. What is going on?

"I haven't been given the details myself. I was just informed to call players, coaches and staff and make them aware that there's an an emergency meeting. It's very important that you, Maxy and Jacky Bytel come in. They already answered my calls so they're awake. I suggest you just have something to eat and relax until the meeting."

"Thank you, Roughy. I'll make sure to do so. See you at 7," I tell him, throwing the warm covers from my body despite wanting to stay under them.

"See you then, Madelyn. Take care." The line goes dead and my room falls silent.

I just sit there on my bed trying to wrap my head around what the hell is going on. I look at the message again and it doesn't get any clearer. This must be really serious if they have to send out texts at 4am and call people before 6.