Survive

Chapter Eight

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

August 12, 2022.

Madison Stone's Point Of View.

I leave the math classroom and head for the history classroom, which will be my last class of the day. Ashley had an appointment and will only show up at school today when we will get ready for the back-to-school game.

I spent the day with the boys and most part of the time with Andrey. Long story short, after he sent me that message four days ago, we talked for a long time and ended up getting very close.

I enter the history room and sit down on one of the desks at the back of the room, lean my head against the wall and close my eyes, because when I'm bored I do that, but I feel someone approaching me, so I open my eyes again, seeing that this someone is Professor Alexander.

"Hi Madison, are you okay? You came into the room and went straight to the back. You didn't even say hello to me." The teacher says with a worried look on his face.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking. And I'm sorry I didn't say hello to you. I hadn't seen you." I peel my head away from the wall and answer him, making him smile.

"All right, what I care about is that my student is fine, a girl as beautiful as you can't be sad." He says and passes his hand on my head, making me feel a little unconfortable. "You don't want to sit out front to better understand the matter, do you?" And I deny it.

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"All right, but anything can call me," he gives a kiss on my head and goes to the front of the room, starting to give his class.

During the class he doesn't take his eyes off me, showing that he is worried about me, always asking if I am understanding the subject. I just don't understand his distrust of me being fine, since I really am.

Some time later...

I mentally thank for the bell ringing causing the history class to end, as it was already making me sleepy.

I put my materials in my backpack, put it on my back, say goodbye to the teacher so that he doesn't say that I didn't say goodbye to him later, and leave the room already starting to make my way to the women's locker room.

I text Ashley, asking if she is at school yet, but she replies saying she is still on her way.

I enter the changing room and find the girls already starting to get ready. I greet them and go to my locker, which I got Tuesday and is next to Ashley's. I open it and put my backpack inside, then I get my uniform and my sneakers.

"Where's Ashley, Madison?" Sarah asks as she puts on the black socks that go to the beginning of her shins and are part of our uniform.

"She had an appointment and can't come to class today, but she's already getting here to get ready for the game," I say as I take off my shirt and put it inside the closet.

"Got it... um... you and Andrey are pretty close, right?" She asks and I look at her after putting on the black top with only one sleeve, the same one that is long, with purple details, seeing that the other girls who are next to her stare at me too.

"Yes, we are very close. He's a nice person to have around," I feel her gaze burning into me.

"Are you guys hooking up?" And I give a small laugh at her question, as I take off my sneakers and pants.

"Why the question?"

"Because every time I see him, you are with him, and every time I see you, he is with you. And it's not just me who sees it, other people see it too.. I bet if you two didn't have to get ready for the game, you'd be together right now."

"As I said before, Andrey is a nice person and I like having him around." I put on the skirt in the same color as the top and already start putting on my socks afterwards, as I feel fervent stares on me.

After that, Sarah doesn't answer anything else, she just takes a deep breath, so deep that I think she might have sucked all the oxygen of the place we are in.

I hear the locker room door being opened, so I deduce that it is Ashley who has arrived and I see that I am right when I hear her voice greeting the girls.

"Hi Mad!" She sits down next to me and puts her arm around my shoulder as I put on my sneakers. "Wow, that outfit suits you."

"Thank you! I bet it suits you better.. what happened that you couldn't come to class today?"

"I went to try on the dress I will wear tomorrow to the homecoming dance and ended up missing the time," and I agree as I finish tying my sneakers. "Have you picked out your dress yet?"

"Yes, I've already chosen."

"That's nice... are you going with someone?"

"Ashley you need to get ready soon," Emily walks by and warns Ashley, who takes the arm that was around my neck and stands up, opening her closet and grabbing her clothes.

"So far I have not been invited by anyone. What about you?"

"Great! We'll go together... but Andrey is slow, isn't he? I could have sworn he was going to call you, just like I also thought that dummy Ryan was going to call me to go with him too, but neither of them did anything."

"Do you like Ryan?" I ask in surprise as I watch her take off her shorts and t-shirt.

"Let's just say I have a certain attraction to him," and I laugh at the way she speaks. "What about you? Are you liking Andrey?"

"No."

"I didn't feel firmness in that 'no' of yours."

"Go get ready go Ashley," I say and she laughs.

"Um, if you got stressed, it's because you like him," she croons and I can't contain my laughter.

"I'm going to go fix my hair that I earn more," I say laughing and walk away from her after grabbing my brush that was inside the cabinet, going over to the sink with mirror.

I decide to do an Ariana Grande-style ponytail and secure it with one of the purple bows that are part of the uniform, so I start combing my hair so that I can do what I want.

After about 45 minutes we are all ready, so we go over the choreography quickly and then go to the field, where in a few minutes the boys from our school will play against the Justice School team.

What a coincidence, right? The team from my current school is going to play against the team from my former school.