Bailey's POV
"If you train hard, you will not only be hard but you will also be hard to beat!" Coach quoted Herschel Walker out before dismissing the practice. We yelled one last cheer before heading back to the locker.
It had been two weeks since I had eaten to my heart's content. Everyday becomes more hell like roller coaster. The training is harder that makes you feel like the days are longer. I let the hot water flow down to ease up the muscle strains I'm feeling right now. I can't wait get home and lie down in my bed. My phone rang, a familiar name appeared on my screen. I sighed and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Jenson! Give me back my towel!" A butt naked junior run around the locker chasing his senior. A few guys are mocking the coach, repeating what he said and inserting some jokes. I would have laughed but I barely picked up from what they are saying with all these yelling and fatigue.
"Hey, duckling! I have the perfect job for you." Look at this guy with lots of time on his hands.
"If it's about modelling again, I swear--"
"Stop terrorizing the freshmen, Jenson!" The captain is already aggravated. Everyone is so tensed from training.
"--No. What's wrong with it though?" followed by a short chuckle from the other line. Today has been a long rough day. I don't need any more stress!
I sighed, "So why in the world did you ring me, then? I'm too tired to listen to your lame career jokes now."
"Care to become a marshal for a day?" What did he say again? These guys have no chill. Jensen is such a savage. I watched the freshman get red in anger and Andrew trying to calm him down.
I hummed a "hmm," and let let him continue.
"I'll tell you the details later," a hint of relief in Maier's voice.
"Hey! I haven't even agreed to this yet!" I yelled upon finally catching up what I got myself into.
"Thanks, man. Love you!" was the only thing I heard before he hanged up.
---
I was making myself a good serving of pasta at home, for a late night snack, when my doorbell rang. I'm glad I'm having a rest tomorrow. I hurried to open the front door only to see a suspicious guy wearing a black hoodie with shades and mask on. Suspicious, why? Who wears shades at night?
I was about to close my door again and forget I saw the man when he spoke. "Were you really going to leave me here outside?" he removed his shades and mask, "It's Maier. You forgot me already?"
I asked him, "Why are you--," or maybe I shouldn't have because he answered, "Fan problems," with a smirk. Turns out he came here to tell me about the job he offered that I didn't even agreed to..."Don't worry about it, I'll pay you," he paused. "With love of course. I know you ain't that cheap."
"I don't even--"
"I know your worth, so shut it. Thank you. Unlike--," Tony grabbed his phone. "So, these are their contacts. The meet-up is at 8 in the morning, but they'll probably not arrive on time. Also, I heard from your dad you got a license, right? So, I parked my baby over here. Please handle with care, take care as if it is our child. Also, Monica..."
"Oh, hey," mom noticed Tony and gave him a hug. "Honey, Tony is here!"
"Whaat?!" Dad yelled back, the noise of the TV was audible from the kitchen.
"Tony! The-- Oh, forget it," mom dropped the subject. "Have you had dinner?"
"No, it's alright. I was just..." Tony was politely declining but my own mother.
"He's probably on a diet. Let him," I told her off.
"Diet? You look malnourished. Bailey, go make him something. You are making pasta, right?" I just sighed.
---
There was a long line already. Just as Tony had said, they really take their time, don't they? Cass skipped ahead of us, all-black, except for her bleached hair letting the wind do its work. Again. Cass come back after and dragged Lou who is keeping her poise wearing a long white dress. Cass pointed over something from the building that seems to be interesting.
The Marmaduke Theater. How do I even begin? I took a sigh, looking up at the huge signage. We used to go here. That time when there was still...
Monica put down her shades and tapped my shoulder, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, sorry," I replied. "Let's go."
"Sorry for the trouble as well, and thank you for guiding us today despite your busy schedule," she holds unto her hair so it won't get tangled. Curly problems that I can relate.
So, this is the girl that Maier told me to report the men that will hit on his girl.
"Yeah, no problem." I wasn't forced or anything.
Everything about this place is just so nostalgic. After getting in line, we head inside to watch a musical play. I read the ticket, "Hamilton, An American Musical." Great. We will learn history through songs. Like kindergarten. The path was already dark with limited lighting, I remember the time when... "Watch your steps. It's really..." Lou had already fell as she missed a stair, dragging Cass along. "...dark."
I hurriedly hold unto their arms to get them back on their feet. Too much for poise. "You, okay?"
"Yeah," Lou responded, picking up her bag, proceeding to walk to not queue the line. This time, more carefully.
"It's fun, you should try it," Cass retorted, patting my arm going ahead to her seat.
"I did before, and it wasn't," I replied, but she left.
That's not even what I am talking about. I literally fell, but at that time I was with...
We sat down on the respected seats, as indicated in the seat numbers in the ticket. The lights were now dead as a short introduction was read. "You sure know what this all means, don't you?" I whispered to myself and sighed because I knew how obvious the answer was.
Maddie's here. Setting foot in this amphitheater was a one big risk. If I see her again, all the pieces of me I learned to put together will shatter all over again. However, she wasn't the sole reason I came here. I'm working today and this is just for one job. And that job is... definitely not that girl across us, a few seats away... Not that familiar warm blonde hair, that confident way she carried herself and that damned smile--
SLAAAAAAP!!!
My heart stopped for a while, separating me from my thoughts, looking to the direction of the sound. Cass was holding to her friend's shoulders and shaking her. Her friend, Lou, was rubbing her arm. Should I--
I reached out my hand to stop Cass from torturing her friend and ask them what is wrong but, "Cass... I know how much you love that line, but can we please watch without violence?" Lou said.
"I'm getting cold," Monica joined in.
Cass let her go and went to check her bag. She finds me awkwardly watching them. I cleared my throat and tries to face forward. From my peripheral, she raised her eyebrow and gave me a look like I am the weirdest person she ever met. I sighed, my eyes lead back to the person I long to see.
I hear chips crunching. Are those...? No. Her bag was so small but it was like a fridge was there. Aren't food and drinks not allowed here? How??
I can't focus at all. Not with all the seemingly endless snacks on the small bag... Cookies? Brownies? They are passing it on to each other. She would offer some with every snack that would open, but I politely refuse. Sugar cubes? What the f-- I can't focus at all.
Not with Maddie being in my view. I can't focus with all these memories flooding on me like a stream. Every time I look at her, these feelings are still there. "Tell me, what do I do with this feelings?"
I hear a snicker laughter. I'm pathetic, I know. Then, she was sniffing and laughing at the same time. And guess what? A tissue came out from her fridge bag. Is this some sort of magic show? It was strange, yet I ended up catching myself waiting for the next trick, as if a bunny would come out from the bag. I ended up getting entertained and distracted enough.
They announced about the thirty minute break before the show resume again. The light open up, letting everyone take a breather, stretch or recover for what seems to be a heavy progression.
"Cass, CR lang kami. Sama ka?" Monica asked. Cass gave a thumbs up while wiping her eyes and waved them off, leaving the two of us.
"Are you alright?" I asked out of concern.
"I'm okay. I'm just worried that my eyeliner as dark as my soul is now a mess," Cass replied covering her face.
"Actually...your eyeliner--"
"There's a meet and greet at the back stage for those who had a golden number zero on their ticket," I literally saw Cass whip her neck upon hearing that from the people talking behind our seats. The horror on their faces seeing the smudged eyeliner all over.
I was about to ask her what was worth-neck-breaking when I noticed a familiar blonde approaching us.
"Bailey?" called the voice all too familiar to forget.
"Maddie..." I whispered as I stood here with my head down.
"What are you doing here?" Maddie asked.
"Hey, man!"
"Andrew?" Cass queried and I looked at her in disbelief. Andrew threw an arm on my shoulder almost making me lose my balance.
"Who else?!" he shouted at my ears. I just laughed pushing his arm away. I looked over his shoulder only to find Maddie walking away.
"Drew, I owe you this one."
"I got you, man," he grinned, flipping his fringe.
"Girl! What happened to you? Do you need anything or..." His soul almost left his body as he saw Cass.
"My favorite character died, how could I be heartless?" Cass explained. "But... He will come back in a bit, although in the form of his son, my son--"
"Spoiler!" Someone yelled in the crowd.
"You know, what..." I called Cass to get closer to us, and she surprisingly did. "Let's go take a breather. Toilet break, take a drink, take a picture for memories or wash your face," I put the hood of her jacket on top of her head and gently pat her, pushing her ahead of us. She can't go around looking like this.
I glanced on the side and caught Maddie looking at us but she immediately looked the other way. Dominic noticed me and Andrew, giving us a nod as we walked away.
"I heard from Maier that you all will be here, so I went. Too bad, I missed the play." It's not. Still half-time. Andrew told us. "Bro, I was all-beat up las night. Alarm has failed me."
"Do you even wake up from an alarm?"
"Oh, shut up. That was before. Now, I have the discipline of an athlete," he gave me a gentle push. "I'm team captain."
"How does it feel to be punched by a freshman, Captain?" I pointed at the bandage on his cheek.
He slapped my hand away. "It still hurts even when chewing. How did you got scammed?"
"Tony called me all morning so I would wake up on time," I complained. "Well, when he couldn't wake me up... He called mom."
"Me too, but I slept heavily. And he can't contact mine. Ha-ha! I won. But that guy has too much freedom," I nodded.
"Cut off his limbs," Cass suggested, which would have been funny, if she don't look possessed right now.
Andrew gave a nervous laugh, whispering to me, "the hood did not help." I agree.
"So how did you get in then?"
"The receptionist is my friend's cousin's neighbor's uncle's girlfriend," Andrew imaginatively pointing fingers in the air as he explains.
Monica and Lou met us halfway. They laughed at Cass state and began to take creepy pictures on the corners while at it. They didn't really cared much about the weird gazes around them. The people that would pass by were giving them funny looks. I had to pretend I didn't know them, but Andrew keep on hyping them up.
When the girls had all the fun that they want, they went to the girl's toilet.
"Why do girls need to go to the toilet together?" Andrew asked the same question I had.
"I don't know, man. I have the same questions as you."