SWNOVELXO Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Game Day
The school bell rang, signaling the start of chemistry class period. Ethan and Jack walked into chemistry together, still talking about Jack's plans for the big game that night. Jack was always the type to be full of energy before a big event, and today was no exception. His mind was already on the field.
"I'm not going to stress my body before the game," Jack said with a grin. "I think I'll hit up the gaming cafe instead. You in?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "A gaming cafe? You're not going to, like, tire yourself out before the game?"
Jack shrugged. "Nah, it's just to relax."
Ethan glanced over at Lily, who had just walked into the room. her gaze downcast as always. Jack, ever the optimist, immediately greet her.
"Hey, Lily! You should come with us to the cafe later," Jack said, offering her an encouraging smile.
Lily hesitated for a moment, clearly not in the best of spirits. "I don't know... I'm kind of tired."
Ethan, sensing an opportunity to break the tension, spoke up. "Yeah, it'll be fun. Plus, it might take your mind off things." He gave her a small, reassuring smile.
Lily looked at him for a moment, then sighed, her posture softening a little. "Okay, fine. I'll come. But don't expect me to play too hard."
The trio agreed to meet at the gaming cafe after school. Ethan went home first, greeted by his ever-polite butler, Gregory.
"Good afternoon, Master Ethan. How was your day?" Gregory asked as Ethan walked into the foyer.
Ethan sighed, feeling the familiar weight of his day settling in. "Nothing's changed, Gregory. Same as always," he replied, trying to brush off the conversation as he made his way upstairs.
The house was quiet, and the cool, calming luxury of his room enveloped him as he collapsed onto his bed. As he lay there, he found his mind drifting back to Lily. Ethan couldn't deny that there was something about her that had begun to intrigue him more than he had expected. He closed his eyes, trying to shake off the thoughts, and before he knew it, he had drifted off into a nap.
Beep, beep, beep.
Ethan jolted awake, the loud sound of his alarm snapping him out of his daze. He groaned, reaching for his phone. "Gregory!" he called out. "Prepare the car. We're heading to the cafe."
Within minutes, Ethan was dressed in a comfortable outfit and Gregory was already driving him to the gaming cafe. On the way, Gregory, ever the playful companion, couldn't resist a little teasing. "Ah, I see someone's excited to see their friends," he joked.
Ethan chuckled but didn't comment. His thoughts were elsewhere, mostly on the cafe and the fact that Lily would be there. A part of him couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her than just the quiet, distant persona she usually wore. Maybe tonight he'd get a chance to find out.
When they arrived, Ethan told Gregory to park a few blocks away, just to avoid anyone recognizing him. He didn't want to attract attention. He was here to have fun, not be surrounded by crowds of people.
Inside the gaming cafe, it didn't take long for Ethan to spot Jack and Lily in a corner, deep in a battle royale game. Ethan couldn't help but notice how different Lily seemed in this environment. Normally quiet and reserved, she was now animated and focused, laughing and chatting with Jack as they strategized their next move.
Ethan walked over, and Jack waved him over excitedly. "Yo, Ethan! Join us! We're running a trio."
Ethan sat down next to Isabella, who was also part of the team and was surprisingly there. He noticed the empty spot next to Lily, and, for a second, felt a little awkward. Jack, already logged in and ready to go, didn't notice his hesitation.
As the game started, the atmosphere shifted. Everyone was in sync, focused, and competitive. The group worked together like a well-oiled machine, calling out strategies and cracking jokes as they went. It was clear they were all in their element. But just as the game was reaching its peak, an unexpected interruption came from across the room.
A man entered the cafe, loudly complaining to the staff. "You guys can't even get a simple order right!" he shouted. His angry voice cut through the air as he knocked over a drink, causing a bit of chaos.
Jack immediately stood up, his large frame towering over the others. He moved toward the man, his voice calm but firm. "Hey, take it easy. There's no need to cause a scene."
The man, clearly agitated, pointed a finger at Jack. "Mind your business!" he snapped.
Jack remained unflinching, stepping in between the man and the cafe staff. Ethan, noticing the situation escalating, immediately pulled out his phone and dialed the police. Jack frame was huge being 6' 4" and 220 pounds he looked like a giant next to the man. The man irritated grabbed the broken glass and threw it towards Jacks. Jack being a football player caught it with ease, however, his hand was bleeding. But before the situation could spiral further, the man, now realizing he was outmatched, backed down and stormed out of the cafe.
The staff quickly got back to normal, and everything settled down. However, Jack's hand had a small cut on his palm.
"Jeez, Jack, be more careful next time,"Ethan said, concern in his voice as the group walked over to check on him.
Jack, trying to play it off, grinned. "It's nothing, really. I'm fine."
Lily, however, didn't seem convinced. She went to the nearby convenience store and returned with a first aid kit. As she gently bandaged his hand, Jack couldn't help but feel a flutter in his chest. She was so calm, so focused. It was clear she cared, even if she didn't always show it.
"You're lucky it wasn't worse," she said, her voice soft. "now we are even."
Jack looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
Lily smiled slightly, teasing. "Remember the free food you gave me the other day? We're even now."
Jack chuckled, shaking his head. "You're impossible, you know that?"
Meanwhile, Ethan watched from the sidelines with Isabella. He couldn't help but feel a knot form in his chest. The way Lily was helping Jack, the way she cared for him—it made Ethan wonder. What if he had done something? What if he had been there to stop the man instead of just standing by? The thought lingered in his mind as the rest of the evening passed.
Later that night, the football game was about to start. Despite everything that had happened, Ethan found himself trying to focus on the game. He joined the crowd, trying his best to fit in with the school spirit, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Lily.
She hadn't shown up, as expected. But he still tried to immerse himself in the energy of the game. Isabella found him in the crowd and dragged him to the sidelines.
The game was close, and Jack played with everything he had, even though his hand was still bothering him. With only seconds left on the clock, the team decided to go for a final, big play. They passed the ball to Jack, and he caught it—but his injury caused him to lose his balance, and he slipped before he could make the final touchdown.
The crowd went silent, and Ethan felt a pang of disappointment, though he knew Jack had given it his all. After the game ended, he made his way through the crowd to find Jack and give him a word of encouragement.
"You did great, man," Ethan said, clapping Jack on the back before heading home.
On the way back, however, Ethan saw Lily walking alone in her work uniform. Without thinking, he asked Gregory to turn the car around. He didn't know why he felt compelled to do it.
"Master Ethan if we take this turn it going to be a 30 min delay back home", said Gregory. Ethan didn't responded, with his eyes only focused on Lily, Gregory took notice. "Oh, so she the fair lady who gotten Master Ethan heart" he chuckled. Ethan embarrassed "Just hurry up". Gregory proceeds to do park the car in the alley.
As Ethan got out of the car and walked down an alley, he ended up meeting her at an intersection. She looked up, surprised to see him. "Ethan?"
He smiled awkwardly. "Hey. What a surprised meeting you here"
Lily smiled but didn't say much at first. "Yeah, it is."
Ethan hesitated but finally spoke up. "You're really good with kids, you know. I noticed that when we were together during Club Fair."
Lily blinked, clearly surprised. "That was a while ago. How do you even remember that?"
Ethan shrugged. "It just stuck with me. You seem really good at it."
Lily smiled softly. "It's from taking care of my little brother. He's a handful."
The conversation flowed easily after that, and before long, they found themselves walking down a quieter street in the city. Lily seemed to notice how comfortable Ethan was with her, despite the rundown surroundings. She raised an eyebrow, teasing. "You're not freaked out by this place?"
Ethan glanced at the surroundings, but his attention was still on her. "No, I'm fine."
Lily chuckled, shaking her head. "You're a weird fellow, Ethan," she said, smiling up at him before turning to go up the stairs to her building.
Ethan watched her go, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Even with his genius brain, he couldn't figure out Lily statement about him being weird.