𝖢𝖧𝖠𝖯𝖳𝖤𝖱 𝖥𝖨𝖵𝖤
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𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣
(TW: panic attack)

"𝗜 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗩𝗘 you, Maxine Blake, are actually begging us to go to a football game," Maia said, slamming her locker shut with dramaticly.

Maxie leaned against the adjacent locker. "I'm not begging anyone, I'm just suggesting."

Kelsi opened her mouth to respond, but Wyatt's voice interrupted, his grin as bright as ever. "What's this I hear about Maxie dragging us to the game?"

"She practically begged us," Maia said teasingly, shooting Maxie a teasing glare.

"I'm not begging anyone," Maxie groaned, rolling her eyes. "It was just a suggestion. And, for the record, I always come to watch Kelsi in band."

Kelsi gave her a teasing look. "Uh-huh. Well, you better cheer just as loud for me as you do for him." She batted her eyes aggressively, staring lovingly at Maxie, who jokingly pushed the girl away.

"Wait," Wyatt interrupted, his grin widening. "Him? As in Ethan Marks?" Maxie narrowed her eyes at him, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. "Oh, shut up, Wyatt."

"Oh my god, this is amazing," Wyatt said, bursting into laughter.

"Okay, first of all, no," Maxie shot back, crossing her arms tightly. She could practically hear Wyatt's thoughts and wasn't about to let him run with this. "Second, Ethan just...suggested it, and I figured it'd be fun for us to go."

"Oh, so Ethan suggested it," Maia said, her voice dripping with amusement. "We've been trying to drag you to games for years, but all it takes is one little nudge from the star running back, and now you're all in?"

Maxie groaned, covering her face with her hands for a moment before shooting a mock glare at her friends. "You're all insufferable."

"And you're rooting for number 57," Wyatt added, wiggling his eyebrows.

Maxie sighed dramatically. "Alright, fine. We don't have to go," she said with a shrug as they neared her locker, hoping they'd drop the topic.

"Oh, no, no. We're going," Maia declared, her voice firm as she tossed her bag over her shoulder with a smile that was impossible to resist. "And you're gonna look hot doing it."

Maxie opened her mouth to argue, but her protests were being ignored. "It's a football game..." she finally muttered, hands on her hips.

"Oh, please. We're making you cute for the game," Wyatt said, grinning from ear to ear. "Maybe we curl her hair?" he suggested, as he playfully tugged at a strand of Maxie's hair, trying to twist it around his finger.

Maxie slapped his hand away. "You're not curling my hair, Wyatt. Last time you did that I had to wear a hat for two months."

The group ignored her objection. Maia looked at Kelsi with a grin. "Maybe we can throw in a bit of face paint?"

Kelsi's eyes lit up. "Oooh, I got this new shirt, it'll be perfect for the game!" She bounced on her heels, pulling out her phone and immediately scrolling to show Maxie a picture of the shirt she'd just bought. "It'll go so well with those jeans you wore to my birthday party last year. You know, the ones with the little stars on the pockets."

Maxie looked down at the shirt on the screen. It was a cute, fitted long-sleeved square-neck white top with navy detailing — something she wouldn't mind wearing. "You guys are ridiculous," she said, still smiling despite herself. "It's a football game, not a runway."

"Oh, come on," Maia said, nudging her with a playful grin. "If you're going to go, you might as well look cute doing it."

Maxie sighed dramatically but relented. "Fine, fine. I'll wear the shirt, and you can put on a bit of face paint, but I am not curling my hair."

Their faces lit up like they had just won a prize. "Deal!" they chimed in unison, practically bouncing with excitement.

Maxie couldn't help but laugh at their enthusiasm. "You're all impossible," she muttered, shaking her head.

"We know," Maia said, flashing a wicked grin. "And that's why you love us."

Maxie rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Nope!" Kelsi said with a wink. "But you'll thank us later."

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𝗠𝗔𝗫𝗜𝗘 𝗙𝗘𝗟𝗧 utterly ridiculous with the bright blue and white paint smeared in circles under one eye and over the other. Kelsi had done it for her, and even though her friends had their faces painted too, she couldn't stop cringing at how it felt on her own. To make things worse, her mom had insisted she bring her little brother, Jack, along to the game.

"Why do you look like that?" Jack asked, tilting his head at her.

"Like what?" Maxie replied, already knowing what he was going to say.

"Like you got attacked by a smurf."

Maxie's eyes widened in horror as she reached up to touch the paint. "Oh no, I do look like that, don't I? I told you this was a bad idea!"

Maia rolled her eyes dramatically. "Maxie, you're fine. Jack's just being a little pest...right, Jack?"

Jack grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Totally," he said, his tone anything but convincing.

"Jack!" Maxie groaned, louder than she meant to, as she started rubbing the paint off with the sleeve of her hoodie.

"Stop that!" Maia snapped, grabbing Maxie's hand to stop her. "You're just going to make it worse."

"Worse?" Maxie's panic grew as her gaze darted between her friends. "So, it is bad?"

"Relax," Kelsi said, walking alongside them, her marching band jacket swaying as she moved. "It's not bad. You look cute, not smurfy at all."

"Besides," Wyatt added with a grin, "you're not the only one with face paint. Own it."

Maxie frowned, but before she could argue, Maia changed the subject. "Let's just go to our seats. The game's about to start."

"I'll catch you guys later," Kelsi said, adjusting her jacket. "I need to find the band. Laney keeps texting me like crazy."

"Can I go sit with my friends?" Jack asked, already looking around.

Maxie sighed but waved him off. "Fine, but meet me at the pretzel stand when the game's over." She watched him sprint off toward a group of kids, including Maia's younger sister, Diya.

With Jack gone, Maxie tugged at the hem of her borrowed shirt. "Alright, where are we sitting?"

Wyatt grabbed her and Maia by the hands. "I told Kelsi send meet her closer to the front of the field. Follow me!"

Maxie followed them through the bleachers, feeling slightly more anxious than usual. The noise, the laughter, the smell of popcorn and nachos—it was overwhelming.

When they found their seats, Maxie's eyes wandered to the field. The players were warming up, and the cheerleaders practiced flips on the sidelines. Her gaze landed on number 57.

Ethan stood by his teammates, his helmet tucked under his arm. He laughed at something someone said, his easy, confident smile making Maxie's stomach flip.

"You're staring," Wyatt teased, nudging her shoulder with his.

Maxie quickly looked away, her cheeks burning. "I am not," she muttered, crossing her arms tightly.

Maia leaned in, grinning. "Oh, you definitely were. Don't even try to deny it."

"Can we please focus on the game?" Maxie huffed, trying to distract herself by watching the cheerleaders practicing their stunts.

"The game hasn't even started yet." Wyatt stated, popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

Maxie was about to rebuttal, but the sound of the band beginning to play startled her. The crowd erupted in cheers as it meant the game was about to begin. Maxie quickly turned her attention to the field, trying to ignore the heat still lingering in her cheeks.

Maxie could see Kelsi playing the trumpet, alongside Laney Carpenter. Maxie hadn't spoken much to Laney, but Kelsi would often tell her that, despite her bluntness, Laney was a really nice person.

Maxie liked giving people the benefit of the doubt, even if they didn't deserve it.

The game started shortly after that. She watched as the players took their positions, the intensity of the game settling in.

Wyatt leaned over, smirking. "Now you can stare," he said, nudging her again.

Maxie shot him a quick glare but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Thanks for that," she muttered sarcastically.

The game was fast-paced, and soon Maxie found herself getting into it — even if she didn't understand most of it.

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𝗕𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 time the game had ended, Maxie felt confident enough that she'd understood what was going on for the majority of the game. She knew when to cheer, when to gasp, and when to hold her breath as the ball moved down the field. She even found herself clapping and shouting along with the crowd.

Kelsi had joined them shortly after the game had started, but her face had a permanent frown the entire time.

Maxie tried asking what was wrong, but Kelsi would only brush it off with a quick "I'm fine" and a forced smile. It wasn't until Maxie noticed Lorelai a few rows in front of them, laughing and chatting with her friends, that she caught on.

Despite their breakup, Lorelai was wearing Ben's letterman jacket. The sight made Maxie's stomach twist. Maxie glanced at Kelsi, who was still staring blankly at the field, her frown deepening whenever her eyes flickered to Lorelai and back to Ben on the field.

The final whistle blew, and the stands erupted into cheers, signaling Woodvale's victory. The players celebrated, and Maxie joined in, clapping along with the crowd.

"So, how'd you like it?" Wyatt asked, nudging her with his elbow.

"It was actually kind of fun," she admitted, "Even if I don't get all the rules."

The group started to gather their things, ready to head out. Maxie felt the cool night air brush against her skin as she pulled the sleeves of her shirt over her hands.

"Well, I'm heading out," Kelsi said, glancing at the field one last time before turning toward the parking lot.

"I thought I was driving you," Wyatt said, a confused frown on his face.

"No, it's fine. I was on my way from work anyway," Kelsi replied, her tone still a little off. She flashed a small, tight smile before starting to walk away.

"Wait! I'll walk with you. See you guys later." Wyatt gave the two girls a quick hug before jogging to catch up with Kelsi.

"See you!" Maia called out before turning to Maxie. "I think I'm gonna head home too."

"Same," Maxie replied, her voice quieter now that the excitement of the game had faded away.

"You and Jack need a ride?" Maia asked, glancing between Maxie and the empty field.

Maxie shook her head. "My mom said she'd come pick us up."

Maia raised an eyebrow. "You sure? I don't mind—"

Maxie cut her off with a small smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "It's fine, really. My mom's coming. She'll be here soon."

Maia nodded, but her face softened. "You know, you really need to get your car back," she said, the concern in her voice more evident than before.

Maxie sighed, pulling the sleeves of her hoodie further over her hands to keep warm. Her car had been sitting in an empty storage unit in Seattle for months. Her dad had promised to bring it back to her a year ago, but he never did.

Every time Maxie thought about it, frustration bubbled up inside her. Not just because she was stuck without a car, but because it was another broken promise.

"I know," she muttered, staring at the ground. "I've been trying to get in touch with him, but it's like he's avoiding me. It's been so long, and I'm just...done asking."

Maia put a hand on Maxie's shoulder, offering a silent comfort. "I get it. I'm sure he'll come through eventually."

Maxie smiled faintly, though the words didn't make her feel any better. She had heard that so many times before.

With one last smile Maxie watched as Maia disappeared from her sight. She took a deep breath, feeling the cool air fill her lungs. She glanced around, seeing people spilling out of the school field, some heading toward the parking lot, others walking to the nearby food stands.

She was hoping she'd be able to spot Ethan but it seemed like he had already left, so Maxie made her way to the pretzel stand. The place was practically empty by now but there w sno sign of Jack.

Maxie sighed, her breath catching in her chest as she approached the nearly empty pretzel stand. Her eyes scanned the area, hoping to spot Jack among the few remaining people.

There was no sign of him. She checked her phone, but there were no messages or missed calls from him.

Her heart began to race, her thoughts spiraling. She knew she shouldn't be worried; Jack was a smart kid, and he knew where to meet her.

But the absence of him in the small crowd made her feel uneasy.

What if something had happened? What if her mom was late? What if—

Maxie felt the familiar pressure building in her chest, tight and suffocating. She gripped the back of one of the chairs next to her, her knuckles white, trying to steady herself. Her breath was shallow, and her pulse was thumping in her ears.

It was happening again.

She tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like her lungs wouldn't expand enough. She forced herself to inhale again, but it was too much. Her hands were shaking now, and her head was spinning. Her legs felt like they were going to give out.

"Maxie?" a voice broke through the haze of panic, and she looked up to see Ethan standing a few feet away. "I didn't realize you were here," he said, but as soon as he saw her pale face and trembling hands, his brow furrowed in concern.

"I—I can't..." Maxie whispered, feeling tears sting her eyes as she struggled to breathe. "I can't find Jack, and I don't know..."

Ethan quickly closed the distance between them, his hands gentle on her arms. "Hey, hey, it's okay. Let's take a breath together, alright?"

Maxie shook her head, her panic worsening. She couldn't focus. She could barely hear him over the sound of her own racing thoughts.

Ethan stepped closer, guiding her to sit down. "Maxie, listen to me. You're okay. You're safe. Just breathe with me, okay?"

Maxie tried to follow his instructions, but it was hard. It felt like her chest was being squeezed tighter with each breath.

He paused, looking around for a second, then flashed a grin. "Let's talk about...chemistry."

Maxie blinked at him, her mind still swirling. Did she hear him correctly?

"Yeah," he said with a teasing glint in his eye, "I mean, between us, there's definitely some chemistry, right?" He gave her a wink, his tone light but with just enough playfulness to make her heart skip.

Maxie rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the sudden heat rising in her cheeks. "You're r-ridiculous."

Ethan replied with a shrug, his smile widening. "Remember that time we almost blew up the chemistry lab?"

Maxie couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "We? T-that was a-all you."

Ethan chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. You were the one who almost knocked over the beaker of who-knows-what right into the Bunsen burner. That could've gone badly, you know."

Maxie groaned, feeling the heat rise in her face even more. "I was trying to help you, genius."

"Help? You almost turned our chemistry lab into a fire hazard."

Maxie rolled her eyes, feeling the last of the tension from her panic attack begin to ease. "I said I was trying to help," she muttered, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Hey, no judgment," Ethan said, his tone light. "But I'm pretty sure I saved both our grades that day."

Maxie let out a breath, her pulse slowing. The world no longer felt like it was closing in on her anymore. "I guess you did," she admitted, now able to laugh at herself. "But I think you just wanted to look like a hero."

Ethan grinned, leaning back against the bench. "Maybe. A little."

She took a shaky breath, then another. After a few more moments, her breathing had returned to normal, though her hands still trembled slightly. "Thanks," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I don't know what happened. I just...I freaked out."

Ethan offered her a soft smile, "It's alright."

Before she could respond, a small voice interrupted. "Maxie?"

Maxie turned to see Jack, jogging toward her with a bright grin on his face. "I was over by the snack bar. I didn't know where you were!" he said, holding up a pretzel in one hand.

Maxie exhaled a relieved breath, feeling the last of the panic melt away. "You scared me, Jack," she said, pulling him into a hug.

Jack grinned and pulled away, unbothered by the hug. "Sorry, I got distracted. You okay?" He noticed her hands shook ever-so-slightly.

Maxie nodded, glancing at Ethan, who gave a small, reassuring smile. "Yeah," she said, her voice steadier now.

She smiled back at Ethan before turning to Jack. "Let's head home, okay?" she said, taking Jack's hand in hers. "Oh, by the way, Ethan, this is Jack," she added with a quick gesture toward her little brother, "Jack, this is Ethan."

Ethan gave Jack a friendly grin. "Nice to meet you, man."

Jack eyed Ethan for a moment before shaking his hand. "So, are you, like, Maxie's boyfriend or something?" he asked bluntly, his gaze flicking between them.

Maxie's face turned beet red, and she immediately shot a glance at Ethan. "Jack!" she hissed, her embarrassment clear in her voice.

Ethan, on the other hand, just laughed,

Jack shrugged, unfazed. "What? It's just a question!"

Maxie groaned and buried her face in her hands. "You're the worst," she muttered, but she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips despite her embarrassment.

"See you later, Maxine." Ethan smirked playfully, watching as Maxie practically dragged here brother away from him.

Maxie shot him a mock glare. "Don't call me that," she warned, though the smile still lingered on her lips.

Ethan waved, laughing to himself as he walked off toward his remaining teammates.

Jack looked up at her with an amused expression. "You're really embarrassed, huh?" He asked, trying to stifle a grin.

Maxie shot him a playful glare. "You're the one who made it awkward."

Jack shrugged. "Just asking the questions everyone wants to know."

"Yeah, well," Maxie muttered, still flushed. "Next time, keep those questions to yourself."

INEZ SPEAKS
merry christmas!!!

this was supposed to be out yesterday but i had ppl over and couldn't finish the ending. originally, ethan was going to drive them home but i'll leave that for another chapter. (i have ideas).

anyways, hope you enjoyed.