Chapter 51: Chapter 51

I sit on the bleachers beside Ethan, watching the volleyball game. It's ten minutes since the match started and Ethan is cheering loudly for our team. The rival team is actually strong and they are playing zealously. The scores are going back and forth ever too often. But currently our boys are leading for one point.

I agree It's actually kind of thrilling to watch the boys bat the ball back and forth over the net. But I wonder, doesn't it hurt their hands when they hit the ball with so much strength ? I can never play this game.

Anyway it's fun to watch. Our team is wearing red sleeveless Jersey tops and the opponents are in blue similar ones.  So it's colourful to eyes. And most of the guys has impressive biceps and nice veiny arms. Their sleeveless jerseys expose it freely to the viewers. I guess all these dorm girls are actually here to watch that. They are all giggling and cheering looking at the boys. Even some are cheering for their favourite players from the opponent team.

The stadium isn't too much crowded. Most of the viewers are hostellers and the friends of the volleyball players. Not many day scholars has stayed back until 6 to watch the game. This isn't any important match. It's just a friendly match between our school and  Maple Ridge high.

Suddenly the referee blows a whistle and instantly the game stops. " What happened?", I ask Ethan.

" Break. It was played to 25 points. Our team won this set.", he replies. I look at the score board and see 23| 25.

"So how is it ? Are you having fun watching ?", Ethan asks me.

" Hmm...kinda.", I nod looking at the players who are now huddled with their coach on the sides. Ethan then grabs my hands. All this while he was clapping that he couldn't hold my hands. I mean he always uses the chance of holding my hands. I think he has some kink of holding hands.

" Football game would be more fun to watch.", he says. I doesn't reply anything. " We have a match on next Wednesday. Will you come and cheer for me ?", he asks.

" Ahmm..I will come. B..But I don't think I- I can cheer.", I say.

Ethan squeezes my hands. " Just come.", he says. My heart skips a bit. It's kind of comforting when he holds my hands and when he squeezes it, I feel a strange comfort. I feel like I've someone, although Ethan is no one to me.

" Uhm..okay.", I nod.

" Hey Nate ! ", Someone suddenly squeals and I frantically pull my hands away from Ethan's.

It's none else than Andrea, my chemistry lab partner.

" H..Hey Andrea..", I respond a bit surprised. Cause she is a day scholar. I didn't expect to see her here.

" Hi ! ", she smiles and sit down beside me. There was plenty of space near us. I catch Ethan poking his tongue on his cheeks through my side eyes. He hasn't liked Andrea coming here.

" So you s..stayed back after school to watch the m..match ?", I ask Andrea.

" No, I went home and came back again. My friend is playing. Noah.", she says and points at a guy who was sipping on a water bottle.

" Oh..I see.", I nod. Ethan then suddenly throws his hands around my shoulders and I almost jump.

" I guess you guys are best friends. You are always together.", Andrea comments. " But Nate, you are new here, right ?, she asks scrunching her eyebrows, slightly.

" We were together in middle school.", Ethan replies, pulling me closer to him.

When ? I didn't know.

I tilt my face and frown at Ethan. He again does that tongue thing whilst looking at me.

" Oh ! So middle school buddies. No wonder you guys are so close.", Andrea says.

" Hmm..yeah..", I nod to her awkwardly. I'm also rather nervous. I can't imagine people knowing Ethan likes me. How will everyone react to that ? I'll get labelled gay along with him.

And Ethan is being so obvious right now. I quickly squirm and yank away his hands from my shoulders.

" So guys, where is your home ?", Andrea then asks. Before I could reply her, Ethan taps on my shoulder. " Look there ! Gavin and Grace ! ", he squeals. I avert my gaze in the direction he points and spot Gavin and Grace sitting together, talking whilst having some snacks. Gavin is sipping on a juice box whilst smiling widely at Grace.

"Eating and drinking without giving us, huh ? C'mon..let's go there.", Ethan says and grabs my hands, pulling me up. Before I could say anything, he is almost dragging me towards Gavin and Grace. I tilt my head back and see Andrea looking at us with a slightly open mouth and scrunched up eyebrows.

" Ethan ! S..stop ! ", I say sternly. " What might she have t..thought ?", I ask.

" What might she have thought ? We are going to our friends to get our share of snacks.", he replies and continues to drag me.

" Just that I g..gave you some time doesn't mean you can b..behave  like this towards me in p..public.", I say.

" Hey guys ! ", Ethan shouts waving at Gavin and Grace, ignoring me. Grace looks up in surprise. Gavin also looks at us with an open mouth. His face says he isn't so happy seeing us walking to them. Anyway soon we reach near them.

" Woah ! Why are you guys here ? Nate said he is going to your dorm to do arts assignment.", Grace asks.

" Yeah..but we thought to watch match and then do assignment. Between you guys didn't say you were coming to match.", Ethan says grabbing the chips packet from Gavin and slumping down beside him.

Gavin sighs. " We didn't plan it earlier."

" C'mon..sit.", Ethan says to me whilst biting on a chips. There was no space beside Grace so naturally I have to sit beside him. He has a small smirk on his face as he chews the chips. I leave an inaudible sigh and slumps myself down. Right then the referee blows the whistle and the players all walks back to their positions. I'm excited to see the rest of the match.

Ethan then taps on my shoulder and stretches the chips packet to me. I shakes my head 'no'. The game had already started and I was watching anxiously.

" C'mon take it ! ", Ethan says sternly.

I quickly tilt my head and frown at him. " I'm n..not hungry. You eat if you want."

" No need to be hungry to eat some chips. And why aren't you hungry ?", he asks.

" I ate C..cookies earlier.", I say averting my eyes to the court.

" Cookies ??", he chuckles. " You aren't hungry cause you ate cookies ?", I nod feeling annoyed.

Gavin then snatches the packet from Ethan. " No need to force those who don't want."

Ethan sighs and leans forward. I quickly tilt my head, nervously not knowing what he is about to do. But he just turns his head to Grace. " Grace, does he eat breakfast and dinner properly ? ", he asks. Why the hell he has to act so caring ?

" uhmm..", Grace nods unsurely. " But we haven't went to the dorm mess yet to have dinner. ", She says. That's true. We haven't went to the dorm mess yet. The mess bell always rings at 8. But we both just ignore it. Don't know whether Ethan and Gavin goes. Anyway we won't see them even if we go to mess. Cause each dorm has different mess hall. And we are Dorm D and they are Dorm B.

" I see. And you guys don't have anything heavy from canteen either. So you guys are literally starving yourself.", Ethan chides.

" I usually don't have dinner.", Grace shrugs and averts her attention to the game.

" Why ? Are you on diet ?", Gavin asks.

" Diet ?? Not actually.", Grace shakes her head.

" You take diet or anything. But don't starve him. He is already skin and Bones.", Ethan says.

Oh he thinks like that ? Then why he liked me ?

" Tomorrow onwards go and have dinner, okay ?", he says sternly, looking between me and Grace.

Grace leaves a sigh. " Oh C'mon..I don't think mess food would be great. And do you guys go to mess actually?"

" Sometimes. But most often we eat from canteen or outside. But mess food isn't that bad.", Gavin replies.

Grace chuckles and looks back at the court. Ethan opens his mouth to say something but Grace cuts his off. " shh.., just let me watch the game now. All of you quiet ! "

We don't talk much after that. Ethan snatches the chips packet from Gavin after sometime and forcefully opens my hands, giving me a handful of chips to eat.

" Ethan, d..don't think you can make me f..fall for you by doing all this.", I mouth at him before taking a chips and biting on it. He chuckles and gives the empty packet to Gavin who glares at him.

After that the game becomes really tough and Ethan goes back to cheering loudly. Gavin and Grace too are cheering for our players but I just sit and watch the match silently. I'm not interested in cheering and yelling. Anyway I can't do that even if I want to.

But, sadly when the seconds set ends, the scores are 22-25 in favour of the opponent team. However the spectators aren't disappointed as our team regains the game in the third set and we wins the match. Our players all run around the court and hug each other. As expected the stadium fills with clap and cheers from the stands. It was indeed an edge of the seat match.

The whole atmosphere is so joyful and I feel strangely happy. I would be lying if I say I didn't enjoy watching the match. I really enjoyed it.

" Come, let's go and draw your gorgeous eyes now.", Ethan says grabbing my hands again and smiling at me. Heck ! He is an extreme flirt.

" Oh..then we are going to our dorm. We also have to do some works together.", Grace says.

" What works ?", I ask her, frowning. I don't believe her. I think she is purposefully doing this to leave me alone with Ethan.

" We both are partners in computer science. We got an assignment to make a video. A trailer for a cartoon.", Gavin replies. Really ? I didn't know both of their elective subject is computer science.

Anyway before I could say anything, Ethan is dragging me out of the court along with him. But this time my heart doesn't beat so fast like earlier. I feel a strange comfort. I feel safe and protected. I trust Ethan.