Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Ethan's POV

" How long are you both continuing like this ?", Gavin asked me in a cold tone, standing at a little distance from me, his hands akimbo. I was sitting on my bed fiddling with my fingers in annoyance and frustration.

" I don't know.", I replied.

Grace who was sitting on the desk chair let out a long sigh and took off the floral scarf she was wearing. She, Gavin and Michael together had went to a nearby church, since today is Sunday.

Gavin didn't really tell me they were going to church and I was wondering where he went when he suddenly disappeared after breakfast. I thought he was in Grace's dorm.

Anyway they just came back ten minutes ago. Grace said it was Michael who proposed to her the idea of going to church yesterday night, as he hasn't gone to church after he came here. Also she said Michael told her not to tell me.

Michael directly went to his dorm after they reached back, while Grace came here along with Gavin as they both had to talk to me some important things, which is what is happening right now.

" You can't continue like this Ethan. You need to apologize Nate and start having lunch with us from tomorrow.", Grace said. I didn't reply anything. I don't think I can sit in front of Nate and face him.

Gavin then commenced. " You know Ethan, he is just an innocent boy. More aptly a nerd. Maybe you were going to steal his first kiss. Just forget he slapped you. And you too has physically hurt him, right ? So it's..."

" Wait ! Stop..", I cut Gavin with a frown. I didn't like the way he called Michael 'nerd' and said the rest of the things. " I don't have any problem in he slapping me. I know I totally deserved it. No need to talk about that. And I'm sorry about what I did. I'm ready to apologize. But I don't think he would be okay to talk to me or sit along with me. Did you talk to him ?", I asked.

" Yeah..he don't have any problem with you. He was just so angry that day. He didn't really mean anything he said. He didn't think you would behave like that all of a sudden and he was shocked. ", Grace said. I didn't believe her fully. I don't think Michael don't have any problem with me. We sure has a big problem going on between us.

" If he don't have any problem, then why he didn't come to pool yesterday ? And why he told you not to tell me about going to church ?", I asked.

Grace again let out a sigh. " Okay, there might be problem. But we can solve it. Just apologize and tell him, you won't behave like that again. It's clear now that he don't like you. He just saw you in the place of a brother. So Ethan just forget it and move on."

" I don't believe that.", Gavin said.

" Oh c'mon Gavin, Nate made it clear already. We can't force him into something he don't like. Let the boy breathe.", Grace said almost annoyed.

" But you know Grace, the way he.."

Grace cut Gavin off. " There's nothing like that. Look, Nate has already suffered a lot. It's just now he started getting a bit relaxed and happy. So please just give him some peace and let him study peacefully this one year."

" I don't think I'll be able to control my feelings and see him just like a friend. Maybe I'll just apologize to him and sit with you guys for lunch. But I don't think I can talk and behave to him normally.", I said.

" Just apologize and solve the problem now. Everything will eventually go back to normal. You can sure move on Ethan.", Grace said.

" I hope so.", I muttered.

" Hey..don't already start thinking about moving on. Just wait and give him some time.", Gavin said.

"I'm ready to wait. But I don't think there would be any use in.."

Before I could complete the sentence, a knock was heard on our room door. Grace instantly stood up from her chair, suddenly looking nervous. Cause this is Dorm B, boy's dorm.

" What if it's warden ?", She muttered looking at Gavin.

" Come, let's go to bathroom. Ethan, open the door.", Gavin whispered to me and grabbed Grace's hands, dragging her to the bathroom along with him.

Two knocks were heard again. Once Gavin and Grace stepped into the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind, I went to the room door and slowly opened it, only to reveal the face of the green eyed girl from yesterday. One another girl was along with her.

" Hi..", the green eyed girl said waving her hands, slightly.

" Hi..uhm..why are you guys here ?", I asked confused, looking at both of them. Does this girl really has a crush on me or anything ?

" Actually we came to ask a help.", the other girl along with Gabriel said.

" What help ?", I asked clueless.

" Ethan...actually we got a project in journalism. To interview a senior sports athlete. Can you please give me your interview ?", Gabriel asked.

" Interview ??", I frowned.

" Yeah..journalism project. We need to submit it on Monday. I already got mine. But she hasn't found a sports player yet.", the other girl said enthusiastically.

" I don't think there is any scarcity for sports guys here. You couldn't find anyone else ?", I asked

" Ahmm..I was lazy and put it aside and forgot it's submission date is on Monday. Now most of the sports players has went home for weekend. I only know you among the people who are here right now. Can you please give me an interview. I will need only ten or fifteen minutes. Please..", She said.

I chuckled. " You know me ? How you know me ? By pushing me into the pool ?"

" I'm sorry about that. It was a dare. Please forget that.", She said. " I really don't know any other sports guys here. I'm a new admission."

I looked at the other girl. " And you too didn't know any other sports guys  ?"

" Ahm..when she told me she hasn't done her project yet, I first thought of you. You are a great football player.", She said smiling. I see, she is stroking my ego.

But I think this Gabriel girl actually has a crush on me. I don't want to take unnecessary troubles on my shoulder, cause I have enough right now. So what to do now ?

" Uhm..I'm a bit busy. I think Louis from volleyball team is here. Yeah..I saw him yesterday. Can you approach him ? His dorm is 102 I guess. ", I said. The girls looked at each other. " Oh..! Wait ! Or you want my roommate Gavin's interview ? He is a really good basketball player. He is showering right now.."

" I better like to get an interview from a football player. And I actually prepared questions to ask a footballer. You are really busy ?? Can't spare just 10 minutes ?", Gabriel asked, her face dull.

I ran a hand through my hair. " Just ten minutes ?"

" Yeah..just 10 minutes ! ", Gabriel immediately said, her face bright. There's no way I can say 'No' now.

" Okay, let's go outside and quickly take the interview then.", I said. Gabriel and the other girl smiled brightly.

" Gavin, I'm going out for ten minutes.", I turned and yelled looking at the bathroom before stepping out of the room. I'm sure he and Grace already heard the conversation.

I walked along with the girls to the yard in front of our dorm building. We sat on the single table that was put under a tree. " Okay, let's start.", I said.

" oh..yeah..one minute please.", Gabriel said and made her back straight, then put a few of her curls behind her shoulder, then wetted her lips and placed her hands on the table.

Okay, what is she doing? I can't understand.

But soon I understood the thing. When they talked about interview, I actually thought they would just ask me some questions and take down my responses. But that was not what they meant. I realized it only when the other girl with Gabriel whose name apparently I came to know is 'Tessa' fished a small camera out of her pant’s pocket.

" Wait ! You are recording?? Why didn't you tell me that ?", I asked in surprise.

" What's wrong ? There's nothing to worry. You look really handsome.", Tessa said. I let out a frustrated sigh. I don't even know how I'm looking right now. I'm wearing an old grey t-shirt and I didn't even comb my hair today.

But anyway I'm not going to go change and give these girls interview in nice looks. It's just a silly project, right ? This is enough.

Soon Tessa started the recording and Gabriel started asking me questions. She only asked me thoughtful questions related to football and I tried to give answers in the best way possible. The interview ended in ten minutes like she said.

" Thank you so much Ethan.", Gabriel smiled happily once Tessa stopped the recording.

" It's okay. ", I said and stood up. " Okay then bye. Good luck with your project.",  I didn't wait for a response from her and quickly headed in direction of my dorm.

When I reached back, only Gavin was there in the room and he was doing push ups on the floor. " Grace left ?", I asked, going and sitting on a chair after dragging it in front of Gavin.

" Yeah...finished interview ?", he asked.

" Hmm..", I nodded. " How many push ups can you do in a row ?"

" 39- 40", he said proudly. " You how many ?", he asked.

" 48.", I smirked.

" What ? Really ? Show me.", he said stopping doing the push ups, his eyebrows slightly scrunched up in surprise. I immediately got on my hands and legs whilst chuckling, already starting to do push ups.

Gavin sat up and watched, counting. He started frowning deeply once I passed 40 and I couldn't help but chuckle. I increased the speed and quickly did nine more push ups, creating the new record of 49.

" Great ! ", Gavin said once I fell down as my hands and legs gave out in exhaustion. His tone revealed a bit of jealousy. He then lied back beside me. "Gabriel has a crush on you ?", he asked.

" I don't know.", I replied, panting a bit.

" She is extremely beautiful, right ?", he asked.

" Hmm..yeah. She is beautiful.", I agreed.

" Beautiful than Michael?", he asked.

" No..", I shook my head and looked at him, scrunching my eyebrows the slightest bit. What is he up to ?

" Wanna try and make Michael jealous with her ?", he asked.

I chuckled bitterly." C'mon..it won't work. He doesn't like me. He isn't gonna get jealous."

" I think he likes you. He is just confused and scared. Just try Ethan. ", he said. I let out a sigh in response.

" And if he still doesn't get jealous and confess to you, you date Gabriel for real. You think she is beautiful and all, right ?  Also she has a crush on you. Maybe you two work out and you can finally move on.  Maybe Ethan, you and Gabriel are the ones actually destined to be together. We can't predict what happens in future. "

" Ahh..Gavin, I can't understand you.", I groaned irritably. " And she never told, she has a crush on me."

" It's clear she has a crush on you.", he said. " Didn't you see her friends teasing her yesterday?"

" She is a nice girl I think. I don't want to hurt her feeling.", I said.

" Who is hurting her feelings ? I'm not telling you to date her or anything. And you don't have to go behind her. Just, if she comes to you to talk or anything, let her talk. I'm sure she will come with more these kind of excuses.", he said.

" I don't think she came to take my interview because she wanted to talk to me. She just asked only relevant football related questions.", I said.

" Then she is a smart girl. She know the tactics.", he said.

" If you liked her so much, then you date her.", I said.

" Ahmm..I would have..", he hummed.

" Are you and Grace serious ?", I asked.

He chuckled. " I don't really know."

" Have you talked to her about that ?", I asked.

" Not really. I don't know whether she see me as a friend or something more than that. She is hard to understand. "

" I think she likes you.", I said.

" Ahmm...I hope so. But we are just friends now. Anyway I'm thinking to give it some more time before I take it to next level. I don't think, right now I have very strong feelings for her like you have for Michael."

I couldn't help but chuckle. " But you are always behind her."

" Cause I like talking to her and spending time with her. She is jolly and funny.", he replied smiling. " Oh and Ethan, we are going out for lunch. "

" Oh ! Michael will be coming ?", I asked.

" Yeah..but we both will go first and Grace and he will come together to the restaurant. She isn't telling him we will be there. Or maybe he won't agree to come.", Gavin said.

I sighed. " Gavin, I don't want to force him to talk to me. "

" You need to talk and solve this Ethan.", he said in a stern voice and sat up. " We can't deal with you guys ignoring each other. It's making us also uncomfortable cause we now has to choose to stay with one among you at a time. And it's difficult. ", his tone revealed annoyance. I didn't say anything further.

Gavin then pulled his sweaty shirt off of his head in one swift motion. Then he jumped up and started performing some vigorous set of jumping jacks. I lied there on my stomach, thinking how I'm gonna face Michael and talk to him.