Chapter 6 Where Is She

Where Is She?

Lily woke up feeling groggy and tired. She had a restless night, tossing and turning, unable to get the events of the previous day out of her head. How can a boy she just met be affecting her so badly?

As she and her friends were changing into their PE clothes in the locker room, Lily couldn't help but wonder where Maddison was. Her absence was a relief to Lily, but at the same time, it made her confused. The last time she saw Maddison was when she left the cafeteria with Ethan, and now she wasn't in school the next day. Lily's curiosity about Ethan grew, and she couldn't ignore it.

Sarah was putting on her uniform and chatting excitedly with Andie about an upcoming party. Emily, on the other hand, was sitting quietly, lost in her thoughts.

As they made their way to the gym, they bumped into Mark and Ethan. Lily felt a sudden rush of nervousness as she saw Ethan, she wanted to ask him a million questions but she tried to act cool.

Mark's eyes locked onto her as he smiled at her. Lily felt her heart skip a beat. The feeling was overwhelming, and she couldn't control it.

"Hey, smoothie girl. How's it going?" Mark asked, his voice smooth and teasing and her heart raced faster. She tried to speak, but her throat went dry.

Emily, sensing her discomfort, stepped in. "We're good, thanks. How about you guys?"

"Were?" Mark asked, turning his attention back to Lily. "I remember only asking Lily." a smirk playing on his lips.

"Naa, I remember you asking smoothie girl," Sarah chimed in. "But unfortunately, I don't think anyone's name is smoothie girl."

"Wow," Mark exclaimed. "What's your name again?" he asked Sarah. "I think I like you too."

"I'm Sarah," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Sarah got it," Mark said. "Lily, you and your friends are pretty interesting," he told Lily, causing her heart to race even faster. "After I finish playing with you, your friends are next."

"Mark stop, enough with the jokes," Lily said, trying to ignore the way her heart was pounding.

"Wait, do you still think I'm joking?" he leaned closer to her. "You will soon see how serious I am," he whispered, sending chills down her spine. Sarah and Emily were puzzled, wondering when Mark got so close to Lily.

"Emily, Sarah, and ..." he trailed off, turning his attention to Andie. "Andie! ... I-"

"Okay, girls, you can get going." Ethan cut off Mark and the girls immediately left. Mark on the other hand began to hurl insults at Ethan. The boys walked behind the girls as their destination was the same.

As they continued walking towards the gym, Lily could feel Mark's gaze on her. It finally stopped when they separated into groups of the opposite gender during the gym class.

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Feeling uncertain about how to spend her free time after Gym class, Lily finally decided to go to the library. She never liked studying, and her grades always remained average no matter how much effort she put in. But now, in her senior year, with college on the horizon and her parents facing financial issues, she knew she had to study hard and aim for a scholarship.

As she entered the library, she searched for her usual spot at the far end, but to her surprise, she noticed someone else occupying it - Ethan. Her chest tightened at the thought of approaching him. She tried to dismiss the feeling, but it persisted. She didn't care about Madison, but the fact that she skipped school with Ethan and wasn't around today felt strange.

She stared at him for a while, contemplating whether to walk up to him or not. Finally, she turned around and walked in the opposite direction. After a few steps, she stopped, made a U-turn, and gathered her courage to walk toward him. What was she thinking? her questions would never be answered if she kept backing out. Curiosity wouldn't go away unless she took a chance.

As Lily walked closer, her heartbeat quickened, and her head began to ache. She reached the library seat where Ethan sat, but he didn't seem to notice the blonde beauty staring at him. Lily attempted to call out his name, but her voice failed her, it vanished into thin air.

"Ethan. Ethan,"

She thought she called out, but it remained only in her mind. Was she this shy?

Despite her hesitation, Lily pulled out a chair and sat down, trying to make as much noise as possible. Still, there was no reaction from Ethan. His head remained down, engrossed in the book he was reading, his view obstructed by the library desk's bars.

Confused, Lily sat there for a few seconds, pondering how to capture his attention. Finally, an idea struck her.

She deliberately threw her stack of books near Ethan's feet, causing him to look down at his verts, his hands immediately reached down to pick up the books and so did lily.

"Oh, sorry! I'm so clumsy," Lily said as she bent down to pick up the books.

Hearing a sweet but familiar voice, Ethan looked up and locked eyes with Lily. His supposedly expressionless face brightened.

"Lily" he exclaimed with a warm and charming smile that both surprised and melted her heart. "Sorry, I didn't-"

"No, it's okay. I didn't want to disturb you, but my books... they just had to fall."

"Don't worry about it, it's okay," he reassured her as he placed her books back on her desk.

Lily gazed at him, contemplating how to ask about Madison. Her mind raced with thoughts, 'How do I bring it up? How?'

"You did really well during the basketball game," she finally added, trying to ease into the conversation. "You just needed better teammates."

"Thanks, you too. I was a bit Shocked," Ethan said.

"Shocked?" Lily chuckled nervously. "Why?" she asked, eager to know his thoughts.

"You don't seem like the athletic type," he stated.

"I'm not, actually. But I guess I had people to impress," she said.

"Who?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, his lips tipping to a smirk.

'Of course, it was you!'

Lily laughed nervously, purposefully avoiding his question. She wondered how she could ask him about Madison.

He smiled at her and was about to turn his attention back to his book but a question interrupted him.

"Where is Madison?" Lily finally asked, swallowing nervously. Uncertain of where to look, she held her books, pretending to check for possible dents or tears.

"Madison?" he repeated, furrowing his brow.

"Yeah, Madison," Lily replied, adding under her breath, "or maybe Maddie."

"Why ask me?" he said, his gaze unnerving and intense. the look he gave made her feel even more nervous and embarrassed every time she looked at him.

"Uh... she... she was... she was with you, I mean..." Lily stammered, nervously touching her hair. Her words weren't coming out as she intended, and the piercing stare he gave her only heightened her unease.

Letting out a sigh, she finally managed to say, "The last time I saw her, she left with you... during lunch at the cafeteria."

"Hmm, but why do you care so much?" he asked, his smile fading.

"Huh... uh... I don't know, I'm just curious," Lily replied, her mind racing with different thoughts. Had he figured out her true intentions? Could she come up with another excuse? And most importantly, why was he avoiding the subject?

"To be honest, a teacher asked me to give her something," she lied, trying to steady her voice. "He assumed we were cousins or related, so he seemed to trust me."

Ethan leaned back in his chair, studying Lily. "And why didn't you tell him you're not so close with her?"

"He left before I could say anything," she said, her voice sharp. She swallowed hard, trying to quell her nerves. "So, do you know where... do you know where she is?"

"I don't know," Ethan said with a smile.

'What?'

Lily couldn't decipher the meaning behind that smile - was it genuine or mischievous?

"Oh, okay," Lily replied, her disappointment evident in her voice. She wanted to ask more questions, but she realized she shouldn't push further. Reading the room, she understood that Ethan knew where Madison was but didn't want to disclose it.

The whole situation was weird. Why was he keeping Madison's whereabouts a secret? Was it because he didn't want to tell her specifically? Did his reply imply that she should mind her own business? And most importantly, what was the meaning behind that smile?

"Um... I'll leave you to continue your reading," she hastily stood up, taking quick little steps away without bidding him goodbye.

She found a seat in a row in front of him, sitting diagonally. Lily kept staring at Ethan, who was now deeply engrossed in whatever he was reading. It was obvious that it wasn't school-related.

As she continued to stare, Ethan suddenly looked up, and their eyes met.

Lily's eyes widened.

How was he able to find her so quickly? When she had left, his head was down, so he couldn't have seen where she sat. How did he know?

Ethan smiled and nodded at her, leaving Lily stunned, before returning his attention to his business. Lily was too shocked to respond. She was left with unanswered questions and a growing curiosity about Madison's whereabouts.

Why was she so concerned? Ethan. Ethan was the sole reason. Mark had warned her about him, and even though he often made silly and annoying jokes, there was a seriousness in Mark's words. If Madison had disappeared with any other guy, even Mark, she wouldn't care. But the fact that it was Ethan, the guy she was curious about, the guy she is attracted to, fueled her jealousy and confusion.

'Where is she?'