Fortuitous || Jack Steele [1]

twenty six

Madelyn's POV.

Yesterday was a rather chaotic day.

At 11am on Monday we boarded a bus to Brisbane airport, then we caught a flight to Adelaide for our 7:40pm match at Adelaide Oval.

It was a very special evening. The boys had won for the first time ever at the venue. There was a lot of hope and excitement for when we return in a few days time. There was a lightness about the group compared to our Freo loss. There is an opportunity in the air and we're going to take it when we come back to face Port.

The joy after the win could only keep a lot of the boys awake for so long. On the flight back a lot of them fell asleep, including Lones who fell asleep on my shoulder and snored loudly with his mouth agape. I decided to let him despite wishing I had ear plugs to block him out.

Nothing really changed for the bus trip. Many players fell asleep for the whole duration but not me. It's as if my body didn't have an off switch and couldn't shut down. Sleep was fended off as I didn't find rest on the plane or the bus. I was too awake for some reason. I was too lively.

We arrived back at 4am and immediately the off switch was hit and I was gone. I was dead to the world as soon as my head hit the cotton pillow.

We were graced with a day off and to be fair it wasn't spent doing much at all. Time was wasted away with a late breakfast—well, technically lunch. The light hours were spent enjoying simple games which didn't involve much physical requirement.

Now dusk has fallen and the stars have awakened overhead. I've found myself mindlessly wandering around the resort until I locate JB doing whatever JB does.

"Hey JB!" I call cheerfully when I see him ahead. My footfall slows from the quick jog when I reach him. I stop completely in front of the taller guy.

"Cline!" He greets back, holding his hand up for a high-five. I raise an eyebrow at the name but follow through with the 'five'.

"Did you just—"

"—use Madelyn Cline's last name? Yep," JB finishes, grinning. It isn't terrible.

"Let me guess, that's going to be what you'll call me from now on?" I inquire.

"I kinda have to now, don't I?" He comments back, his shoulder rising and then dropping in a casual shrug.

"At least it's not Maddy," I grumble out, the displeasure of that nickname still clear as day.

"I can call you Maddy if you'd lik—"

"No." My words are stone cold when I cut him off. JB holds his hands up in surrender, knowing not to push further. Good.

"Cline it is." I nod with approval.

At some point in the conversation we both started walking and have now stumbled upon the resort's outdoor theatre.

There's multiple outdoor beanbags situated on the trimmed grass in front of a white sheet. A storage block looking thing is located on its own at the back behind everything. The projector is secured within a protective box, locked away from the outside world, a key the only way in. An idea surfaces.

"You watched Outer Banks before?" I ask JB, smirking knowingly.

"Of course! How do you reckon I know about Madelyn Cline?" He responds. I pull a face as if to say 'fair point'.

"How do you feel about watching it on this very screen?" I throw my hand out in the direction of the white sheet, my other hand on my hip.

"I say let's do it." JB clicks his finger and points at me.