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[indent]While the rest of her classmates were making their way to their respective homeroom classrooms after the warning bell rang, Antonella Mossos remained seated in a chair at the office, a towel wrapped around her slender, shivering figure. A growing puddle of water had formed around her, which had earned the young woman the disapproving look of [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/kimmyschmidt/images/6/6e/Tina_Fey.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140629025224]Mrs. Kingsley[/url], the secretary. This only made Ella feel worse, which only emphasize her look of a sad, scolded wet puppy. As she sat there, soaked uniform plastered to her tan skin, the brunette took a moment to ask herself a few existential questions. Why the heck had all these crazy things happened to her today, of all days? It was her first day of senior year, for crying out loud! All she’d wanted was to catch up with her teammates, show Kai around the school to make sure his transition to the States was as smooth as possible, and then saunter off to class and enjoy the rest of her day. Instead, she’d managed to make a complete fool of herself in front of two attractive boys -in front of [i]HER WADEY, OF ALL PEOPLE, OKAY?![/I]- by nearly crashing her car against a tree -a [i]stationary object[/i]- [i]and[/i] falling into the school pool… All in less than an hour. That definitely set a new record for her.

Sighing dramatically, Ella covered her face with her hands. She wished Dante would hurry up with her fresh change of clothes before she died of hypothermia.

And just when she thought things couldn’t possibly get any worse…

“[color=springgreen]Good morning, Ella! Your delivery has arrived![/color]”

That voice… 

Ella immediately looked up, body jumping up in surprise. She would recognize that voice anywhere. It was the one she so frequently daydreamed about, in fantasies in which the owner of said voice confessed his feelings for her and promised to love her forever and ever and called her pet names and complimented her and... 

[color=B3095B]“W-Wade?”[/color] Ella somehow managed to croak out after a long, pointed silence, looking at him with eyes wide with shock. Had Dante really been so clueless as to send [i]HER WADEY, OF ALL PEOPLE, OKAY?![/i] to bring her the clothes, knowing the deplorable conditions she was in? She probably had dark patches of run-down mascara all over her face, for God’s sake! Why did the world have to be so cruel to her today? [color=B3095B] “Wh-what are you d-doing h-here?”[/color]

Oh, she didn’t look too happy to see him. Wade frowned, slightly disappointed. Wait, no, Dante said what he needed was confidence. Scrounging up some courage, he cleared his throat, turning his frown upside down. “[color=springgreen]I got your clothes![/color]” He replied cheerfully, though the implications of that dawned on him immediately. “[color=springgreen]Not that i went to your house and stole them! I ran into D in the hallway, and--um, I figured I’d do him a favor![/color]” No way could he bring up their actual conversation.

Ella noticed the way he frowned in disappointment, and her heart shattered into a million pieces. The last thing she wanted to do was make the love of her life feel bad, so she tried to put on a brave face for him. But after she heard his explanation about how he got the clothes, the giggled and grateful smile on her face were genuine. 

[color=B3095B]“Oh my God, Wade, you have no idea how much you’ve saved my life by bringing me these. I was in urgent need of them, as you can obviously see...”[/color] she told him as she got up from her chair and grabbed her clothes, gesturing at her wet outfit with her free hand and letting out a small laugh.

“[color=springgreen]Oh yeah, Dante told me you fell in the pool![/color]” Wade replied, grinning at Ella. But after seeing the girl’s grimace, he quickly added, “[color=springgreen]It happens to the best of us, at least you didn’t drown or get hurt.[/color]|

An immediate rush of heat rose to her cheeks, coloring them pink. Her previously outgoing demeanor turned shy as she squealed on the inside at Wade’s adorable concern for her well-being. [color=B3095B]“I don’t think you hear of many people falling into the school’s pool, but I’ll take it,”[/color] she joked, shooting him a grim.

Wade nodded, though he quickly realized he had no idea what to say next. Confidence, confidence, he needed to say something, anything. And yet he stood there like an idiot, completely unsure of what direction to take the conversation. He needed to talk. Just talk!

“[color=springgreen]S-So, you’re pretty wet, huh? Why’s that?[/color]” He asked, freezing entirely when he realized he just asked why she was wet. She just fell in a pool! He just brought her clothes! What the hell was wrong with him?! “[color=springgreen]That’s not--not that kind of wet--[i]wait no[/i] what I mean to say is...um…[/color]” He was the one drowning in his words now, holy crap. “[color=springgreen]You don’t have to worry about getting wet cause I brought you clothes.[/color]”

Ella raised a questioning eyebrow at him, a playful smile on her lips. Had he really asked that question? And the way he was tripping over his words only made her heart turn into loved-up mush and for him to look all the more endearing in her eyes.

[color=B3095B]“Yes you did. And I love you for it,”[/color] the brunette said sweetly, looking up at his green eyes as if she’d found in him the answer to all her problems. However, as soon as she’d realized what she’d said and done, it was [i]her[/i] turn to become flustered and down in her words. [color=B3095B]“I mean, like, a friend…kind of thing...”[/color] she added lamely, looking away in the opposite direction as her cheeks flushed again with the embarrassment of her involuntary confession.

Letting out a rather audible sigh in relief, Wade chuckled. Crisis averted! This was why he knew he would be okay talking to Ella, he knew he had made the right choice talking to her. He was certainly glad to be friends with her, though maybe he should pay her a compliment since she really looked embarrassed in her wet clothes. Her cheeks were pink and everything.

“[color=springgreen]I’m actually really glad to have a friend like you,[/color]” He admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of his head while Ella seemed to just glow at his compliment. “[color=springgreen]Actually, I sort of did have an ulterior motive...think maybe we could talk after school?[/color]”

[color=B3095B]“Yeah, sure, of course!”[/color] she said cheerfully, with a smile so radiant it put the sun to shame. [color=B3095B]“The girls and I have practice from 3:30 till 5, but if you’re willing to wait for me a little we can totally-”[/color]

Ella suddenly trailed off, her smile fading as quick as it arrived when she remembered the [i]new[/i] after school activity she was scheduled for. She looked at Wade with a miserable, downcast expression. [color=B3095B]“Actually, maybe I can take a rain check? My little pool incident earned me detention right after school today, even if it wasn’t my fault. You know Coach Sutherland,”[/color] she told him, rolling her eyes and letting out a disappointed sigh. [color=B3095B]“I’m sorry, Wade, I really am. I’d much rather hang out with you than be stuck in a classroom  doing nothing for an hour.”[/color]

She got detention? Really? There was no hiding his surprise at learning this. Crossing his arms, he stared at her for a moment. Wade really wanted to ask why, but she seemed upset enough as it was. After a moment of silence, he got an idea, lightening up his expression. “[color=springgreen]Alrighty, then![/color]” He whirled around, walking over to Mrs. Kingsley’s desk. The woman hadn’t bothered to even look up at him until he decided to knock over all the folders on her desk to the ground. Without bothering to see the aftermath, he waved to Ella. “[color=springgreen]I’ll see you there![/color]” He called out before the secretary started yelling.

Before Antonella could process what had just happened, Wade had rushed off, and she was left with a very upset Mrs. Kingsley back at the office. Apologizing profusely for Wade’s actions (in typical Ella fashion) and after being rejected after offering her help to pick up the folders on the floor, the brunette left the office and went straight to the bathroom to change her clothes. While she took off the now-damp garments and replaced them with freshly laundered ones, her mind was racing. Not only had Wade been an absolute godsend by bringing her clothes, but he’d also [i]purposely earned himself detention to hang out with him after school[/i]. She knew she shouldn’t be thinking too much into it, but she didn’t know of many boys who would do such a thing just to spend time with a girl. It made Ella feel all kinds of special and happy, and blessed her with a glowing, excited happiness she knew wouldn’t go away for the rest of the day.

Huh. Maybe this day wouldn’t be so bad after all.[/indent]