"Hey," greeted Andrew as he closed the bathroom door behind him. "Were you looking for me?" he asked bluntly.
Madison straightened up, no longer leaning against the wall. She arched a brow, her expression neutral. "Looking for you? No, why would you think that?"
'So she's not going to admit it,' Andrew thought, amused. It made sense, Madison had already shown quite a bit of interest throughout the night, and he'd been playing dumb about it. She had her pride.
"Sorry, must've been my mistake," Andrew said, brushing it off with a casual wave of his hand. "Bathroom's all yours."
He started walking toward the stairs, but as he walked past her, Madison reached out and grabbed him by the shirt.
"Wait."
Andrew stopped and glanced sideways at her. "Mm? What is it?"
It took Madison a few seconds to respond, as if the words were hard to say. "Actually... yeah, I was looking for you."
Andrew raised both eyebrows. He didn't smile, he knew he was treading on thin ice, and Madison had already been the one taking the initiative more than once. He wasn't about to rub it in.
"Oh, I see," he replied evenly. "What did you need?"
"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to talk, I guess," Madison said after a pause, shrugging slightly.
Andrew was about to answer when she cut him off with the question that really mattered.
"Do you seriously not pick up on my hints?"
Ever since Andrew arrived, Madison had greeted him at the door. She'd spent the first hour glued to the football group, but her attention had been fixed on him: laughing at his jokes, seeking conversation, inching closer. And Andrew did respond, sure, but the way you'd talk to another teammate, not a girl clearly trying to get close to you.
Besides, Madison was the one who'd invited him to this party, and others before it. She'd been the one approaching him in the cafeteria all week, after practice, offering him water, making it obvious she was interested. And Andrew had even thrown a few playful comments back her way.
But tonight, he seemed different. Not distant, but cordial, nothing more. For someone like Madison, the cheer captain, that was a blow to the ego.
That's why, after an hour of failed attempts, she'd stepped back, until Katie texted her that Andrew was alone in the upstairs bathroom. It was now or never. She wanted an answer: did Andrew really not catch her signals, or was he just not interested?
"Fortunately, I did pick up on them," Andrew replied.
Madison looked down, her hand still gripping his shirt.
"Then why didn't you do anything? Am I not your type?" she asked directly, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty that clashed with her usual confidence. With any other guy, she'd be in control, but Andrew was different.
Andrew was taken aback by her honesty.
"It's not that," he said after a beat. "As you probably know, same as everyone at school, I just got out of a relationship less than a month ago."
He couldn't deny that he found Madison attractive: she was pretty, confident, had a strong personality, the kind of girl who made the first move when she liked someone. Plus, she understood football because of her role as cheer captain. They had common ground.
But he was still processing what happened with Pippa.
Madison nodded, still holding onto his shirt but calmer now, relieved that she wasn't invisible to him.
Andrew went on, "That's why I don't want to start anything new. I want to stay focused on football. Between practices, all the pressure and, well, I'm still moving on from what happened."
The 'pressure' part wasn't entirely true, it didn't really weigh on him, but his schedule was demanding, and starting a relationship, with all the expectations and emotional energy it required, wasn't something he wanted right now.
There was a short silence. Then Madison looked up, expression steady but understanding.
"I get it," she said. "But you don't have to take everything that seriously, you know?"
Madison took a step closer, meeting his eyes with that mix of playfulness and determination that defined her.
"I'm just saying… if there's interest, we could get to know each other better, see where it goes. No strings attached."
Andrew looked at her, fully aware of how close she'd gotten. His gaze lingered, taking in the details, the fitted gray top that hugged her curves, the plaid skirt sitting low on her hips with a bold belt, and the simple necklace that glimmered under the hallway light.
She smelled like something sweet and fresh. 'How the hell did she even have time to shower and get ready like this?' he thought.
He, on the other hand, had barely managed a ten-minute shower in the stadium locker room before throwing on something comfortable.
"If you really mean it, no strings, nothing serious right now, then yeah. I'm interested," Andrew said finally, locking eyes with her.
Madison smiled immediately, satisfied, as if she'd been waiting for that answer all night.
"Perfect. I completely understand."
Andrew barely had time to return the smile before she closed the distance and kissed him with sudden intensity.
He was taken aback by her boldness, but he didn't pull away, quite the opposite. He leaned in slightly so she wouldn't have to stay on tiptoe and placed his hands on her narrow waist. For several minutes, they stayed like that, losing themselves in the kiss.
Eventually, Madison pulled back just enough, her hands still cupping Andrew's cheeks. She smiled, her lips brushing his as she whispered softly, "I've been wondering for a while what your lips tasted like…"
Andrew let out a quiet, amused laugh. "Didn't know I was that desirable."
"You're much more desirable than you think," Madison teased, her tone light and confident. "You're just too obsessed with football to notice."
Andrew was about to kiss her again, he much preferred that to wandering around the house alone while Howard and Leonard were busy with their girls, Nick and Victor were off doing their own thing, Sedric was hanging out with classmates, and Thomas was with his girlfriend.
But Madison stopped him with a firm hand.
"Wait," she said. "Let's go somewhere more private."
Andrew raised an eyebrow, glancing down the empty hallway. "Aren't we already alone up here?"
"Yeah, but we're literally by the bathroom door. Katie or anyone who uses this bathroom could walk in at any moment," Madison explained calmly.
Then, with natural ease, she took his hand and led him down the second-floor hallway. She moved with such confidence it was clear she knew the house almost as well as the owner. Finally, they reached one of the rooms.
Madison opened the door without hesitation, almost like it was hers, and gently pulled Andrew inside.
Once they stepped in, the thumping of the music downstairs became a muffled hum, the room felt like a small refuge.
Andrew glanced around, curious. It was a big room, almost twice the size of his. He couldn't help but feel a little envious; he could've fit so many more comics, figures, even a proper setup in here.
There was a double bed, too. He only had a single. How comfortable would that be to sleep on? Right now, even? The thought tempted him, he was already feeling drowsy.
"This room...?" Andrew asked, uncertain. The double bed made him wonder if it was Katie's or her parents'.
"Relax," Madison said with a small smile, taking his hand again and guiding him toward the bed. "It's Katie's, not her parents."
Andrew let her guide him. Madison made him sit on the edge of the bed, then climbed onto his lap, now looking down at him from a slightly higher angle.
She placed her hands on his face and smiled. "Let's pick up where we left off," she said before diving back into their kissing session.
Andrew didn't complain, this position was a lot more comfortable. The kisses started out intense, then gradually softened into something slower and deeper.
Neither of them pushed things further. Andrew hadn't even thought about bringing condoms to a night like this, unlike Howard, who was always bragging about being prepared. Besides, doing it in someone else's bed didn't feel right to him.
Madison felt the same. Even though she wanted him and liked him more with every minute, she didn't want to rush it. And what surprised her, and made her like him even more, was that Andrew didn't need her to spell it out. He wasn't like most guys, desperate to go straight to sex no matter the time or place. That calmness, that self-control, that ability to just enjoy the moment without expecting anything, that's what made him so attractive for her.
'How can he be this perfect?' Madison thought, discreetly wiping a bit of saliva from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.
She slid to the side, sitting next to him but staying close. Andrew, meanwhile, let himself fall back onto the bed with a long sigh, staring up at the ceiling.
"I'm exhausted…" he muttered, stretching his arms out.
The mattress was so comfortable that for a second, he seriously considered just sleeping there. Katie wouldn't get mad at the MVP of the night, right?
Madison chuckled softly, rolling over until she was just a few inches away from him, then nestled against his chest.
"Yeah, me too," she murmured, feeling the warmth of Andrew's body wrap around her.
They had both been up since early morning, each with a physically demanding day, Andrew with the game, Madison with the endless cheer routines she'd led throughout it.
"What time is it?" Andrew asked, his voice a little muffled.
Madison sighed and reached into her chest, pulling out her phone.
Andrew glanced at her sideways, raising an eyebrow. "You seriously keep your phone in there?"
"Of course," Madison replied matter-of-factly, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. "My skirt doesn't have pockets, and if I can make use of my big chest, why not?"
Andrew didn't respond, hard to argue with that logic.
"It's two-thirty in the morning," Madison said after checking the screen, then tucked the phone back into place.
'I can't fall asleep here,' Andrew thought, forcing himself to stay awake.
Madison sat up slightly in bed, looking at Andrew. 'He deserves a reward, right?' she thought with a smile, her gaze slowly moving down from his face.
Without warning, Madison placed her hand on Andrew's crotch. He opened his eyes slightly and looked at her, slightly surprised by the sudden movement.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"It's tough. I think I can fix that," Madison replied as she pulled down his pants, leaving him covered only by his boxer shorts.
Madison settled herself more comfortably and placed both hands there, looking at Andrew. "Can't I?" she asked in a feigned innocent voice, tilting her head slightly, as if she wanted him to say yes.
Andrew stayed in bed and stared at her silently. They couldn't have sex because he didn't have condoms, and it would be weird to do it in the bed of a stranger.
But a blowjob... that's another story. They don't need condoms, and considering that the kissing and touching clearly turned him on, it wouldn't hurt.
"Go ahead," Andrew finally said.
After a few minutes, Madison finished her work. However, Andrew had no intention of being the only one to leave satisfied. Although he didn't use his mouth, he used his fingers.
"You... you're good..." said Madison, without getting out of bed.
"Thanks, I'll be right back," Andrew replied as he left the room. He needed to clean his hand. He was back in less than five minutes.
He lay down next to Madison, who snuggled up against him again, and they both fell silent. After that mutual satisfaction, sleep was heavier than ever.
To keep himself from dozing off, Andrew started talking to her: about the game, about how she'd experienced it from the cheerleaders' side, the nerves before kickoff, the shouting in the stands.
Little by little, between stories and laughter, time slipped by until the clock hit three and few minutes. There wasn't much left to say. The silence that settled between them was thick with exhaustion, almost an invitation to sleep.
Madison yawned and turned toward him. "Will you take me home? It's not far."
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, sure. Don't you have a car?"
"Nope. And my friend, the one who usually drives me, is probably still flirting with some guy or dancing on the floor. The night's still young for her," Madison said with a playful sigh. "I don't know how she doesn't feel tired. Must be the alcohol."
Andrew sat up suddenly, shaking off the drowsiness. "Alright, let's go. I can't fall asleep in someone else's room."
Madison stood up too, and they walked together toward the door. To keep the conversation going, Andrew asked, "So why don't you do what they do? Or ask some guy for a ride. I'm sure there'd be a long line of volunteers more than happy to take you home."
By then, Andrew had already drawn a few conclusions: Madison hadn't had a drop of alcohol all night, she was completely sober, and just as tired as he was. If this was her usual routine at parties, did she always depend on that same friend to get home, even if it was five in the morning?
Madison smiled, tilting her head slightly as she looked at him. "I don't like alcohol. And as for asking a guy for a ride, yeah, I know I could. But I don't want to. I'm picky. And since I've been interested in you, my eyes are only on you."
Andrew fell silent for a moment. He didn't answer, just nodded slightly as he opened the door and stepped out of the room.
He knew there was something dangerous about the situation. They'd agreed on no strings attached, and yet Madison seemed very sure about who she wanted.
That kind of steady focus wasn't bad in itself, it showed she wasn't the type to mess around with just anyone, that she chose carefully where to place her attention, but it could also be the first step toward something deeper, exactly what Andrew had said he wasn't looking for.
They went down the stairs, and the noise of the party enveloped them again: thundering music, dim lights, a sea of people dancing and laughing.
They didn't stop; they moved straight toward the exit, not giving anyone a chance to approach them. A few heads turned as they passed, but they were walking fast enough that no one had time to say anything.
Within seconds, they were breathing the cool night air.
The Camaro wasn't far. Andrew was already thinking that after dropping Madison off, he'd have to come back for Howard and Leonard, though if Howard had gotten lucky with Alison, maybe he'd only need to find Leonard.
When they reached the Camaro, Madison paused before opening the passenger door. "So this is the famous Camaro… finally, I get to ride in it," she said with a smile, running her hand over the shiny paint as if inspecting it.
"It's nice to see Bumblebee getting the recognition he deserves," Andrew joked.
Madison gave him a puzzled look. "Bumblebee?"
"Yeah, that's the car's name. You've never seen Transformers?" Andrew asked, incredulous. It was such a massive blockbuster that even non-fans knew it.
Madison shook her head. "It sounded familiar, now I remember, the yellow car that transforms, but I didn't know it had such a weird name."
'Shame,' Andrew thought as he got in and started the engine.
It took them barely five minutes to get to her place. Madison's house was surrounded by a wall and had a large gate, similar to Katie's, but a bit bigger and more elegant.
"Thanks for the ride," Madison said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
Andrew was about to reply when she muttered, "Shit… I left my purse in Katie's room. My keys are in there."
She searched everywhere, but it was clear she hadn't brought it. Andrew sighed, remembering he'd seen the purse on the vanity table back in the room.
"Seriously? That was the one thing you had to remember."
"Hey, I'm tired! And it's your fault for being so good with your fingers!" Madison shot back, crossing her arms.
'My fault? What does that have to do with anything?' Andrew thought, but he decided not to go down that road.
"Yeah, whatever. You're sure you don't have it hidden somewhere, you know," Andrew asked, half joking, half serious.
Madison let out a short laugh. "Of course not. Do you have any idea how uncomfortable it'd be to keep a metal key there?"
"A phone's way bigger, and that doesn't exactly look comfortable either," he countered.
"It's different," Madison said, waving her hand dismissively.
Andrew exhaled, realizing how off-topic they'd gotten. "Alright, so, your parents aren't home? They can't let you in?"
"No, they went to a dinner with friends. They'll be back late."
Andrew rubbed his forehead. "Then we'll have to go back. No other choice."
But Madison shook her head firmly, her eyes lighting up as she remembered something. "No, wait! I left my window open. I can get in through there. We just have to climb a bit, the wall first, then the roof, and open the window. Easy."
Andrew looked at her like she was insane. "Seriously? You'd rather climb walls at three in the morning than just go back for your bag?"
"Yes! I want to sleep, not go back to that loud party. And besides, what if Katie's in the room with some guy now? That would be awkward," Madison replied.
Andrew put his hands on the steering wheel. "Well, good luck with that."
"Hey, no," Madison stopped him, turning toward him. "You can't just let me climb by myself in the middle of the night. What if I fall?"
Andrew gave her a look, trying to choose his words carefully. "Have some faith in yourself, you're the cheer captain. You're agile, strong, and completely sober. I've seen you pull off stunts way harder than climbing a simple wall. You won't fall, trust me."
"That's not the point! Would you really let a girl climb a wall alone at this hour? Come on, Andrew…" she said, shaking his arm in a mix of reproach and pleading.
Andrew closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "Alright, fine. I'll help you."
He turned off the engine, and they both got out of the car, walking toward the tall wall surrounding the house.
"You don't have some vicious dog or alarms waiting on the other side, right?" Andrew asked.
"Relax, there's nothing," Madison assured him.
Andrew laced his hands together, and she placed one foot in them to push herself up. With a steady lift, he helped her reach the top of the wall with ease. Madison managed to balance at the top without trouble.
"Your turn," she said from above, looking down at him with a smile. "My room's on the second floor, so I'm gonna need you up there too."
Andrew sighed in resignation, took a few steps back, then ran forward, jumping and scaling the wall in one smooth, athletic motion before landing gracefully on the other side.
Madison, still perched on top, looked down at him with a mischievous smile. "Catch me."
Andrew extended his arms and caught her easily, lowering her to the ground without effort. "You know that wasn't necessary. You could've made that jump on your own."
"I know," Madison admitted with a laugh. "But I like it when you touch me."
Andrew shook his head, amused, and together they made their way around the house until they reached the side façade. There, on the second floor, Madison's bedroom window glimmered faintly, slightly open.
They climbed up with some effort, Andrew steadying her at the trickier spots, until Madison finally reached the frame and pushed the window open. With a soft creak, it swung wide.
Before climbing in, she turned toward him, half her body still outside. "Wanna come in too?"
Andrew gave her a look. "Seriously? Your parents aren't home, the house is empty, and you're inviting a guy in with you?"
"It's not a big deal. I trust you," Madison replied casually. "We can just talk a little more if you want."
Andrew stayed silent for a few seconds but eventually gave in. Inside waited a bed that looked far too tempting.
'Before heading back to the party, I could take a breather. If Howard or Leonard text me, I'll go back,' he thought.
As soon as he stepped into the room, he moved through the moonlit space and dropped onto the bed, which welcomed him like a soft embrace.
"You really are exhausted," Madison said, laughing as she shut the window and turned on the bedside lamp.
"Yeah…" Andrew admitted, eyes closed. "And you shouldn't let guys into your room like it's nothing, especially when you're home alone."
They might've known each other from school, and gotten closer since he broke up with Pippa less than two weeks ago, but tonight had definitely been the most intimate moment they'd shared.
Still, it wasn't exactly wise to trust a guy that quickly, especially one whose hormones were running high after a night like this.
Madison laughed as she walked toward her wardrobe. "I trust you, Andrew. Since the first time I met you, I knew you were different from other guys. And so far, I haven't been wrong."
She pulled out a pair of pajama pants and a light T-shirt. "Don't look, I'm changing," she warned in a teasing tone.
Andrew didn't even flinch. Not a glance. For a moment, temptation lingered, but he stuck to his principles and kept still.
When Madison reappeared, already changed, she lay down beside him.
They talked for a while longer, but soon exhaustion took over, and their words faded into silence.
After a long pause, Andrew felt the urge to sit up, he couldn't stay there. He pressed his hands to the mattress, ready to stand, but Madison suddenly leaned over and threw herself gently against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Stay until I fall asleep, please," she murmured softly. "I don't want to sleep alone in an empty house. It scares me."
Andrew blinked. 'First she asks me to help her climb walls, now this… she always gets what she wants.'
The warmth of Madison's body, the softness of the bed, and the dim light from the bedside lamp made him hesitate.
'What does it matter?'
"Fine," Andrew finally whispered, settling in more comfortably.
Madison smiled, satisfied, closing her eyes as she nestled her head against his chest. While she drifted off to sleep, Andrew pulled out his phone to distract himself. The moment the screen lit up, a burst of light hit his eyes.
'Shit…' he thought, quickly lowering the brightness.
He opened Twitter. The comments about the game against Servite flooded his feed. His name was trending, even more than his own team's. To read it online, you'd think he alone had defeated Servite, not Mater Dei.
Many were talking about the ratings, sky-high once again, speculating whether it might even surpass the already legendary game against Bosco. But what dominated the discussion were his stats: 35 touchdowns in 7 games.
Most couldn't believe it, especially because of how he did it: deep passes, lightning-fast drives, and flawless execution. Zero interceptions in league play, zero, another record. No short-pass schemes. Every offensive drive looked like a highlight reel, and that's what drove people wild. Plenty were already saying that Gatorade and the other award sponsors should start engraving his name on their trophies.
After scrolling for a bit, he switched to YouTube. The last time he'd checked, his channel sat around 3,060,000 subscribers. He hadn't yet uploaded the full documentary-style video from the Servite game, the pregame, highlights, and postgame, the kind that always caused huge subscriber spikes. But with all the buzz on Twitter, he wanted to see for himself.
When the number loaded, his eyes narrowed in satisfaction: 3,095,000 subscribers.
A jump of over 30,000 in just a few hours, all word of mouth and organic searches since the game ended.
'NigaHiga… I'm coming for you,' Andrew thought with a confident smile.
With all the footage he and Howard had shot, the story behind the game, and the final result, the Servite video had everything it needed to become one of the most popular uploads on his channel.
If he'd already gained 30,000 without posting anything, how much would he gain afterward? 60,000? 80,000? Maybe more?
Surpassing NigaHiga's roughly 3,150,000 wasn't looking like a distant dream anymore. The number one spot was closer than ever.
After finishing with Twitter and YouTube, Andrew put social media aside and went straight to his messages. He opened his chat with Rachel, they'd talked a few times before on Facebook, but both agreed it was awkward to keep using it, so they'd exchanged phone numbers.
There were several new messages. One of them was a video.
Andrew guessed immediately that it must be the clip of Monica's reaction. Curious, he played it at low volume so as not to wake Madison.
The video began in a living room, what he assumed was the Gellers' house. Jack was sitting on one of the couches, confirming it, and Ross was in the frame too.
But what truly caught him off guard was seeing, for the first time, Chandler Bing. His eyes widened slightly.
He'd known that since Monica, Ross, and Rachel existed, the rest of the Friends had to as well. And with Ross already in college, it made sense that he'd met Chandler by now.
Now only Phoebe and Joey were left to appear.
Chandler looked younger, with a more modern look than the few flashback photos Andrew had seen from the show in previous life, where he had those awkward '80s hairstyles.
Another thing that caught Andrew's attention was Rachel. She was wearing a shirt with his number on it, just like Monica, but something about her drew him in more than he expected. 'She looks good,' he thought, before shaking his head to refocus on the video.
Finally came the moment he'd been waiting for: Monica's reaction. She froze for a split second in front of the TV, eyes wide, then jumped up with a high-pitched scream, covering her face with her hands, unable to contain her excitement as she shouted, "Oh my God! He said my name!"
Andrew couldn't help but smile as he watched.
It was funny, yes, but there was also something warm about seeing how genuinely happy Monica looked over a simple shout-out from him.
After finishing the video, Andrew typed a reply to Rachel.
[Andrew: That video is gold. Thanks for recording it and sending it to me. I think Monica nearly broke the TV screen with that jump. Thanks for the messages and for watching the game, really.]
He added a few more lines, replying to earlier messages, then opened the group chat he shared with Leonard and Howard, telling them to let him know when they were ready to head home, but there was no immediate response.
They were probably still caught up in their respective missions for the night. Maybe Howard had actually gotten lucky and was finally experiencing his long-awaited first time.
Andrew sighed and, to kill time, started scrolling through memes on Facebook. The phone's glow softly lit his face, while the only sound around him was Madison's steady breathing, she was sound asleep.
The built-up exhaustion, the warmth of the room, and the comfort of the mattress soon outweighed his willpower. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier until, unable to resist, he drifted off to sleep.
The phone slipped from his hands, landing on his chest, buzzing softly once more with a notification he never got to read.
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