Side Note: I Think I Love You (Side Notes Book 1) - COMPLETE

Chapter 26 - Ian

"Remind me, again, why I agreed to this?" Chase mutters to himself as he, Ethan, and I watch our tight end, Brockman, fall into the tub. It's the day that I—along with half of the team–been dreading: dunk booth doomsday. All the seniors are lined up by a wall right outside the courtyard and by the looks on our faces we might as well be headed to the royal chambers.

If I wasn't taking part in this, I'd be laughing. Hell, I can see Derek and Jason coming up and laughing their asses off.

When Sophia announced it to the whole school this morning in the announcements, I didn't expect there to be a line of students seeking bloodlust by dunking us in a tub of water.

We've worked through about five of us so far, which isn't a lot but there were a lot more people throwing multiple baseballs at the red and white target with less force than required. What did we do to them?

"Ethan, you're up!" Rue shouts.

My friend groans in question and wipes the palms of his hands on his jeans. "Wish me luck," he tells us before stalking off to the tank. Yep, marching to his doom.

Okay, this is a little funny and I can feel a small laugh slip out.

"How are you the only one enjoying this?" Chase scowls. I know he's joking because the guy just had an edible when lunch began.

I turn to the booth, where Ethan isn't even sitting on the little platform above the water. He's with Rue, attempting to flirt. That doesn't catch me off guard—Ethan has a shitload of failed attempts at getting with Rue and I will occasionally shove them towards each other—but the girl standing across from them sort of does as soon as I notice her red hair.

This makes the whole thing even funnier.

"What?"

I point to the girl holding the baseball. I recognize her as one of Attie's friends and almost forgot that she's Ethan's sister. If I thought that plain, regular students had a bone to pick with the football team, then it's nothing compared to the relationship between a brother and his sister.

"Is it some crazy ex-girlfriend? I had one of those."

I turn to Chase. "What?"

"Yeah." He shrugs, as if it's no big deal. "We weren't exclusive or anything but she was pretty paranoid."

I don't see how paranoia is such a bad thing but then again it's Chase. Even before his injury, he was a classic surfer dude who just went with the flow and thought everyone else was the same.

My eyes move on their own accord and the next thing they find is Attie and Jason, standing by the table Sophia and Rue are occupying. Jason stands with his girlfriend (still can't believe they've made it this far) and tries to make conversation while Attie stands close to Sophia. They must have made up at the party because I don't sense any animosity from the two. Rue, on the other hand, is basically ignoring the others, scrolling on her phone.

It's also not long before the baseball hits the target with a loud smack, causing Ethan to fall into the vat of water below him. I had almost forgotten that the whole thing was still going on.

"I'm gonna get another joint," Chase announces. "Wanna join?"

I shake my head. "I'm up next."

He holds three fingers up in the air, whistling a somber tune that I'm not familiar with before walking away. Either the effects of whatever edible just hit or this is how Chase acts sober.

I haven't seen him sober in a year. It's hard to remember old habits once you've flushed them out of your system.

I remove the letterman jacket from my person and place it on the fold-up table before me. I still don't have my hoodie, since the only one I currently own is in the possession of the dark-haired girl next to me.