incaendium

It took him a moment to realise what package she was referring to. “Smart,” he noted with a touch of sincerity. “That’s how I do business anyway.” Ethan moved the prop of his wine away, moving closer to her. “I’m not taking you anywhere. The night is.” He winked, with the cringe-worthiness of his words soothed by his boyish grin. “I wasn’t planning to stay here this long anyway.”

As easily as he slipped in, they spilled out into the streets with a vague notion of direction. “This is usually the part where I take you back to mine, but I’m not feeling ready yet to head home.”

There were a few obvious hotspots where he took most of his conquests. It was easy to butter them up with expensive cocktails and flashy lights, but he was enjoying the city breeze too much to hatch up a game plan. His attention was immediately captured when they walked past some sort of retro arcade, with all the bells and whistles of the late 90s. Without a word, Ethan jogged in to land himself in front of a Street Fighter machine as he looked for some spare coins.

Despite their shared schooling, Maddie and Ethan were acquaintances at best. It was easy enough to flirt with him, and perhaps it was the same reason why she was surprised by the beeline he made for the arcade. Decked out in her plunging dress and daring heels, the murmurs erupted almost immediately. In response, Maddie jutted her chin up and strutted over to where her new ‘date’ was currently crouched over a machine.

Maybe it was the mood lighting or the buzz of too many wines, but Ethan was mesmerised by her movements. His gaze flickered from her lips to her eyes and immediately, he knew what he wanted. When the other male returned, Ethan unintentionally stood up taller, shoulders wider.

He wasn’t lying when he said he’d come to buy art. Sure, wasn’t particularly enthralled by it, but he enjoyed spending money. It was a bad habit to kill, but he wasn’t about to start tonight.

Behind his back, Ethan flicked a few Franklins between his fingers. “We already began, actually.” He slid past her, tucking the bundle of notes into the tight slit of the bottom of her open back. “Drinks, anyone?” Ethan moved off to find refreshments, briefly engaging with another female guest while he watched Maddie from the corner of his eye.

There was no mistaking her date displeasure, publicly cuckolded by someone younger and frankly, far more important where he was meant to matter most. Even as Ethan’s fingers grazed warm down her spine, Maddie turned her attention to soothing the man-child with murmurs of false praise that turned her stomach to speak aloud.

His immediate response to her Weeping Woman comment was never articulated, partly because it was inappropriate for their setting but realistically more so due to lost chance. “I don’t like to ignore promises of a good time. Whether that’s coming from me or you, well.”

Ethan was lacking in his critical thinking skills this particular night. There was a seriousness in what she said, but he was more used to banter coming from beautiful flirtatious women rather than proposed financial transactions. “Your better offer’s standing right in front of you. If you’re talking about money,” he continued retrieving his wallet only partially in jest, “I was looking to buy some art tonight.”

Maddie was not one to play coy. The men who approached her knew what she was offering and in turn, she gave them what they paid for; no more, no less. Watching him unfold his wallet, however, felt strange. She thought of his family’s name, however many 0′s were attached to it and shoved those thoughts aside.

“Look no further.” It was easy to pluck the glass from his fingers, to slip her lips over the same spot his had occupied moments before and take a long sip in one fluid motion. Her eyes never wavered from Ethan’s, not even when her date’s hand curled around her waist. 

“You are friends again, I see,” There was no mistaking the possessiveness in his tone. Maddie smiled sweetly. 

It was amusing at the very least that she played along with his antics. But Ethan was a little more preoccupied with visuals as she turned before him to really take anything she said too seriously. “Weak lineup tonight,” he quipped back with a mouthful of New York blood red. “I was looking for something more conceptual but this is as dull as the Baroque era.”

The most Ethan knew about art were the buzzwords he’d retained from his private tutoring. It didn’t take an art genius however to know when a party was dipping. “What are your plans for tonight anyway, Dora Maar?” Their absent party had made his rounds and was beginning to find his way back to the couple. “You only fuck ugly dudes or something?” He lowered his voice, yet it still managed to vibrate the space between them. “I wouldn’t, not him, unless you’ve got time to recover from chlamydia.”

Art had never been Maddie’s thing; at least, not art in New York. She knew enough to get by, and that was more than most of the charlatans she’d showed up so far with minimal effort. Ethan Hearst’s limited knowledge shouldn’t have impressed her and yet, Maddie found herself intrigued. 

In other circumstances, he may have been foolish enough to waste that sum of money. But he was self-sufficient now, and not exactly stupid. “That’s a price,” he noted, meeting her eyes again. “And what makes you think you’re worth that much?” Ethan gestured towards the other pieces of art. “Just because all these other ones don’t have a wet mouth.”

He picked up the glass of red he’d left on the floor which hadn’t been knocked over by some miracle. “Look, I’m not saying I wouldn’t. You were the hotter friend, I get it. At least, back there…” He eyed her hourglass figure, taking a swig from his glass. “Wait, weren’t you a scholarship kid? Are you volunteering tonight or something?” Though his words weren’t said with a tone of mockery, they didn’t need to be.

“Not think. Know.” With her chin angled up, the height difference between them felt smaller and Maddie’s price less... lofty. And it wasn’t, not really; after all, New York’s premium escort Natalie McLennan charged $16,000 for the pleasure of a single night, Ava Xi'an $45,000 for a week. There was no reason why she couldn’t be just as valuable, if not more.

Was it rude he couldn’t exactly remember her name? All thoughts of baseline courteousness dissipated as she continued. “I don’t think the New York thots are spreading rabies this century, not just yet.” Perhaps unintentionally, she’d offered him a bait. Ethan obliged.

“Alright, name your price.” He patted his pockets before turning to their rather isolated mutual party. “You got a pen, Fabio?” The man frowned at his obvious mistake, before supplying him with a stupidly excessive fountain pen. “And paper.” In lieu of a chequebook, Ethan scribbled up an amateur agreement. He waited for her response.

Even with what he’d thought was a stark divergence from the Hearst heir roadmap, Ethan had nevertheless remained in New York. He’d made the first round of draft picks but taking pointers from the bench wasn’t the ideal he’d had in mind for this long.

Without the limelight, Ethan had to stroke his ego elsewhere. He knew New York, and New York knew him. There were places he could go, exclusive to the elite, and even being a backup quarterback for the city’s NFL team came with its own perks.

Like most nights, he was buzzed. Even so, the voice that reached out to him scathed his ears a little too much to ignore. “Did you want to bite me in the ass?” He grinned beguilingly, looking the familiar figure up and down. “If you want an autograph or something, just find me later. Unless, you’re also up for sale tonight?”

What Maddie knew of Ethan Hearst was from the Daleton gossip circuit and his association with Roman Haven. The latter was enough to earn her full contempt. His response confirmed everything she’d learned about him over the years and she glared, drowning out her date’s hasty attempt to deescalate the conversation.

He should have anticipated a response somewhere along those lines, particularly given how they left off. There was an earnestness present in Ethan’s eyes, trying their best to convey a message. She still gave him more than he could fairly ask for and with that, he was content. Nodding his understanding, Ethan soon disappeared into the vocal and visual mass of football players.

The second half started off rocky, but even as Harvard gained a lead, the match remained a close one. Eventually, with the odds in favour of Daleton, they were led to a tight victory. The end siren cued the band, the cheerleaders, everyone on the bleachers. Like every other game, each followed the same narrative. Except Ethan didn’t indulge in his victory for long. It was impossible for him to dash away from the spotlight but even so, he headed back to where he last saw her, much to the confusion of everyone else.

Everything was picture perfect in the spirit of American college football. The Lions were leading by a field goal and each play was executed meticulously with Ethan’s lead. When halftime came, Daleton was still leading by three, holding on tenuously to a possible win. The players began to scatter off the field, bumping rivals either by accident or purposely and patting the backs of others. Ethan wasted no time squandering around, heading straight to the locker rooms as soon as the siren rang.

He’d only vaguely heard his name from one of his teammates when they all gave way to reveal a certain brunette. All their amped up masculinity dictated cheers and shoves, whilst Ethan stayed silent in the midst. He stopped in front of her as the others continued, whoop-ing and ahh-ing into the change rooms.

“You came to the game.” He managed a thin smile, although it was difficult to look her in the eyes. “I didn’t expect you to be here. It’s good though, I’m glad.” The tension was there, still as solid as when he last saw her—or rather, left her on the bleachers. He knew he didn’t have much time. It wasn’t the most ideal time or place to have crossed paths again but a part of Ethan was thankful for it. Relieved, even.

Hearst! The voices echoed from the locker room. “Look, we should talk. Not now, but…” He fiddled with his helmet. “Stay until the end of the game. Please?” Ethan looked her in the eyes, this time maintaining his gaze with sincerity. “I promise it’ll be a good play. I always play better when you’re here.”

How he’d handled things, it definitely wasn’t his greatest moment. Ethan had panicked, distanced himself from the situation entirely. It was a spineless move and the days after he found himself drowning in a mixture of guilt, regret and everlasting confusion.

Thankfully, there was an absence of free time on his hands. The big home game was on the horizon and most days were dedicated to preparing for it. He managed to push the other pressing matter to the back of his head, which was the only reason why Ethan had maintained their no-communication streak for so long.

When Game Day arrived, he’d almost completely rid himself of any distracting thoughts. That was, until he saw none other than Madelyn Bray near the bleachers with another player from the rivalling team. He watched as the other male got closer to her. In any other instance, he would have interrupted the exchange and although he considered it, Ethan turned a blind eye.

As the cheerleaders found their group formations, Ethan and his teammates began to practice throws on the field. He found himself continuously prying over to where he saw Maddie, seeing if he could find her again. After a few attempts, he heard a loud voice calling from the sides, ‘Hearst, concentrate’ which forced him back to the game that was about to begin.

If Ethan’s reaction to what the pharmacist had said was dramatic, Maddie’s sudden demeanour wasn’t far off. It was impossible not to notice, even with his own preoccupations. He watched the bottle of water hit the bleachers, splashing his sneakers and socks. She was proficient at avoidance—hell, she’d avoided him for this long. But even Madelyn Bray had her weak spots and they were becoming bright as day.

There was silence after she’d delivered her response. He only turned slightly to look at her and it was that visual cue that solidified everything. “How long will that be?” He sighed, resting his elbows against his knees. It was a slow process of comprehension, but he was beginning to comprehend, nonetheless. He wondered how long she was planning to keep this from him. A couple months until word started spreading and reached him? Until it happened? It was a feeling close to betrayal that made her deliberate absence hurt more. “Nine months?”

Caught up in his own thoughts, Ethan was taken off guard when someone joined him. “Oh, hi,” he managed to respond. Neither filled the short silence that extended after that until he looked down at his hand. “Here.” He offered her the scrunched up paper bag, now creased and distressed by his prolonged grip. “Sorry, I should’ve given that to you.”

He didn’t know what else to say. Was it even for him to say anything? There was still a chance that this was all a misunderstanding and he held on to that possibility, perhaps ignorantly. “The pharmacist, she said something funny, actually,” he began, but his eyes didn’t indicate that there was anything funny about it at all. “She thought you were pregnant. Assumed it was morning sickness or something. I guess it must be the same kind of medicine they give to pregnant women.”

This, this was exactly what she had done her best to avoid. Accepting the bag from him silently, Maddie could barely suppress the urge to run. The nausea she felt now had far less to do with what the medicine had been prescribed for, but Maddie rifled through the bag and popped two pills anyway - just for something to do with her hands. Her fingers faltered screwing the cap back onto her water when Ethan spoke.

It was easier to be in denial if he silenced any thoughts that entered his mind. But in practice, the reality was that there were too many to even locate just one to focus on. Ethan wasn’t in a hurry. He wasn’t even planning to go anywhere. Ignoring any familiar faces he passed, he found himself wandering across campus until he found himself on the field.

His legs eventually gave way, landing himself on the bleachers with the paper bag still tight in his grip. He hadn’t even registered that his phone was buzzing, nor did he make an effort to check who it could be. Instead, he cast his eyes across the empty playing field. Ethan counted the yards and when that didn’t help, he attempted to run through plays in his head. Nope, this is all just a misunderstanding. He wanted to believe it, despite all the pieces that came together to disprove it.

However much they may have wanted to deny it, Maddie and Ethan knew each other. When he didn’t answer, she didn’t call again. There was a reason behind it, a need for space to digest the information alone, but Maddie didn’t respect that either. Instead, she made a beeline straight for the same place she’d met him hours before, any trace of fatigue diminished. 

Hyper-? The sound of it alone was frightening and Ethan couldn’t tell whether it was just medical jargon for food poisoning or something of the like. He nodded, feigning understanding. Just as he was about to thank the pharmacist, he did a double-take. “Sorry, morning sickness?” He couldn’t absorb much else of what the woman was telling him after her confirmation. “You mean morning sickness as in… from…”

“Her pregnancy, of course. Maybe she’ll finally be able to keep her food down. Poor girl looks like she’s had a hard time.” With her best wishes, the silence afterwards kicked Ethan into complete muscle memory mode as he grabbed the paper bag and paid for the goods. He didn’t even look at Maddie as he passed her, leaving instead with the prescribed medicines in hand. He wasn’t sure where he was walking to. All he knew was that he wasn’t capable of fully comprehending what had just happened and he just needed to walk.

Maddie’s body had won out to the desperate need for rest. She was only saved from her chin sliding straight off her knee and face-planting by a steady hand on her shoulder. “Pardon, miss?” Jerking awake, she was startled to find the pharmacist’s face so close. “Are you okay? I think your boyfriend went to go get your car but, um, he left without saying anything and I-” 

When Maddie returned to the waiting room, Ethan was in the midst of his conversation with the polite receptionist. He tore the piece of paper away from his chest, giving it a quick look over. “What did he say?” he asked, acting dumb as to her only request. He restrained himself for the most part, obediently following her outside with the prescription in hand.

He didn’t take his task lightly. It was the first thing Maddie had actually asked of him that was useful. There was a pharmacy on campus nearby; not surprising for the various amenities and facilities provided by the overfunded establishment. With Maddie lingering behind him, Ethan handed over the prescription to the woman behind the counter.

“Now, has your partner used this before?” Ethan turned and ushered Maddie closer. “She wants to know if you’ve used this medicine before.”

Maddie had pulled dozens of all-nighters before. Hell, plenty of them had been throughout this week alone, but perhaps the effect of them all was catching up on her now. Even the walk to the nearby pharmacy felt arduous and once they were inside, she was happy to relinquish the task to him entirely.

In the meantime, the brunette had found herself a seat to wait on. When Ethan called out to her, she was dozing with her head propped up on a singe raised knee. “No,” the mumble was more of a whine, but the woman behind the counter softened at the display.