Act IX
There are three things in life that are certain: death, taxes, and seeing some of your peers that you've hurt in the past. That is what Maddie Sawyer is facing right now right in front of her in the form of Coach Alicia Hendricks. She has on a dark blue sweatshirt with matching sweatpants that covers her legs and white sneakers on her feet. Hendricks would scratch her light orange hair wondering why Maddie would all of a sudden be working in an assisted living home. "Kids, why don't you get started with delivering the donations and entertaining those residents. Me and this young woman have some unfinished business." said Coach Hendricks both addressing the kids and Maddie. "Welcome to our assisted living place. Is there anything I could do for you?" asked Maddie trying her best to hold her personal grievances and her nervousness inside of her. "For starters, what are you doing here Maddie? The last time I checked, you were put in the funny farm or something after almost taking my life away and not to mention taking Riley Jones away from us." said Hendricks sternly "In fact, and since we're here, I want you to know that you've been permanently banned from ever setting foot in our school ever again due to actions." Maddie's first instinct was to defend herself after listening to Hendricks' words coming out of her mouth to Maddie's ear holes but instead she held her head down in shame. "Don't got nothing else to say Maddie?" asked Hendricks. "Is there a problem here ladies? I heard some voices coming out from the hallway" asked Sonia as she walked into the conversation. "I was about to go back and work on the computers. I hope that the volunteers would be able to make the residents day special" said Maddie as she heads her way to the back. "You may be a great coach and a great teacher but in this facility patrons should treat its workers with respect whether you like them or you don't like them regardless of their past" said Sonia telling Hendricks of the house keeping around the facility. "I'll keep that in mind, don't want to have any trouble in the facility" said Hendricks sternly. "That's the last thing we have to worry about." retorted Sonia. After the conversation between the two women, Maddie went into the store room where there's a collection of used clothing, VHS tapes, and old books to name a few. From there, Maddie would have a reflection on what had transpired. "I didn't expect that to happen the way it did. I'm grateful for the business that young soccer players came out to entertain the residents around here but I was blindsided that Coach Hendricks came by as well telling me that I can't go to that high school anymore forever. Given my record its not surprising to me. I can't seem to get over that anxiety whenever people from my past show up to my doorstep." thought Maddie. "Well, that sure seems like an interesting conversation we just experienced." said Dark Maddie coming up right next to her. "I felt that you wanted to say or do something to her but you held your head down in shame. Remember when she tried to get your favorite coach Dominic Antol fired from his job and you had attempted to take her out of the equation by taking away this EpiPen from her bag" From there Dark Maddie would hold a box of EpiPen showing it to Maddie to illustrate her point. "I get what you're trying to say to me and I have a job and career now. Even if we still have our differences, we have to treat each other with respect whether we want to or not. I admit, I do feel anxious when I'm around her and/or her students these days." said Maddie. "I think I know what's up. You still have feelings for Dominic, sooner or later you'll get that second opportunity to win his heart Maddie!" said Dark Maddie. "Someday, you're going to have to make a decision that would either break you or make you into the woman that you deserve to be…" Just then, Janice en route to picking up a couple of items from the store room, found Maddie 'talking to herself'. "Maddie, I heard what happened earlier with the soccer coach. Are you alright and can still continue your duties for the day?" asked Janice feeling concerned for her friend. "I'm fine, it's just that sometimes you don't get along with everyone you know?" said Maddie attempting to hide the truth of her feelings regarding the student/coach relationship between her and Coach Hendricks. "I get the feeling too Maddie." said Janice empathizing with Maddie. "Tell you what, why don't we see what's going on with the TV in the game room I heard some of the kids need their video game to work!" From there, Janice and Maddie would go into the game room where they find exhausted and restless soccer kids after their long meeting with the residents waiting to play their game. "We tried to plug in the GameSystem Deluxe to the cables in the back but the picture isn't showing" said one of the soccer students. "Let me see if I remember how to do this" said Maddie as she took the HDMI cable from the student and plugged it in the correct port on the TV as well as putting the remaining connectors to the correct plugs. From there, the picture and audio is in living color! "Death's Gambit: Rise of the Endless, sounds like an excellent selection kids!" smiled Maddie "But be careful when facing Endless, I heard she has a few tricks up her sleeves!" Afterwards, the kids are having a great time playing Death's Gambit for at least a couple of hours. Suddenly, one of the kids had accidentally eaten a peanut butter sandwich during snack time. "Are you alright?" asked Maddie tending to one of the kids who's coughing and can barely breathe. "I'm not feeling too good and my throat is feeling kinda funny." replied one of the kids. Rightfully so, the scene went from fun and enjoyment to a medical crisis as one of the students is on the verge of succumbing to a peanut allergy. Just then Janice would send Maddie to the store room to pick up the spare EpiPen for emergencies like this one. As Maddie departed the area, Coach Hendricks came by to check on her students. "Is Matt going to be ok?" asked Hendricks. "He forgot to bring in his EpiPen this morning and I can't reach his parents over the phone." "We got an EpiPen coming your way, Maddie's getting it" said Janice. Afterwards, Maddie would unwrap the EpiPen and injected it onto Matt's leg ridding him from the peanut allergy trouble. "Thank you" said Matt feeling grateful. "Word of advice, always remember to keep an EpiPen with you at all times. You never know what's going to happen with you" said Maddie. "That's ironic coming from you Maddie" said Hendricks with her thought of Maddie taking away her EpiPen years ago and poisoning her sandwich. "You know what Coach Hendricks, I got something to say to you about that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I nearly took your life away in that office and you were just doing your job in that school. I had to live with what I had done to you everyday and we had to share the burden of it for so many years." said Maddie feeling bad after she saved Matt's life. "There's not a day that goes by that I wish that I didn't want to take your EpiPen away and you deserve to live a great life." After Maddie said her peace she began to walk back to her quarters in the facility. "I think it's time for us to go on our way and Janice, tell your coworker thank you for saving Matt's life with that extra EpiPen." said Hendricks possibly forgiving Maddie but not forgetting what she did to her. In Maddie's room, she would collapse on her bed wondering why people would still judge her actions regardless of her past and present activities. "Like I said Maddie, sooner or later, you're going to have to face your past peers sister." said Dark Maddie. "Like I was expecting you to punch Hendricks out or something but I didn't expect you to apologize to her." "You don't have to rub it in, she has every right to hate and resent me" replied Maddie forlorn "I'm just glad that she's doing ok with her students, that's all." "And now the question is: do you still love Dominic or do you hate yourself?" asked Dark Maddie pondering what her next moves might bring.
End Act IX