+ MISSION HUH? +

+CHAPTER 17+

That one sentence seemed to ground her, and Andrea straightened up slightly. "Thanks," she said, her voice a little steadier. "Sorry, I'm just... this is a lot. But I'm ready."

"Good," Ethan said with a confident nod. "Now, let's get started. We'll warm up in the ring, and I'll walk you through some basics before we dive in."

As they moved to the ring, Jaemin lingered close to Andrea, his presence reassuring. "Breathe," he whispered, giving her a small nudge. "You've got this."

Andrea shot him a grateful look. "If I mess up, you have to promise not to laugh."

"No promises," Jaemin replied, his grin infuriatingly charming.

The training began, and Ethan quickly proved why he was such a respected figure in wrestling. His instructions were clear and precise, his demeanor both encouraging and no-nonsense. Andrea found herself hanging on every word, her focus sharpened by the sheer gravity of the moment.

Ethan demonstrated a move, his fluidity and control mesmerizing. "Alright, your turn," he said, stepping back to give Andrea space.

Andrea glanced nervously at Victoria, who gave her an exaggerated thumbs-up. "Break a leg. Or, wait... don't do that. You get what I mean."

Rolling her eyes with a grin, Andrea stepped forward.

Her first attempt was clumsy—her footing a little off, her movements too rigid—but Ethan nodded approvingly. "Not bad for a first try," he said. "Relax your shoulders. Trust your instincts more."

Andrea adjusted her stance, repeating the move with more confidence. This time, it felt smoother, more natural. When she finished, Ethan clapped lightly. "There it is. Much better. You're a quick learner."

The praise sent a warm surge of pride through her, and she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Thanks," she said, her earlier nervousness fading.

From the corner, Jaemin crossed his arms, his face a mix of pride and smugness. "Told you you'd be amazing."

Victoria, meanwhile, was busy capturing bits of footage on her phone, muttering to herself about how she was going to caption it: "Andrea meeting her role model and then thriving."

By the time the session ended, Andrea was exhausted but exhilarated. She leaned against the ropes, catching her breath as Ethan approached. "You did great today," he said with a smile. "Keep at it—you've got a lot of potential."

Andrea felt her cheeks flush, and for once, she managed to respond without fumbling. "Thank you. It means a lot coming from you."

Ethan nodded, giving her a small wave before stepping out of the ring. Jaemin and Victoria immediately closed in, their grins identical.

"So?" Victoria prodded. "How does it feel to be Ethan Page's star pupil?"

Andrea shook her head, jokingly. "Don't make me end myself."

"You crushed it," Jaemin said simply, his tone sincere. "I'm proud of you."

Andrea's heart swelled at the comment, but before she could respond, Saurya appeared by the ropes. "Alright, let's wrap it up. Time to head back."

As they gathered their things, Andrea couldn't help but glance back at the ring one last time, a satisfied smile on her face. It had been a day she would never forget.

+++++++

Back at the mansion, Andrea collapsed onto her bed after a shower, her body sore but her heart soaring. She couldn't stop replaying the day's events in her head—training with Ethan Page! It was the stuff of dreams. But in her post-session haze, she hadn't noticed that she'd left her favorite hat behind.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Before she could answer, Victoria opened it, revealing Ethan standing there with the hat in his hand.

"Oh, heeeyyy, Ethaaan," Victoria drawled, drawing out his name with a smirk that screamed mischief. Andrea shot up from the bed, her face turning crimson. "VICTORIA!"

Grabbing her friend by the shirt, Andrea yanked her back into the room and slammed the door. "How do I look? Is my hair okay? Do I smell okay? Tell me the truth, Vi!"

Victoria fixed Andrea's hair with a knowing smile, giving her a once-over. "Perfect. Now go get your hat before he thinks we're both insane."

Taking a deep breath, Andrea opened the door. Ethan grinned and held out the hat. "You left this at the gym."

Andrea took it, her fingers brushing his briefly. "Oh—thanks. I, uh, appreciate it."

Before she could dissolve into another fit of nervous rambling, some of the others showed up, and the hallway quickly filled with chatter. Ethan and Mark bonded over being Canadian, their conversation peppered with jokes about maple syrup and hockey.

Victoria, unimpressed, leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. "Wow, two Canadians bonding. How groundbreaking," she quipped. "What's next? A Tim Hortons sponsorship?"

Ethan laughed, clearly amused. "What can I say? It's the Canadian way."

Victoria rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smirk. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You're no Trick Williams."

The rest of the group burst into laughter, and even Ethan couldn't help but smile at her playful jab.

i was threatened by my bsfs to update mission huh 💚