Tads eyes shoot open as he almost launches out of his hospital bed, luckily Poseidon was close by and caught him before he hit the ground. " You are okay and out of any real danger, just calm down." Poseidon said helping Tad back into his bed. " What was that? Did you do that to me?" "No that wasn't me but it was a test to see how you would handle your gift under pressure and from the look of it you did okay for your first just a small nose bleed." "Yeah and a massive headache on top of that, is there anymore water in here I can drink?" Poseidon looks around the dimly lit room and grabs the water for Tad. "This is what happens when you push to hard. Your body hasn't adjusted yet." Poseidon said sternly, "Well if I'm going to continue fighting like that then there is no time to lose and I don't have time be patient or take it slow, so head on and full throttle it is." Tad said holding his head. It was still pretty late when Tad returned from the test so he decided it was a good idea to actually sleep and try to get rest before leaving in the morning.
The sun rose and Tad felt the sun light come through the slightly opened blinds and wake him up.
"Come on man it's time to get up we can take you to school the doctor said you were cleared to leave, you might have missed one class but might as well come with us." Gus said laying out a change of clothes at the end of the hospital bed. Cado came around the corner with Tad's book bag in hand and said "We need to get a move on it man we've got ten minutes." Tad rolled over and sat up on the side of the bed "Okay guys give me a sec to change and then we can head out." Tad quickly changed and followed his friends out the front door but were stopped by a nurse that gave Tad a few extra bandages for the next few days to change out the old ones.
Once at the school the friends parted ways and went to their classes. Tad found it hard to pay attention with everything he saw last night he had spaced out long enough for Niki to notice and through a piece of paper on his desk. The note read meet behind the school during our free period. Tad looked over at her and nodded then went back to trying to focus on the class. After class as the bell was still ringing Niki snuck up on Tad and grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the back door of the building.
" Slow down Niki I'm right behind you calm down." "No I need to make sure you're not going to run off and get hurt again." She said with a hint of concern. "Is she mad at me right now or what, what is going on with her. She was just making out with that jock at the party." Tad thought to himself as the door open and closed behind them. " So why haven't you returned my texts or calls I heard you came to yesterday and you didn't think to text back?" "Hey listen I don't owe you a thing besides you were the one making out with what's his face at the party the other night so clearly you're fine." Tad said a little annoyed. The two stood in silence for a few moments and were then interrupted by the bell to start their free period. "See nothing to say so why does it matter? You know I thought I was going to be able to talk to you at that party and finally come clean with how I feel about you and ask you to be my girlfriend but I guess it was just wishful thinking." "You saw the first part of that interaction but no the last half where I smacked him and told him to get away from me because he was wasted and I didn't want anything to do wit him." Niki said angrily. The stood in silence again let what the other had said sink in and how to respond what the other had said. Niki spoke first "Listen Tad I love you I have since we were freshman here. Why do you think I hang around all over your friends? it's so I can be closer to you." "I never thought of it like that and I love you have had a crush on you for a lot longer than four years so I think I win in that department." Tad said with smile on his face. Niki punched his arm and laughed, "So are you going to ask me?" " Ask you what? To be my girlfriend…" And before Tad could finish Niki pulled him in for a kiss, "Yes I will be your girlfriend officially and whole heartedly." The two smiled at each other and headed to the school library since Tad still has a few assignments to complete from yesterday.
The bell rings indicating it's time to head for the next class the two parted ways with a hug, " I'll see you after class right?" "Of course no more running off for me I promise." Tad said with smile, with that Gus came running down the hall " What the heck was that man? Are you two finally?" "Yeas Gus relax we are good and yes it's official now apparently the thing at the party was a huge misunderstanding." Tad said interrupting him. Gus smiled and looked at Tad with that "I told you so" kind of look. Tad gently pushed Gus and the two walked to their only shared class. The rest of the school day went off without any hiccups and the four friends met in the school quad, Niki grabbed Tads hand as the group walked to the student parking lot. Niki asked if she could give Tad a ride home and the other two insisted that Tad should go along with it. They loaded up and set off for Tads house, when they pulled into the drive way Tads dad was home and waiting for him. "Probably not a good time to invite you in since I haven't really received a punishment yet for the other night. Next time for sure though." With that Tad gave her kiss and watched her back out of the drive way.
Tad turned around and swallowed the lump in his throat prepared to face whatever punishment his dad might through at him. "I'm home dad how was work?" Tad said from the door way taking his shoes off.
" I'm in the dining room come have a seat we need to talk about a suitable punishment for your antics the other day." Tad walked into the dining room and sat across from his dad. "Okay dad what did you have in mind?" "For starters your truck is going to need some repairs and since you don't have a job you are going to be doing a lot more around the house then you normally do. Secondly you are grounded from driving to places that are not home and school once you get the truck running again for an undisclosed period of time. Third your are grounded for the rest of the term the only exception is for band practice, performances, and competitions am I clear?" His dad said calmly. Tad looked a little surprised that the punishment wasn't more severe "I understand dad thank you. Do you know what needs to be fixed on the truck yet?" "Yeah don't worry it's in the shop right now you should have it back at the end of the week." "Okay. Now on to the tough topic what would you like for diner tonight?" Tad said looking at his dad with a smile. The two of them went into the kitchen and started looking to see what they had and what sounded good, after a short while they sat down to have chicken alfredo. After dinner Tad cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes before heading up to his room to start on his homework from today. In the middle of his assignments he hears the familiar roar of the water and begins to panic a little bit until he feels a hand on his shoulder, "I thought you said you were going to rush into this head on and full throttle? Where did that attitude go?" Poseidon said sarcastically. "I am still but…okay yeah you're right let's do this." Tad focuses on the glass of water on his desk and the water slowly moves to his hand and then suddenly it falls to the floor, HIs head starts to hurt and nose begins to bleed and by some chance his surgical site begins to bleed as well. "Stop stop stop your body isn't ready you are just tearing yourself up." Tad refused to listen and focused on the water again and it began to move slowly but this time fell a bit closer to him. Tad collapsed on the floor and began bleeding from both of his nostrils profusely. Poseidon picked him up and stopped the bleeding on his torso and nose, after that placed him in bed where he passed out immediately. "What am I going to do with him? Father please help me to understand this child." Poseidon said to himself as he turned out he lamp.