Eenie Meenie Minie Mo

Chapter Twenty-Five

First day of school. What fun. Even though I had driven with Sawyer and had a plan on meeting Maddie, that feeling of absolute dread still hung over my head. All morning I had stressed on what to wear, having not wanted to seem too Californian nor like I was posing as a Tennessean. The whole ordeal had been very nauseating.

Now here, right on time, I tried to keep the grimace off my face as I watched all the other teenagers milling around the long building. The popular crews were easy to spot, and it wasn't surprising to find Leander among them. Only an idiot follower would have pulled what he did.

I rolled my eyes and blew out a growling sigh.

Beside me, Sawyer chuckled a little. "It's not so bad," he tried to assure. "At least you're coming in knowing people."

I pointedly kept my gaze well away from Leander. "Let's just get this over with."

I didn't miss the stares and the hushed tones as Sawyer and I passed Leander's crew, nor could I ignore the fact that those blue eyes were on me all the while. Still, I kept my chin high and my eyes averted. If he was waiting for some kind of reaction out of me, he wasn't going to get it; though I was surprised he wasn't taunting me in front of his buddies.

Sawyer, God love him, grasped my hand right in passing. I grinned a little, almost daring to look back at Leander to see his face. But I didn't. I just kept walking, squeezing Sawyer's hand gratefully.

Maybe this day wouldn't suck so bad after all.

I met Maddie right before trig, which was the only class besides P.E that we had together. Well, and lunch. She pretty much took me under her wing and introduced me to the many people she knew.

At lunch, I didn't miss her gaze that kept traveling to a boy across the cafeteria. Sawyer and I kept smirking at eachother, silently daring the other to ask Maddie about the boy. He was cute, I guess, in a sixteen year old way. His hair was blonde and wavy, with milky brown eyes.

After a while, though, it got too much to bear. "Oaky," I said finally. "Who is he?"

Maddie looked up at me, startled. Her cheeks grew a bit pinker. "Who's who?"

I bobbed my head at the blonde, football built guy. "The guy you keep ogling at."

My friend's cheeks were full on red now and she ducked her head to head the blush. "I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled.

"Even I noticed the staring. An I'm a guy. We don't notice anything," Sawyer threw in teasingly.

"Spill."

With a low groan, Maddie finally said, "His name's Drew Cummings."

"Any history there?" I asked.

Maddie let out a dark chuckle. "Yeah. But not between us. He'd never go out with me."

"Why not?"

She shrugged, looking at her plate. "He just wouldn't."

"Have you even asked him?"

Maddie shook her head. "It's.....complicated."

"What's so complicated about it?" Sawyer asked curiously.

"It just is."

"Well, that's just dumb," I threw in. "You should talk to him."

Maddie rolled her hazel eyes. "And what if he actually likes me back?" She shook her head. "Nope. Too weird."

She was being mysterious on purpose. If I knew Maddie at all, I knew she wouldn't come out and just say it, but would if asked. So I caved. "Okay, just say what you're dying to tell me."