Mr. I Don't Smile

03. tension brimming

03. tension brimming

Ciera

"He said he gives everyone nicknames?" Maddie reiterated after I told her what Theo had said to me.

"Yep."

"That's clearly a lie."

"What did your dramas tell you this time?"

"Mock me all you want, but I'm telling you he's a tsundere! Sooner or later when you're dating he'll admit that you're the only one he calls chérie."

"What do you mean when we're dating? I'm not even friends with him. And I'm definitely not going to date him."

"Well, you should. You guys would be a visual explosion of a couple."

"Please, I could never compare to him. Theo's really hot and I'm . . ." I trailed off, not knowing how to finish.

"Aha!" Maddie yelled like she just caught me doing something. She stopped at a red light and turned to me with a bright smile on her face. "So you admit that he's attractive."

"Of course I do. I may not like him but I know handsomeness when I see it. I'm not blind."

"Wait until he's actually in classes tomorrow. It's going to be like in the movies where everyone suddenly becomes obsessed with him."

"Possibly. Okay, no more talking about Theo. How was newspaper?"

Maddie groaned. "My teacher won't let me release this article I had written about how school was originally made for factory workers, and how they're preparing us to be employees and not for life. My teacher said, and I quote 'Journalism is supposed to be fact driven, and this article you've given me is all opinionated.'"

"Your teacher is horrible. Those were facts. But I'm not surprised he said no. They want the students to continue to suffer. I guess the only good thing that came out of school this year is that we're seniors and can finally go off campus for lunch."

"True. How about you? How was track practice?"

"Same as ever. Practice is getting more intense because we have a competition in a few weeks and everyone's complaining about the workload."

"But not you?"

"I'm fine with how things are going. Track is easy because I'm always running. Anyway, do you think Casey will be home?"

"Only one way to find out." Maddie parked on the street Casey's house was on and we both hopped out of her car.

Maddie knocked and when she got no response she rang the doorbell. Finally, a few moments later, Casey opened it. I barely recognized him. The usual put-together Casey looked disheveled and his eyes were red as if he'd been crying.

"Are you okay?" Maddie asked immediately.

"You guys can't be here."

"But you don't look great. What happened?"

"You two need to leave," he said with more pleading in his voice.

"Casey—" Maddie started.

"I'm serious. You cannot be here. Now go! Before my parents see you." And then he slammed the door in our faces.

"What just happened?" I questioned.

Maddie blinked repeatedly, the situation obviously not computing in her head. "He was crying and didn't want his parents to see us. Something must've happened."

"Like?"

"I don't know, but I'm knocking again." She raised her fist to the door, but before she could do anything I grabbed her wrist.