Despite The Flaws

Chapter FOUR- I Keep on Lovin' You

When the last school bell rang for school, Maddow couldn't wait for detention. He was eager; he wouldn't have to deal with his father's situations. He gripped his check-board backpack and head up towards room 312. The hallway repeatedly had teenagers appear from classrooms.

"Hey, Maddow. Wait up please," Jaxon said. "Which room is detention again?"

"312," Maddow answered his question. "Are you nervous for detention?"

Jaxon gulped. "Yes," he began. He gave Maddow a friendly smile. "I assure you, we'll be fine. It's just one day."

Maddow nervously laughed. "You say that now and watch we'll be in detention again next week."

He gave Maddow his full attention. "I promise it won't happen. I have a championship game to win next Friday."

Maddow stared at Jaxon and smiled. The feeling of being skittish slowly fading away. Not much. All he knew all those feelings he had began to heal and it was because of Jaxon Johnson. For this moment at least, he felt fine. Nothing too overwhelming.

***
Maddow was seated across from Jaxon in the detention, room 312 was small, an annoying neon orange color walls. Mrs Milason, the vice principal sat in the front.

"Everyone leave your phone on the desk. I'll be picking them up," she began. She stood from the front desk and one by one she started to collect everyone's phones. "You'll get these back at the end of detention."

He was thrilled to be away from home. Absent from being at his alcoholic father bedside and hearing his father daily verbal abuse towards him. The fantasy he had in his head was a perfect family. He wishes his mother would still be in Lexington to hold him in her arms. He wish he had that fantasy.

Nobody has a perfect family...there's always some flaws in it.

"Mister Lucille, phone please," Milason said. "I'm surprised to see you are here. You too Johnson."

The four other students chuckled in the back of the class, stirring a shift in Jaxon's feeling. Maddow took noticed of this and gently placed his hand on Jaxon's shoulder. "It's fine. I don't want to be the reason why you can't play on next Friday."

A void of silence filled the room. The chitchatting has stopped. Maddow turned his head and broke the silence.

"I want to get away for the weekend," he mumbled under his breath. "I want to visit places I haven't seen. Sleep next to a lake in an RV. I want to feel free."

"Is that invitation?" Jaxon asked. His hands were crossed against his chest.

"Sound like it," Milason said from the front of the class. She grinned and chuckled. "Sorry, I couldn't help to bump into the conversation."

"Will it be alright if we leave after here?" Jaxon asked. "I can stop by my house and get some clothing. Do you want to stop by your place to get some items?"

Maddow nodded.
***
Jaxon driving was steady. He cruised down the street, windows were down, radio was playing pop music, and the Kentucky's breeze was soothing. Jaxon drummed his fingers on to the steering wheel. He slowed down the car at the red light and glanced at Maddow and smiled.

He pulled into his parent's driveway. The house stood two-story tall and freshly mowed grass and Maddow could spot a pool in the back. The driveway seemed to be never ending.