They Don't Know About Us (#Wattys2017)

Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Maddie couldn't sleep at all that night. Her mind was racing. With this idea and that one. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and grabbed her phone that was by her bedside. She opened the notes app and began typing. She didn't know what she was typing. It was sure to be gibberish and crap but she didn't stop. It was like her mind was on autopilot and for once, she liked it.

Maddie's POV:

I typed and typed until I was so tired that I couldn't type anymore. The words flowed from me like a wave from the sea, unending and unforgiving. The words crashed onto the screen. It was if I had no control over them.
I typed that last sentence and looked up from at the clock. It was three am. I couldn't believe I've been typing for that long. It felt like minutes but it must have been hours. I just hoped those hours I spent writing wasn't wasted. I just wanted people to enjoy my work. I wanted to be an author since I was eight years old, on and off, but the desire to create stories never left me.

Now I'm creating stories in the middle of the night to silence the craziness that is my mind. It seems all to fail when the opposite affect happens. My mind gets crazier and crazier but eventually, the need for sleep came over me. I close my notes app and shut off my phone. Once my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light.

*Morning*

Justin's POV:

I knocked on Maddie's door. I didn't hear anything so I opened the door ever so slightly and turned on the lights. I closed the door to let her get herself pulled together.
Then, I went downstairs to see what Fredo was doing.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, seeing floor, milk and other baking ingredients all over the kitchen table and even some on the floor.

"And why do you have milk on the floor?" I pressed him, when he didn't respond to my first question.

"I wanna make pancakes for Maddie." He said. I didn't have the heart to tell him Maddie hates pancakes.

"Just add chocolate chips. A lot of them. She loves chocolate." I hoped that was enough to cover up the taste of the pancake. He nodded with a yes motion.

"I'm gonna go see if Maddie is dressed." I said, walking up the stairs. I knocked on the door saying, "Maddie, are you ready? Fredo made chocolate chip pancakes."

"I'm doing my hair! I'll be out in a moment." She yelled back. Within, a minute, she was in front of me. Her hair was in two braids.

"Wow. You have beautiful hair." I compliment her. She smiles and said thank you. Then we walk downstairs toward the aroma of chocolate and pancakes.

"This smells so good." Maddie sniffed the plate of food in front of her. I could tell Fredo was smiling. He couldn't cook very well and the pancakes were a big deal for him.

"Thank you, Maddie." He said, sitting down with a plate of his own pancakes.

"These are soo good!" Maddie exclaimed. Then, Fredo quickly devoured his without a second thought.

"Maddie, how did you sleep last night?" She froze and excused herself. I looked at Fredo and he had the same what's with her? expression on his face. She came back within that same minute. I repeated my question.

"Um, I-I, um, don't s-sleep at n-night." She stuttered out, almost like she didn't want to admit it. Fredo stepped in.

"What do you mean you don't sleep at night?" Fredo asked, dropping his fork and knife so his full attention could be on her.

"Exactly what I said, I don't sleep at night." She repeated, sounding extremely annoyed.

"Then, what do you do?" I ask, being concerned about my friend.

"I write." She mumbles sheepishly. There was an uncomfortable silence.

"What do you write?" Fredo asked. Maddie was getting increasingly more uncomfortable.

"Fredo, stop it." I took a deep breath before continuing, "She doesn't have to tell you if she doesn't want to." Maddie looked relieved by my comment. She mouthed thank you and continued eating her breakfast.

"What do you wanna do today?" I asked our guest.

"Is there any word on Darcy?" She asked. We shook our head no. She frowned but quickly replaced it with a fake smile. I repeated my question. She left and gave me no answer.

"She must really miss her." Fredo commented, taking his plate to the sink. I nodded while following him and putting my own plate in the sink. This morning couldn't have been more awkward.

*Later*

Maddie's POV:

It was now almost noon and all I've done is made covers for my stories. I didn't know making a good cover would be so difficult.

Then, I heard somebody walk into the room. I tried to quickly close the program I was using but they got me.

"Wait, what was that?" I turned around to see Justin standing there, completely and utterly interested in what I was doing. I shook my head to clear my thoughts before speaking.

"Um, it was just a cover. I like making them." I said sheepishly, as if I was almost embarrassed by it.

"It was actually very good." He complimented me. I had enough of sitting in this chair.

"Thanks." I said, as I stood up from my seat. Then, I moved to my bed but not before grabbing my phone. He left me then.

A/N: Hi! I hope you're having an excellent weekend! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's so weird being legally an adult. Oh well!