Maddy and the Melancholy Summer

Chapter One

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Hello, all! I'm here to bring you chapter one of a story very dear to my heart, that's been begging to come out for a while now! I hope that you enjoy it, as I'm enjoying writing it so far. 

This is my first Wattpad story, so I hope that you'll provide me with constructive criticisms, and let me know what you do and don't like so far. I look forward to becoming a part of this community! :) 

I wouldn't want to keep you waiting, though! 

So, without further ado...

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Chapter One

Maddy's vision blurred. Which way was she supposed to go? Her hand traced the wall as she walked as if she were roller skating for the first time. "One, two, three, four," she counted out loud. Resisting the need to sway, she attempted to insert her key into the lock. It wouldn't turn. Did she put it in wrong? She tried putting it in the other way. When that still didn't work, she banged on the door. "Hello? Bea? Did you come back without me?"

Silence greeted her. The world turned around her as she leaned against the door and slid to the ground. She felt awful. Are there really humans that can drink this much alcohol and still be alive? Resting her head back against the door did nothing to help her nausea, or the increasing home-sickness she felt at being in a strange new city.

She'd just turned 17th the past month. As soon as May turned to June and the school year was over, she'd followed her father to Seattle. She'd be starting her senior year of high school here in the fall, meaning she was definitely underage, but she had still been heartily encouraged to imbibe in some Jell-O shots at a party with her Aunt Bea's college classmates. They tasted fruity and delicious, and Maddy was old enough that she should have known better than to accept so many of them.

If only she could click her heels and find herself home. Everybody said that once you left the Midwest, you became nostalgic for it. Being so far away for the first time had finally allowed her to understand what they meant. Her nausea, nostalgia, and exhaustion made her miss all of the things that she'd taken for granted even more: the peaceful nights, the fresh air, the helpful neighbors-

"HEY!" A loud voice shouted. Maddy tried to open her heavy eyelids, but her vision was obscured by the long brown hair covering her eyes. "Hey, wake up!" The loud voice repeated. Maddy groaned in response as she made uncoordinated attempts to push the hair out of her face.

"Whaaatt?"

"Get up! Don't lean on other peoples' doors just because you're drunk!"

"No..." Maddy shook her head. "This is my door. I just can't get in."

"You can't get in because this is my door and you don't live here. Ever think of that? Go be drunk somewhere else!"

"Nooo..." Maddy repeated, waggling her finger at him. "You're at the wrong door. I counted! One, two, three, four, this is my door!"

The stranger grumbled, pushing his fingers through his black hair. "Do you have a phone? Let me call someone for you."

"Nooo, I don't have a phone." Maddy whimpered in a pathetic voice. "Bea said that I'm too antisocial and I'll... never make any friends and she hates me so she stole my phone. And now I can't find her and I can't find my phone and my key won't work and I'm soooo sleepy."