CHAPTER SIXTEEN
( stop spying on me creeps )
MADDIE ROLLED HER eyes as the boys watched Max hopped off a ledge on her skateboard, riding down the hill at recess. She stood a bit away from them, leaned up against a brick wall. Mike shook his head. "There's no way that's Mad Max." Will nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Girls don't play video games." Maddie scoffed. "Seriously?" Will gave Maddie a sorry look for forgetting about her while Lucas laughed. "You don't count."
"I definitely think I do. I'm a girl after all." Maddie replied, looking at the back of Lucas' head. Lucas didn't look back when he shook his head. "Yeah, but, Will meant other girls. He obviously wasn't trying to lump you in with the rest of them."
"And even if other girls did, you can't get 750,000 points on Dig Dug. I mean It's impossible." Mike continued to try and fix, looking backwards to meet Maddie's eyes for a moment. Lucas sighed. "But her name is Max."
"So what?" Mike questioned, looking towards the back of Lucas' head. Lucas turned back to Mike. "So, how many Maxes do you know?" Mike shrugged. "I don't know." Lucas finished it for him. "Zero. That's how many."
Dustin nodded. "Yeah, she shows up at school the day after someone with her same name breaks our top score. I mean, you kidding me?" Lucas was quick to agree. "Exactly. So she's gotta be Mad Max."
Maddie stepped away from the boys. "You're all lame. Keep staring if you want but I'm gonna go introduce myself to her." Mike looked at her like she was crazy. "Why would you do that?" Maddie rolled her eyes. "Because she's knew and none of you are going to. Also, this whole staring thing is creepy as shit. See you guys later."
With that, Maddie walked off, allowing the boys to continue their staring and talking without her. Maddie quickened her pace at the sight of the girl about to go up the steps and inside. "Hey! Max!"
Max turned around, a bit confused to hear someone calling her name. Maddie smiled and slowed down once she stood in front of Max. "Hi, I'm Maddie. I just wanted to introduce myself! I saw you come in during science."
Max smiled awkwardly. "Uh, hi." She subtly turned her eyes towards the boys, looking over to see if they were still staring. They were. "Do you know what's up with them? I mean— they haven't stopped looking at me all of break."
Now it was Maddies turn to awkwardly smile. "Sorry about them. They're trying to decide if you're Mad Max. We saw that the records on Dig Dug and Centipede were broken and you're just about the only Max we've ever met. Which by the way, if it was you that's super awesome." Max smiled more genuinely, laughing a bit. "Seriously? I mean— thanks but I didn't think breaking the record would be such a big deal."
Maddie shrugged. "I guess it burns more knowing it was a girl. Which again, awesome." Max chuckled. "Hey, uh, wanna see a little thing I made just for them?" Maddie nodded. "Oh, totally."
Max pulled a crumbled piece of paper out of her pocket and unraveled it, exposing the words. Maddie leaned closer, laughing when she read out what had been written for the boys.
Stop Spying on me CREEPS! Was written and Maddie found it quite comical. "That's amazing." Max smiled, she liked this brunette girl already. "I'm going to head back in, wanna join me?" Maddie nodded. "Totally."
Mike glared from where he stood, watching as the two girls began walking inside. He watched as they laughed before Max threw the paper they had been looking at into the trash.
Once the coast was clear, Dustin, Lucas, and Will ran towards the trash can. Mike rolled his eyes but reluctantly followed behind. He didn't like this new obsession with the new girl. And he definitely didn't like that Maddie was now choosing to hang out with her instead of him.
Maddie walked next to Max through the hall, heading towards Maxes locker. "So, what's California like?" Max smiled a bit, looking over at her new friend. "It's nice. Really warm but the beaches are amazing. It's nothing like Hawkins." Maddie nodded, she could assume that. "Yeah, Hawkins is pretty boring when you don't know the right places to go to. Like the arcade, you've already found one of the most fun places in town."
Max laughed. Maddie wished she could bring up the stories of the year prior to her new found friend. She wanted to be able to tell someone, but it was a life or death situation. She couldn't say anything for her own safety and even Maxes.
"How do you get around town, anyways?" Max questioned. She wanted to know how small town middle schoolers got around as they couldn't exactly drive. Maddie shrugged. "Usually on my bike. Sometimes I get a ride from a friends parent or my uncle, but besides that I bike everywhere."
Max looked at Maddie confused. "What about your parents?" Maddie frowned. It was an innocent question, but not one Maddie ever enjoyed. "Uh— well, my mom she died just over two years ago... and my dad is just— he's just really busy with work."
Max immediately felt horrible. "I'm so sorry— I didn't mean to bring up any painful memories." Maddie shook her head with a light smile. "No worries, you didn't know. How'd you learn how to skateboard?"
"I guess it was just a hobby I picked up. I saw this awesome commercial one day and had already seen people around California skating constantly, so that year for my birthday I asked my mom for one. She got it for me and I've just been trying to get better ever since." Max explained, happy for the subject change.
Maddie nodded her head in understanding. "I wish I knew how to skateboard. I mean— I guess I just wish I had a cool skill like that." Max chuckled a bit. "I could always teach you... if you wanted to hang out one day." Maddie smiled. "I'd love that."
Max smiled back, nodding her head slightly happily. "Great." She couldn't believe she had made a friend already.
MADDIE WALKED NEXT to Mike as they walked their bikes home. School was out for the day and Mike had caught Maddie up on Will leaving early for the doctors while Dustin and Lucas decided to continue being stalkers towards Max. Maddie had made sure to let them know that they were insanely creepy.
The walk had been one of their more silent ones, both having a lot on their minds. Maddie was still thinking about how she had made a friend out of Max. She was excited, Max would be her first female friend she ever made at school.
Sure, Maddie had always been acquaintances with many girls at her school, but she'd never bonded with any of them like she did the boys in the party. It was nice to have a girl friend, especially with El being gone.
And El being gone was exactly what was on Mike's
mind. He wanted to tell Maddie about how he had been trying to contact her, she'd be the one who'd understand. But every time he got close to telling her what he had been secretly doing, a voice in his head would tell him to stop. Or he'd get interrupted by something else.
"I don't get how Dustin and Lucas are able to act like everything's the same. None of it is the same. Especially not since El went missing." Mike confessed. Maddie looked his direction a bit, shrugging. "I don't think anyone feels like it's the same... I think some of us just move on quicker."
Mike looked at her a bit confused. "What do you mean?" Maddie sighed. "I mean— Dustin and Lucas for example, they weren't as close to El as we were. They cared about her and they still do, but they've both moved on. Life continues whether you're ready for it to or not. I honestly think that they're just trying in their own ways to deal with it."
Mike looked at his feet as they walked. "I guess. It just sucks to see everyone around you acting like nothing happened. I know we aren't supposed to talk about it, but I just want to." Maddie softly hit her shoulder onto Mikes sigh a smile. "You can always talk to me."
Mike smiled back. "I know that. I guess I never just want to burden you specially with this stuff. Especially since you were closer to El than any of us." Maddie shrugged. "Yeah, but I guess for me... every-time I get sad that Els gone, I remind myself that I knew her. That helps me get through. At least I got the chance to know her."
Mike nodded, he liked that philosophy. But then something else crossed into his mind. "Do you like the new girl now?" Maddie scrunched her eyebrows together. "Max? Yeah she's cool."
"I don't get why everyone's suddenly obsessed with her." Mike replied honestly. Maddie chuckled a bit. "She's new, she's something different. People are naturally going to want to understand something new when it comes into their lives. And with Max, she's new and badass."
Mike frowned. "I just don't want even more changes." Maddie connected her hand with Mikes, interlacing their fingers as they both now used one hand to steer their bikes. "I don't think you have a choice when it comes to that."
MADDIE GOT HOME and went straight to her room. She grabbed her walkie and set it to a station she knew she wouldn't get interrupted on. Maddie sighed, pressing the button on the side as the walkie let out a static noise.
"Hey, El. I know you probably can't hear me but... just like every other day, I miss you. I talked to Mike and even though I was trying to help him, I just realized he was right. It's weird that you're gone and I wish we could openly talk about you. I just want to make good on my promise I made to you. Where we get to hang out all the time and you can sleep over whenever you want. I wish you were still around." Maddie confessed into her walkie.
She had been doing this a lot for a while. She'd go onto this station and just air out any and all feelings. It was therapeutic in a way. Maddie was able to actually talk about what was going on and didn't have to worry about responses.
She had told El basically everything. About how Mike had kissed her that fateful night but now wouldn't bring it up even when they were alone. About how her dad had completely left and she had no one else to turn to. About how anxious she got anytime Will would have an episode or have to go to the doctor. Some of the good things like how her relationship with Hopper had gotten better. Or even some middle things like how she was really beginning to develop feelings for Mike.
She could tell El anything. There was never a response and Maddie never waited for one. She was just able to say whatever she wanted and it had always felt great to get it out.
Some of the topics had been harder. Some had even made her feel like a stupid teenage girl. But after every conversation she had into her walkie, Maddie had always left feeling just a bit better.
"I still have hope, you know. That you'll come back. I bet if it happened it would be awesome. Everyone would be so happy to see you. Will would love to meet you. And I know I'd give you the biggest hug around." Maddie sighed. "Anyways, I love you El... come back soon."
And with that, she turned her walkie off for the night and once again found herself completely alone.
AUTHORS NOTE!
season two episode one is all done! I've gotten very into boy meets world and I really need to divide my time between stuff better because I'm either spending all day working on this or watching the show