I'M BRAIDING A small piece of my hair as I listen to my Home Ec teacher, Miss Armstrong, explain how to make white sauce.
I mean, I feed a house full of boys. I know how to make a damn white sauce, woman.
Ricky insisted I do this class for extra credits and I know he's right, so I get over it and keep listening.
I pretend I'm taking notes, but instead start sketching an astronaut. It's cartooney and definitely not realistic, but it's entertaining.
Slowly, my astronaut turns into me adding a few planets, then I throw in some stars and in the end I've covered most of my page in doodles. Anything is better than listening to her nasally voice. It's giving me a headache, I swear.
When I look up at her again, she's giving us our homework assignment, and I'm more than happy to hear it.
After quickly scribbling it down in my assignment pad, she dismissed us. I shove all my books into a pile and get ready to leave these stupid four walls I've stared at for the past hour.
When I step out in the hall I get ready to go to my locker, but my plan is quickly stopped.
"Hey," A high pitched voice says. I face the voice to see a girl. She's tall, with long red hair, pale skin and green eyes.
"Uh, hey." I reply, giving her a curt wave before walking to put my books in my locker. I have lunch next and after sitting through a class where all she talks about is food I'm more than ready to go.
She quickly follows after me, saying, "No, I wanted to talk."
"Oh, okay, shoot," I tell her, her keeping my pace as I walk, getting closer to my locker.
"My name is Primrose Oakley, but everyone just calls me Rose. So, we're doing cheer auditions today after school. You should come." She says, handing me a burn your retinas bright neon green piece of paper.
"Well, thank you, but I'm gonna focus school for awhile. I just moved here and it's kinda an adjustment. Cheer isn't really on the top of my priorities list. But uh, thanks again for the offer." I say, trying to hand her the paper back, but she pushes it to me again.
She smiles. "Keep it. Maybe you'll change your mind."
Giving me a little wave, she walks away, still smiling.
Tucking it in my bag, I'm positive I'm not going to sign up, but it was nice of her to think of me.
I walk into the cafeteria and look around for Parker, trying to find him since he said he was gonna meet here for lunch.
As if on cue, my phone goes off.
Parker: I'm gonna go get a burger or something. Want anything?
Mads: You left me and now I'm all alone, this could be considered neglect
Parker: Chill woman. I'll be back in like fifteen minutes.
Mads: Hurry Park, and fries please
I sigh and look up. I don't want to sit by myself, and I sure as hell don't want to sit with some randos.
I turn around and decide to just hang out outside until he gets back.
When I get outside, I'm pleasantly surprised to feel that it's warmer than usual. Not hot, that's for sure, but it's comfortable.
I head over to a bench and sit down, crossing my legs under myself, trying to soak in any sun left.
Giving Ollie a call, I wait for him to answer, tapping my fingers on my leg.
He picks up in a few rings.
"Hey Mouse, what're you doing?" He asks, sounding distracted.
"Bad time?" I ask, picking some lint off my sweater.
"Nah, just reading some boring textbook. Now, what did you wanna talk about?"
"Nothing in particular, just missed you. And I'm bored cause Parker left me to go get food so now I'm sitting outside school." I reply, shrugging to myself.
"Aw, is he at least getting you some too?"
"Yeah, fries, but still. I have to sit outside. All by myself. How lame is that?" I say, tucking some hair behind my ears, and he snorts.
"Well, how much longer you got left in your lunch break?"
"Uh, like twenty minutes."
"Oh, I was gonna come by and hang out with you, but I don't have enough time. I'll do it another day, though. You think you'll be okay?"
"Sure." I tell him, pouting a little.
"Some chick asked me to tryout for cheer and I'm just not feeling it." I admit randomly, squinting up at the carrot shaped cloud.
"You were amazing at our last school. And you loved it." He comments.
"Yeah, I guess. But I still haven't fully unpacked my room. Why should I sign up for extra shit when I'm barley adjusted to the necessities?"
"Language, Madeline Jane." He chides lightly, and I just sigh.
"Anyway, you should do it. You were amazing in our last school and you'd do even better here. Think about it. I have to go, but I'll be over for dinner soon, okay? I love you."
"I love you too." I reply, before saying goodbye and hanging up.
"And here I thought you were single." I hear a familiar voice from behind me say, making me groan.
"Go, Sam. I'm out here to avoid people."
He sits beside me and throws his arm over my shoulder, saying, "Good thing I'm not people."
Scooting away, I glare at him. "Don't touch me."
He fake pouts and I flick his nose, way harder than necessary.
"Ow," he murmurs, rubbing his nose.
He quickly recovers and says, "Now, how is long distance going for you and your man?"
I scrunch my nose up in distaste. "It was my brother."
He grins wider. "Oh, so there is no boyfriend?"
"What's it matter to you?"
He just shrugs, putting his arm over the edge of the seat. His fingertips brush the back of my neck, and I squirm away from him, beyond pissed now.
"Why do you keep bothering me? What did I even do?" I demand, and he just laughs lightly, fiddling with his lip ring.
"Nothing, you little drama queen, I just like you. And you looked like fun, which you are."
"Okay, you've had your fun, now can you leave me alone?"
"Now, why would I do that? I thought we could be friends." He fake pouts, poking my nose gently, and I swat his hand away.
Before I get the chance to get rid of him, or maybe hit him cause not gonna lie, that thought has crossed my mind more than once, a hand rests on my shoulder.
"What's going on, Mads?"
I look up to see Parker holding a bag from some fast food restaurant and looking annoyed, eyeing up Sam.
I jump up from the bench and eagerly grab the bag, saying, "Oh thank god."
Sam is looking between me and Parker, a confused look on his face.
"Maddie, who's this?" He says, wrapping his arm around me protectively.
"Park, this is Sam. I've had the pleasure of meeting him." I say sarcastically, before digging through the bag and eating a few fries.
"Okay, Sam, why are you here?" Parker deadpans, not letting up on his grip on me.
"I was talking to MJ."
"First of all, her name is Madeline, not MJ. Don't call her that. Second of all, I think my sister has made it clear she doesn't want to be around you. So why are you still here?" He says, glaring intently at Sam.
"Cause I wasn't finished talking to her?" He replies, shrugging as if it was obvious.
"Well she was. Let's go, Maddie." Parker says, before turning on his heel and walking away, still holding onto me tightly.
"Did he touch you?" He asks as we walk inside the school again.
"No." I tell him. He didn't technically, it was just the back of my neck. And my shoulder, but I don't need to tell him that.
"Tell me if he goes near you again. I don't like him."
"I'm a big girl, Parker." I reply.
"Yeah, I know, but frankly I don't care. Don't go near him."
I pull away and snap, "Parker."
He sighs and throws his head back, giving me an annoyed look. "What?"
"I can handle myself. You don't need to baby me." I tell him.
~•~•~
"Oh my gosh, it's because you don't know how to handle guys! You're not old enough!" Parker yells as we walk into our house. We're still having that damn argument.
I slam the door shut and drop my bag at my feet, turning to look at him. "I am sixteen! I can handle one dickhead guy!"
"Maddie!" I hear three people say at once. Winn, Emmett, and Parker are all giving me their stern parent looks.
"What is this about?" Winn asks, putting a hand on his hip, looking between me and Park.
"Nothing." I huff, walking into the kitchen.
"Obviously it's not nothing cause you're upset." Emmett offers as they all follow me, and I just frown deeply, climbing on a barstool.
"A guy at school is bothering Maddie and she won't listen to me." Parker says, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at me.
"He's telling me I'm too 'little' to deal with him!" I do air quotes when I say little, just to emphasize my sarcasm.
"Well, maybe he's right."
"You guys are so biased." I snap, rolling my eyes again, hopping off the stool and walking to the stairs, ignoring when Parker mutters something under his breath.
When I get to my room, I climb straight up the ladder and flop on my bed, hiding myself in the blankets.
They are so annoying.
I grab my phone and quickly call Leo, since she gave me her number not long after class. She picks up in a few rings.
"Hey, what's up?" She chirps, ever so happy.
"I'm bored. Wanna go out tonight?" I ask, a little too brashly apparently.
"Hey, you good?"
"Yep, I'm just gonna kill my brothers if I don't get out of this house in the next half hour." I admit, rubbing my temples, and she laughs.
"Okay, well, I can give you a tour of the area if you wanted. Then we can go to dinner or something, I know a great place."
"Alright, perfect, I'll send you my address." I reply, standing off my bed.
On the other side of my loft, right across from my bed, is my closet, so I head over there. I pick out an outfit. I choose a pair of ripped jeans, a plain hoodie, and some checkered vans. It's cute, but not over the top. And there's no way the boys can complain about it, right?
I climb down my ladder and into the kitchen again. I'm still hungry.
Grabbing an apple, I sit on the barstool, eating it while I wait for Leo.
"Where do you think you're going?" Emmett asks, walking into the kitchen.
"Out." I offer shortly, shooting him a glare.
"Like hell you are," he mutters before calling, "Park, Winn, come in here I need reinforcements!"
I roll my eyes and look up at the ceiling. Great.
"What're you doing?" Parker asks, the look on Winn's face clearly indicating he wants to know too.
"I am going out with a friend,"
"Who's this friend?"
A horn honks outside the house and I assume it's Leo, so I stand up from the chair, saying, "A girl I met at school,"
"I'll be back later," I add, pulling my bag over my shoulder, and Emmett just sighs.
"What're you guys going to do?" Parker pries, following me as I walk to the door.
"Probably just look around town then get dinner."
Then twins nod but Parker looks skeptical, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Oh, stop looking at me like I'm gonna sneak out and get laid or something, Parker."
He tenses up says, "You can stop with that attitude of yours, Madeline Jane."
I give him a deadpan look, mumbling, "Sorry."
Winn and Emmett are watching with frowns on their faces, Parker looks downright salty, and I huff out a breath.
I walk over and pull Parker into a hug. I lean up and kiss his cheek before moving and doing the same to the twins.
"Bye, I love you." I tell them, turning back around.
"Be home before eight!" Winn says, only partially teasing, and I nod, a tiny smile on my face.
*****
hi guys! thanks so much for reading, i appreciate it! have a good thanksgiving! please comment and vote.
- f a i t h y