Forever and Always, Olive

Chapter 25: Aw, Snap

Happy reading.

Chapter 25: Aw, Snap

Maddox claimed to no longer be angry. He even offered me what he called an apology, which went something like this:

We were in third period, Forensic Science, and we had a small project to do. He decided to be my partner and I didn't bother telling him to bug off, partially because I didn't want to work with someone I didn't know, but mostly because he made an effort to fix things- which isn't something he usually does. I'm usually the one doing the fixing.

"You're not mad anymore?" I asked as I pressed my finger against an ink pad, putting it on its designated box on the paper.

"No," he replied stiffly. I glanced at him before slightly shaking my head.

"What if I'm still angry?" I responded.

"You're not," he replied bluntly. I looked at him and he shrugged, fingerprinting his ring finger. "Winona told me."

"Of course she did," I muttered.

Despite the fact that he claims not to be angry, everything he does around me is tense and uncomfortable. I suggested getting car rides from Vivica but he shook his head and insisted on bringing me back and forth from school. However, he doesn't speak and everything he does seems irregular and jumpy. For example, I went to go change the music (because that's what he does to fill in for the awkward silence) and he apparently went to do the same. Our hands touched and he jumped away so quickly that he nearly swerved us into some lady's yard.

On Wednesday after school, I caught a ride with Vivica because I didn't feel like sticking around to watch a bunch of freshman try out for baseball. Even our friends sense the tension around us because apparently, he doesn't act like this when he's with them. They've said so themselves. They all came up with the conclusion that it must be me.

After an uncomfortable car ride with him on Thursday morning, I managed to slip away after saying an awkward farewell, which would usually be him 'accidentally' walking with me to class and then, if I brought it up- which I always did, he'd insult me, blush, and then walk away. Despite the fact that we had the same first period class, he always had to run upstairs to get to his locker, which was always a last minute thing for him. But this parting was just him speed walking to the entrance and then brokenly waving before jogging in the direction of Jackson's locker, which is where the guys usually meet up.

By the time lunch slid around, I was grateful to be around our friends. Maddox usually doesn't act as stiff around them, but they said it was still noticeable. "We're still hanging out today, right?" Winona inquired as she looked around the table.

"Yeah," I nodded as I poked at my food. Everyone else agreed that they would be meeting up at the mall at five o'clock like we planned.

"I don't think I should go," Maddox bluntly said.

"Why not?" Jackson inquired as he looked at Maddox, as did everyone else. I let out a very long sigh.

"Yeah, why not, Maddox?" I asked, pulling his attention from Jackson, who he was straining to send mental messages to. I wasn't even a part of the messaging system, and I could tell that he wasn't going to go because of me. It didn't take an idiot to see that was what he was trying to tell his friend.

"I have homework," Maddox attempted to excuse, staring at his tray.

"I can help. Is it Algebra two?" I asked with narrowed eyes, throwing down my French fry and rubbing the salt from my hands.

"No," he bluntly stated. His eyes flickered from the corners of his tray as he struggled to think of something. "It's, uh, from—."

I scoffed. "Are you serious?" I snapped.