Maven (On Hold)

Maven - 1

"Looks like we got ourselves a bit of a problem, eh kid?"

That sentence was the bait that got me hooked on the greatest mystery ever to walk this Earth.

I was eleven.

He was thirteen.

And we were both locked in the boys locker room at Good Hope Middle School on a Thursday evening.

I certainly didn't try to get locked in, it just happened.

"You got a phone, kid?

I didn't know why he referred to me as "kid". I was but two years younger than him, and only one grade below.

I shrugged my shoulders. Mom says cell phones are bad for kids my age.

"They take away all the joy of youth, Leyton. Enjoy being young for as long as you possibly can. Adult life is tough shit." She would say.

"Well, make yourself comfortable. We'll be here all night. Name's Maven Castings, by the way. You got a name, kid?"

Maven wasn't from the South. Or the West. He was from Delaware. His whole family was rooted there until his dad got a great job here in Pennsylvania.

So where exactly did his country accent come from? I have no idea.

"Leyton. Leyton Fox."

"Leyton? That's interestin'. What grade are ya in?"

I'm not sure what possessed me to talk to this not-so-country bumpkin, but I continued anyway.

"Seventh. You?"

"Eighth. I should be in ninth, but those damn teachers thought I was a dumb kid in kindergarten. Held me back a year."

"Yeah."

I was a shy kid in middle school. I didn't have much to say, and people preferred it that way.

"What were ya doin' in the locker room anyway, Blue?"

"Find my glasses." I had mumbled that.

"These?" He held up my unextraordinary, black, plastic glasses.

"Yes. Thank you, Maven."

He smiled. A big, toothy, white grin.

"No problem, Blue."

I didn't question "Blue" then, because I had somewhat of a friend. And I wasn't about to ruin it because he had nicknamed me a color.

"Why are you in here?"

"I was about to pull off the ultimate prank, Blue. It was gonna be epic. But then they locked the doors, so they'd know who'd done it." He finished with a sad look.

"What kind of prank?"

He looked at me the way one might look at an inexperienced soccer player, and he was the coach.

"A big one. You pull a lot 'a pranks, Blue?"

I shook my head.

He grinned again.

"Well, you've got some learnin' to do, Blue. And I ain't talkin' 'bout academics."

********

"Tell me, Blue. Do ya like paintin'?"

I should've stopped him there. Ended any possibility of a friendship, right then and there. But I didn't. Because Maven was one of a kind.

I nodded slowly.

"I'm in art class, if that's what you mean."

"No, Blue. I'm talkin' 'bout real art."

I looked at him with curiosity.

He revealed three cans of spray paint.

"This kinda art."

"I've never used spray paint."

"Then I'll teach ya." He handed me green.

"Now put your index here. No, right here. There ya go."

"Then gently apply pressure, and BAM! Ya got yerself some spray paint." He smiled.

Maven and I spent the rest of our time in the locker room "decorating" the locker doors.

"Looks great, Blue. Let's hide in the shower, I hear some keys jinglin'." We shuffled to the showers and stood on the step stools provided.

There was the unmistakable sound of a key being inserted into the key hole of the locker room's door knob.

Then, the door being opened.

"Shh." Maven pressed a finger to his lips.

I nodded and closed my mouth tightly.

Footsteps were heard retreating to the supply closet. That's when the signal was given, and Maven and I made our escape.

As for my mother? She thought I was spending the night at a friend's.

The newly painted lockers? They were left alone by our very creative gym teacher.

And Maven? Well, he just got himself a new best friend.

********

A/N

Hola! It's 2 am so this might make 0 - 12% sense? Haha, idek.

Hope you enjoyed!

Maven is so weird omg I like him

~ lexi