Incredible Shrinking Haley

Maddie the cutie

I woke up a little bit later than usual since on Tuesdays and Thursdays my first class doesn't start until after 9. I noticed Annie wasn't in my room, and I started to panic a little bit. I grabbed my phone to start checking her location, but I noticed a few messages from her. She replied to let me know she was coming home, that she had arrived but devices to sleep in Liz's room so she wouldn't wake me up, with an image attached of me sleeping in my bed. I hadn't actually seen a picture of me since I had shrank, and I was a little shocked to see just how small I was. I hopped down from my bed to go to the living room. Liz was the only one awake, and she looked extremely tired.
"Rough night?" I asked her. She took another spoonful of cereal before turning to me and nodding her head slowly. "Do you know if Maddie and Alexis made it back last night?"
"Yeah, they got back at like 3 am? I heard them come in but I forgot what time that was. It was pretty late. I'm surprised you didn't wake up. Me and Annie were loud, and Alexis and Maddie were pretty loud too. I always thought you were a light sleeper."
"Yeah, I've just been tired recently. It's one of the side effects. I definitely did not hear anyone come in. It's kind of weird cause this is some of the best sleep I've ever gotten." I started making my way towards Liz's room to check on Annie. She was still sleeping on Liz's bed. It would be easier for her to sleep on my bed with me, considering how little I take up compared to Liz, but Annie still looked comfortable. I couldn't help but smile. I hope I get to spend more time with her today, but she is a little party animal and I want her to enjoy her time. "How was she last night?"
"Oh, she was a blast. Everyone loved her. She was ready to go for a few more hours still. Your ID worked like a charm. She'll probably be out for at least a little bit longer. If she wakes up before I leave, I'll tell her to text you." I told her thank you for everything, and made my way to my room to get ready.
I realized I really need to text Hannah today, because when was trying to pick out an outfit I couldn't find anything I genuinely wanted to wear. I sent her a text saying it was so nice to meet her last night, would love to talk her soon some more in person, asking for her seamstress/tailor, and if she knew anyone who could do my hair. I also asked for her social medias so I could be sure to follow her. I picked the outfit I hated the least, and made my way to the living room. I had killed an hour or so with my morning routine, so it was almost time to leave for my first class. Shelly had sent me a good morning text and asked if I was stopping by for coffee again, but had told her I wasn't going to today, since my class is on the other side of campus. I was so surprised, if not annoyed, by how well Shelly was continuing this conversation with so little to go off of. To my surprise she had yet to ask about my size, when it's such an easy talking point. I think I'm definitely going to meet up with her; she's very nice. Liz asked me if I wanted a ride, and I obliged. Mainly because of how long the walk would be.
We left a later bit later since we would be going by car. Liz dropped me off at the nearest building where she could (after getting the iPad mini and other items provided to me by the university), which was still a a few minutes away walking distance from my class. I was walking as fast I could with my head down to avoid being recognized by anyone. I felt butterflies in starting to form in my stomach as I got closer and closer. Once I made it to class, I noticed Maddie was in the usual spot we like to sit in. I heard people whisper as I scurried past them, still with my head down and using my hair to cover my face. I'm not sure why I was so embarrassed. I wasn't like this yesterday going to class. Maybe I just felt vulnerable after yesterday, or maybe I was nervous to see Maddie. I made my way to her but couldn't find the courage to speak to her. I started sitting in the chair when...
"Oh, hi, sorry! That seat is taken. My roommate is going to sit here when she arrives. If you'd like you can take the next one over though!"
"Um, well, you see..." I looked up at hair and moved my hair from my face. Her draw just dropped. "Please don't make a scene."
"Haley!?" She whispered, but also somehow managed to yell at the same time. "No way! Since when!? Why didn't you say anything!?" I let out a deep exhale through my nose, and all I could do was shrug. "Oh, gosh, Haley. I really wish you didn't surprise me like this! My heart is thumping. I'm not sure if I'll even be able to focus on class, I have so many questions to ask you." Despite this, she pulled out her computer from her bag to get ready to start taking notes, as the lecture was getting ready to start. "Can you see the slideshow presentation? If you want I can take notes for you and just send them." I pulled out the iPad mini and the pencil that the university provided me. It felt like a regular sized notebook, although the pencil was a little thicker than I would like. Maddie brought up a good point about being able to see, though. I couldn't over the person in front of me.
"Uh, yeah actually I can't see from here. Do you mind if we swap sweats?" Maddie agreed, but it accomplished nothing. I still couldn't see.
"Would it be too much if I offered you to sit on my lap?" Maddie offered.
"Uh, I think so. It would definitely be embarrassing..."
"Ah, sorry! Not sure exactly what to do here. You're my first friend who's shrunken. I want to treat you as you should be treated, but I'm not sure what's crossing the line."
"Oh, I wouldn't say you were crossing the line! I know you're so caring, so you can just treat me exactly the same as before. If I need help, I'll ask for it. These last couple of days have been humbling! Just the fact you haven't made such a big deal about what happened means so much."
"I'll be honest, I kinda want to. Not by choice, but just because I'm so shocked. I know you probably got asked everything already probably multiple times but I would love it if you would let me ask too." Maddie was always so straightforward, it's something I appreciated. I think she would be one of the people who would continue to treat me the same more than anyone. I told her of course, but only if she could take the notes for me. She smiled at me and just giggled as she continued to get ready for class which was starting any moment. Not to catch feelings for my roommate, but I couldn't help but notice now more than ever gorgeous Maddie is. Even though she apparently only got a few hours of sleep, she was wearing the cutest white spring mini dress, and her hair was in ponytail with a ponytail tie, and her make up was flawless. For some reason, Maddie always wore red lipstick. It was her signature look. I'm convinced she didn't sleep tonight, because I don't know how else she would have time otherwise to have gotten so dolled up. Something about literally looking up to people makes me see them differently, I guess. But I knew Maddie way too well to see her as anything other than a sister.
She transferred into my high school senior year from out of state as she always wanted to go to University of Alabama, but out of state tuition would have been too expensive. I could imagine how hard it would have been for her to lose all of her friends, so I made it a mission to befriend her, since I felt bad for her. It wasn't a pity thing, I just wanted her to have a good senior year. We got really close that year. She is very timid, so it's not so easy for her to make friends. She didn't even try out for the cheer squad despite it being a huge passion of hers and me actively encouraging her too. We ended up both coming to the same university, which we were excited about because we wanted to request each other as roommates, and we got each other for our first year on campus. I'm on a full ride and would be very busy with volleyball, so I encouraged her again to cheer, or join a sorority. Ideally I wanted her to do both, but thankfully she at least joined a sorority. Second year, I moved off campus and she stayed. We didn't have any classes together that semester since we are different majors, but we tried to hang out at least once a week so we wouldn't drift away. She would come to all of my games, and we would try to tailgate and watch the football games together. Our tailgates were interesting because neither of us drink, so we kind of just hung around people that did and made sure everything was ok. She doesn't drink by choice, and I don't drink while volleyball season is ongoing.
She's extremely innocent, to the point where it's almost complete naivety; I call her a little saint all the time, but I really just think it just adds to her charm. As far as I am aware, she has never had a boyfriend or even a first kiss. I've tried to set her up with boys all the time, guys always hit on her, but she just seems so clueless to everything. Any time we talk about a boy, or setting her up, or going on a date, or anything she always blushes and turns red. It's really easy notice to see because of how pale she is. I hate to admit it, but she really isn't bright either. But, I'll be damned if she isn't the hardest worker I know. She's never afraid to seek out help, she will work at something until she is able to understand, she is great at explaining it back to everyone (even if everyone already understood), and she always has one of the best grades in any class she is in. I admire her work ethic. I honestly don't think "I can't do it" is in her vocabulary, as cheesy as that may sound. Whenever I would vent about something I couldn't do, or learn, or accomplish, she would always just stare back me and ask, "Why not? Just do it!". Coming from anyone else, that would never work; it just seems like they're trying to be motivational but don't know what to say. It's honest from her though, because that's her actual mindset. I'm sure if she put her mind to it, she could jump 10 feet in the air. I think it comes back to her being so naive, honestly.
Anyways, this year, our 3rd year, we are rooming together again and it's been great. All 4 of us in our apartment look out for each other, I'm glad to be with her again. It might be the last time we room together, since she might live at her sorority house next year. We've talked about getting jobs in the same city after college and moving in together, but it's hard to plan that far ahead so we promised we would re-visit it our senior year of college. Somehow we both didn't do our last pre-requisite, which happened to be for the same credit, so we were able to have what I assume would be our last class together.
    Somewhere during the lecture which I could hardly focus on since I couldn't see anything, Hannah responded with a novel. I did my best to fight the urge to read it, since I wanted to focus on class. My saving grace during class was that Maddie had the slideshow presentation downloaded and was following along her laptop screen so I was doing my best to see what everyone else was. I managed to focus on class for about 15 or so more minutes before I had to go to the bathroom.I let Maddie know I would be right back, I was just going to the bathroom.
     "Oh, ok! Should I come with you? I mean, I'm sure you can handle it but if you want I can walk with you. Just in case like you can't reach the water fountain or something." I just smiled and chuckled a bit and showed her my way too big water bottle.
     "I should be fine. Thank you though!" I got up and made my way to the bathroom. It definitely took longer than I was anticipating. I read Hannah's message on the walk to the bathroom once I was out of the class room and while I was waiting for a stall to open up. There were a few girls ahead of me, but they all offered for me to go first once a stall opened up. I'm guessing it's because I was considerably smaller than all of them now. That was funny to me considering I was probably 4 inches taller than the tallest girl previously, but I wasn't going to pass up on cutting the line. Hannah replied saying it was super nice to meet me and Dana.  She said she wanted to hang out with us more, but understands why we wouldn't want to go out. She assured us again though that it was super safe and we are treated like celebrities! She stated she was also very much like to meet up in person, and we could do it either in public or we could come to her apartment. She mentioned how she had an apartment to herself with appropriately sized furniture and everything else that her sponsorship money all paid for (I didn't take this as a brag, more so maybe her trying to tell us take advantage of the situation), so we could cook, relax, watch movies, etc at her place and it would all feel like we are in a normal home. That reminded me a lot of Dana's meeting. She reminded me that she tons of clothes she could gives us too. Hannah also shared the contact information for her tailor/seamstress and said she already talked about Dana and I to her and she said she would give us a discount. I couldn't believe how nice Hannah is, and how amazing it was of Cindy to give us a discount. She also referred a hair stylist who could dye my hair. Amazingly enough, since it doesn't take as much material to dye our hair, Katy, the stylist, offers reduced rates for us as well. Finally she sent me all of her social media accounts and asked for me to send mine and Dana's back so she could make sure to follow me. That made me realize I hadn't even followed Dana anywhere. I was typing up my thank you message as I was walking back to the room where my lecture was taking place, and I also made sure to ask if she had any Halloween plans. I made it back but felt a little bad I didn't have time to reply to Shelly.
     I was able to listen to the rest of the lecture with minimal distractions thankfully. Maddie instantly stood up to get ready to leave but I stayed sitting, waiting for people to shuffle out. She asked me if everything was ok, and I said yeah I just didn't want to get trampled. She mouthed "Oh" and sat back on the edge of her seat with he hands on her knees, staring at me.
     "Haley...." I was getting ready to tell her not to start asking questions here, it's too embarrassing,  but she continued, "where do you want to grab lunch? I skipped breakfast today so I'm starving! We could go anywhere you like." I told her I haven't been eating much, so anywhere with a nice grilled chicken salad would be nice. She thought for a little bit, but jumped right out of her chair exclaiming, "Oh! I know just the place." She looked over and saw that almost everyone had left, and asked if I was ready to go. It was hard for me to find the courage to stand now that she also was, but after a deep breath I nodded and stood. I looked up at Maddie, who wasn't even looking back at me. She seemed focused on something else. I asked back if she was ready, and she turned around back at me and said, "Oh, yeah!" And started walking towards the exit. I was a little surprised, and stood there for a second or two with a puzzled look. I caught up to her, mainly because she waited for me by the door.
     "Maddie, I love your outfit so much. You look so cute!" I said.
     "Oh, thank you! I bought this dress on the trip I took with Alexis. I love it so much." She twirled around in it, almost hitting me but she didn't seem to notice. Funny enough, even though she stood 2 feet taller than me, she didn't seem so big. Or maybe it was that I didn't feel so small near her. "My car is parked a few minutes away from here. Want me to carry your stuff? Er, not cause you aren't capable yourself. Just, cause it would be easier for me I think. I have extra space in my bag." I appreciate the fact that she is trying to treat me normally, but also being considerate. I know she hasn't been the only one to do it, but it's funnier with her since she's dancing around the topic.
"No, it's ok!" I said after I giggled at her. "I can handle this. Thankfully it's really only this iPad and stylus the university gave me. I don't have to carry around a laptop or textbooks or anything anymore. It's all here!"
"Wait, what?! I'm a little jealous of that, not going to lie! That's so awesome." We got outside the building where our class was and we felt the nice breeze and the warm sun. The moments like these made me forget everything, it was just a nice feeling. Maddie put on her sunglasses and I swear she looked like a super model. She wasn't used to having to walk slower so I could keep up, but I swear I saw every other boy on campus look at her. How she is still single is beyond me. During the walk, I used the time to reply to Shelly and Hannah, follow Hannah on social media, message Dana to ask for her socials before I forgot, and text Annie and Liz to see how they are doing. I messaged Cindy and Katy as well so I could set up a a time with them. Once we got to her car, I climbed into her passenger seat and struggled to put the seatbelt on.
"I might have to buy you one of those car seats for miniature people for me, this is so weird!" I told her. "I think I'm low enough to where people won't see me, so the police shouldn't say anything. But gosh, I'm uncomfortable with this seatbelt. Liz's car wasn't all that great either."
"There are car seats?!"
"Well, yeah! I'm as tall as a 3 year old."
"Huh... I guess that makes sense."
"So," I started while she was getting onto the main road "what did you want to ask?"