Dots and Zeros [Completed]

31. Sam

Detention isn't fun at all. I first thought it wouldn't be so bad. Sitting in a quiet classroom to do your homework. But that's the thing. You're not allowed to do your homework. You're literally sitting in a classroom staring at the back of the greasy head of the person in front of you. It's such a waste of time. And I have to do it again tomorrow.

It was worth it, though.

I'm eating dinner in my room when my phone rings. It can't be Eugene because we mainly text. Or he'll text if he can call, and then he'll call.

I put down the fork and get my phone from my bag under the desk. It's Andrea. I answer it.

'Hi,' I say.

'Hey, Sam,' Andrea's voice says from the other side. 'How are you doing? How did it go? I didn't hear from you.'

'Right, I promised I'd text you.'

'It's fine if you forgot. So, what happened?'

'We didn't go.'

A pause.

'You didn't go?' she says. 'Did you get nervous?'

'No. Eugene and I ran into my mom. She took me home right away.'

'Your mom? How did she even find you?'

'No idea. But she did. And now I'm grounded until I die.'

Another pause from her side.

'I didn't think Madeline would do that,' she says. 'I didn't expect her to go that far. To be honest, we haven't met up with her in a long while. I'm sure she's changed a whole lot.'

'You used to hang out with her?'

'Well, yeah. Julian and Alex are brothers. We saw each other on birthdays and stuff. Alex and her also hung out sometimes. I believe they know each other since high school.'

'Since high school? Did mom know dad since then as well?'

'I think so. Wait, let me get Alex for you. One second.'

It goes quiet on the other side. I decide to get more comfortable. I leave the chair and lay down on my bed. I leave the pancakes on my desk. I wonder if Eugene ate already. He must have.

'You're on speaker, Sam,' Andrea says.

'Hi,' Alexander says.

'Hey,' I say.

'As I was saying to Sam,' Andrea says. 'I'm pretty sure you and Madeline know each other since high school. Right?'

'Yes,' Alexander says. 'Me, Julian and her were in the same friend group. They dated back then, too.'

'What do you mean too?' I ask.

'They broke up in the last year of high school,' he says. 'And then they got back together nearly a decade later. I think Madeline went to one of his exhibitions. That's all he told me about it.'

'So that's how they got back in touch?' Andrea asks.

'Yeah.'

'That's nice for them. Must've been strange to see each other again after such a long time.'

'Do you know why they broke up in high school?' I say.

'I'm not sure. But I remember Julian being really upset. It must have been because of Madeline.'

I hum.

'What I remember from Madeline's parents, though,' Andrea says, 'is that they can be a little controlling. At least from what I gathered from various birthday parties. But those were long after the high school thing. That was when they were back together in their late twenties.'