All They Told Me Was To Just Give Up - (Of Mice and Men fan fic)

Chapter three - Carpe Diem

MADELINE -

I hate myself for agreeing to this I think to myself with a sigh. I glower at the gold lettering on Alan's door, wishing I was some where else. But the problem was that if I didn't knock on this dumb wooden door, I would hate myself even more than I already did. So, with that thought, I gave the door a soft knock before I had time to change my mind. 

Alan opens the door and pulls me in before I could even get a greeting out. "Madeline!!!" He wraps me in a hug what lifts me off the floor.

"Hey, Alan," I laugh as I hug him back. 

It took me a second to recognize the feeling I was feeling as comfort. I felt comfortable, and that was something I didn't even feel in my own home.

 I turn to the room to find a girl and a boy staring at me curiously from the two couches. The girl is gorgeous, with long, black wavy hair and bangs that go straight across her forehead. Her makeup is dark, but it brings out her big, green eyes. She's one of those perfect girls with perfect eyebrows, perfect clothes, and perfect hair. I instantly envied her for having the strength to wake up and do that everyday. 

The boy, I could tell from how he was sitting, was tall and lanky. He dark hair and dark eyes. I smile an wave and he waves back. 

The girl, who I am assuming is Alan's girlfriend, jumps up and hug me, "Hi." She greets me with a hug, smiling brightly. "I'm Maddie."

"That's funny." I say with a small laugh. I awkwardly wrap my arms around her, not knowing what else to do. "I'm Madeline." Everyone was just so touchy here. 

"That is funny." She agrees with a laugh. She grabs my wrist and drags me to the couch. She pushes me down into the lumpy couch and hands me a Xbox controller. "I must judge you on your video game skills."

"Seriously, Maddie?" Alan groans while I laugh. "Why do you have to do this to everyone?!"

"Yes seriously!" She exclaims as she starts up Halo. "I must tell if the person is worthy or not." She winks at me as she sits down next to me.

"Good luck," The boy on the couch laughs, finally speaking. I am surprised to hear is voice is a littler rough and deeper than I expected. "No one can beat Maddie."

"We'll see about that," I say, now determined to win as I cross my legs under me to get my comfortable. 

"I guess we will," Maddie agrees with a smug smile as the game starts.

After four rounds, and a lot of video game rage and screaming, we're tied. Alan is now sitting on the floor in front of Maddie, his back up against the couch. The other boy is sitting on the edge of his couch, waiting to see who will be the victor.

"Yes yes yes!" He shouts at the same time I yell, "I am king!

"Austin!" Maddie scolds, offended.

Austin laughs, and I join in. "Sorry Maddie, but she's kicking your ass." He chuckles again as I get a head shot.  

"Come on Maddie!" Alan exclaims suddenly. "You can do this. You can not lose to this freak!"

"Hey!" I shot Alan a glare, and getting killed as I look away from the screen. I let out a frustrated groan and Alan laughs. The points were close.

"I have faith in you." Austin pipes up and that is enough for me to win the game. 

"Are you kidding me!?" Maddie exclaims in disbelief. "No one beats me! No one!"

I laugh victoriously and blush slightly as Austins gives me a fist bump and winks at me. "I knew you could do it!"

"What the hell!" Alan laughs turning to Maddie. "Does this mean we get to keep her?"

"I suppose." Maddie smiles at me as she hops up and heads to the kitchen. We all follow suit and end up sitting at the kitchen table with mugs of coffee. I was sitting next to Austin and across of Alan. I take a deep breath through my nose, feeling content.

"Soo," Alan starts, breaking the comfortable silence. "Tell as about  yourself, Mads. You are pretty much a stranger,"

"You could be a serial killer for all we know," Austin teases.

I smile shyly as I push the bangs out of my face. "W-well," I stutter, the attention was making me nervous. "I'm 22. I sing for a band called Yesterday Awaits-"

"WAIT!" Alan interrupts as he suddenly becomes animated. "You're Madeline Weber?! Are you kidding!?"

"I- yeah." I sigh. "I didn't know you were a fan."

"I'm not!" He exclaims, talking really fast- I had to pay close attention so I could catch what he is saying. "Well, I am. But, dude, me and Austin are in the band Of Mice and Men! We played at warped together last year!"

Maddie laughs at Alan's excitement as Austin begins to speak. "I'm pretty sure we met. It was a couple of years ago, though."

"Oh," Was all I could manage and I felt completely lame. I was taken aback first by Alan's excitement and then by the fact that we had all already knew each other.  

"Lets go on tour together!" Alan says, not even giving me a chance to speak as he smiles widely.