Misconstructed

Twenty One

Sitting me in her living room, she goes off to the kitchen, "Would you like anything to eat?" She calls out. Shaking my head, I get up from the couch only to pop up in her doorway. "I said, did you-" she almost jumps when she sees me. 'Want anything to eat?" Slowly shaking my head, I keep my head on the doorway, not at all sure of what to do at this moment. "What's wrong?" She closes her cabinet doors, coming to me. Placing her hand on my face, it's like she's trying to force me to stare at her, not that I'm complaining.

"I'm just not sure what to do now," I shrug. I try prying my eyes from her but she brings me back by gently caressing my chin.

"Nothing," She starts. She brings my head closer to hers by grabbing the back of my neck and dragging it down. "Absolutely nothing, Saxton." I can see the desperation in her eyes, which gives me the upper hand.

Taking her hand in mine, I gently kiss it. She brings her lips up to me and I cave, giving her my lips. "So," I begin. She turns from me, going back to cooking. "When did you know?"

"Know what?" She takes some batter of some sort on a bowl and places it in the pan.

"That you liked me," She snaps her head to me.

"Why are you asking such arbitrary questions?" she asks me.

"Because I think it's cute."

"Well now, does Mr. Rivers have a romantic side?" She scoops some batter into a heating pan, my sure guess is that it's pancakes. I shrug my shoulders and think what the hell am I doing here? Playing house with a teacher that I could care less about. Or should, anyway. Internally, I'm fighting with myself. I know I should be leaving, never to see her again but I can't. I just can't, which is why my feet are plastered to the floor here. Maybe it's why I followed her like a little puppy.

My phone vibrates, and when I check it, I see that it's a text from Maddie. Where did you go? I answer back that I just left for a few minutes but then she texts back Hurry up. With a kissing emoji. I roll my eyes at the text but I'm caught. "Who was that?"

"My friend Maddie. She's nobody," I put my phone back in my pocket.

"I think I've seen you hanging out with her. You even have a free period together, correct?"

"Yeah."

"What's going on with you two?"

"What do you mean?" I question. My eyes and ears perk up as I can already feel the jealousy radiating from her.

"Well you know teachers hear things too,"

"You've only been here a few weeks, that's pretty quick when it comes to the teachers."

"You would think so, right? Well, no." She turns to go to her dining table to eat her pancakes. "It was the second day that someone told me that."

"Told you what exactly?"

"That you two sleep together," She shrugs her shoulders.

"What teachers keep track of that?" I cackle. "Wow," I'm in disbelief. She shrugs her shoulders again. I can't help what I'm about to do but I walk up to her from behind, steal her fork and put some pancakes into my mouth.

"Excuse you," she jokes. I can't help but laugh and run away from her.

"Alright, I have to get back to my friends," I go back to kiss her on her head.

"And you know," she begins before she swallows more food. "I'm going to break up with him sometime. I pause for a moment, keeping my head over hers but then I come back to reality. Does she think we're going to become a couple if she does this? Do I even want that? No, of course not.

"Actually," She looks up at me. "Don't."

"Why not?"

"I think that would be a little suspicious considering it just happened last night." My headache hits again and more memories come flooding back, the one with Maddies wrist and I now know my day's ruined. There's a change in energy between us and I blame myself for it, but I do my best to be a good sport.

"It's better than cheating on him."

Too late for that I want to tell her, but I don't. Not wanting to get into this conversation I say, "Still, I need to be off to my friends,"

She nods her head, puckering her lips to let me know that I should kiss her goodbye. I do and leave to head off to Maddie. I've decided that I'm going to kill Daniel if I see him first.

It takes me less time to get back to Trevor's house considering the fact that I'm practically running the whole way. Entering the house, I call for Maddie immediately. "What are you doing?" Dustin comes out from the kitchen. I ignore him, calling for Maddie again.

"Dude!" Dustin yells. I've gotten the attention of Allen and Roy now. "What the hell's going on?"

"Where's Maddie? Where's your cousin?" I'm panicking now, Maddie shouldn't be alone with him.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Danny beats Maddie, and I'm going to kill him." Dustin's face changes for the worse and when he grabs my shirt, he shoves me into the wall behind me. "What the hell are you doing, man?"

"You're not touching my cousin,"

"Did you not hear what I just said?"

"There's no proof."

"Do you think I'd be acting this way if there wasn't proof?"

"But you two were cool this morning!" He yells at me.

Slapping his hands off of me, I shove him back. "I didn't remember last night then. Just trust me!" I yell back at him. "Where is she?" I grab hold of his shirt, ready to shove him again if I need to get him out of my way.

"They're upstairs!" I let go of him and run up the stairs with Dustin, Roy and Allen all behind me. The third door on the left is where she usually stays so that's where I run to. Placing my hand on the door, I put my ear to the door to make sure the four of us don't walk in on him and her.

"You did what?!" I hear Daniel yell through the door. Loud music is always playing from their room and I think I just found out why. Opening the door, the four of us see Daniel's arm raised in the air as if he's going to backhand Maddie like some pimp.

All I'm seeing is red at the moment. Terror is on Maddie's face to which I assume is because we barged in and because of Danny. Looking back at Dustin, I gloat. "I told you so!" but he just rolls his eyes.

The four of us set off for Daniel, who's in utter and complete shock. I grab him by the collar of his shirt, dragging him to me, while my best friends gather around, circling Daniel. "Now what just happened?"

"Nothing, guys, honestly," He tries bullshitting us with his hands raised in defense.

"Make this your first and last warning," I begin, bringing him close to my face. "You two are broken up. You two mean nothing to each other." He's rapidly nodding his head. "If you even go near her again, it will mean the end of you and I will personally see to it, do you understand?"

"Yes," he says as he continues to nod his head. Letting him go, he starts off running, only he goes nowhere. One of the guys stuck out their leg, tripping Daniel. "What the hell!"

Dropping to the floor, I punch him in the side of the head once. Twice. Three times. "Now get the hell out of here." I tell him before ruffling his hair and pushing his head into the floor. Looking up at Maddie, she's got tears streaming down her face and I can't help but rush into her, swallowing her with my arms. "You're safe," I whisper in her ear.

Nodding her head, the guys come in for a hug as well. "Next time you have to tell us," Roy tells her. She should know that no matter what, We're here for her, but maybe it was the fact that he's Dustin's cousin made her rethink her choice.