Deranged Youth | book one

Chapter 8

I stroll into my math class and drop into my usual seat. Seeing that I have a couple minutes to waste I rest my head on arms and shut my eyes.

I'm tried for 3 reasons:

1.) I couldn't sleep since I was thinking about the whole vandalism stuff. But, hey, I can't help it! Even the slightest worries keep me up. It's like my body refuses sleep unless every single worry in my brain is at ease.

2.) My dad got home late from work and caused a ruckus. He scrambled into my room to ask me to help clean up his mess. Which I thought was completely unnessesary, but I did it since I wasn't gonna sleep anyways.

3.) It's Monday.

All around me I hear footsteps and conversations as people enter the classroom. The seat next to me squeaks as if someone is sitting there. In fact, someone is sitting there, the person shuffles their feel and rummaged through their things.

"So, didn't get enough sleep last night?" Not sure if he's talking to me, I lift my head up and look to my right. "I mean, I get it if your tired in, like, 1st or 2nd period but not 5th. That's just weird." Matt laughs and leans back in his seat.

I groan while I fix my hair and I reply," Yeah well my dad woke me up last night. And even if he didn't I only got, like, 2 hours of sleep last night. Give or take." I look at the clock and we have 2 mins until the bell rings for classes to start. Matt and I take out last night's homework to correct when class starts.

I turn to him and ask, "Hey, so, last night I found out something about Johhny. Well, and the rest of his group."

Matt looks at me with interest. "And?"

"Well, Sam told me about how their group does, " I pause and whisper the last word, " vandalism."

Matt frowns and shifts uncomfortably. Then he says, "I'm surprised they told you."

I scoff, "Well technically I forced it out of Sam when Johnny mentioned it during lunch yesterday."

"Well, that sucks for you." Matt snaps.

I frown at his attitude. I look at him but he rejects my stare. "Dude, whats up?" I say, concered.

"Nothing." He grabs his pen and doodles on his paper.

"Well, what should I do?" I ask.

He sighs and says," I don't know, Maddie." He looks ahead and ignores my presents. What the hell? Why is he being like this? After a moment he speaks again, "Just be careful, okay?"

"Yeah but what do I do?" I say quietly.

"You know what to do." He simply says.

But I don't.

****

I pack my backpack and close my locker. I jump when I see Johnny leaning against the lockers besides mine.

"Johnny?" I say.

"Hey Mads. So, let me guess, Sam told you." He looks at me lost face. "About the vandalism?"

Oh! Yeah, that.

"Y-yeah." I say uncomfortably.

"Well, I'm kinda pissed about that. But, you know, it's cool." He pauses and my heart pounds. "You're not gonna be going out and telling people now, are you?"

"N-no." I reply.

"Good." He looks over and spots Gabby. Gabby sees Johnny and comes over to us.

"Hey Johnny, I was wondering..." Gabby twirls her hair between her fingers, "I need help with math, can you come over to my house and help me." I look over at Johnny, surprised, and he's blushing like crazy.

"Y-yeah, I'll meet you out front." He stutters.

"Okay!" Gabby glances a surprising look towards me, as if she's just noticing my presents, and skips out the nearest exit out the building.

Once she's out I turn to Johnny and say, "What was that all about?"

"What was what all about?" He asks, confused.

"Do you like Gabby?"

He scoffs, "Shut up Maddie." and he storms out the building. Halfway, though, he turns and says, "Remember what I said about the whole vandalism thing. I don't want to drag you into trouble, if you know what I mean." And with that, he leaves me standing completely still in the halls of Hopkins High School.

Should I be scared? Did he want to scare me? Well if he did, it definately worked.

****

I shut my math textbook and gathered everything to put back into my school backpack. I flop onto my bed and exhale a breath.

What's Johnnys deal anyway? He doesn't want to drag me into trouble? That sounds like he's gonna make me vandalise stuff and get me in huge trouble. That can't happen!

My phone rings and I answer it without looking at the caller I.D.

"Hello?" I muffle into my blankets.

"Hey, Maddie?" A familiar male voice says on the other line.

"Yeah, Matt? Is that you?" I sit up in my bed and adjust the phone to my other ear.

"Yeah, it's me. Hey, listen, can you meet me at the park. You know, where we first met?" Matt asks.

"Right now?" I ask. Yeah, I mean, I can go. I finished my homework and it's not too late.

"Yeah, if you can. Don't freak out or anything. I just thought we could talk." He says, softly.

I don't say anything for a while and then say, "Yeah, sure thing. I'll see you soon."

"Okay see you." He hungs up and I get up from bed. I'm still in my outfit I wore for school, a black hoodie that says "PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT CONTENT" on it, dark ripped jeans, paired with maroon vans with my hair tied into a high pontail, so... I don't need to change. I slip my phone into my back pockets and walk out the door, turning the lights out on my way.

"Dad! I'm taking the car to go to the park." I holler.

"Okay, who are you meeting?"

"Matt, he's one of my friends."

"Ohhh, Matt. Alright. Be careful." He winks when I pass him and I walk out the door with the keys in my hands.

I start the engine and back out of the driveway.

****

"Look who actually showed up." Matt says once he sees me.

"Of course I showed up. Didn't I tell you that over the phone?" I smirk and sit next to him on the picnic table. Without even thinking about it I ask, "So why were you so bipolar earlier today?" When the words came out I quickly regretted it, because it was non of my business, but it was too late.

"Yeah," He looks down, "that. I was kinda, bothered from a memory that happened because of Johnny's reckless vandalism."

He looks at me and I ask, "Can I ask what the memory was?"

He thought for a moment before he said, "About a year ago my girlfriend, Abby, hung out with Gabby a lot, which meant she was also with Johnny, Sam, Zach, and Aaron. Well, Gabby and her group, showed Abby their latest vandalism, which was near the school, and they got caught. Abby was punished because they thought she was a part of the vandalism."

****

Authors Note: This chapter is a little shorter than the other chapters but I hope you enjoy this! It's starting to get into the plot and I'm sooooooo excited!!! Make sure you comment, vote, and share FRAMED!

xoxo deliriousociety