Beauty & the Geek

Chapter 14

Books had always been Maddy's constant companions, her portals to fearless, heroic, and enchanting adventures. But then, a new chapter began. Steve.

From the girl who was never chosen, never kissed, never liked, Maddy has transformed into the beautiful swan or, more aptly, the girl with a dreamy boyfriend. Their fairytale rendezvous on the night of the Snow Ball marked the beginning of her real dating life. His kisses are as passionate as his promises, always kept, never broken, and right on time.

Steve is a puzzle, an adventure in himself. He's a treasure trove of surprises, like the unexpected depth of his soul. Who could have fathomed that the most popular guy would harbor such a huge heart, brimming with concealed goodness and affection? It's there, hidden behind a cool guy facade and a mane of incredible hair, waiting to be unraveled.

Yet, for every endearing, adorable aspect of Steve, there's also the exasperating, scatterbrained, untidy side of him. This dichotomy drives Maddy to the brink. He seems to leave a trail of sports equipment wherever he treads. She's discovered pair after pair of baseball gloves in her car alone, not to mention the multitude of cleats he's left at her house. Then, there are the notebooks, pencils, cassettes, and hairspray.

Steve is so disorganized, making Maddy wonder if his outward messiness is a sign of what's happening in his head.

It was a balmy day in March. Maddy, Jen, and Katie arrived at the school and parked beside each other. Jen and Katie waited while Maddy retrieved two pairs of gloves and the cleats from her backseat. When she had everything, the blonde let out a huff of breath, saying, "I don't understand why he's so cluttered."

Katie expressed, "My brother is the same way. For all of Lucas's intelligent tendencies, he's incredibly dense, and things like organization don't come naturally to him. I think it's a guy thing."

Disagreeing, Jen declared, "No. Steve is just Steve. He's chaotic. It's not a bad thing. Some people are just that way. Besides, what's life without a little chaos, you know?"

"Oh! It's like Sonny and Cher, peanut butter and jelly, Shaggy and Scooby," Katie remarked excitedly.

Jen interrupted, saying, "Butter and popcorn, mac and cheese!"

Katie stated, "Exactly! Chaos and organization just need each other. Maddy, you're the organization to Steve's mess."

Maddy walked with them, pondering their words, until Jen's voice seemed to echo a part of the conversation with Aunt Gertrude in December. "But Maddy, here's the thing. Some of our most potent emotions emerge from chaos: anger, fear, and especially love. Sometimes, love just defies logic. Like why would Kermit love Miss Piggy? A pig and a frog don't seem to fit! That's love for you; it rattles you and spins you around!"

That was when the boy in question actually reached out and spun Maddy around. "Hi," Steve greeted, kissing her forehead.

Grinning from ear to ear, Maddy proudly presented his gear and said, "Here you go!"

Steve took his sports stuff and said, "Thank God! I've been looking everywhere for these cleats. They're lucky." He took them and slung them over his shoulder since the laces were tied together. Then he asked, "Are you coming to the game after school?"

"Of course," Maddy replied, still smiling. She and her friends have been looking forward to the game, particularly because the Tigers had been dominating with an impressive winning streak. The winning seemed to boost Steve's confidence. It has positively impacted his study habits and approach to classes, making consistent B grades on all of his tests since the streak began. It's also made him more amorous too. Their kisses have grown heavier lately, not that Maddy's complaining.