Clockwork Daisy

Chapter 12

Deacon 

Chapter 12

Not all stories have happy endings. I knew that, The Great Gatsby, for example, had an ending that could make a cigar smoking grandfather cry. But I couldn't be more thankful for that book. It was the very paperback in my presence when Ellie Wells and I officially became introduced. We shook hands like adults and smiled like old friends. There was a mix of emotion and hormones whipping through my brain. 

"It's neat up here." Ellie said, scanning the library loft. She smoothed the back of her skirt and sat abruptly onto the hardwood floor. 

I shot up like a bean stock. "You don't have to sit on the floor." I gestured to my now empty recliner chair.

Ellie waved her thin, sun kissed hand. "I'm fine." 

"Okay." I shuffled awkwardly back into my seat. 

"You come up here alot, don't you?" She spoke it like a question, but we both knew it could've been a stated fact. 

"Yeah." I answered, scooping The Great Gatsby off the floor. "People come up here, but they don't stay for long. I end up being the last one to leave."

Ellie smiled lightly, sweetly. "You're not alone anymore."

The grin that flew onto my face couldn't have been wiped off my face. Even if a monster truck driver smashed a sledge hammer into my cheek. "Ellie, I..." My voice was cut off by the musical note ringing through the speakers that signaled the end of the lunch hour. 

Ellie stood up, and I thought she was going to immediately leave, but I was surprised to find that she waited until I gathered my things to move onto the staircase. We were on the fifth step when she spoke. "Wait, what were you going to say when the bell rang?"

I knew what I was going to say. I was going to give her a compliment. Maybe it would be about her outfit or her smile, but I saved myself the embarrassment. "Uh, walk you to class?" I pushed open the library door with my hip, letting her pass through the doorway first. 

"Are you sure?" Ellie's eyebrows crinkled together in concern. "I wouldn't want you to be late for your next class."

"It's no big deal." I shrugged. "All I have is study hall. They don't care if you're tardy." 

Calm rushed over Ellie's smooth face. "Alright. Okay, you may walk me to class." She giggled, and I found myself laughing along with her. 

"Deacon!" Madge appeared in front of me, her eyes drilling into my head, her fingers fidgeting with her sterling silver rings. 

"Madge, hey." I tried to sound undaunted. "Have you met Ellie Wells yet?" 

Madge pursed her lips. "No." 

I cleared my throat, trying to clear the uncomfortable air. "Okay. Well, Ellie, this is my friend Madge Spell. Madge, this is Ellie."

Ellie held out her hand as she had for me. "Pleased to meet you, Madge." 

Madge glared at the hand, and then stuck her's into her purple sweater pockets. "Hey." 

Ellie's hand sunk back down, defeated. "I'll let you two talk." She cast one more unsure look at Madge and turned to leave.

Anxiety rose in my chest. "Ellie, wait, I thought I was going to walk you to..." 

"Rain check?" Ellie proposed. I could see she felt out of place. There was no changing her mind.

"Yeah. Okay." I agreed as best I could. "Rain check." Ellie gave me another award winning smile and disappeared into the hallway crowd. I turned back to Madge once I completely lost sight of Ellie. "What the hell?" I snapped. 

Magde's face filled with hurt like a dent in a sofa. "I'm sorry I needed to talk to you. She got the hint."

"She is Ellie Wells. And she was actually talking to me!" I resisted the urge to scream. 

"Congrats." Madge flicked some lint off her shoulder. "Anyway. I wanted to know if you wanted to come over tonight. I heard a rumor that the Movie Channel is having a 50's marathon starting at seven." 

Madge and I had a soft spot for vintage films. I couldn't remember how our obsession started, but it had always stuck with us. But suddenly I wasn't in the mood for sharing a bowl of butter popcorn with my friend. "It's a school night, Madge."

"Seriously?" Madge's jaw nearly dropped. "That's your excuse?" 

"At least I didn't use a movie marathon as an excuse to talk to my friend because I'm jealous." I wanted to run away from Madge. I needed to escape her negative aura. 

"I'm not jealous, Deacon!" Madge's hair spun around her head in anger like Medusa's snakes. 

"Oh come on, Madge." I straightened my back pack straps on my shoulders. "You don't have to play dumb anymore."

"Anymore?" Madge questioned. "What the hell do you mean?" 

I didn't have time to stop the words that came pouring out of my mouth. I was like the water fountain that always over flowed near the Gym. "Dirk told me that you're in love with me." 

The color drained from Madge's face. She was sinking, melting before my eyes. "He...what?"

"And I've gotta tell you," I spewed. "You're attitude lately hasn't been winning you any points." 

"What...what do you mean by that?" Madge's voice was small and fading. 

"I don't and never will feel the same way." I was almost certain I could hear the silent sobs as I turned my back on one of my best friends.