I Can't Keep a Secret

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 <Maddie's Point of View>

--FOUR YEARS LATER--

I laugh at Chloe's answer to my question.  My question was, "Would you rather kiss Josh Hyland or Nick Dobbs?" and she had answered, "Nick, duh.  His lips look so soft and amazing!"  She's ridiculous sometimes.

  "Well, Maddie," Chloe says, folding her arms on her chest.  "If you're done laughing, then I will ask you MY question.  Who do you like?"

"Josh!" I say without hesitation.

"Oh yeah, I knew that."

I laugh so hard that my stomach hurts.  Chloe is SUCH a blonde.  I guess that's what you should expect from a fourteen-year-old girl.

The setting is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 2, 2015.  Chloe and I are going into ninth grade at the Pittsburgh Public High School.  Tomorrow is our first day of school, and I'm kind of worried.  I'm the youngest in my grade, turning only fourteen on September 30.  However, Chloe will be there to protect me - I hope.

"This school year, things are going to change," I tell Chloe, my eyes focusing on the falling leaves outside the treehouse.  "I'm going to get Josh Hyland to date me and Nick Dobbs to date you, I'm going to get us better grades, and I'm going to get us to be popular.  I don't want us to be the big high school losers."

"Great thinking," Chloe says with a smile.  "We can do all this together."

This is usually how we did things - together.  Ever since we agreed to be best friend, Chloe and I have done everything together; it was one of our laws of our friendship.

"Girls!" Mrs. Lukasiak calls from Chloe's house.  "Lunch!"

"Coming!" Chloe and I reply in unison.  We both hurry down the ladder and into Chloe's house.  I see my little sister, Mackenzie or Kenzie, playing with Chloe's little sister, Clara.  Our families live next door to each other, so while my mom and stepdad are at work, Mrs. Lukasiak babysits us.

When we reach the kitchen table, my mouth waters.  There's grilled cheese with tomatoe soup, a fresh salad with tomatoes, croutons, shredded and parmesean cheese, and Lay's dill pickle chips laid out for Chloe and I.

"What about the other girls?" Chloe asks her mom.

"They already ate," Mrs. Lukasiak says, not looking up from the dishes she's cleaning.  "You girls have been out there for a while, you know."

I look at the Lukasiak's big grandfather clock.  It reads 12:15 pm.  We went into the treehouse at 8:00 am.

"Holy cheesecake..." I mutter under my breath.  I slap myself mentally.  Getting caught saying that in high school could completely ruin my repuatation.  I had to come up with a better phrase, with Chloe's help of course.

Chloe and I sit down at the kitchen table and dig in.  The food spreads warmth throughout my body, which is great on a chilly day like today.

"So Chlo," I say after I'm done with my meal.  "I need your help on a new phrase."

"For what?" Chloe says with her mouth full.

"For a substitution for "holy cheesecake"."

"Oh, that's easy.  Say "holy cow" like I do!"

I roll my eyes.  "That's babyish, Chlo.  We're high schoolers now."

"Ok," Chloe says, stuffing more salad into her mouth.

"We'll finish this in the treehouse," I mutter, annoyed.  When Chloe finally finishes, we run out to the treehouse.

"Hey, Chlo," I say, thinking of a phrase still.  "What about "holy shit"?"

Chloe gasps.  "Maddie!  That's a swear word!"

"So?  We're high schoolers, Chloe.  Only four years until college."

"Ok, then it's holy shit I guess?" Chloe says uneasily.

"You bet," I say, nudging her with my elbow.

Little do I know that a phrase with a swear word wouldn't comeplete change my high school reputation.

-----

End of chapter 1.

Maddie is a year older than she actually is now in this fanfic.