Unpredictable and Irresistible

Chapter 1

Maisy Milliken wakes up every morning for school at exactly 6:30am so she can catch her 7:00am school bus. Her outfit for the day is always laid out the night before, alternating between two pairs of skinny jeans and striped or polka dot sweaters. If you looked into her closet, you would find everything hanging and organized by color. Her backpack, though having been used for six years, looks almost brand new. Inside, all her textbooks and binders are organized with printed labels stating: Property of Maisy Milliken. There are no stray gum wrappers or long-lost hair ties, which you would likely find in any other teenager's bag. Even her headphones are wrapped carefully without a single knot, having been tucked securely into the side pocket. Maisy has the same breakfast everyday--a bowl of Cheerios with skim milk and a banana. Only on the weekend does her diet vary slightly, switching from Cheerios to Froot Loops. Maisy is content with her life being predictable and having a routine to follow.

However, today, the unpredictable happened to Maisy; she slept through her alarm. Maisy was startled awake instead by something wet on her face. Her eyes shot open to find her dog, Scout, drowning her in kisses.

"Scout, that's enough. Your breath smells," Maisy said as she untangled herself from Scout and her blanket. One look at the clock above the fireplace and Maisy went into full panic mode. The clock read 6:50am. No time to make the bed. No time to eat. Scout sensed her anxiety and kept his distance, cowering under her desk. Maisy stripped her pajamas off and haphazardly threw them onto the bed, instead of folding them like she usually did. She pulled on her jeans and sweater in record time, not bothering to fix her hair or look in the mirror. With a heavy backpack slung over her shoulder, she rushed down the stairs and slammed the door behind her. Maisy could not calm her breathing because of the unsettling feeling in her chest. Maisy had never slept through her alarm before or missed her bus. She was always ten minutes early to the bus stop and the first to grab a seat. She could not help wondering: What if this happened for a reason?

All thoughts left Maisy's head as she sprinted toward the end of the street, hoping to catch the bus in time. She ignored the pain of her heavy backpack, which was about to explode from textbooks and binders, slamming against her spine with each step. A low hanging branch scraped Maisy across the forehead and she felt a sting, but kept her fast pace steady. She saw the school bus and tried to run even faster though she only seemed to be getting farther away. The squirrels seemed to be racing along with her, jumping from tree to tree. Maisy could hardly breathe and felt sick to her stomach since she hadn't had anything to drink or eat since dinner last night. She thought that surely the bus driver would slow down for her or someone, anyone, would notice her running behind? But, to her dismay, the bus turned a corner and disappeared from sight. Maisy came to an abrupt stop and was on the verge of tears. She was so busy worrying about catching the bus that she hadn't realized how beautiful it was outside today. Spring was just beginning and there were buds everywhere, some already blooming. The birds were singing to each other and swooping through the sky. Maisy dropped her backpack to the ground and tried to relax her tense shoulders. She knew she had done everything in her power to catch the bus. The terrifying realization occurred to Maisy that sometimes things can and will just be out of her own control.

"Miss your bus?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

Maisy turned her head to see Cody Meyers. He took his time walking down his driveway, as though unsure of whether he wanted to fully engage in a conversation with Maisy. His dark eyes flitted from the ground to meet her own curious eyes. Maisy wondered why she had never seen him before. His face was definitely one she wouldn't forget.

"Yeah, I don't know what to do. I've never missed my bus before" Maisy said as she leaned back against a tree.

"I know what I would do" Cody said, stepping closer.