Unexpected Ways | Madwheeler

Chapter 1.

Maths was boring to Mike. Especially since his other friends were separated from him. Lucas,
Will and El shared a class with Mr Kowalski and Dustin was on his own in Miss McAdams' class. Leaving Mike to his daily practice of zoning out. That was until Max Mayfield had transferred to his class, apparently there was some issue with her schedule. Typical, Mike groaned. Just when he thought Maths couldn't get any worse.

Max would sit in front of him to his left meaning that she was always in his vision. And so when he wanted to lose himself in the only window in this stifling classroom, her stupid mop of hair would be in his way. But something about the spark of red made it harder for Mike to draw his attention away from the back of the girl's head. The contrast of it's brightness to the dullness of the room and the lesson, reminded him of how he would lose himself in the crispness of the blue sky through the window. His eyes trailed down each curl, some were knotted together, and others were loose, spread across her slim shoulders. He found that he liked Max when she wasn't facing him, there was no hard expression, no pursed lips ready to throw a comment his way, no eyes to lock with his own when their arguments became overheated.

He also liked the distraction she proved to be — well the distraction her hair proved to be. He found himself staring at her red curls routinely, almost religiously, he just couldn't help himself. The more he turned away, the more he could feel his eyes itching for one last look, which would conveniently last him until the lesson had ended. He often berated himself for it but would ignore his common sense. However, what he couldn't do was ignore a whole other person.

"What'll you do once she actually turns around?" Mike jumped and jerked his head quickly to the direction of the whisper. It had come from Susan, a classmate of his that sat to his right. "Shut up." Mike hissed back at her. "Seriously dude, its kinda weird." Susan noted. Mike could feel his cheeks erupt into flames. "I'm bored." He confessed lamely. Susan snorted which, much to Mike's horror, caused Max to whip her head in their direction.

"You better not be bitching about me, Wheeler." Max taunted. Mike rolled his eyes at her and watched as she quickly spun back around her red curls scattering sporadically in all directions. "Dude I thought you were with Jane." Susan said eagerly, leaning closer to Mike. She probably thrives off gossip, Mike assumed. "I am." He whispered back, glancing at Max. "And it isn't like that — I just get distracted easily. Like, Jesus have you seen the brightness of her hair? It could practically blind anyone!" He said incredulously. Susan's eyes transformed into slits as she hummed a low "Mhm." Mike grumbled and decided for once to actually concentrate on the maths problem laid out before him. Choosing not care about Susan with her dumb comments and Max with her stupid bright hair.

But he did care. He had started since he noticed a patch in Max's hair that was clumped, binded with what seemed like a red paste. And since then he had been hoping that perhaps he was jumping to a wrong conclusion, hoping that it wasn't blood — her blood.

From what little he knew about Max's home life, Mike knew that it definitely wasn't good. He had witnessed her stepbrother's wrath firsthand and could only imagine how things were once they were behind closed doors. And so, with what he brushed off as simply common worry, Mike decided to do some investigating.

I'm back!!! Hope you guys enjoy my second Madwheeler story! Make sure to check out my first one too! :)