STARGIRL

53. Pluvian

Maddox remained despondent while the boys spoke amongst each other, excitement laced their husky voices as they eagerly spoke about how their graduation ceremony was only a few weeks away.

On occasion, Maddox would either nod his head in agreement or laugh with them. However, Maddox was at a loss and didn't know what they were really even saying.

Running on little to no sleep, Maddox felt that he was on the edge of insanity. Everything moved slow and surreal-like, it made him question his mind and how fucked it must've truly been.

He combed his shaking fingers through the thick strands of his light brown hair and inhaled very slowly through his nostrils. Holding his breath for a few seconds in his tired lungs, he slowly exhaled through parted lips.

Hector was the only to notice how grounded Maddox had his jaw and how his breathing was anything less than regulated.

"You good bro?" Hector asked his younger friend who simply nodded his head, but remained inaudible.

For a few more moments, the two of them looked at each other without a thing to say, but Hector could tell by the solemn expression and frown tugging at his lips that something was wrong with his younger friend.

This time, Maddox pushed the hair away from his face again and lightly laughed, "Yeah, I'm just sleepy."

The reassurance wasn't enough to convince Hector who suddenly groaned when he saw Connor, Bryson, and Abel heading towards them.

Adam muttered something under his breath. Annoyed.

"Aye bro," Connor took a seat beside Andre while Bryson took one next to Hector and Abel stayed standing up. He seemed just as solemn as Maddox did.

The two accidentally looked at one another but quickly looked away the moment they met eyes.

"What do you guys want?" Andre asked the uninvited boys who were getting comfortable in their positions at the round lunch table.

"Talk," Connor replied as he reached over to take some of Adam's chips but Adam quickly snatched them away and tucked them under his arm.

"Talk about what? How annoying y'all are?" Andre replied to Connor who bared his teeth in a large smile.

Maddox wanted to hit him. Something about hitting Connor always made him feel better. But that wasn't going to happen.

"No, about the prom after party." Bryson declared.

Maddox blocked them out as he searched the cafeteria for a visible distraction. He noticed that Gwen and Tamia were sitting at their lunch table scrolling through Gwen's phone and laughing.

Rosario now spent her lunch outside in the quad where she sat at a picnic table by herself. Sometimes, Maddox had the urge to sit with her and keep her company, but knew that his presence wasn't the best for her mental health.

Then, Maddox saw something he hadn't seen in a while.

Arabella was sitting at her lunch table, beside her lunch tray lay a thick book that she wasn't reading in that instant.

Arabella was simply doing what she did best. There were three sophomore boys talking to her at her table, all of them looking at her while she spoke with intensity. On occasion, Maddox noticed she would flutter her lashes and blush.

He couldn't help but smile.

Whatever they were talking about, Arabella was definitely messing with them through her flirtatious mannerisms. Then again, that was just the way she was.