Chaos Theory

Chapter 4

I was still reluctant on whether to leave or not to, because I have still not completely adjusted to what just happened, yet I decided to go. I had this bright idea to pull off that if I go, Maeve will somehow listen and believe me when I tell her everything. I was really longing for someone to talk to about that incident. So after a few minutes of getting ready, I went down the stairs to go tell my mom and my aunt that I'll go out for a while. When I was almost a meter away the living room, I heard them murmuring, probably because they were still talking about the incident. I walked to them quickly so that I could leave soon.
"Hey mom, I'll just, go to Maeve's. Y'know to chill out for a while and get the vibes of the incident off me" I told her, while being obviously itching to go out at this moment.
"Oh, is that so? Well, it's already dark outside, but I guess you need some fresh air." She replied as a hint of anxiety is written all over her face. Then she added "However, Cole, do make sure you'll be safe, alright? And also, have FUN with Maeve" while anxiety slowly washed off her face and replaced by the face of a tease.
"Mom, please." I responded to her cringeworthy reply to me, while turning to the direction of the door.
My siblings were unusually early to bed tonight, thanks to the incident and aunt Beth. But because of that, the house was disturbingly quiet at such a early time for me. I walked out the door, proceed to the garage and fetch my bike. Before leaving, I decided to text her.
"Hey byagu-gal, omy to your place" I typed to just give her a heads up about my arrival. "Be there in 8 mins" I added before finally putting earphones on, and getting on my bike to leave.
Just as I was about to pedal, I felt a vibration in my pocket, so I looked at my phone and expectedly, it was Maeve's reply.
"Thought you weren't gonna come, a'ight I'll wait for you at my window. Mom and Dad has been expecting you for a while." She replied to me, which was quite unexpected, because she was never the one to tell her parents in advance about incoming guests, especially me. That is why most of the time she tells me her parents will store snacks in advance, and she will just sneak some of it.
After reading her reply, I pedaled my way to her house, while uplifting my mood with music. Yet, as I journey through our place, I find the city lights and chilly breeze more uplifting and amusing. This made me think of that one poem I wrote the other day.

Journey through the wakeful night
Roads filled with lights of red and white

Eyes scanning about
Watching afar from up high

Speeding cars seems florid and snowy lines
Suspended, painted in dark

"Seemed more appropriate as a photograph, not a poem" I whispered to myself.
Not any moment longer, I can see Maeve, sitting at her window. That girl really loves to live dangerously. She noticed me a while after, and went downstairs while I stopped by in front of their house and got off my bike. Before I could find a place to lock my bike to, the door opened. A tall, slim, white man went out the door and greeted me.
"Well, look who it is, its Cole! Welco— arrghh!" Before he could finish his sentence, he was punched at his side by, none other than his only daughter.
"Stop! Whatever you're gonna say, just keep it to yourself and don't embarrass me any more" She exclaimed to her father while legitimately worried of what he might already have said to me.
"B-but I haven't even said anything yet! And that punch was way overboard, uh umm"  he stuttered, like he's having trouble searching for the right word, until he continued "P-piña...ta?" he added, while obviously meant to say "Hinata", just like how I call her. His face was immediately painted with uncertainty of what he just stated.
"W-what?" Maeve responded, while I, trying my best to hold my laughter, was watching their father-daughter routine. Yes, they were really like this as far as I can recall.
"I think you meant 'Hinata'. Were you trying to call her the same way as I do?" I butted in while still standing there, holding my bike.
"Obviously he was, but calling name was never his forte" Maeve replied hinting her irritation. Little did she know, she inherited that from her father.
"Well, at least don't hurt your pa!" Malcolm, her father replied. Quite cute that a seemingly rebel girl calls her dad like that, in my view. But Maeve was never a rebel, and at least she's with her father.
Then, I saw a silhouette coming out of the door. It turned out she was Maeve's mother, an average height woman, little chubby and fair skinned woman.
"Alright that's enough. You two, go inside. And Cole, you can park your bike in the garage."  She said, breaking the tension between the two.
I followed her and went inside their garage first to find a place to secure my bike. Then, I walked into their house. The Taylor household consists of only Maeve, her mother and father. I remember a time when I heard they were supposedly expecting another addition to their family, but apparently, it was just a false alarm. Me and Maeve go way back, we often go to each other's houses like now, and sometimes have sleepovers. Maeve also has other people she talks to in school, but I'm not sure if she felt close enough for her to invite them over. When we got to the living room, Minerva, her mother, talked to me a bit while Maeve went upstairs to 'clean' her room. I'm very much sure she meant 'renovation', as she wasn't really that tidy.
"So Cole, do you want to eat something? How 'bout some drinks?"  Minerva said, implying her hospitality to me. She was really tender and sweet, unfortunately Maeve hadn't got it from her.
"Just some soda or juice will do fine" I replied to her kindness, and sat down at their sofa.
"Ok, wait here just a bit" She responded, then went to the kitchen. Malcolm was also sitting there watching the t.v., when all of a sudden he asked me something.
"So Cole, Maeve invited you again huh?" he said in a unusual tone. I was quite bothered by it, but I tried not to show.
"Yeah, she texted me this afternoon." I replied to the man while maintaining my composure. I was really uneasy by the sudden change of atmosphere.
"You know, I've been meaning to ask you something" he said then faced me "has Maeve...well, been seeing someone?" he blurted.
"What the —" I thought to myself, then I replied "Sorry" while making a confused face "This is my first time hearing about this. I'm not sure if Maeve has been indeed seeing someone in or out of school" I expressed my shock and confusion about his sudden question to me.
"I see." He responded and made a little dismayed face "Well, its just that she was never open to me or her ma and I'm quite worried about her. I don't know if she's having trouble or not, and I'm concerned about her socially. I don't remember her inviting over any girl friends. Not that I'm against you, but y'know girls. They're often more comfortable with their girl friends about their matters. Again I'm not intentional offending you, if you think that way."  Malcolm said his explanation.
"I do understand you though. I see her talking to some people in school, but we're not classmates so I can't be a hundred percent sure. Besides, we don't usually talk stuff about that." I responded accordingly.
"Oh?" he leaned closer and said "What do you guys talk about then?" he said with curiosity scattering across his face.
Before I could even answer, Minerva came back with my soda, along his some snacks.
"Here you go Cole" said she while lowering down the tray. "Now, am I interrupting something?"she asked as she noticed Malcolm's face. Before he could answer, Maeve came down the stairs.
"Come on Cole, I'm done up here." She shouted as the stairs were quite far from the living room. "Bring those snacks with you!" she added.
"That's my cue" I said after standing up, then prepared to get the snacks Minerva brought me.
"A'ight you two, have fun." Malcolm responded. Sometimes I'm amazed that they trust me this much even though for others, leaving a 17 year-old boy and girl will look scandalous. I guess its primarily because they've known me for a long time already.
I went to her upstairs to her room, bringing the snacks. When I entered, I noticed her room was quite...organized. That's news.
"Am I seeing things or is your room really clean?" I said expressing my surprisal.
"Hey, I'm still a proper adolescent who know how to organized her environment" she responded. It seems to me that she was slightly offended.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." I apologized then brought the tray to her study table, and sat down on the chair. "Anyway Maeve, what's up? Is there something you ummm.. want to talk to me about?" I asked her, remembering Malcolm's words.
"What? I need a reason now to call you over? When did that change?" she replied while she made herself comfortable in her bed.
"I didn't mean that" I responded to her. Then it suddenly came to that there was something I want to open up to her. "Hey, if you're not going to say anything important, then I am" I said in hopes she'll believe my next few words.
She suddenly froze for a moment, then faced me and looked me and said "Ok, spill it out."  I was quite surprised by her reaction, but I guess I don't do this often.
"This afternoon," I started telling her with a heavy chest "My mom almost got involved in a car accident." I said as I try to break it out to her piece by piece.
"What?!" she was expectedly shocked. "How's Diane? Is she ok?"  She added expressing her concern.
"I managed to man up and tackle her out of the car's path before it was too late." I told her. "She wasn't injured, but she was in an absolute shock when it happened. She's fine now though, she's with my siblings and aunt Beth in our house." I added.
"That's quite fortunate for a supposedly misfortune."  She replied. "But that's highly unlike you! You finally mustered up courage for that kind of thing? That's really commendable!" She added with amazement painted in her physiognomy.
"But you know, that's not the notable part I was meaning to tell you" I told her, while preparing myself to spill it out. I was getting tensed at my seat.
"Oookay, what's it then?" she leaned closer to me, quite inquisitively
"Would you believe me if," I unwillingly paused for a moment "if I tell that I saved her, through...well 'extraordinary' methods?" I added.
"Just...say it" Maeve responded, expressing her impatience.
"I wasn't supposed to make it. In fact, I was frozen in fear and can't even looked at that moment. But something happened. I don't know what caused it, but—" I was going to continue when she interrupted me.
"You gonna say it or not?" she said as she cut me off.
"The only reason I made it in time was because, time itself...stopped." I said f