Complications

Chapter 3: Disagreements and Children's Games

"You're an idiot." Collin says.

"You're so supportive." I grumble.

"You're seriously friends with him? You seriously trust him enough to tell him personal stuff?" Collin shoots.

I find myself watching Maxwell, that kid with the red hair and blue eyes. He reminds me of Caleb. All of us are at lunch right now and it's Monday. I notice that Maxwell does have a friend with dark hair.

"He's for real guys." I say.

"You don't know that." Rose says. "Just be careful."

I roll my eyes. "I'll be fine. He lives in Australia anyways."

"Or so he said." Collin says.

"He's not some creep. Gosh."

"He's right." Russell says. "You need to be careful. You met this guy online."

"I am quite aware."

"Madeline." Maddy says. "If you find out that he lied to you, you're going to he really upset. I have a feeling that you like him, and that worries me."

Collin, Rose, and Russell nod in agreement.

"I don't like him." I snap. "You guys are making me mad." I get up and grab my stuff and storm across the cafeteria to an empty seat.

I pull out a book at the same time that my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and see a message from Caleb.

Him: how's your day?

Me: irritating

Him: did something happen?

Me: yes

Him: do you want to talk about it?

Me: it's about you and it could upset you

Him: I'll be fine.

Me: Collin and my siblings and Rose think you're so pedo and they don't like me talking to you which makes me angry because I like talking to you and we just got into a disagreement over it and I got mad and walked away.

Him: aren't you in class?

Me: no I'm at lunch

Him: ah, the best subject of the day

I crack a smile.

Me: it's okay I guess. You know what I noticed?

Him: what...

Me: I noticed that the guy Max that we spoke about on Friday does have a friend with brown hair.

Him: Really...what's he look like...?

Me: why all the dots?

Him: idk

Me: to be honest I didn't see his face, only his hair.

Him: oh okay. Are you feeling better?

Me: a little. I'm not going to stop talking to you.

Him: good. That would make me sad

_____________

I wake up my nap to knocking on the front door and then footsteps on the stairs, and then Collin comes walking into my room. "You better stop ignoring me." he says. "I called you like thirteen times." He says.

I mumble, "I was sleeping." I grab my phone off of the cluttered desk next to me and frown. "You called me twice."

"And you didn't answer." He says. "You always answer on the first call. I called twice and then panicked and came over."

"You got your phone back."

"Yes." He says. "I'm sorry for being a cunt about Caleb, I just like to be overprotective and I get a bit out of hand."

"You weren't being a C." I say. I don't really swear much. "And you were right, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop talking to Caleb."

He shrugs and shuts the door and then crawls into bed next to me, flicking on the TV. I move my head onto his chest and we watch Family Guy. Russell and Maddy join us.

"I say we be kids again and go outside and play hide and go seek tag." Collin says.

"I'm in." I say, standing up. I'm wearing shredded light blue jeans still, and a purple and white and red button up plaid shirt. I put on my vans and grab my phone.

"We'll have to go to the woods. It's not like there is anywhere to hide in a field." Maddy says.

All of us nod in agreement and we go downstairs. "We're going to play outside." I say to Mom. I kiss her cheek before walking out the door.

"1, 2, 3, NOT IT!" I say, putting my finger on my nose.

"Not it!" Russell says.

"Not it!" Maddy says.

"I hate you guys." Collin grumbles.

"Count to a hundred." Russell says, and we take off running into the woods.

I venture further than them and then climb a tree.

I sit there and listen to Collin yelling our names, and then it turns to just Russell, and then it turns to just mine. Maddy and Russell join in on the yelling and I hear panic in their voices.

"MADELINE?" Collin screams on top of his lungs so loud that the birds in the trees take off in the wind.

My phone vibrates.

Caleb: what's up?

Me: I'm playing hide and seek with Collin, Russell, and Maddy and they can't find me and they think they're tricking me by acting scared.

"IF YOU DON'T COME OUT I'M GOING TO GET MOM!" Russell threatens.

Me: it's hide and seek and they're not understanding the seek part. They're threatening to get my Mom. They're just bluffing.

"I'M GETTING MOM!"

Lies.

Caleb: lol sounds like me and my little brother.

Me: yeah it's fun. I love playing with them

Me: in a nonsexual way...

Caleb: lol I know what you meant. I didn't even think of it the sexual way until you made me lol

"MADELINE FAITH KENNEDY, GET YOUR BEHIND IN FRONT OF ME NOW OR I AM CALLING THE POLICE!"

I fall out of the tree and let out a groan of pain.

I can tell that nothing is broken. I get up and grab my phone. It was in my hand, but it didn't break. I go stomping through the woods towards them.

"Where have you been?" Collin asks.

"Don't call it hide and seek if you aren't going to seek." I grumble. "I was in a tree and I didn't see you guys once."

"We weren't the ones that were supposed to be seeking." Russell defends himself and Maddy.

"But Collin was, and he didn't."

"Yes I did too!" he snaps.

"Don't start fighting over a children's game. You guys are practically adults." Mom says.

"We have child still in us." I defend.

"Are you backtalking me?" Mom demands.

"No Ma'am." I reply.

"Good, I didn't think so. Now come inside. It's time for dinner."