He dreamt of her

Chapter 1: morning

Dedicated to our readers, to the dreamers...

And a big thanks to Rose for the drawing for our book cover

Chapter 1: Morning

Max woke up to a bad morning, his alarm clock rang loudly, awakening him from his dreams. His baby brother, Craig, was already screeching like a velociraptor. Max got up from under his bedsheets, his eyes, bloodshot from not getting enough sleep and his hair an exploding afro. After changing into his clothes, brushing his teeth, and taking a quick shower, he tirelessly trotted down the stairs. He didn't notice his big brother, Ben's, game controller and tripped and tumbled down the stairs landing face-first on the newly polished ceramic tiles. There was a painful bruise on his blond-haired head, and that was just the beginning of it, he already knew he was going to have a bad first day at school. He and his brothers went to school in his Mother's car, his first lesson was mathematics, his least favorite subject, and he went to sit at the back of his classroom as usual.
"Max, what is the full form of A =L x W?" Mrs Penelope asked as Max daydreamed.
"Max? Come to the front of the class. We're waiting..." Max slid off his chair
and was in pain again, but this time, it was the embarrassment that was eating him up. In his mind he was thinking about the girl who always sat in front of him, she was smart and beautiful. She was the Juliet searching for her Romeo. She was his Juliet since 6th grade, his dreams were an excuse to see her outside of school, her name was Ella. Ella Roberts. Max was not embarrassed because of everyone looking at him, but because she was there. What would she think of him if he got the answer wrong? Would she think of him unintelligent, useless!? No matter what, he loved her. He cared neither about her hair or skin tone and didn't care if her parents were divorced. It was love at first sight. Whenever he saw her beautiful brown hair, her adorable eyes, her glamorous body, he got a funny feeling as if worms and butterflies were having a war inside his stomach. He hoped his wish would be granted, eventually. Max always wanted to know how she felt about him. Did she like him? Did she hate him? He thought that he could find out if he became her best friend but every time he tried to speak to her, he hesitated. He could barely get two words out, not even "Hello, Ella," that was normal though. He just hoped that he could talk to her normally and not stutter, and he wished that after he spoke she would respond. While then the English teacher paired each student in the class together, Max from the other side of the classroom, tiptoed to his best and only friend George, but he was anxious because Ella sat next to him. Mr Mock caught him in the act.
"Max, next time don't try moving next to George, try making new friends like with Ella." he lectured. Ella turned to him
"Hey Max" she greeted,
"H-Hi" Max stuttered nervously, feeling guilty for what he had done. What was going on? This was Max's chance to get close to her. Just then, there was a tap on Ella's shoulder, Max looked and saw a handsome boy she would talk back. Not too long after the second class started, Mr Mock, with brown spikey hair and a shining smile. Who was he? Was he her-? Ella turned around in surprise and hugged the boy kissing him on the cheek,
"Max, meet my boyfriend, Jacob" Ella said. Max's heart shattered like a plate. Jacob reached out his hand and said: "Hey I'm Jacob, and you are..." Max shook Jacob's hand warily,
"I'm Max, Ella's partner for the assignment, Max Webster." He mumbled under his breath. How could he have not known about Ella's boyfriend? All his dreams had flown out the window. After that, the school bell rang blistering everyone's ears and signaling everybody that the class was over. "
"Bye Max, see you tomorrow!", Ella said, squeezing Jacob's hand tightly.
"I'll be out in a second, wait for me outside," Jacob told her. As soon as Ella had gracefully rushed outside, Jacob grabbed Max by the collar and raised him,
"If you touch my girlfriend, that's the end of you,'' he threatened, throwing Max onto the ground, then walking off.
"What did Jacob mean?" Max thought to himself, traumatized with fear. Should he just forget about his crush, or try to get closer to Ella? What outcome would that have? When he reached home he ran upstairs to fetch his grey laptop, and for about two hours, he researched how to overcome his fear but it did no good, so he went to study.

Max lay in bed and imagined, what would it be like if Ella liked him back? He finally got the chance to get close to her, and now that chance was gone! All thanks to Jacob. What would he do? On one side he had Ella, the princess of his life, and on the other side, he had Jacob, the supervillain who already got what he wanted. Max took his time and thought about what he was gonna do when his phone chimed. Max reached out to grab it whining miserably, but then his face lit up as soon as he realized he had received a message from Ella! She said that she needed to talk and that she was waiting outside his house! How did she know where he had lived? Max rushed and put on a slick leather jacket, carrying the intention of looking cool, and ran excitedly out onto his small garden, not wanting to keep her waiting. As he slid the glass door open, Max could start to make out the precious diamond waiting for his arrival. He couldn't handle such intense light, his thoughts rained down from the sky and circled him, each word turning bold and then back to normal. Pressure drummed and built up in his aching mind, two words stood out from the rest though, one read Ella, it glowed brighter and brighter, only to drown in the floor now turned water. Max sunk to the bed of sand below and the second word arose from the depths like Godzilla, fatigue filled Max's vision, as the giant word, which kept growing by the second screamed "JACOB!" He snapped out of his dreamland and focused on what she was saying but inside of him, he could still feel his heartbeat faster than light, "Max, I saw how Jacob treated you today in the classroom and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry on his behalf, he's not regularly like this, he's just a very overprotective kind of guy, but on the inside he is sweet and caring." Max raised his head high acting all courageous and said
"N-n-no it's fine, I 'm ok it was just a small throw that's all," "Maybe we could be more than just friends," Ella suggested. Max shrugged then she wished him goodnight and hugged him. Max watched her cycle back home with a big smile on his face until he could no longer see her. She had just hugged him. Max snuck back into bed and went to sleep. He thought to himself "Take that, Jacob!"

In the morning Max woke up and rushed to his bathroom, he put on his best pair of clothes and straightened his hair he tried to look as neat as possible for his exciting day. Not long after Max reached school, did he see Ella waiting at his locker, he rushed as quick as he could to get there, Ella stood there and smiled. "Hey Ella," he said casually. This time Max was less timid and could now speak to her properly.
"Hey Max, how is everything" she responded. Max opened his locker, took out his books, and closed it again, he glanced at Ella with a grin. He smirked mischievously and began to come closer to Ella, he leaned forward to kiss her. Everybody stood still and stared, like statues, they never looked away. Ella pushed him away in embarrassment, "What are you doing?" She yelled in horror and shock. Max, puzzled asked, " I thought you wanted to be closer than friends?" Ella's eyes went wide, "I meant best friends, Max." He grabbed his bag and skidded into the boys' bathroom,
"I can't take this anymore!" he sobbed. Harry, the principal came searching for him immediately
"Max! To my office now! Look at the scandal you have caused, you've embarrassed me, as well as the entire school!" he yelled. Max sniffled and exited the cubical, walking with Mr Harry to his office, with everyone still stared, including Ella.

Ella strode across the football field to meet Jacob before going to her last class of the day. Jacob was very mad and was stomping his legs in a circle, obviously distressed. He was as red as a tomato. "J-Jacob." Ella squeaked, Jacob turned around vigorously "What?!" He angrily shouted, then realizing who it was, he jogged towards her and hugged her, as he saw a river of tears slowly run down her face. Feeling protected and safe, Ella spotted something in Jacob's back pocket, she reached out to grab it carefully and took out Jacob's phone. Ella pushed Jacob away with all her might and rage.
"Are you cheating on me?" She asked
"Never," Jacob retaliated.
"Then what is this?!" Ella shoved the phone in Jacobs' face, a picture of another girl kissing Jacob's cheek was displayed. Jacob snatched the phone back "That is my cousin." Ella rolled her eyes in fury "That's it! I dump your fat ass."
"Why?" Jacob cried
"Because I don't love bitches like you, I have liked someone else from the time we started dating."
"Then why did you date me at all?" sighed Jacob. Ella shifted her feet nervously, her head staring at the ground "Because..." 
The bell rang. She was saved. Ella turned around and walked away, the rivers still flowing down her soft cheeks.