We Align

Detour

Detour

"Remember the first time we came here, Mads?"

Jayden and I were at our favourite place in the whole world. We were under the giant oak tree in Castle Park.

"Yes, I remember it like it was yesterday, Jayden."

Exactly one year ago

"I can't believe you made us miss the bus, Jayden!" I screamed at him.

"It's not my fault Madison. I told you that we would make it if you'd just stop yelling."

"We live 5 kilometres away from school."

"Why can't we just go to the office and call your parents?" He asked me.

I glared at him because he knew that my parents were working, and I knew Beth had a client and wouldn't want interruptions.

"Okay. I take it back let's just start walking." He proposed.

An hour walk.

Great.

"Jayden, if I get mud on my shoes, I'm going to kill you."

Just as I said the words, Jayden pushed me into the mud. I caught myself before I could fall.

"You better start running because I swear you aren't going to have your legs when I'm done with you." I saw red.

"Madison, calm down." He said.

"What are you talking about Jayden? I am completely fine." When I am angry, I am abnormally calm.

He started running, and I chased him. Jayden took a strange turn. That wasn't going to lead us home. I didn't really pay attention to it. All I wanted was to make him pay.

He ran into what seemed like a forest. Then he stopped and picked something up. He turned around and started walking towards me.

He had a chipmunk in his hands. I was terrified of any rodent.

"Jayden, get away from me."

"Madison, it's an innocent little chipmunk. It won't hurt you."

"Stop it!" I screamed and started running.

Jayden chased after me with the animal in his hands.

I saw the tree and made a beeline for it. I started climbing it. Once I felt safe, I stopped.

"Get down from there! You can hurt yourself!" Jayden yelled up the tree. He turned around and let go of the chipmunk. It scurried away.

"No way! Not until you wash your hands."

"Where am I supposed to wash my hands, Madison? We are in the middle of a random park."

I take a better look at my surroundings. This was a park. I recognized the trail of rocks. We practically ran back to school. This was a park with a trail that leads to the backfield of the school.

I went through my backpack and threw an old water bottle at Jayden.

"So you want me to rinse my hands?"

"Hold up," I yelled down to him. I grabbed a small container of soap and told him to stand under the branch I was on.

"Are you seriously trying to make me catch the falling liquid soap with my hands?" He asked bewildered.