Forever and Always, Olive

Chapter 12: That Explains Abel

Chapter 12

I wake up on Monday morning and, yet again, it's raining very hard. I'm starting to grow more and more hate-filled with every passing, rainy day. It never rains this much back home yet I come here and a day without rain is a harder to come across than a four leaf clover. As a result of the bad weather, my cousin got sick this past weekend and will be remaining in bed while I go to school. If I had my license, I probably would've asked my aunt to let me use Vivica's car but because I don't, I'm left having to walk in the torrential downpour. With an indecisive grumble, I look at my phone, which is on the dresser. Heaving a sigh, I swallow my pride and send a text to Maddox.

I send a simple six word sentence: Nice weather for walking, isn't it?

I don't know. You tell me. I stare at his response, sigh, and grit my teeth. He's going to make me ask him. My phone buzzes again and I find another message. Unless, of course, you're willing to ask me for a ride.

I groan quietly and send the message I know I'll regret: Will you give me a ride to school?

I have to wait an agonizingly long time for a response, and when I receive one, it simply says: I'll be there at 6:40. I thank him, put my phone down, and ignore the knot in my stomach.

Maddox arrives at 6:40 just like he said he would. I exit the house while fixing my uniform shirt. When I get into the car, Maddox looks at me with a smirk. "What?" I ask him.

"Oh, nothing," he says with a shake of his head. He peeks into the driveway and spots Vivica's car. "Where's your cousin?"

"In bed," I explain. "She's sick so she's not coming to school."

"How unfortunate," he replies sarcastically. I simply shrug in response and keep my thoughts to myself. The rest of the ride is silent.

+ + +

I find out my plans for Christmas break via text message from both my aunt and mother. On the 22nd, the last day of school before break, my mom's going to pick me up and bring me back home, where I'll stay until the third of January. Then I'll come back and stay with my aunt. School doesn't start until the seventh, so I'll have time to unpack and get my vacation work done.

I'm so excited and nervous about going home that I'm too busy thinking about it in last period to realize that the bell rang. I'm slowly packing away my things when Maddox speaks from behind me. "I'll save you the embarrassment of asking and assume you want a ride home," he announces and I feel skepticism building in my chest. Why's he being so...kind? That's word is a stretch for him but he's actually offering me a ride. Is he going to drop me off in the middle of the highway and leave me to fend for myself? Or worse, drop me off in the middle of the woods to fight off wolves and bears?

I glance out the window and frown when I find that it's still raining. I just shrug in response, and walk beside him as we exit the classroom. "Something on your mind?" he questions me after a moment of me staring at my feet.

I scoff in response. Is he serious right now? "Are you asking me because you actually care or because you want leverage over me?" I wonder with a dubious expression written across my face.

He rolls his eyes and shrugs quickly. "Fine, don't tell me. Not everything I do has bad reasoning behind it," he grunts as if I'm supposed to be aware of his good intentions.

For some reason, I felt as though I should tell him. Maybe it's because he opened up to me, or maybe it's because I just want someone to talk to and he seems willing to listen. "I'm going home," I mutter as I approach the passenger's side door, kicking at the mud as I wait for him to unlock the car. I notice that he's stopped fiddling with his keys and is now looking at me.