School

Madi POV:

I woke up and got ready for school. I wore jeans, converse and a shirt that had sunflowers on it. I have sunflowers everywhere, I know. I walked to the bus stop and pulled out my phone.

Madi: Good morning!

Lexa: morning

Madi: Just wanted to tell you I'm off to school.

Lexa: have fun and learn something for me babe

My cheeks grew hot. Lexa called me babe again. I know she says it's a term of endearment but I kinda like it.

The bus came and I got on.

"Madi!" I looked to the right and saw Jack.

"Hey." I smiled, taking the empty seat beside him.

"Sorry about Friday, the boys and I got really drunk and Matt drove us home. Liv texted me and said you walked home and I see you're fine so that's good." Jack explained himself.

"You're good. Actually I kinda got lost but Lexa helped me out and-" I began.

"Lexa?" He cut me off.

"Yeah, I got lost but saw her building. She walked me home." I continued.

"She did? We're talking about the Lexa we saw earlier right?" He asked.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Wow." He muttered.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing, it's just...Lexa hates people. A lot of people. If anybody did what you did, she'd make them find their own way home. I guess she really likes you." Jack shrugged.

"Likes me?" I questioned. "Maybe she was just being nice."

"Lexa may be a lot of things, but she's not nice." Jack shook his head.

"She was to me." I defended her.

"She also threatened to track you down if you told anybody about what you saw." He added.

I was quiet for the rest of the ride. Lexa wasn't mean. She was really nice. She walked me home, bought me lunch, and she called me babe. Yes, I'm taking the word 'babe' to heart.

When we arrived at school we went to our lockers before walking to English. The group sat in their spots as we came over. Liv was on her phone, Lizzie was sleeping, Chase and Matt were talking before they noticed us.

"Yo! Wassup, man." Chase greeted us, doing a handshake with Jack.

"Sup." Jack said to Chase then Matt.

"Hey, Madi. You got home okay, right?" Liv asked, looking up from her phone.

"Yeah, I was fine." I nodded. The class bell rang.

"Alright class, take out a piece of paper and write 2 paragraphs on a memory from your past. This isn't graded but it will get your mind into the writing process. I will be collecting it. Begin now." Our teacher explained as I pulled out a piece of paper and a pen.

'The sun was shining as I walked down the dirt path...'

8 years ago:

I was walking down the street beside my best friend Lexi. It was her birthday and I had a surprise for her.

"Where are we going?" She asked me.

"A little bit further." 10 year old me said, pulling a blindfolded Lexi down the path.

Lexi almost tripped over a rock. "Madi! Can you not let me die on my birthday!?"

"Sorry, but anyway, we're here! Take off the blindfold!" I smiled as I watched her remove the cloth from her eyes. Her eyes glanced over the gift before looking at me.

"Did you paint this?" Lexi asked.

"Yes. You can't imagine how hard it was to hide considering we share a room." I smiled brightly.

"I love it." Lexi smiled, walking closer to the painting.

It was of a sunflower and a hibiscus. My favorite flower and hers.

"Do you really?" I asked.

"Yes, Madi. Best gift ever." She hugged me and I hugged her back. I love my best friend.

But I wish she was something more.

I looked down at my paragraph, erasing the last sentence.

"Who's Lexi?" Chase leaned over my chair.

"Someone I knew before I moved here." I replied.

"Rad." He nodded. "I wrote about joining the varsity team, but yours is sentimental."

"Hey, it's a great memory." I smiled.

"I can tell." He said and I gave him a confused look. "You've been smiling before the pen even hit the paper."

I looked back down at my paper. Lexi.

I miss her.

No! Screw that. She left me.

I wonder where she is now.

I don't really care where she may be.

But I do...I miss her so much.

A loud bang caused me to jump. Our teacher slammed her drink onto Lizzie's desk.

"Elizabeth. This isn't nap time, this is English class. Unless you want detention, do your work." Our teacher turned around and walked to her desk.

Lizzie lifted her middle finger to the woman's back before looking over at us. "She's such a bitch." She whispered.

Once class was over I handed my paper in before going to my next class.

The day passed by until it was time to go home. I was walking to the bus stop when Jack joined my side.

"I can't believe we already have a quiz. It's our second day of school." He rolled his eyes.

"I know. But math is easy. And it's not really a quiz." I laughed.

We got onto the bus.

"Still. Math plus my brain equals pain." He groaned.

My phone buzzed.

Lexa: school finally done?

Madi: Yes, I'm on the bus now.

Lexa: can I meet you at the stop?

Madi: Sure!

I smiled at my phone.

"Who are you texting?" Jack saw the smile on my face.

"No one." I put my phone down. "Just the lady I used to live with."

It wasn't technically a lie, I have a text from Mary Ann. She sent it this morning.

Mary Ann: How's school going?

Madi: Great! I have so many friends.

I looked up as my stop was ahead.

"Here's my stop." I stood.

"Is that...Lexa?" Jack looked out the window.

I walked off the bus and there stood Lexa.

"Hey." She said.

"Hi." I smiled.

"Lexa?" Jack said, he got off the bus too and the bus rode off.

"Jack! The bus just left you." I pointed to the bus going up the street.

"What are you doing here?" He asked Lexa.

"Taking a stroll." Lexa lied.

"Okay, wait a minute. Since when were you two friends? You saw each other once." Jack looked between us.

"Relax, superman. Madi is a big girl and she can hang out with whoever she wants." Lexa shrugged.

"Yeah, Madi can hang with whoever, but the thing is, Lexa, you don't hang out with people and I'm not going to let you influence her mind." Jack pointed to me.

"Okay, calm down. You don't have to go all protective boyfriend on her." Lexa rolled her eyes.

"He's not my boyfriend." I cut in.

"Besides, what does influence her mind even mean?" Lexa looked confused. "I'm not the one who dragged her to a party."

"I was being a good person." Jack defended himself.

"By bringing her to a drug dealer's house?" Lexa tilted her head. "Yeah, you're such a good person." Lexa mocked him before looking at me. "You ready, princess?"

"Yeah..." I trailed off before looking at Jack. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Jack asked as Lexa and I began to walk off.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure your mommy's gonna be worried when you don't get off the bus." Lexa continued to walk, not sparing a glance at him.

"That was weird." I spoke up.

"Jack is one weird guy." She agreed.

"Why does he think you're gonna 'influence my mind'?" I asked.

"Who knows. You know what I think? He may have a little crush on you and is worried you'll fall into my trap." Lexa looked at me with a smirk on her face.

"A crush on me?" I questioned.

She laughed. "He looked at you like a lost puppy so I wouldn't be surprised."

We soon arrived at my apartment building.

"Wait, did you pick me up at my stop to walk me home?" I asked, turning to her.

"When you say it like that it makes me sound like a sweet person." She said.

"You are one." I told her.

"That's the thing, Madi. I'm not." She shook her head. Our eyes held contact as neither of us spoke.

"...do you wanna come in?" I asked, breaking the silence.

She stared at me for a moment. "Sure, why not."