PARTNERS IN CRIME ━━ mike wheeler

16. stop spying on me creeps

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
( stop spying on me creeps )

MADDIE ROLLED HER eyes as the boys watched Max hopped off a ledge on her skateboard, riding down the hill at recess. She stood a bit away from them, leaned up against a brick wall. Mike shook his head. "There's no way that's Mad Max." Will nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Girls don't play video games." Maddie scoffed. "Seriously?" Will gave Maddie a sorry look for forgetting about her while Lucas laughed. "You don't count."

"I definitely think I do. I'm a girl after all." Maddie replied, looking at the back of Lucas' head. Lucas didn't look back when he shook his head. "Yeah, but, Will meant other girls. He obviously wasn't trying to lump you in with the rest of them."

"And even if other girls did, you can't get 750,000 points on Dig Dug. I mean It's impossible." Mike continued to try and fix, looking backwards to meet Maddie's eyes for a moment. Lucas sighed. "But her name is Max."

"So what?" Mike questioned, looking towards the back of Lucas' head. Lucas turned back to Mike. "So, how many Maxes do you know?" Mike shrugged. "I don't know." Lucas finished it for him. "Zero. That's how many."

Dustin nodded. "Yeah, she shows up at school the day after someone with her same name breaks our top score. I mean, you kidding me?" Lucas was quick to agree. "Exactly. So she's gotta be Mad Max."

Maddie stepped away from the boys. "You're all lame. Keep staring if you want but I'm gonna go introduce myself to her." Mike looked at her like she was crazy. "Why would you do that?" Maddie rolled her eyes. "Because she's knew and none of you are going to. Also, this whole staring thing is creepy as shit. See you guys later."

With that, Maddie walked off, allowing the boys to continue their staring and talking without her. Maddie quickened her pace at the sight of the girl about to go up the steps and inside. "Hey! Max!"

Max turned around, a bit confused to hear someone calling her name. Maddie smiled and slowed down once she stood in front of Max. "Hi, I'm Maddie. I just wanted to introduce myself! I saw you come in during science."

Max smiled awkwardly. "Uh, hi." She subtly turned her eyes towards the boys, looking over to see if they were still staring. They were. "Do you know what's up with them? I mean— they haven't stopped looking at me all of break."

Now it was Maddies turn to awkwardly smile. "Sorry about them. They're trying to decide if you're Mad Max. We saw that the records on Dig Dug and Centipede were broken and you're just about the only Max we've ever met. Which by the way, if it was you that's super awesome." Max smiled more genuinely, laughing a bit. "Seriously? I mean— thanks but I didn't think breaking the record would be such a big deal."

Maddie shrugged. "I guess it burns more knowing it was a girl. Which again, awesome." Max chuckled. "Hey, uh, wanna see a little thing I made just for them?" Maddie nodded. "Oh, totally."