Never Fall in Love with the Fisher Boys

18- High School Scene

The next month went by in a blur.

Andy and Sophie got closer as the weather got colder. They’d made their relationship official- boyfriend and girlfriend, for real, it’s the real deal- about two weeks after their first date and ever since that, they were inseparable. It was adorable, I thought, and Sophie seemed to be really happy, always grinning like an idiot at practice, even during suicides, she was grinning as if it was the best moment of her life.

As for the weather, even at the end of August, it was already getting pretty chilly. Fall weather began about a week before the first day of school and it wasn’t quitting.

That was why, on the first day of school, I was wearing dark skinny jeans and a long sleeve gray sweater with a black painted tiger on the front instead of my usual shorts and t-shirt for a first day of school outfit. With my hair pulled into a blonde braid down my back and my prepared baby blue backpack over my shoulder, I was ready for the day.

Carter, Will, and I were going to ride together to the school this morning since we were the only three that were still in high school however Andy was starting his classes at the community college today as well. However, his classes didn’t start until noon so he was still asleep.

I checked my appearance in the mirror in the bathroom one last time before padding down the stairs in my black lace bootie flats. In the kitchen, Hastings the Chef and Tom were working together to get Ace and Alijah packed lunches while the two little boys ate breakfast at the large dinner table.

Today, Ace was starting first grade while Alijah was going to daycare for one more year until he started preschool next year. Tom was going to drop them both off before he went to work (I still had no idea where he worked but I never asked).

“Good morning, Maddie,” Tom greeted me when he heard me walk in. “Are you hungry?”

“Sure. Thanks,” I said as Hastings grabbed a plate of pancakes and bacons (he knew now that I didn’t like eggs so he left them off for me) and I sat down to eat while I waited for Carter and Will.

“So, are you nervous for your first day?” Tom asked me as he went back to stuffing a plastic bag of chips into a Captain America lunch box.

“Not so much,” I said with a small shrug. “I already know a lot of people, being on the soccer team and all. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

“That’s a good attitude to have,” He smiled. “I’m sure that you’ll do great as well. And the boys will help you around as much as they can.”

To be honest, I wouldn’t really ask Will for help if I could help it. We weren’t really on great terms now considering what had happened at that party with Melissa Garner, the oh-so hot girl that all guys (straight or gay) at John Adams High School have been pathetically pining over ever since she grew into her body freshman year. So in his eyes, it wasn’t really his fault that he had to take the opportunity when it had presented itself. What was he supposed to do? Blow off Melissa-freaking-Garner for little ol’ me? Ridiculous.

I was over it though, I really was. It was just that ever since that night, things had been pretty awkward between Will and I. I wouldn’t really consider us friends anymore- acquaintances maybe.

Carter, on the other hand, was the guy that I’d go to if I needed help navigating the school although I doubted that, it seemed tiny. Now that he was pretty much over Rikki, his brooding had come to a quit so he was a lot easier to talk to. We’d been hanging out a lot lately either in the game room or going on runs around the lake or watching movies in their home movie theater (which was literally a movie theater). He had taken over the place for me, as Favorite Fisher.