Maddie's Girls

Chapter 14

Once the holidays ended and classes started again, I felt like I was somehow recharged. I was ready to become a better me. To do things better and to be better. I was excited to come to class.

Also, this time around, I had friends to come to. I mean, Danny was a friend but it was... different, I never had friends who were girls. Besides, I saw him during the Christmas break, so it was okay.

"I need help," Cassie's whispered, staring straight ahead. We were in English Lit. and because Becca wasn't back from Argentina just yet, I sat with Cassie instead.

"With the quote?" I frowned, staring at the board, there was a quote we were meant to use to write a sonnet.

Cassie and I had sort of bonded over games and homework that she would beg me to let her copy. She didn't ask Becca because she didn't think Becca would let her copy.

"Honestly, sonnets aren't my strong suit but if—"

"I think I like Nina." Cassie blurt out.

"I know," I sighed, looking away from my ten-line so-called poem. 14 lines, 10 syllables ... blabla... seemed a bit excessive to me. I'm sure if Becca had been here, she wouldn't have had a problem with it.

"You know?" Cassie leaned in, her voice sounded a bit worried. "How do you know?"

"Well, Becca pointed out to me over lunch the other day," I cleared my throat, counting the words with my pencil. "And then I began to notice little things—"

"What little things?" She asked, rushed and anxious.

I rolled my eyes and began to tell her the little things.

Before the holidays, we all went to the cinema as a group. It took ages to figure out what movie to watch because we all wanted to watch different things... Cassie went along with Nina's choice even though the day before she had told me she couldn't wait to watch The Joker. And when we were watching the movie, she sat next to Nina and her whole persona changed. She was nervous, leg bouncing up and down and when they both went to grab popcorn and their hands touched a little... Cassie literally jumped in her seat.

I know, these are things you don't notice but I've never seen anyone fall in love with another person. I know it sounds stupid but I wanted to see what it was like. I wanted to see if their eyes really did glow differently, if when they looked into each other's eyes the world surrounding them faded or something... I wanted to witness it, so I paid attention.

Just like I paid attention when Danny was around. At first, he was slightly confused as to when a friendship formed between the six of us girls when we were all very different... but even though he didn't say it, I know he liked hanging around with us. And Maggie liked it too. Lottie as well.

The thing was... Danny last year developed the biggest crush on Maggie. He told me but he never told her. And when he wanted to, Maddison had made her move and Danny didn't want to tell her then. He didn't want to tell Maddison either, although I'm pretty sure she must've known because it was pretty obvious.

Although, whatever that was going on with them three, it was different because their body language did change when one of them was around but it wasn't like Cassie and Nina. Nina and Cassie's body language were different; it was vulnerable, anxious... it was... deeper.

"I don't— that's not true," Cassie frowned, retracting herself and moving away from me. "I just— I like being nice to her."

"But you don't like being nice to people..." I point out.

"I do," Her frown got deeper, "I'm nice to you."

"You almost punched me—"

"That was one time and it was meant for Lottie..."