Junior Year

Chapter Six

Italics are signing 

"Maddie wake up! Wake up!" I was awoken the next morning by the loud screams of Ella in my ear. I recoiled before opening my eyes and seeing the annoying brunette sitting next to me with very eager eyes. Why was she staring at me so intensely? I sat up and noticed that I had fallen asleep on the couch last night before rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I looked over at my annoying best friend with a glare before stretching my sore muscles. I do not like being awoken by her. 

"Maddie tell me what happened yesterday!" She yelled before shaking me and everything started spinning. Goodness, this is the worst wake-up call I have ever had. I quickly grabbed my phone and started composing my reply to the annoying girl. 

Mad: It was a good date. We went to the park and I explained to him how I'm mute and he took it really well. I really like him and I think he likes me too.

El: That sounds like an amazing date but did anything life-changing happen last night? She looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a very intense look. What does she mean by life-changing? It was just a date. Sometimes I worry about her. 

Mad: What do you mean by life-changing? 

El: Oh nothing. How did the rest of your night with Mark go? 

Mad: It was okay. We talked and then he went to bed. He told me about his crush on some girl. He seems really into her so I suggested we go on a double date when he finally asks her out. I explained to the really weird girl who smacked her hand over her forehead. I'm really not sure what is happening. It's too early to care in the first place. 

"What are we doing today? It's Saturday and I'm assuming you're staying here" She asked me after she stopped smacking herself and I chuckled. 

"I don't know, we could watch movies" I suggested and she nodded with a giant smile. She went over to get the remote and we spent the next few minutes looking through the different movies until we picked something romantic and cheesy. We spent the rest of the day watching movies and making jokes about the different outfits the set designer chose to pick. It was a good day. 

***

The older boy looked at his slightly younger sister who was staring him down in their living room. He just wanted to go back to his room and play some video games but his sister had stopped him in his tracks to discuss something he really didn't want to. 

"Mark you need to tell her tonight. What if this date is a success? You would have missed out on your one chance with Maddy" The brunette girl told her twin brother while crossing her arms and glaring at him. Mark sighed while shaking his head. 

"If I tell her then our friendship is ruined forever. She'll hate me. She doesn't share my feelings and then everything will be weird" He tried to make it clear to his sister that this wasn't the best option but Ella wasn't taking it. 

"I don't care about your overthinking. I want you to be happy and I want her to be happy. You could both be happy together. Plus I'm tired of dealing with your sad eyes when you see her with anyone who isn't you" She explained sincerely while placing her hand on his shoulder. Mark rolled his eyes at his sister. There was no way he would ever do this. The risk is too large. 

"What will make you stop with all this?" He asked her because he was done with this topic and just wanted to go play some games. He needed to stop thinking about Maddison and Cody and this conversation wasn't helping. 

"You tell her and I will never bring this up again" She explained and Mark groaned. That's the one thing he can not do. Ella smiled at her brother before picking up her purse and grabbing her jacket. 

"I'm going out for the night. You will be alone with Maddy all night, you better tell her" She told him before walking out of the door. Mark watched his sister leave the house before sighing and pulling his hair. Did he really need to do this? 

~~~~~

For the next week, not many things happened. It was basically just five days of schoolwork and lunches but it was a good week. I spent most of my days with Cody and by the end of the week, he had officially asked me to be his girlfriend. We were official! I was so excited that I barely noticed the fact that Mark had been avoiding me all week. I'm not sure why he has missed lunch every day of the week and hadn't been at his house when I would stop by. I assumed it was because of this girl he liked but I missed my best friend dearly. We have never been separated this long before and I don't understand what happened. Why would he avoid me in the first place? It was now Friday once again and I had decided that I have had enough of missing my best friend and that I would track him down first thing when the last class of the day ended. I started looking for him once I left the classroom and found him at his locker grabbing his books for weekend homework. I smiled before marching over to him and slamming his door shut. Mark looked at me with wide eyes. 

"Mark Elliot Thompson! I will be coming over to your house tonight and we will hang out. You have been ignoring me all week and this is where it ends" I signed angrily and Mark simply looked at me in shock. I have never acted this way before but I needed to get things done. 

"Okay," He said simply and I pumped my fist into the air. I won!

"Was that all you needed?" He asked while opening his locker once again and getting some books. I looked at him and nodded. 

"I missed you this week. You haven't been around" I explained to him with a pout and Mark frowned. 

"I'm sorry about that. It has been a busy week. I missed you too. Now let's go to the house" He explained before taking my hand in his and I smiled. We quickly left the school together and made our silent walk toward his house. I'm not sure why but the walk felt really strange, Mark was distant and I had no idea why. He is never distant from me. We arrived at his house before making our way to his bedroom. I smiled once I walked into the familiar room that I spend so many days in when growing up. It's been about three years since I've been in this room but not many things have changed which comforted me. 

"Goodness, I have missed being in this room. I missed this green bedspread and these red walls. Do you remember when we spent nights playing video games and watching movies while sitting on this bed?" I started remembering all the old times in this room while running around and touching about everything. I ran over to Mark's bed before falling onto the comfortable sheets and grabbing one of the stuffed animals he still had and smiling at him. 

"God you're so cute" He whispered to himself while he looked at me and my eyes widened. I looked away from Mark and toward the little elephant in my arms while I felt heat rise to my cheeks. Am I blushing? He calls me cute all the time so why am I blushing? I looked at the elephant before I came to the conclusion. It must just be really hot in this room. Mark's words definitely didn't have any effect on me.