Rachel Summers : Author

 

Maybe Maybe by Rachel Summers

"Where are you going?" Rachel asked. I gave her a glance, not knowing how to put it.

"On-on a date." I managed to choke out. My hands fiddled with my tie awkwardly, of course I knew how to tie one, I just wanted to pretend I didn't.

"You?" Her tone was insulting.

"Yep. With -"

"Madeline, isn't it?" She asked.

"Uh huh." Was all I could manage to say. She snorted.

"We both know that you know how to tie that." 

"Of course." I said outloud. Rachel smirked and swatted my hand away. She then tyed it the right way for me.

"There. Just in case you forgot." She looked proud as she lit a ciggarette.

"No smoking please!"

"Umm hmm." She took a deep breath of smoke and then let the air out of her lungs, filling the room with smoke. I let out a gagging cough.

"Thanks for the second hand smoke." I told her dryly.

"Your welcome. Have a nice night." Then she smirked and opened her mouth. But I cut her off.

"No suggestive comments please!" I requested. She smiled.

"Sure." She gave me my coat and led me to the door. She opened it and said, "Oh, and no kisses on the first date!" Then she laughed. I waved and left.

I walked to my yellow Volkswagen Bug and got out the keys. I got in and began to drive. I was to pick Madeline up at the library at exactly 7:30. I arrived at 7:31. She gave me a big smile and got in the car.

"Hi Madeline." I said cheerily.

"Hi Anthony. How are you?"

"Very well this evening. And you?" Out of no where Madeline burst into a fit of giggles. I stared at her for a while and she quieted down.

"I'm sorry...'very well this evening'...it just seems so...formal. Don't you think?" I scanned my options for a reply.

"Um...yes?" She laughed some more. And I had no idea why. "Were should we go?" I asked her, trying to keep my eyes on the road.

"Let's go to the cafe where I work."

"Italy in Paris?" I asked her.

"Well, I don't work at any other cafe's." She nudged me. "You are so...Capitan obvious." 

"Okay." I said, hoping that this wasn't a bad thing. Madeline laughed again. She was certainly doing a lot of laughing this evening.

We went to the quaint cafe where she worked. It was a brightly colored establishment, with a pastel blue painted on the walls. We actually didn't wind up getting much of anything besides coffee and water. Well, Madeline had a croissant, but I didn't eat anything.

It's not that the food on the menu didn't look okay, but I wasn't really hungry.

"We should probably go home now. It's nine already." I obsurved. She nodded. She stood up and we left the cafe, after paying. And leaving a tip for the waiter.

"Can we take a walk?" Madeline asked.

"Oh, um sure. But it is nine fifteen. Where?" I asked.

"Uh, theres a park that I like to go to. It's on Ollychester and Redburn."

"Where?"

"Ollychester and Red-you don't know where that is?!"

"No. I live on the other side of town - on Pine avenue."

"Figures. A nice, safe, secluded area."

"It's not that secluded. I'm not that soft."

"Sure. Dangerous, aren't we Anthony?" She was beginning to remind me of Rachel. I frowned.

She directed me to the place she was talking about. There was a large pond in the middle of a grassy field. We got out the car and she led me to the start of the path.

"We can just walk all the way around, and then go home."

"Okay." We begun our walk.

"I used to hang around this place alot. I swam in the pond, and stuff. I had a dog too. She'd swim in the pond, too. And my older brother would swim in it as well." She looked at the pond like it was a sad memory, not like it was right in front of her. "Then Daddy died. In the pond. And I stopped coming here."

"I'm sorry." I didn't look at her face. I didn't want to see the look. "My father is deceased as well."

She ignored me and gave the pond a soft look. "I hated that pond for a long time." She kicked a stone into the pond. Her eyes narrowed. "But one night I swam in the pond. Just because."

"It's okay Madel - " I began.

"And I realized how much I missed the pond, and Daddy. Every time I swim in the pond, it's like I see him again. So I swam in the pond for a week and then got better. So see, sometimes memories of bad things can help you get through them." I didn't believe her story was 100 percent true. It couldn't be that easy. I knew it wasn't that easy.

Then she made a dart for the pond. I took after her. She stopped at the shore and kicked off her shoes.

"Oh no, Madeline!" I protested. "Now is not the time for a swim." She ignored me again and began to unzip her dress. My hands flew to my eyes and I spun around. "Madeline!" I practically whined. I heard a splash as she jumped in the water. I opened my eyes.

"Come on Anthony. Don't be such a stick in the mud!" She called. I gulped.

"No thank you! Your request is denied!" I squeaked. Her eyes narrowed.

"Come on!" She insisted.

There was no way I was taking off my shirt in front of a girl. Or anyone. No way. Not for a million dollars. I could be a rock in the mud for all I cared.

"Come on, Anthony! Don't be dull!" I stared at her. Dull? Me? Dull?

I. Was. Not. Dull.

"I'm not dull!"

"Sure you aren't." I looked around. No one. It was pretty dark. My watch read 10 : 00. I took a deep breath, and a gulp. 'I can't do this...' I thought to myself. It was just too...revealing! Madeline read my expression.

"I'll close my eyes if you want?"

"Okay!" I squeaked. I had to do something to come off as interesting. Not that I wasn't interesting anyway. Madeline rolled her eyes and turned around.

"Quite honestly, Anthony, if you're going to be my boyfriend at some point then..." Madeline began to grumble as I slipped my shirt over my head and placed it onto the ground. I emptied my pockets of electronics before going into the pond.

"Okay." I mumbled while submerging my neck into the water. She turned around and smiled.

"Isn't it peaceful?"

"Uh huh. It's kind of cold."

"Isn't it though?" Her reckless attitude began to remind me more and more of Rachel's. Which was the last thing I wanted.

"Can we go now?" I asked. "It's 9 : 51."

"Your watch is waterproof?"

"Yuh huh. It's so cold." My teeth began to chatter and Madeline laughed. Again.

"Your so different, Anthony." She smiled, while letting herself drift in the water. I didn't know to take that as a compliment or an insult.

"Is this pond chemical safe? Like, no diseases in it?" I asked. She paused.

"...I don't know. I guess not." I gulped. Guess not wasn't a very good answer.

"Can we go now?" I asked again.

"Sure. Let's go." We both got out of the water and lay in the grass for a few minutes, to dry off.

"This place is really beautiful." I whispered. She nodded.

"It sure is." We clothed again and got in the car. "Damn it. Now your car will get all wet." She cursed.

"It's okay." I told her.

"No, it's not. I was so irresponsible. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Really." I told her as we drove to her house.

"Alright. Thanks for the great night out, Anthony. Let's do it again sometime." She grinned.

"Okay." I agreed. She looked down at her feet.

"I left my heels at the pond!" She exclaimed.

"I'll get them for you." I offered.

"No, we'll get them tomorrow. You just go home, 'k? No one's going to steal them." We drove in front of her house. I unlocked the door. 

"Bye Madeline." I waved. She smiled.

"So this is it?"

"What? Um..."

"No, I mean, you're not going to make a move on me or anything?"

"Um...what are you implying?" I asked. She slapped her forehead. Then she leaned over the armrest and kissed me.

I don't know why, but I ended the kiss.

"I'm sorry." I muttered. She looked at me for a while.

"No I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that....you're gay, aren't you?"

"No! Whatever gave you that idea!?"

"I don't know, just the way you act. So, what is it then?"

"....I don't know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I had a really good time. I'll see you tomorrow." She ruffled my hair and got out of the car. She waved and went inside. I waved back, and drove home.

Rachel was sitting on the couch watching tv. "Why are you all wet?" She asked me.

"Um, swimming in a pond."

"....why?"

"No reason."

"Did you kiss her?"

"No...." It wasn't a lie.

"Did she kiss you?"

"Maybe..."

"I knew it! Ah hah, Zach owes me five bucks."

"You bet on my date with Zach!?"

"Yep, called him ten minutes ago."

"You need a hobby." I walked to my room.

"Good night Anthony. So, how was your date?"

"....I had a nice time." I closed the door to my room and laid down on my bed. My first date with Madeline, and I screwed up the kiss. Brilliant, Anthony, brilliant. Now she thinks you're gay.

Not that I had a problem with gay people, but I certainly wasn't one. And I did like Madeline...mostly. I hoped she still liked me. Maybe I'll call and ask to see her again?

Maybe.

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