Betting on You

35

i never leave a/n here but yall... i don't think yall are ready for this one...

t h i r t y f i v e

"Maddy."

I turned around just as I had managed to shelve my textbook into my locker, my brows raising in surprise at who was standing next to my locker, "Oh. Hey," I gave him a smile and he only seemed to give me half of one back, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was wondering if we could talk?" he rubbed a hand against the back of his neck, another half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, and he cleared his throat, "Is that too weird?"

I gave Michael a smile, "No, no. That's okay," I shut my locker, slinging my bag over my shoulder before fully turning towards him, "What did you want to talk about?"

As the bell signalling the end of the school day rung, Michael and I remained put at my locker as those around us weaved their ways through the busy halls. My mother was coming to pick me up today seeing as it had been snowing quite a bit the past few days and the temperature was beyond freezing -- not exactly great for walking weather. Not to mention that Jaime had an after-school club or something to attend and couldn't give me a ride.

When the halls were slightly less boisterous but still full of people milling around, Michael cleared his throat, "I know that Jaime probably told you about what happened a couple of weeks ago."

My small smile dimmed at the reminder. Yes, she had caught him kissing Stephanie when she had been led to believe that he was pursuing her. To be honest, she was still having a hard time being around him. Despite her having switched partners in her home ec class, she still couldn't stop thinking about him, which is what she had told me.

I looked down at my shoes for a brief moment before looking back up at Michael, "Yeah. She was really hurt by that. I mean, I thought you liked her."

"I do," he insisted immediately, "I really, really do."

"Well, then what happened?" I sighed through my nose, "Because for you to go and kiss Steph-"

"F*ck, I didn't kiss Steph. She has it all wrong and she won't even give me the time of day to hear me out."

"She saw you with your lips attached to Stephaine's," I crossed my arms over my chest, "I don't really know what other idea she could get from that."

Michael ran a hand through his hair and he turned to lean his back against the lockers, "That's not what happened."

"Then tell me what happened."

"I-," he let out a frustrated groan, "I was trying to find Jaime that day after school because I wanted to ask her out. I went to the art room because I thought she would be there since she was doing some posters for the Thanksgiving game. Steph was there instead."

"In the art room?" That was a little odd, even for Steph, but Michael nodded his head at me regardless as he continued.

"Yeah, she was in there waiting for--," he cut himself off, clearing his throat, "Well, I was assuming Jai was busy cuz she wasn't responding to my texts asking which room she was in so I asked Stephanie. She was flirting with me and not giving me a straight answer but then she grabbed me and-"