𝕞𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝 - 𝕜𝕒𝕚 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕖𝕣

06

The soft glow of the dashboard clock read exactly five forty-three in Forest Grove as Madelene lounged in the passenger seat, her posture relaxed and carefree. With her legs propped up on the dashboard and her feet tapping along to the beat of Metallica's "Leper Messiah," she seemed lost in her own little world of music and reverie. 

A watermelon-flavored lollipop bobbed idly in her mouth, the sweet taste mingling with the rhythmic melody pulsing through the car speakers. Her eyes were half-closed, heavy with the promise of impending sleep, yet still managing to capture the fleeting moments of passing scenery outside the window.

In this tranquil interlude, with the hum of the engine and the familiar strains of her favorite song enveloping her like a comforting embrace, Madelene felt a sense of contentment wash over her. It was a moment of pure bliss before she had to start thinking of what happened earlier that day. 

Despite the soothing ambiance of the car and the calming presence of the person in the driver's seat,  Madelene couldn't shake the nagging sense of unease that lingered in the back of her mind. Today had brought news she wasn't prepared for, news that threatened to disrupt the peaceful bubble as they flooded back for the hundredth time that evening. 

She had just found out that failing math was on her cards this year unless she got serious tutoring very soon. 

Mr. Smith was not very nice or very helpful in that matter. He was an overweight, middle-aged man with a very thick Texan accent and a bald head, he moved to Oregon only last year.

He ordered Maddie to stay after class after handing out test results from the previous week. Carly smiled at her in encouragement before leaving the room along with the rest of the students.

Madelene picked up her stuff slowly and dragged her feet towards the desk. The teacher seemed to be lost in her notes and did not notice her. Maddie cleared her throat in annoyance. Mr Smith looked up from behind his glasses with a stoic expression.

"I have no idea what is going on with you Madelene-Anne, your records show that you've been nothing but an average B student since freshman year, you are barely hanging on by D's now, I don't know what changed but pick up your slack or you won't graduate" and with that, he dropped his gaze back to grading papers leaving no room for explanation.

Maybe that was for the best, Maddie had no explanation in place. Just as she was about to leave the teacher spoke up again "I will arrange a tutor, expect it soon"

She hated being called Madelene-Anne and she hated Mr.s Wendel, so naturally, she paged Kai to pick her up from school, she could not stand to stay there any longer.

Looking back at the message she received, a smile crept on her face. She walked along the corridor to the exit as fast as she could. She stopped by her locker and showed a bunch of books inside, taking out snacks she was hiding instead, school lunches were just not her thing most of the time. Just as she closed her locker Carly's face materialized next to her out of nowhere.

"Is everything ok?" her tone was sympathetic "Mrs. Wendel can be kind of harsh sometimes"

Madelene wasn't really in the mood to discuss what happened so she just shrugged her shoulders "It's whatever, listen...I have to go now, will you make Biology notes for me?" she smiled sweetly, looking at the big clock hanging in the corridor, next class was just about to start in less than five minutes.

Carly's face fell a bit at that "Where are you going?" she looked incredibly suspicious

"Just...out" The girl left no time for discussion as she turned around and started walking out.