Dreams Or How I Live My Life in Daydreams

Compromise

Autumn crossed her arms, her posture stiff. "That's all you want? A date?"

Enraptured at the vividness of her amber eyes, Maddox nodded. Cupid's arrow had shot him a long time ago. Back in middle school when he first saw her, when her hair was down to her waist.

Her eyes lowered, Autumn shifted back and forth on her feet, debating. She lifted her gaze to his.

He wiped a sweat bead off his face, awaiting her response. "Okay," she murmured. "I'll be your date."

He blew out the breath he had been holding. "That's great—"

"On one condition," she said. "No more pranks."

His face flushed. Dante flashed in his mind. He gulped. "Okay."

She spun on her heels. "As much as I love it here, I don't want to get another detention for being tardy," she said.

He laughed a throaty laugh. "Right."

Heading back to his Ford Escape, they fell in stride together, walking alongside each other. Maddox felt inclined to grab her hand but didn't want to push his luck.

A thought bubbled in his mind. He stopped in his tracks. "Before we head back to school, can you give me your phone number?" He reached inside his back pocket for his iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Autumn chuckled nervously, noting his new phone and the glaring contrast in their financial standing. "Sure."

He opened his contacts. "I'm ready."

He added her number, sure she heard his heart hammering in his chest. "Here's mine. Ready?"

Her cheeks burning, Autumn fished in her purse for her iPhone 6. "Okay," she mumbled, avoiding looking him in the eyes.

Maddox sensed her unease. He knew her being poor was a touchy subject for her. He'd seen and heard the taunts directed at her because of her off-brand clothing.

He wished there was something he could say to reassure her in a way that wasn't patronizing. Words failed him. Even in a situation like this, he faltered.

The numbers exchanged, the pair resumed their trek to the car in silence.

"Maddox?" Autumn said, breaching the silence. "How do you know Dante?"

Maddox flinched. Hoping Autumn hadn't noticed, he pretended to stumble on a twig on the pathway. He hadn't prepared himself for this line of questioning. He'd have to wing it.

"He lives a block away from my house," he said. "We're practically neighbors."

"He's bad news," Autumn replied, her voice on edge. Seeing the creep slither out of the cafeteria made her stomach churn. Whatever he had done, he had weaseled his way out of a harassment charge. It was her word against his. No one except Nara believed her. He had everyone believing that she made it up.

"We're not friends," Maddox said.

They locked eyes. Maddox shivered, his pores prickling. His throat tightened. It felt hard to breathe. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch her face.

She dropped her eyes, breaking contact. "Good," she said. Though she still had misgivings about Maddox, she didn't want to believe that he would associate with the likes of Dante.

Maddox swallowed, his heart beating a mile a minute. He'd told a white lie.  He'd worry about that later.  For now, the only thought on his mind was that Autumn Fleetwood agreed to be his date for the dance.

"Earth to Maddox!" Autumn said, tugging his arm.  He jumped.  "We'll be late if we don't get a move on it," she said.

"Right," Maddox said with a boyish grin.

A few students stood idly outside the red brick building when Maddox pulled onto the school property. To his relief, Dante wasn't one of them. He'd make it a point to stay away from the troublemaker for the rest of the day. He didn't want him ruining his moment of happiness.

Autumn opened the door, swinging one leg out. "Hey," Maddox said. "I'll call you." 

 "Right," Autumn mumbled.

Curious eyes turned in their direction as the twosome exited the vehicle. "Great," Autumn muttered under her breath. The last thing she needed or wanted was being the center of school gossip.

She walked ahead of the prankster so it wouldn't appear that they were together. From the way the onlookers ogled them, it didn't work.

Her ire growing, she wanted to shout, "Stop looking at me," to the spectators. That would only make it worse. She lifted her eyes towards the sky. Why is the universe out to get me?

Walking at a slow pace on purpose while Autumn scurried inside, Maddox snickered. Autumn looked beautiful when irritated, especially the way her button nose crinkled. She had better get used to the attention. Her days of being invisible had ended.