Dreams Or How I Live My Life in Daydreams

The Other Shoe

Maddox waited by the curb watching over the console as Autumn stood at the doorway of her home, speaking softly to her parents. Though unable to overhear the conversation, he noted the strained expressions on their faces. He chewed his bottom lip, contemplative.

When Autumn called asking him for a ride, he happily accepted her request. From the edginess he heard in her voice, he knew something else troubled her, something she didn't want to share, which bothered him. They had shared so much between them. Why couldn't she trust him enough to confide in him?

Offering her parent's words of encouragement, Autumn jogged down the steps and approached her boyfriend, waving as he unlocked the passenger door.

She hopped onto the seat. "Hey," she said, mustering a smile though her mood was anything but cheerful.

"Hey," Maddox replied. Tapping the steering wheel, he gave the weary-faced girl a cursory glance. "H-How are you?" he said. 

"Okay," Autumn replied. Pursing her lips, she stared out the window, hoping he wouldn't ask any prying questions.

With a jolt, he steered the Ford Escape away from the curb and into traffic. Autumn kept her eyes fixed on the houses, buildings, and fast-food restaurants passing her by, her thoughts racing.

Twice, someone had vandalized the family car. First, it was the tires and now this. A chill went down her spine. Whoever was doing it was sending an ominous threat or playing a sick prank.

The police scoured the area for evidence and interviewed neighbors to see if they witnessed anything out of the ordinary but came up empty. Whoever keyed the car covered their tracks. Left with no alternative, her parents filed a report. Both agreed to have security installed later that day.

Something gnawed at Autumn. One person stood out who could be behind the vandalism, someone with a vendetta against her. She would need to tread lightly to gather proof to confirm her suspicion.

That wasn't the only thought plaguing her mind. She was on thin ice with her brother. In her mad dash up the steps, she had ripped the seams on the dress, undoing her brother's hard work to her chagrin——and his ire.

Scrutinizing the damage as Autumn apologized, the boy begrudgingly stated that it wasn't so bad that he couldn't fix it. 

Her gut clenched. She had seconds thoughts about going to the dance. Not with someone out there targeting her family, or just her.

*********

After a quiet ride, the couple arrived on the school grounds. Autumn jerked the door open. "Wait!" Maddox called after her. She halted. "Can you tell me what's going on?" he said. 

Autumn sighed. "It's—"

"Please, don't shut me out," he said.  

With a nod, Autumn shut the door. "What I'm about to tell you stays between us, okay." 

Maddox raised his right arm and held up three fingers. "Scout's honor," he said with boyish charm. Taking a breath, Autumn related to him the vandalism incidents and her suspicions.

Five minutes later, they exited the vehicle.

As they walked towards the building, Autumn eyed Maddox to gauge his reaction. His eyes lowered, the prankster stared at the concrete.

Inside the building, he seized her hand. 

"Yeah?" she said the intensity in how he stared at her making her heart pound. 

"Thanks for telling me," he said, his voice strained. 

"No problem," she said. 

He gave a tight smile. "I'll see you in class," he said, kissing her to the whistles and hoots of those gathered around in the background.