I Love You Just the Way You Are (Book 1- Rock Canyon Series)

Chapter 13 - Maddie

Chapter 13 – Maddie

I never thought I'd be one of those kids that looked forward to Friday afternoon and the end of the school week. I was the nerd who enjoyed getting lost in the thick weeds of an old poem, trying to figure out the author's intent. I craved learning how to define and declare string variable types in computer science. I yearned to connect the dots between climate change and human activity in earth science class.

Yet here it was Friday afternoon, and I was one of those people. Celebrating the end of another school week. However, in my defense, I didn't think most kids experienced the phenomenon of hearing whispers and giggles everywhere they went. Oh, and can't forget the staring. 

I stepped onto my bus and sat down with a huff next to Charlotte in our usual spot, second bench, right side, close to the door. I didn't want to take a chance on sitting any further back. Not yet.

"Well, you look cheerful. How was your day?" Charlotte quipped.

I slid my backpack between my legs and grimaced. "Peachy. Kellan Davis is still playing savior. I've managed to mostly avoid him the past week, but unfortunately, I left a book in my locker on the first day of school. I brought a sapphic romance when I was naïve enough to think I'd have time to read. When I went to grab it, there he was."

"Oh, no! What happened?" she said, turning toward me. I told her how the kid everyone called Big Rude verbally bullied me and Kellan got on his case. Charlotte looked nonplussed.

"Soooo the problem is...?" She kept shaking her head slightly with her eyebrows arched and I wanted to smack her.

"I don't need some guy to help me. I'm fine on my own." I stared out as we started to move.

Charlotte leaned back and pretended to massage a nonexistent beard. "Ahh, I see. The independent girl. Born under the sign of The Warrior." She mimed the gaze of a fierce champion and I gave in with a chuckle.

"How much Elder Scrolls have you been playing? You're supposed to be the beautiful blonde that sits and twirls her hair and sends pictures she shouldn't to boys," I said, as we shared a laugh.

"Besides," I continued, "if I were to be born under a sign it should have been The Shadow. Each day I would be able to cast a spell and be invisible for sixty seconds. That's long enough to hustle to my locker and get out of there before anybody has a chance to make fun of me."

"Heh, that's funny," Charlotte whacked my arm with the back of her hand. "My character right now is a Khajit born under The Shadow. And hey, who says I have to sit and twirl my hair and send bikini pics to guys just because I look the part? Who made these rules? What if I just want to sit in my sweatpants and play modded Morrowind?"

I looked at her conspiratorially. "Yeah, you're right. Down with the man! Anarchists, are you with me!?" I thrust rock fingers skyward and Char swatted my arm giggling.

We sat quietly for a few minutes, and I idly watched each kid get off at their stop. I wondered if they were happy, or confused and miserable, like me. Charlotte mercifully interrupted my thoughts as they reached "will I ever be happy?" territory. I should probably keep her around more.

"Hey, do you mind if I borrow that book?" she asked with a hint of shyness.

"Hmm? Oh, the one from the locker? Sure, here," I said, leaning down and rifling through my pack until I found it. "Trying to connect with me by reading queer romance?" I joked, bumping my shoulder with hers.

"Ego much? No, I need a good read. I'm dry. And how would reading a sapphic romance help me connect with you?"

She had a point. The thought of me being with a girl was a no-go and Charlotte knew that about me since forever. "Okay, okay. Don't blame me when you ugly cry though. Colorblind is not for lightweights!"