This Couldn't Be More Complicated.

Addison’s POV

My phone’s alarm buzzed under my pillow, forcing me to wake up. Today of all days, I felt no sickness, no headache or no sore throat, which meant today was going to suck. Start of a new term, which always meant that at least one of my teachers would do something to ‘test our knowledge’ after our one week holiday. I slowly raised myself out of bed and looked out the window. Sunny and not a cloud in the sky. ‘Great’ I thought to myself, ‘another perfect sunny day’ I sighed and went to have a shower. When I returned, I put on my black jeans, purple polo shirt and black cardigan and went downstairs to eat breakfast, praying my mother had left already. I really didn’t want to get into a conversation with her about Zack.

“Mum?” I quietly asked as I slowly stepped down the stairs. I decided it was safe when I heard no answer, and thankfully, I was right. I managed to salvage some of last night’s pizza for breakfast, because I was running late, and there was no milk for cereal.
I usually drove to school with Zack, so I picked up my bag and keys, and set off for his house. He was waiting outside when I got there.

“Hey Addison!” he said as he got into the car, with what sounded like forced enthusiasm.
“Hi Zack” I replied, driving out of his driveway. The drive was relatively silent apart from that. I just couldn’t think of what to say. And from the looks of it, neither did he.

After we got to school we parted ways to our respective lockers. I shrugged it off and decided we would be fine by lunch. We have fought before, but never been awkward. Was it obvious that I freaked out about the, I love you thing?

Zack always sits next to me in English. But today he wasn’t even in class. I texted him under the table about 6 times before the principal came in. I freaked out and hid it and kept my eyes on my test. (Oh yeah, I was right, first class we have a test)
“Class,” my English teacher said to us, I still didn’t look up. “We have a new student, his name is Maxwell Green” a few sniggers swept through the class. I didn’t think Maxwell was a funny name, but it obviously is to Steen Walker and Becky Hart. I turned around and glared at them. Why be so rude to a new kid? I looked up at him; he had black shaggy hair and kept looking at his feet, then around the class, then back to his feet. We made eye contact, before I quickly looked away, a look of familiarity washed across his face. I heard him slide into the desk next to me.

“Uh, that seats taken” I say to him, not looking up.
“Oh yeah? By who?”
“My friend, he’s not here yet”
“Well, when he arrives, I’ll move. I’m Max” He extended his hand for me to shake it, but I just shook my head and waved away his hand and went back to my test. He let out a whisper of a laugh and turned to face the front.

I saw Zack sitting under a tree at lunch, I walked up and stood beside him.
“Didn’t see you in English before” I say while putting my hands in my pocket.
“Eh, I chucked a fakie and went to the nurses office.” He said to me nonchalantly, not looking up. I sat down next to him and put my hand on his.
“What’s wrong Zack?”
“Why was it so awkward in the car this morning?” He asked me, grasping my hand. I hesitated before answering.
“I…I don’t know, I couldn’t think of anything to say”
“Either could I” We sat in silence for a while before I broke it by talking about English.
“We got a new kid in English today”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, his name is Maxwell Green” Zack snorted laughter.
“Ha! What a stupid name. Maxwell?” I hit him on the chest with the back of my hand.
“Don’t be mean, he’s new, and he already has Steen and Becky to laugh at him” Zack quickly shut up. We hate Steen and Becky. They are the asshole and bitch of the entire school. And we get to be in every one of their classes. Zack and I were talking about something random when we heard a voice standing about 10 feet away, leaning against a tree.

“I thought I recognized you, do you remember me?”