Status: Discontinued

Have Kids, Then We'll Talk

Caution: Approach with Care.

As the bell rang to signal the end of the last period of the day a sigh of relief filled the silent room, as students hurriedly began to pack their belongings in a rush to get out of the prison that their parents sent them to daily.

“Way and McCracken, stay behind,” Mrs Lund's dull voice called over the top of students from her desk where she peered over her old lady spectacles and in my direction. Charlie chuckled beside me, she knew, I knew, exactly why Mrs Lund. had asked us to stay behind on the first day of school.

We got to our feet, casually grabbing our belongings and walking towards her desk slowly. She watched our every move, not taking those beady eyes off us once as she leant forward, hand rested underneath her chin, spectacles practically falling from the tip of her nose.

“Now girls,” she started in her strict tone as we both stopped in front of her desk and I braced myself for the same lecture that we received at the beginning of every year, ever since we'd stepped foot in her class as freshman two years ago. “I don't want any misbehaviour this year.” I knew Charlie was rolling her eyes next to me. “Don't you even think about pulling any of your little tricks.” It was my turn to roll my eyes. “You hear me?”

“Yes Ms.” Our voices sang in unison as smirks etched themselves clearly onto our faces. By tricks, Mrs Lund. had of course been referring to the time we'd given her the lovely birthday present of a spider in her draw after learning she was deathly afraid in Freshman year. Then there was the time we'd covered her chair in lubricant in our sophomore year- where Charlie McCracken got the lubricant from, I don't want to know. However, those two gifts added with the constant talking and distraction in her classes had been enough reason for the grumpy history teacher of her fifties to despise us.
She was out to get us.

“Good. Now, go home,” she spat and we turned to leave. Each of us biting back laughter until the classroom door was shut behind us.

“I can't believe we got that old bat for History again this year!” I broke into laughter. The irony of getting the one teacher I'd hated since I'd stepped foot in this school again was too much.

“Oh, she loves us,” Charlie giggled, pulling her sidekick from the pocket of her blazer and reading the txt message displayed on the screen. “I got to go Mads, I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I better find Cass. See ya spazface.”

“You to ditzface.” With that we went our own ways, a smile still carved onto my face as ideas of how we could torture Mrs Lund. for another year filled my head.

The halls had begun to empty themselves of students as I quickly made my way towards the school's exit, my footsteps drowned out by the remaining students chatter as they forced various text books into their lockers and slamming them shut.

“Hey, you're a Way, right?” I turned in the direction of the voice as its owner appeared by my side.

“Uh...yeah,” I spoke dully as Dick Wentz fell into step with me, a smirk on his face. The same perverted boy who'd apparently seen up my skirt earlier today in the halls.

The smirk on his face turned to a grin, “that means you're Jared's cousin.” No shit Sherlock, doesn't take a genius to figure that out when we both shared the same last name and our fathers are brothers.

“Uh...yeah,” I replied in the same flat tone as before, turning my head away as the exit came into view. To be honest, I didn't really like the guy. He had that smug ‘I’m too sexy for everything’ attitude about him.

“That's cool...” he paused, still keeping in step with me. “Madie, right?”

“Yeah, that's right.” I looked back at him; didn't he already know my name?

He nodded, seemingly happy with the reply I'd given him.

“Soooo” he paused again, dragging out the word as the exit became nearer. “You know who I am?”

Yeah, I knew who he was. The perverted boy who'd decided it was necessary to examine the colour of my underwear in the halls then smile that -I admit- seductive smile of his as if it justified his actions.

“Uh...Wentz...something?” If I didn't sound interested, he'd go away. He only laughed, adjusting his book bag on his shoulder, obviously not getting the picture that I wanted him to leave.

“Dick Wentz. Remember the name...” His hand shot out in front of me, begging me to take it. I only stared at it, considering whether I should or not.

My arm decided before my brain and I took his hand in my own, “right, I'll try.” I forced a smile, glancing away to examine the mundane tiles of the school hallways, waiting for the moment to be over. I glanced back at him; it was awkward as he held onto my hand a little longer than was comfortable, before frowning and pulling it away.

“You don't like me, do you?” He spoke coolly, not bothered by my lack of interest in him.

“...I don't even know you?” I didn't want to make the situation anymore awkward than it was, only hoping he'd get the picture and leave.

“No, you don't. And yet you don't like me. Hm...” His voice remained cool and clearly not bothered by my coldness towards him. I felt my cheeks beginning to burn; he had a point after all. I barely knew him, but, he was Dick Wentz. Dick Wentz was notorious for being a self-absorbed womaniser.

“I never said I didn't like you...” I lied, biting my bottom lip out of habit. Why wouldn't he just leave?

He shrugged next to me, “I guess you're just coming off that way.” His confidence was evident, almost irritating. I glanced back at him, taking in his features, he had nice eyes.

“Sorry...” I looked away as we approached the exit and Dick stepped forward to open the door.

“After you, Way.” He held it open for me.

“...thanks.” I pushed past him through the door and continued ahead.

“No problem.” He muttered as he let go of the door and continued walking next to me, I flashed him a weak smile in thanks.

Okay, so maybe I was wrong about him. He hadn't tried to hit on me shamelessly as the rumours went, or as he had tried earlier in the day. He'd even opened the door for me. I guess he wasn't so bad, nice looking too. I found myself liking him and his confidence a little more as my gaze focused on the ground disappearing under my feet and an awkward silence formed between us.

“So, I'm planning on having a party soon.” I nodded. “It'll be over at my place...” He paused, “you should totally go.” He wanted me to go?

“You think?” I looked up at him; I never turned down an invitiation to a party. “But you barely know me?”

“Doesn't matter. There'll be plenty of people there that I've never met before. Besides it could be a...good time to get know each other.” He shrugged as I lifted my head to look at him and his lips formed into a sly smile. A good time to get to know each other.

I didn't reply, looking back ahead of me to see a familiar blonde waiting up ahead, her hands crossed around her chest as she waited for me. From the corner of my eye I noticed Dick's mouth curl in disgust.

“You friends with her?” His confident, almost arrogant tone was replaced with a mutter of despise as we approached Cassandra Lee.

“Yeah, I am.” I responded casually, glancing at his face. We came to a stop in front of her and Dick cleared his throat at the site of Cassie. Clearly, he didn’t like her. I wonder if he’d been speaking to my cousin?

Now being the one in position to call the shots I smiled at him, as he looked out of place in front of my best friend.

“So uh...Dick yeah?” I turned to face him. “I'm going to be going home now...” He nodded, not taking his gaze off Cassie as he glared at her.

“I'll give you a call about that party, huh?” A call?

“You don't have my number?” Confusion poured through my voice as I watched his face not move from Cassie's and he involved himself in a staring contest. I don't know why, Cass could stare down a tree.

“I can get it.” His gaze fell back on me finally, then he turned and began walking away. Stopping briefly to look over his should and speak, “Bye Madelyn...and” he smirked, looking at Cass, “Lee.” With that he was gone.
I watched him walk away as Cass cursed under her breath beside me. He had that ‘confident’ strut about him...

“Did he come back for another peek up your skirt?” I turned to face Cassie, now with a smirk across her face as my own became red and embarrassed.

“No! Shuddup Cass.” I spat, turning around and walking the usual way home, punching her playfully in the arm as I passed.

“Then what did he want?” She was getting nosy, catching up to me and returning the punch with slight force into my arm.

“Well...” I began, trying to figure out how to sum up the conversation within as little words as possible, rubbing my punched arm in the process. She smirked again, like she knew something I didn't. “What!?”

“Nothin'.” Her face remained smug, mocking me; I wish I she’d say whatever it was already.

“Good.” That was it, no more talk about Dick Wentz.

“Seriously, what did he want?” She had to know everything.

“I'm not exactly sure...” I responded to the ground, the scene of our encounter still replaying in my head. He didn't seem like a bad guy, he seemed interested. Rumours are just rumours right? I looked back up at her, “To introduce himself properly?”

She nodded the smug smile still across her face remained. “He wanted a peek.”

“A peek of what?” Frowning I watched her, waiting for a change in her facial expression or a response.

“Your lacy pink thong, of course!” It happened, she pretended to act surprised. Raising her hand to cover her open mouth in shock. My own mouth dropped in shock. Lacy pink thong? Me? No way.

“I am not wearing a lacy pink thong you perv!” I spat, slightly annoyed that she thought it was funny.

“Oh come on. Have you suddenly gotten prissy over the weekend?”

“No.” I looked at her. She was having fun teasing me with the mention of lacy underwear. “My underwear is black thank you very much.” I wouldn’t be caught dead in lace.

“I didn't want to know that Madelyn!” She broke into laughter; I don't see how she found it funny.

“You started it!” I said defensively, turning my head away to avoid seeing her laughter.

“It’s called a joke!” Laughter still escaped Cass, finding jokes about my underwear and perverted boys funny. I had nothing to say to that, only shoving my hands inside the pockets of my blazer and watching the concrete pathway disappear underfoot as we came closer to home.

A matter of seconds, which felt more like an eternity had elapsed as Cassie’s laughter died down and tension filled the silence between us. The kind of tension you feel when one is pissed with another, but you don’t really understand why.

“Oh god...” she started, picking up on the tension. “What’s wrong?”

I glanced at her, keeping my hands tucked inside the blazer; “Nothing.”

“Madelyn,” she spoke in her best motherly tone. The unfortunate thing about Cassandra Lee and I was that we’d known each other for so long, that she could now read me like a book. She always knew exactly what I was thinking or feeling- am I that predictable?

“Cassandra,” I mocked her tone, pronouncing her name in snootiest way I could. She frowned, slighty annoyed and picking up on the tone of voice.

“Fine, be like that.” She turned to look in the other direction, now annoyed with me. That was another thing about Cassie, her mood changes just as quickly and easily as Aiden switches from heterosexual to homosexual. The funny thing was neither of them would admit it.

The tension recommenced. Great Mads, you’ve gone and made her angry.

Wait- why the fuck are we mad?

I looked at her, examining the back of her head as she stubbornly refused to look at me, trying to figure out why either of us had any right to be mad at each other and how we even got to this point of a comment about a pink thong. When you think about it, the joke was pretty funny. I don’t know why I acted the way I did.

I couldn’t help myself and laughter burst from my chest. Cassie returned her gaze, keeping her stern face for a matter of moments before joining in on the laughter.

“You take things way to seriously sometimes Cass,” I spoke through muffled laughter.

“You don't take things seriously enough,” she replied, a cheeky grin carved on her face.

Wait- I what?

“What do you mean by that?” My laughter stopped, confusion setting in. I had no idea what she was talking about- I do too take things seriously...most of the time. She stopped laughing as well, rolling her eyes as if I should know what she’s talking about.

“If Dick Wentz keeps seeking you out, there's obviously something going on in his dirty little mind.”

“I hardly know him,” I said, frowning, my hands subconsciously removing themselves from the depths of my blazers pockets to fiddle with the sleeves hem.

“Looks like he wants to know you.” A knowing smile crept across her face as she shook her head slightly to move the blonde hair falling in her eyes. I looked away, smiling to myself.

“Well...I don't know.” My cheeks were turning red. She had a point, no guy chases after a girl for no reason at all. Dick Wentz is someone I could get to know. He had caught my attention. That flirtatious smile, the dark hair, nice eyes, confidence; the kind of guy I liked. But he was a jerk.

“He invited me to a party...” I blurted out quickly, looking at Cassie’s face for her reaction.
She frowned, shaking her head at me slightly.

“Uh...you mean the one Jay already invited us to?” She raised her eyebrows as confusion crept across my face. I don’t remember Jay inviting us to any party.

“Jay did? The one at Dick's place...?”

“This morning...in the halls.” She shook her head, rolling her eyes at me.

“Ohhh.” I remembered being in the hall. Jay and Dick were there. But I couldn’t remember Jay asking us to any party, only the look his friend had flashed in my direction as he left.
I racked my brains trying to remember his invitation, but Cass ran my train of thought off the rails before I could even begin to realize that I didn’t remember it at all.

“Well, if you weren't so busy turning beet-red, you would have remembered.” She smirked, I blushed, concentrating my gaze on the ground again as we continued walking.

“I was not...” I mumbled. Truth be told, I probably was.

“Of course not.” Sarcasisim poured through her voice as I continued looking at the ground and she wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling my body towards hers, making it harder to walk. “Aw come on...” She knew exactly why I had been blushing.

“He is kind of cute...” I muttered quickly under my breath, Cass laughed.

“He is, but he's Dick.” She was trying to make a point; this conversation was heading towards a lecture. If it were Charlie right now, I could imagine her advice would be along the lines of ‘Go for it Mads!’ That’s more of the advice I wanted right now, although Cass was fairly good with advice.

“He is a dick,” I joked. I knew he was- but still...

“That's what cancels out his physical attractiveness.”

“I know.” I sighed; I really wish it didn’t. I could get to know him; I was already finding myself attracted to him. “He's not really the dating kind of guy,” I spoke more to myself than the peroxide blonde who had herself draped over my shoulder.

“Cheer up, Mads. He's good for a dance or two.” She squeezed my shoulder, now giving a little reassurance and some permission to follow what my feelings were telling me. “Just...y'know...don't get too into it.” There came the serious side of her comment, should of known it was coming.

“...I mean,” she started speaking again, a serious tone in her voice. “He’s nice and all, but he’s still, well...” She trailed off, but I knew what was coming. I glanced at her, watching her flawless face stare off into the distance, anticipating her response. “...Dick.” Right. That is becoming the most used reason not to let myself become smitten with this boy.

“Like I said, he’s good for a dance or two, but if you try to keep going...” she continued speaking. I wish she’d just give me permission already. “...you’ll end up crying in the girls bathroom like the rest of them.” Okay, so I’ve had bad relationships. My past has shown a tendency to pick up bad boys who break girls hearts, but never had any of them made me end up in the girls bathroom like those love struck Daddy’s girls.

“Well, maybe he's not actually that bad...” I tried to add some light to the situation. She let go of my shoulder and stood aside, rolling her eyes at me. “What?”

“Nothing,” she said simply, her face staying as serious as before except for the half hearted smile she flashed in my direction.

“Tell me what you're thinking!” I demanded, she had more on her mind than what she was telling me.

“Don’t worry about it.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “Cass, I’ve known you far too long to know that you have an opinion on everything. Spill.”

“You want my opinion on Dick?” She glanced at me, raising her eyebrows as if I was stupid to ask for her opinion when I already knew it would be bad.

“Yes,” I said simply, watching her face as she frowned.

“He's nice and he'll be a perfect gentleman until he gets what he wants,” she looked at me, “which is essentially a fuck.” Isn’t that what most guys want? But she didn’t have to put it so harshly. “Then he'll throw you away.”

She looked at me, examining me for a moment before linking her arm with mine and protectively pulling me close once more. “And as long as I'm here, over my dead body am I going to let anyone throw you away.” A warm feeling crept through my chest, she was my best friend, and she cared so much. Although I knew I could look after myself. I’m a Way, I’m related to one of the biggest assholes of them all.

“Thanks Cass.” I smiled at her, she smiled back. Dick was attractive, but I guess she had a point. Don’t get involved....

Then again- what does Cass know? She’s still too scared to ask Dan out. While Dick...he definitely would be good for a dance or two, and if it doesn’t work out- then there’s always that guy who’s been crushing on me in English.