Too Much

Maddie's POV

“ALLLIIEE!”

Alex shouted as loud as he could but I knew it was useless, she wouldn’t turn around and she definitely wouldn’t let him or any of the others see her at her weakest. However he chose to ignore her defiance and took off at a rapid speed trailing after my best friend.

“Ahh fuck”

Zack and Rian muttered to themselves in unison under baited breath, as Rian sucked in a sharp intake of oxygen; him and Zack swiftly took off hot on Alex’s heels, leaving me and Jack standing alone together by the oak tree. Jack awkwardly inverting his gaze down to his sneakers, I however finding nothing awkward about the situation, remained perfectly calm.

“It’s alright Jack, I’m not going to take off after her. I know her better than that, the last thing she would want is for me to follow and harass her…something which you pal Gaskarth over there has made the mistake in doing”

I addressed him noticing the awkwardness that had swept in and separated us slightly; he shook his head in an understanding manner but which soon turned to one of disappointment. Gently I placed my hand in Jack’s pulling him down next to me, as I positioned myself down on the dry, burning grass.

“Allie is strong enough to look after herself believe it or not; she’ll man up and grow a pair in the next 15 minutes or so. She’ll come back”

I spoke to Jack, but somehow it felt like I was trying to reassure myself and not explain my friend’s disappearance to Jack. Cautiously he looked up at me, examining my mannerisms as I pushed my fringe through my fingers and to the back of my head ruffling it in anxiety; his brown eyes contrasting into mine, mirroring an emotion that I can only begin to describe as pity.

“We’ve searched everywhere we can’t find them”

Rian interrupted 15 minutes later as my blue spheres bounced from Jack’s to Rian’s, concern washed his face as Zack shuffled on the spot uncomfortably beside him. Sighing in despair I thanked Rian and Zack for their efforts anyway, Rian nodded sympathetically looking as if he was apologising for Alex’s behaviour before him and Zack left the school to go home in his car.

Yeah it was the end of my first day at Baltimore High and I’d gone and lost my best friend, my best friend who was prone to panic attacks. Remembering that small fact about Allie made me panic, what if Alex hadn’t found her? What if she was in the middle of a panic attack right now and nobody could help her.

Jack must have recognised my sudden change in attitude, as I pondered Allie’s whereabouts. My thumbs again fiddling anxiously with the cuff of my sweater, as I had done hours previously in Mr Ward’s class.

“She’ll be fine Maddie, like you said…She’ll come back”

How did he do that? How the hell did Jack know that I fiddle with my cuffs when I’m nervous or worried, it frightened and surprised me to say the least. I knew by his comment, that he himself didn’t even know if she would come back, but to hear him say it seemed to calm me down, the tone to his voice calming my frayed nerves almost instantly.

“I just hate Alex for being such a dick”

My eyes shot up from the cuff of my sweater sharply, suddenly surprised by Jack’s shock outburst,

“I mean everything was fine we were all getting along and then he has to go fucking ruin it all, I’m fucking sick of it Maddie”

“Woah, Jack, Chill…I’m still here aren’t i? Alex hasn’t screwed everything up, just screwed Allie up maybe…”

Speaking in a calming manner, I found the roles had reversed as I was the one now trying to convince Jack everything would be okay. However as he scuffed his shoe along the bottom of a motionless rock, unleashing obvious anger and frustration spill out about his best friend I found this maybe harder than I first anticipated.

“Come on let’s go back to mine, watch some DVD’s…waiting here pondering isn’t helping any of us”

I stated in almost a bitter tone, I was pissed at Allie for disappearing but I was also pissed at Alex for leaving Jack in such a state. Dusting off the dirt etched in my palms on my short denim shorts, I extended my hand out for Jack to take as with little effort I pulled his light frame off the ground.

“At least if we’re at yours we will be there if Allie returns”

He added trying to comfort me somewhat, however his use of if only further fuelled the doubt in my mind and set it off in a downward spiral.

“Jack I can’t find Home Alone it’s still deep in one of my boxes still. It will have to be Toy Story”

I explained rationally as I laughed at a pouting, sulking Jack Barakat who was curled up under some blankets at the top of my room. Once we got back to ours Jack helped me decorate the last of my half of the room; in our room me and Allie had a ladder which led to a sort of chill out section at the top, which is where we added a television to the wall, Jack had also helped me decorate the walls up there with music and film posters along with photographs.

Finding this the opportune moment I reached over Jack’s body grabbing my new Canon, popping open the flash and snapping the first few photos of me and Jack together. I printed them off on the instant photo printer I purchased ages ago, and handed one to Jack before sticking the rest up on the wall of the chill out section.

He produced a goofy grin subconsciously as he stared at the fresh print lying in his hand, once he caught me looking at him his grin dropped and his cheeks flushed a rosy red in embarrassment.

“Maddie promise me if Allie and Alex’s spat does continue that, that you won’t stop being friends with me….and Zack and Rian”

He added hastily and I had to silently chuckle to myself, this boy was something special. But joking aside as I glanced into his brown eyes full of worry and angst, I did the only thing I knew to do in this situation I gave him my promise. Because Allie and Alex put aside, on the walk home I learned more and more about Jack; we both shared a love for Disney movies, the same music, even down to little things such as colours and actors. So much so that I didn’t even want to dare think about anything coming in between our new found friendship.

“I promise, we’ll just forget Alex and Allie’s spat, it will all be in our past”

I smiled at Jack in reassurance as I pressed play on the remote, and as the theme tune to toy story filled our ears, I let my head rest gently on Jack’s shoulder as I chucked the blanket over the both of us.

Half way into the movie and a comfortable silence engulfed me and Jack, we were happy just watching the movie and being in each other’s company, but I know I could never thank him enough for staying with me and looking after me…but it was worth a try.

“Jack”

I whispered every so quietly in my timid tone, he nodded silently his movement causing his shoulder to move against my head signalling he had heard me.

“Thank you for today, I mean being there for me and looking after me, it’s just I worry about Allie you know? You’re a good friend”

I added smiling at my first solidified friendship here in Baltimore, however my weight shifted as I felt Jack turn suddenly by my side, grabbing my shoulder and turned me to face him some more. Shit had I done something wrong, didn’t he want to be my friend? Had I offended him?

“Don’t you dare say we can just be friends”

He spoke sternly, so sternly it petrified me. He did think I was a freak or what he just said had another meaning; another meaning which at this exact moment in time had my heart beating ten to the dozen. Pointing his finger close to my nose, I could only stare at his bony finger in a mixture of shock, confusion and upset.

“You’re my Buzz to my Woody; I want you to be my best friend! If you’ll agree?”

He took his eyes off mine to glance at the TV screen, the cartoons of Buzz and Woody dancing across his pupils as it reflected off the darkness, before smirking and turning his attention back to me. Smiling bigger than I ever thought possible, I blushed violently before hugging him to me tightly. Shortly after I cleared my throat and acting all serious I gave him his answer.

“If it means a lot to you…then yes”

He smirked at my sarcastic comment before wrapping his arm around my shoulder, as I easily found my place on his shoulder once again, his being the perfect fit or mould for me. Jack pulled the blanket back over us as we munched on some popcorn content with one another for about 15 minutes.

That was when we were sprung apart by the front door opening and closing, the muffled voices belonging to two people accompanying the shut door. It couldn’t be my parents or Allie’s they left a note saying they were away for the night…business meeting, which relieved me slightly as I didn’t have to face them to tell them Allie was missing.

Sucking in a sharp breath I climbed down the ladder as I told Jack to stay where he was after much protesting, furrowing my eyebrows together I edged closer to my bedroom door I grasped onto the door knob ready to face the owners of the voices…the voices which now resided on the hallway.

Before I could act my bedroom door swung open, revealing the faces of Alex and Allie; jumping six feet in the air, I clutched my chest and tried to gain my breath back as I examined there confused faces.

“HOLY SHIT, you scared the biscuit out of me!”

Alex released a ragged laugh as he raised an eyebrow at my use of biscuit.

“Don’t ask”

Allie interrupted addressing Alex as she pushed past me with Alex behind her, she led him into our bedroom as I shut the door forcefully turning all eyes and attention onto me.

“Where THE FUCK have you been!”

I questioned, my voice increasing a few octaves or so as I noticed Jack’s eye flicker from the TV to us and then back to the TV. Allie nervously scratched the back of her neck, eyeing me while doing so as Alex remained planted to the spot not daring to speak.

“We went for a drive, we made up so we went out for a bit…I’ve forgiven him”

She whispered the last bit and biting down on my lip; I knew not the press the matter now but made a mental note to ask her later.

“YAY you kiddies made up! Does that mean we have to go now though?”

Jack cut in making everyone now avert their gaze to the bounding figure, eyes wide, who was jumping for joy at the top of the ladder. However he slowly stopped as Alex contemplated taking them both home.

“Well it’s too late now anyway, you may as well just both stop over. Parent’s aren’t back until gone 12 tomorrow”

“Madddieeee”

He whined as I rolled my crystal eyes

“What Jack?”

“It’s the scary part with Sid’s creepy toys can you please come back up here”

Jack pleaded as his eyes were glued to the screen as he desperately tried to pry them away and hide underneath the covers.

“God you’re such a baby”

Alex teased as we laughed in unison at Jack, who in return flicked us the middle finger. We all joined him up at the top, all crawling under the covers together, to keep Jack company; Allie’s eyes flickered to the newly decorated walls me and Jack had done earlier, landing on the photos of us in particular. Fiddling around under the covers for something, Allie resurfaced with what she was looking for…my camera.

“SMILE!”

She ordered, totally shocking us all and taking us by surprise. Luckily I had time to compose myself as I leant on Jack’s shoulder; Jack however didn’t so he continued to look like a scared school child. While Allie and Alex looked into the camera leaning into one another slightly and smiling, examining the camera screen she giggled to herself before printing it off on my printer and sticking it on the wall next to ones of me and Jack.

“Perfect”

She said to no- one in particular…mainly herself and so after that we all settled in for the night watching the rest of Toy Story with our two new friends.