Fix Me, Conflict Me

Obrycki’s was perfect for my mood right now. I mean, I was so happy I kissed Maddie, but I still needed to blow off steam from the break up with Lisa… hammering open crabs was a much better alternative to hammering open skulls. Maddie had fun with the hammers, too. I think in her mind she must have been pretending the crabs were the guys who hurt her, because she was hammering away at them with much enthusiasm. Maddie wasn’t a full on vegan, she just didn’t eat land animals. Thank god everyone else was down with eating crabs today. I wanted Maddie to be comfortable around us.

The movie was fun. Rian and Jack ditched us for some other movies, leaving Zack, Bailey, Maddie and I – like a fucking double date. Zack and Bailey were that kind of couple, the couple that made out and missed the whole damn movie. Maddie and I just held hands, and that was fine with me. I figured I should take things slow and enjoy life because in all honesty it’s too damn short for my liking.

“It wasn’t… as epic as I thought it would be,” Maddie said thoughtfully as we walked out of the theater together. We left Zack and Bailey in there. I wonder how long it would take for them to realize that the movie’s over? “I mean, it was alright, I guess, but…ehhh.”

“Jack loved it. But then again he loves Harry Potter. I agree with you, I feel like it wasn’t up to snuff,” I laughed, taking her hand. “Man, the others are gonna be a while…wanna get out of here?”

Maddie nodded and we went to my car, singing along to Blink – 182. I had a very particular taste in music, and Maddie didn’t mind. Maddie liked all the stuff I liked, too. Hell, I bet she listened to more music than I did. We went back to the pier to walk around some more. “We should’ve brought Baz,” Maddie sighed longingly, noticing a girl walking her pom-chi. She looked up to the beautiful blue sky before closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, a small smile gracing her lips. It was good to see her happy again.

“We can bring him next time, Maddie-bear,” I promised, swinging our hands together for a moment before raising them up all the way so I could kiss the back of hers. We walked around the pier, just talking. It was nice. I mean, I loved my friends, but after that first kiss, I just wanted more.

“Hey, Lex,” Maddie mumbled around my lips. After getting bored of walking and turning off our phones so we couldn’t be interrupted reached by our friends, we decided to just make out in my car now. It was her idea, I swear. I got into the car, getting ready to drive back to the movie theater, and then Maddie’s lips were on mine. No complaints here, though! I was just finishing what she started. “Lex,” Maddie repeated a little more firmly, tightening her grip on my shirt, but she only whimpered when I dug apart her smile with my tongue.

“What?” I chuckled when he broke the kiss, grinning at her flushed face. I could tell she wasn’t prepared for that. I wonder how she’d react to a hickey from me?

“Take me home,” Maddie sighed, and my face fell. Good mood gone. “No, everything’s fine,” Maddie assured me hurriedly. “I just, I need to get packing. I’m moving out of my apartment as soon as I can. I don’t want to stay there any longer than I have to.”

“You can stay with me tonight, if you don’t feel safe in that apartment by yourself,” I offered, even though I already knew I wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Alex, you live with you parents,” Maddie pointed out.

“And you were gonna stay with Zack and Bailey? Let’s face it, you weren’t going to get any sleep tonight,” I joked, driving out of the harbor. “Text Bailey that you’re staying with me or I will never surrender your wallet.” Maddie laughed, but complied, and I turned on some Jimmy Eat World this time, windows down as we sang along. There were some cars that drove past us that recognized me from All Time Low … and those cars consisted of fourteen year olds being driven by their parents. I was kind of embarrassed, but it was cute to see that the fans cared so much. It was just a little awkward because they kept trying to see who was in the car with me.

“If I’m spending the night with you, you have to let me listen to your band,” Maddie gave me a condition of her own. But then again, I knew I’d agree to all and any condition she gave me, just because it was hers. She gave me directions to her apartment. After seeing it, I understood why she wanted to move out. She didn’t live in a very wholesome neighborhood. “Can you help me pack?”

“Absolutely.” She showed me to an old room and I tossed things in boxes just like she asked. This room appeared to be a guy’s room, but there were a bunch of photo frames scattered about the room, some whole, some broken. The broken ones were of a family. The whole ones were of…Maddie and some guy. I tried not to be bothered by it, but I was. I packed some more things for a few minutes when I heard Maddie swear loudly. “Maddie-bear?” I called her name worriedly, rushing out of the room to find her.

I saw Maddie crouched on the ground by the living room table, but she got up when she heard me. “I’m fine. It’s just…this place holds a lot of bad memories for me,” she murmured, and then I saw the dried blood on the carpet she was standing on. Holy shit. “Can I just pack some clothes and we can leave now, come pack another day? I don’t feel so good,” Maddie mumbled, running a hand through her hair. She looked like she was about to be sick.

I took her hand, squeezing it tightly. “Yeah, of course.” We went to her room. She kept it pretty spare for a girl. I was surprised. I looked about the room while I waited for Maddie, sitting down at her desk as she shoved her things into a duffel bag. She didn’t have a lot in her room – desk, bed, book shelf… yeah, she really didn’t have a lot in her room.

“I’m ready,” Maddie sighed, leaving the bathroom after packing her toiletries. We left her apartment together and got into my car. “Wait…what are your parents going to think? Do your parents know me?” Ooh, didn’t think about that. Maddie groaned. “You know what, Lex, you can just just drop me off at Bailey’s. I know where she keeps a spare key, so I can get in. If it’s gonna be awkward as fuck at your house with me around –“

I leaned over and silenced me with a rough kiss. “There’ll be no arguing with me, Maddie-bear,” I told her, driving down Thames Street. “It won’t be awkward. I’ll admit, I’ve never spoken to my parents about you before, but they’ll let you stay. No worries.” So of course as soon as I said that, Maddie began to worry. “Oh, come on, now, Maddie, get that look off your face. Baz is gonna be there if it makes you feel any better,” I added in a sing-song voice.

She rolled my eyes and nothing more was said on the matter, even thought I could see she was nervous as fuck. I was a little nervous, too, I guess. Maddie was the first girl after Lisa that I brought home, and even then, Lisa didn’t spend the night here. My parents actually liked Lisa. She was my first girlfriend, after all. It only occurred to me now that I never told them we broke up… But oh well, that’s all water under the fucking bridge. I’ve got my Maddie-bear now. “Maddie-bear, we’re here!” I announced happily. “I can smell the fear on you,” I teased her, opening her door and taking her bag for her.

“Lexi-bear,” she whined when I took her hand and pulled her up to his front door. I was already opening it, and I could hear Baz barking excitedly on the other side.

“Mom, Dad, Baz, I’m home!” I yelled once I got the door open, pulling Maddie inside. Baz jumped her, so she knelt down to pet him and rub his tummy. She was smiling now, all traces of anxiety gone from her face. “And I brought a friend!” At my words, Maddie blanched. But mom and dad were just sitting at the kitchen table, minding their own business – mom sorting through the mail, dad reading the paper.

“You and your friend have fun upstairs, love,” mom said happily, not even looking at us. I grinned before Maddie and I tiptoed upstairs to my room, Baz on our heels.

Oh, the trouble we could get into.