Where Is Your Boy Tonight

Maddie adjusted the straps on her backpack as she pushed open the front door of the school. She was late, of course. She gotten lost trying to find the road her father swore she wouldn't get lost on. North Carolina only had one main road and it was very easy to find thing, unlike here.

"It will take you right out of the neighborhood and to the school, Madelynn, easy squeezy" she mimicked her father as she walked to the big door labeled 'office'.
She pushed the door open and walked up to the secretary desk.

"Hi, my name is Madelynn Foster" she began, causing the woman to look up from her computer, "this is my first day."
The woman chuckled and sarcastically replied, "it's everyone's first day."

Maddie frowned at her, "well bless your heart, you're right." Maddie smiled at her polite version of calling the lady an idiot. "What I MEANT to say was this is my first year here, as in I've never seen this place before in my entire life and I have no idea where to go because I just moved here and obviously haven't been to an orientation or anything."
This cause the woman to give Maddie a once over. She furrowed her eyebrows at her before asking, "what was your name again?"
"Madelynn Marie Foster" Maddie replied.
"I'll be right back" the woman replied before standing and going to another section of the office.

Maddie looked down at her outfit; baggy jeans, vans, and a Blink-182 hoodie. She wasn't sure how well she would fit in here. In her hometown everyone had grown up together so there were no cliques based on who you were. She literally attended the single school, housing k-12 in the same building, with the same people every year. They all got along because they only had a few people the same age. This place was huge in comparison. She wondered how everyone dressed here.
Before she had long to think about it the lady was back shoving a card in here face. "These are your classes. I'll get a student aide to show you to your locker and show you your classes."
Maddie nodded and took the card.

"This is Patrick, he'll show you around" the woman said and turned back to her computer.

Maddie looked beside her and jumped slightly. She didn't realize someone would be standing right beside her, she never heard him come up.

"Hi, I'm Maddie" she said.

"Hi, Patrick" he said barely above a whisper, "can I see your schedule?"

She nodded again and handed him the slip.
Patrick read it and handed it back, "follow me."

Once outside the office Maddie broke the silence, "is she always that wonderful?" referring to the secretary.
Patrick let out a small laugh, "you actually caught her on a good day."

"Man, glad it's not a bad day then."

"Your locker is actually near mine, so if you, like, ever need anything..."Patrick started and trailed off before blushing slightly.
Maddie smiled at him, "I'm sure I will."

Patrick waited patiently while Maddie tried the combination a couple of times to make sure she had it down before asking to see her schedule again.

"Ok, your homeroom is down this hall, which you've all but missed" he started, "but don't worry, you're checked in from coming to the office."

Maddie smiled at him, she honestly couldn't have care if she missed homeroom or not.

"We actually have a couple of classes together" Patrick said before catching himself and blushing again.

"Awesome", Maddie said, "at least I will like one person in those classes."

Patrick ducked his head and tried to hide a small smile.
"Come on, I'll show you where your first period is and your second. We have second together so I can show you your next few from there."

Maddie followed him down the hall as he pointed out the classes and then brought her back to her locker. She insisted on trying one last time.

"So, you like Blink-182?" Patrick asked as she fiddled with the dial.

"Yep, they're on of my favorites" she said.

"Mine too."

The bell rang and Maddie looked up at him.

"Can you remember the way back to your first class?" Patrick asked.
Maddie nodded.

"Ok, see you in second" Patrick assured her.
Maddie nodded again, suddenly nervous as the halls filled with people.

The first half of the day went fine. Fortunately nobody paid much attention to her and she made it to lunch with no issues. Patrick had promised her she could sit with him and his friend so she wouldn't be alone so when she saw him wave to her across the cafeteria she sighed in relief and weaved her way through the packed room.

"Maddie this is Joe, Joe this is Maddie" Patrick said once she had sat down.

"Hi, Joe" she replied, smiling at him.

"Hey, you were right Pat, she's pretty!" Joe said laughing.
Patrick turned a deep red and mumbled, "don't call me Pat."
Maddie laughed a little, not wanting to make Patrick more uncomfortable. "You didn't tell me your friend had such a big mouth", she joked.
Patrick laughed and Joe faked hurt.
"You can joke around, I like you already" Joe laughed, taking a bite of his sandwich.
For the rest of lunch they talked.
Maddie learned they were both her age; they were in a band -it was very new according to Patrick, but 'freaking amazing' according to Joe; and they all like similar music. She also learned they were both in her last 2 classes of the day.

"So Mad, can I call you Mad?" Joe asked.
Maddie nodded her head, waiting for him to continue.

"Do you have a car?"
She nodded again.

"Well, we don't" he said simply, "We also have band practice today, would you like to give us a ride and maybe hang around and watch?"

"Joe, don't be a jerk. She probably has more important stuff to do than drive us around. Plus, we aren't really any good, we've only had one practice with the new guy" Patrick said.
Maddie noticed he really didn't like to talk himself up while Joe only spoke highly about himself. They were total opposites.
"I honestly have not a single thing going on" Maddie answered honestly. "My parents work constantly and I'm an only child so I'll just be sitting home bored. You guys will just have to tell me where to go because I can't find anything around here."
"We promise to be your guides!" Joe exclaimed. Patrick nodded.

After their last class the 3 filed out of the school with the hundreds of other bodies and made their way to Maddie's car.
"SHOT GUN!" Joe screamed, racing past them and yanking the door open. "I would have let you have it even if you didn't just scream in my ear" Patrick stated, climbing into the backseat.
Maddie laughed and turned the key. "Ok, guide man, where do I go?" "Very simple, turn left out of the parking lot" Joe started and Maddie did. "Then turn right on this road up here and keep driving until you enter the neighborhood." Maddie nodded and did what she was told.

"We promise we aren't taking you somewhere to kill you" Patrick joked from the backseat. "I wasn't even thinking that, until now" Maddie replied, turning right where Joe instructed.
"Ok, it's the sixth house on the right" Joe said as Maddie slowed down and counted. Something about the house looked familiar. She glanced around as the other houses.
"Dude" she exclaimed, earning stares from Joe and Patrick. "I think this is my neighborhood."
"You didn't know we were in your neighborhood?" Joe asked.
"No, I told you, I can't find anything here. I'm lucky I found the school this morning" Maddie said, glancing across the street. "In fact" she said, pushing the button on the garage door opener her father had give her that morning, "that's my house" she exclaimed as the garage door on the house directly across the street began to rise. Joe began laughing at her, "I can't believe you had no idea you lived here." "Shut up man" Patrick said, hiding a smile, "don't embarrass her."
Maddie laughed too, "It's ok, it is pretty funny."
Patrick began laughing once he knew she wasn't offended.
As they sat there laughing the garage door on the house they were parked at began to rise and they saw two guys standing there staring at them.

"Come on Mad, let's go meet the rest of the band!" Joe said as he and Patrick climbed out of the car.