Where Is Your Boy Tonight

Maddie climbed out of the driver's seat after Joe and Patrick had exited the car and slowly walked over to the group. "This is Maddie" Patrick introduced her to the other two guys, "she's new to the area." "So new she didn't realize she lives right across the street" Joe exclaimed and began laughing again. "Dude!" Patrick yelled. Maddie did blush this time. She didn't mind if Patrick and Joe knew she was directionally challenged, she didn't want these guys she had never met before to know. Especially when she didn't even know their names.

"Yeah, I saw you moving in the other day. I'm Pete and that's Andy" the guy with spikey black hair spoke up. 'So you're the creeper watching me out the window' Maddie thought, but didn't say anything as she shook his hand.

"You coming to watch us play or just give these bums a ride?" Andy asked, twirling a drum stick in his fingers. "Well, if it's ok with you guys I'd like to stay and watch" she said, more asking for permission. "Sounds good, Patrick is going to work on actually singing today. It should be great" Joe said and Patrick blushed. "I'm not really that great, they just voted that I sang best so they kicked me off the drums and made me sing" Patrick explained.
"Stop talking down about yourself, and come on, my dad is picking us up in an hour" Joe said walking into the garage and grabbing a guitar. Maddie waited until the other guys walked in and went to sit on a worn old couch.

An hour later and honestly not much had happened. Patrick wasn't lying when he said they were really new. Maddie could tell they all loved music, and they all played and Patrick sang well. She could also tell they needed much more time together.
"What did you think?" Joe asked. "I think..."Maddie began slowly, shifting on the couch to put a foot underneath her. "We suck, right?" Patrick asked in the mic while unstrapping his guitar.
"That's not it at all. I think you guys are all very passionate, but need some practice. You can be, no WILL be great" she explained. "And Patrick, you have an amazing voice."
Patrick blushed and ducked his head to try and hide it.
They heard a horn honk and Joe announced his dad was there.
"See you tomorrow" Maddie called to Joe and Patrick as they began to leave. "Bye, Mad!" Joe called and Patrick waved.
"I'm going to get going too, I have to be at work soon" Andy announced, standing from the drums.
Maddie took that as her cue to leave and stood too. Pete hadn't said much during the practice other than introducing himself and Andy. He had looked at her a few times during the practice but didn't smile or anything. Maddie figured it was because he didn't want her there. She was the only girl and it didn't really seem like they had anyone else hanging around. She figured he was just being nice by letting her stay.

Noticing that she stood Pete looked up from whatever he was doing to his bass, "you leaving?" "Uh, well, I was planning on it" she stumbled. "You can hang out if you want. I mean I don't have plans or anything. I was just going to hang out here and watch t.v. or something." Maddie nodded, "sure."

She sat back down on the couch and Pete turned the t.v. on before grabbing a soda from a small fridge and offering her one.
He handed her the drink and sat on the other end of the couch. He flipped through the channels for a while before finding The Breakfast Club about half way through. "I love this movie" Maddie said, causing him to put the remote down. "I mean, you can change it if you want. I was just saying." "Nah, I love it too" he said. "When I was in high school I was the criminal like Bender" he said with a laugh. "You're out of school?" Maddie questioned. She figured he was the same age as her, Joe and Patrick. "Yeah, I'm 5 years older than Joe and Patrick, and I guess you" he said glancing at her. "Oh" was all Maddie could think to say.

"So which one are you?" he asked.
"What?"
"Which one of the characters are you?" he asked, pointing at the t.v.
"Oh! At my old school I was the princess, here I'm not sure yet. I'll probably be the basketcase" Maddie said with a laugh. Pete chuckled too. "Nah, you'll be the princess here too then. No changing." Maddie considered this before answering, " this place is nothing like where I'm from, everyone is different. In my old town all of the girls dressed like me. Here they're, I don't know, skankier? That's probably a bad way to put it...."
Pete laughed again, "no that's a pretty good way to put it."

Maddie and Pete made small talk until the end of the movie. Right as the credits began to roll the garage door opened. She noticed a black car had pulled into the spot beside hers and a woman was getting out of the driver's door. Maddie stood, not realizing it was at the cusp of dark.

"I better get home" she said. Pete stood too and walked her to the open door as the woman was walking in. "Pete can you get the groceries out of the back? Oh hi! Who's this?" she asked noticing Maddie. "This is Maddie, she just moved in across the street the other day. Maddie this is my mom." Pete said kissing her cheek before going to the car to get the bags.
"Hi, nice to meet you, missus..." she began trialing off, realizing she didn't know Pete's last name.
"Wentz, but please sweetie, call me Dale" Mrs. Wentz said, hugging her.
"Dale" Maddie said, trying it out. His mom was the nicest person she had met since moving here. Well, except Patrick. "I hope I didn't take your parking spot."
"Sweetie, you're fine. Park where you would like, come over when you would like, I like my kids' friends to treat the place like their home."
"Are you sure you're from here?" Maddie asked, causing Dale to laugh.
"Well, it was nice meeting you. I'm going to get home."
"Tell your parents hello. I met your mother the other day. We will have to have you guys over for dinner soon" Dale said, walking into the house.

Pete smiled at her as he passed her walking out. "Practice again tomorrow, same place same time if you're coming."
Maddie laughed, "I think me living across the street sort of cemented me as being Joe and Patrick's ride from now until forever so I'm sure I'll be here if they are."
"Well, even if they aren't you can hang out whenever..." Pete began, shifting the heavy bags he was holding.
Maddie nodded, "ok." She climbed into her car to drive across the street and gave Pete a small wave as he watched her back out.