Ember

by Madison Daniel

  “My head hurts,” I calmly said as he approached. He smiled and nodded, knowing that I had already decided to try and talk to her, even if I hadn’t admitted it to myself yet.

  “Good luck brother,” he encouraged. I swallowed a dry lump down my throat and started walking towards her angry face. My energy had already started to build, even before the sun completely disappeared.

  “Is Lucy all right?” I asked softly but with confidence. Her eyes filled with even more cold blue contempt.

  “She’s fine,” she said cold. The wind blew around us, blowing her hair across her face.

  “Good…” I started to say.

  “I told you that she was off limits Max!” She sounded mad but her voice seemed to be calm. I was getting the impression that she wasn’t really mad at me, but forcing the anger on herself. But I couldn’t figure out why.

  “Asia I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” I apologized. The thunder began to rumble over our heads. “I thought I was doing the right thing.” I was growing defensive.

  “By throwing your testosterone all over the beach?” she accused and stepped toward me. When she did her smell dazed me for a second.

  “Or were you just showing off for your blonde friend?” her voice sounded hurt now.

  “She has nothing to do with the other night! My actions were completely noble. I only wanted Lucy to be safe…nothing more.” It came out a little angrier than I was expecting and her eyes flashed with nervousness.

  “Is that so?” she bit back and the thunder shook again. The crowd that had gathered behind us squealed with delight at the approaching water works. Lightning flashed and I looked to the sky and then back to her fiery eyes.

  “Calm down please,” I threatened. That only made her angrier.

  “I saw the look in your eyes Max. That fight had nothing to do with being noble and everything to do with putting Samantha’s ex in his place.” She was so hurt but using the pain to fuel her anger. This wasn’t about Lucy; this was about her being jealous. I was lost in my own thoughts when she grabbed my collar and forced me to look in her devastating eyes again.

  “You did what you did for you…admit it,” she roared. Now I was mad and my hands filled with heat. But I wasn’t just mad with her, I was mad at myself because she was partially right. I wanted to get into it with Devon for my own selfish reasons.

  “Maybe your right.” I conceded. “But why does that bother you so much?” I quickly threw back at her pout. Her face tightened and she bit her lower lip.

  “It doesn’t,” she insisted but I could see through the hole I had just punched in her armor.

  “Yes it does. And I think that scares you Asia.” I was firm in my claim.

  “You’re wrong!” her voice wavered and she turned her face away from mine. So I made her look at me again. My hand found her chin and gently pulled it back toward my eyes. Her skin was chilly and the heat I was generating made tiny goose bumps pop up all over her body instantly. Thunder cracked again and she began to shiver slightly.

  “Why are you so afraid to admit to yourself that this isn’t about Samantha or Lucy?” My hands fell to her sides.

  “You’re scared of the way I make you feel,” I scolded. My temper was almost totally out of control now and so was hers. My head started to pound with how beautiful her doubts were to me and my emotions took over.

  I pulled her against me and kissed her passionately. Rain fell like a tidal wave and all the surrounding students ran for dryer accommodations. The morning bell rang but I barely heard it over our pounding hearts. At first her lips embraced mine, sending my head spinning as the fresh rain cooled my heating face. But her anger took over again and she slowly pulled away, and shoved me with a strength that surprised me.

  “Don’t Max!” she warned with tears in her eyes. They were hard to see in the falling rain but they were there.

  “Don’t make me feel this…” She stopped herself as Lucy walked up from behind her. Her eye was still swollen and red but it looked better. Asia’s words hurt more than I thought they should have and I wasn’t sure if I could keep my temper under control any longer. As the steam started pouring off my face…I snapped.

  “Fine…” I roared from behind my clenching teeth. The rain slid down my bangs and past my face. “Go and hide Asia!” I snapped. Her eyes searched mine for a moment and my panic button went off. I shook the rain from my hair and stormed past her and then past Lucy. The thunder rolled behind me as if it was speaking to me and I knew she was watching me walk away. The thought only made things worse.

  “Just go!” I yelled without looking back. My hands found my ear buds and mp3 player, and I yanked it from my shirt and pocket violently. Flames covered it in my right hand with a white hot flash. Quickly I tossed them to the ground and stormed off. The rain quickly put the burning hardware out and Asia and Lucy walked off together. They didn’t say one word to each other as they left. Shortly after, the rain left too.

  I decided not to go to any classes that day and continued walking past the school buildings. I walked down the road until the school could no longer be seen and kept walking. I walked all day. Even when my cell phone flashed with Kai’s number, I ignored it and kept walking. Eventually I found myself back at home, locked in my room. I came out for a quick dinner with Frank but returned to myself made prison afterwards. I didn’t take any calls from anyone. Not even when Sam’s number came up on the caller I.D.

  I spent the rest of the night listening to the distant storm that seemed to circle my neighborhood and call to me.

  “…Let the sun fall down over me…”

  ~Days Of The Week: Stone Temple Pilots~

  Tuesday – Biology – 9:50 a.m. – August 22nd.

  It took all my strength not to look at Sam’s inviting smile as I sat with my neck all tensed up. She looked worried for me and scared to talk to me but I couldn’t really blame her. I was giving off a very serious ‘don’t bother me’ vibe but her silence did not last long.

  “Morning hero, where have you been hiding?” she asked soft and sweet.

  “Not this morning Sam. I’m in no mood.” I sounded much grumpier than I really was, but she only took my attitude as a challenge.

  “Let’s get things straight Max, you may be able to avoid my phone calls at home but here I will not let you ignore me,” she said serious yet her tone still felt very sweet.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t called you back.” I tried not to look at her smile but failed miserably.

  “That’s all right. I was just worried about that smile of yours. If you don’t use it, you just might lose it.” Her smile was so warm and inviting.

  “I’ve just had a hard couple of days,” I sulked.

  “Yeah...I heard about yesterday morning.” Her smile started to fade.

  “You did?” I asked embarrassed.

  “It’s a small school...everyone heard about it,” she said and then fell quiet for a second. The tension in the room doubled. I wasn’t sure what to say.

  “She’s very beautiful Max,” she spoke softly but with that rigid confidence still there. I didn’t know how to respond to her words and froze in my seat.

  The teacher began the day’s lesson and complete silence was the main rule she enforced during it. That was probably for the best anyway, I had no idea what to say to Sam, after her last observation. I watched as she nervously tapped her pen in her hand as the lesson continued. That gave me an idea and I flipped open my notebook, to an empty page, and began doodling.

  I spent the rest of the class scratching away and I couldn’t tell you a thing about the day’s lesson. I was in my own little world. With only minutes left in class I slid the piece of paper to Sam and whispered in her ear.

  “So are you.”

  I smiled as she unfolded the paper and saw herself. In the short amount of time, I’d drawn a sketch of her. It wasn’t completely finished but enough that hopefully she would get the point. I concentrated on her big green eyes and the cur
ls of her hair as it trailed along her neck and shoulders. She blushed instantly and her eyes filled with moisture. I guess she liked it.

  “I love it,” her voice cracked.

  “Thank you again,” I whispered. “For finding that ever elusive smile of mine.”

  “My pleasure,” she said beaming.

  We walked each other to our next class, where we spent the entire hour staring at each other, not saying a word. Kai watched us as if we were crazy. Samantha and Max sitting in a tree. We passed notes back and forth and my mind was racing. I thought about so many things that hour. What would it be like to kiss her? Should I ask her out tonight? Is that moving too fast? How the heck was she able to make me smile so easily? I thought about everything. Everything except Asia. The rest of the day flew by and it felt fantastic.

  Wednesday - 3:33 p.m. - August 23rd.

  Today was a turning point for me as I decided to forget all about my troubles and threw my attention into my school work. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. My new found excitement about school work had everything to do with spending time with Sam. Our friendship was growing stronger and much faster than I had planned. Her brilliant smile and sensitive emerald eyes had me floating at school. Another day flew by and I found myself walking to the parking lot with a smile.

  Sam was waiting for me on the hood of her car, with her legs crossed. She had a huge smile and a wave waiting for me.

  “Would you like a ride home?” she asked. I smiled and quickly tossed my bag and guitar in the back.

  “I thought you’d never ask.” We drove off and thunder rumbled far away in the distance.

  At my house, I found that Frank had made it home from work early. I thought he would get a kick to see Sam walk in with me. So in the driveway, I worked up enough courage to ask her inside.

  “Do you want to come in for a few?” My mouth was dry and my voice sounded weird because of it.

  “Sure,” she said.

  As we walked in Oz ran to her feet and sniffed her rambunctiously. His tail whipped back and forth like a helicopter. He liked her immediately.

  “This is Oz. He kinda runs things around here,” I teased and he barked at my comment.

  “Pleased to meet you little sheriff,” she scratched him behind his ears.

  “Samantha...is that you?” Frank asked. He tried his best to sound uninterested but failed completely. She offered a hand shake but he insisted on a hug.

  “It’s been awhile Mr. Valentine, nice to see you again.”

  “Samantha please...call me Frank.” His smile shined.

  “Frank it is.” A sigh of relief escaped her mouth. Frank winked at me and I gestured for him to calm down. I set my school stuff on the couch and we all sat in the kitchen.

  “So, how long has it been? Two...three years maybe?” Frank asked as he poured us a couple drinks.

  “At least three...” She glanced my way. “The company picnic I think.”

  “That’s right.” He smiled and I could sense he was up to something and I became very nervous. “I see you’ve taken to my nephew,” he said coyly.

  “Easy uncle,” I warned as I almost choked on my drink. I couldn’t believe he was asking her that and I blushed.

  “It’s fine Max,” she comforted me. “He’s right.” She gently nudged me. “That is when you keep that temper of yours under wraps,” she teased. I groaned knowing exactly what was coming next.

  “Mad Max!” they both said in unison, sending my embarrassment into another level of pain. They both laughed uncontrollably as I stood up from the table.

  “I’m going to go and freshen up,” I pouted. They continued laughing as I headed for the bathroom.

  “You know...I have to be careful with him,” Sam said.

  “Why is that?” Frank asked as he wiped tears from the corners of his eyes.

  “As you can tell...he bruises easy.” Her smile brightened and Frank filled with pride.

  “I almost forgot how clever you were Samantha,” he paused. “But in Max’s defense, he really hates that name.”

  “But it’s so cute. It’s so him.”

  “I can’t say I blame him, but with his temperament, he has earned it,” Frank smiled.

  “Has he always been this dramatic?” she asked sweetly.

  “Yup…it’s in his nature. He inherited that from his mom’s side,” he said and peered around the corner of the hallway. Sam watched with a smile.

  “Did you know that Max isn’t his real name?” Frank grinned widely and Sam stared at him speechless. “Max was a name that just sort of stuck with him. He hates his real name.”

  “What’s his real name?”

  “Madison,” he winked. Her mouth dropped open.

  “Madison Valentine,” she said slowly.

  “After the first few times he lost his temper, some kids from school saddled him with the name Mad Max. They took his first name and dropped the end of it and added the Max. It fit his personality so well but he hated it.” He sipped his drink and continued.

  “He embraced the name Max around 3rd or 4th grade I think.”

  “That’s great,” she said suspiciously.

  “No one’s ever been able to address him by his true name since. He won’t even acknowledge it,” he laughed.

  “Drama queen,” she whispered.

  “Now promise me you will use this information for good and not evil, my dear.”

  “I promise.” Her eyes were ablaze with so many thoughts.

  Later as I walked from the bathroom I noticed Sam had found her way into my bedroom and was quietly looking at the pictures on my dresser. As she began to lift the one on the end, the one I had placed face down, I spoke up.

  “Hey,” I called out. She jumped a little and turned to face me quickly.

  “I was just checking out your room. I hope you don’t mind?” she asked politely. My eyes fell to the picture she had almost turned over and I found myself lost in thought.

  “Max?” she asked.

  “Oh...sorry about that. Yeah, it’s fine.” The cobwebs began to retreat. She could see I was hiding something though. “It’s not much, but its home.”

  “It’s perfect,” she smiled.

  Sam stayed for another hour before leaving. I felt excited about seeing her again and I fell asleep easily that night. No storm clouds to be seen...outside my window or in my dreams.

  Thursday - 12:36 p.m. - August 24th.

  It was lunch break and Sam was at my side, as the band practiced all hour. We were all tucked away in our usual spot at lunch, with a small crowd surrounding us. Devon kept a watchful eye but he did it from a distance. He did not look happy.

  At the end of one particular slow song that the girls in the audience seemed to enjoy, Sam leaned into me. I could feel her breath on my neck as her hand found my leg. I turned my face into hers and watched her eyes for the okay to kiss her. I was swept up in her sea of green, ready to fall over, when a tap on my shoulder ruined the moment.

  “Hey bro...that was pretty good. I think the girls were digging that one,” Kai said oblivious. I looked at him annoyed and nodded.

  “Thank you captain obvious.” I was being overly irritated but I didn’t care, I just wanted the moment back.

  “Oh,” he said finally understanding what he had done. Sam laughed but never let go of my hand.

  Lunch ended and we all moved on to our other classes but I had noticed that I was being watched from across the school yard. Lucy watched closely as Sam and I left. That filled me with a nervous heat.

  Breathe_15

  ~Oxygen: Colbie Caillat~

  4:02 p.m.

  After school, outside my house, Sam and I sat in her car again, with her car stereo serenading us. She was acting very nervous and that made me uneasy.

  “Is everything alright?” I asked. Her eyelids pulled together as she inhaled a deep breath and a smile curled around the edges of her mouth.

  “Will you go out with me sometime?” She looked toward th
e dash of her car and continued. “No more teasing...no more flirting...just you and me.” Her eyes fell upon me again.

  “Together.”

  “Okay,” I said softly.

  “Tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow,” I agreed. A few moments passed.

  “I guess I should get home soon.” Her posture became uncomfortable. “I’ll pick you up in the morning, if you’d like?” Her voice felt unsure. That’s when I decided to make a move.

  I leaned my body toward her slowly and stopped with my face only inches from hers. My breath had become hot and my hands filled with heat. Her eyes watched me closely but she never pulled away. I let my lips graze past her right cheek and her amazing skin, intoxicated me. I slowly brushed her hair behind her left ear and she noticed the burning heat coming from my hand. I was scared that maybe it was too hot but she never moved or said a word. Her breath grew quicker and the windows slightly fogged with the growing heat. My lips slid past hers and stopped on her left cheek. I felt her hand pull at my shirt and I stared into her jade eyes and waited.

  My eyes followed the lines of her neck and muscles until they collided with her collarbone. Her head tilted slightly as I brought my mouth to hers and inhaled her kiss. All of it. Every inch of her lips I tasted until we ran out of breath. As I pulled myself back I found her eyes still tightly closed and her hand was gripped around the collar of my shirt.

  “I would like that very much,” I said in the softest tone I could.

  “Huh?” she stuttered as her eyes opened again and focused right through mine.

  “A ride,” I said and she blinked at my response. “In the morning,” I continued. She was dazed and it was taking everything I had to control my smile. If I didn’t keep it under control I was afraid that it would split my head completely open with the joy that was radiating inside of me. Not to mention my chest felt like it was filled with lava, from my excitement.

  “Oh...” she finally said. “Okay...see you then.” She smiled with flushed cheeks.