"It-It's pretty big." Lee remarked as he finally reached the bag. He walked around it and noticed that the padlock had 8 slots in it. You know, where you could enter the lock's password. With the padlock in place, the bag was still easy to open. It wasn't locked at all. Christine stepped forward and tried to open it until Lee interrupted her.
"Don't just casually open it!" Lee said. Max snorted and to Lee, this suggested that he was rubbing it in her face. Lee somewhat considered this childish for Max.
"Come on, where's the fun in that?" Christine said rebelliously and shook Lee off. She opened it once again and Lee could spot her disappointment as she did.
"N-nothing" she muttered and left the bag opened as she backed away and sat on the grass. The school bell rang through the school lot and every student visible from their view seemed to stop what they're doing. After it rang, they all rushed to the school door and went inside.
"And now I have to go to class." Christine sighed and stood up. "Bye." She added as she picked her back up and went straight to the door.
"I don't feel like going to class." Lee stared at the bag and had a million ideas about why it was there rushing in his mind.
"If it's about that bag, we've still got tomorrow or do you prefer getting scolded by Mr. Tomson?" Max remarked.
"Okay, I'll go." Lee shook his head and walked away from the bag. They both headed straight to the second floor where their history class was held. Luckily, they made it just in time before Mr. Tomson arrived with stacks of maps and books in his hands.
"Well, It's nice to know my students HELP people who're struggling." Mr. Tomson panted as he put his things on his desk in front of him. They knew he was being sarcastic and most of them sank in their seats and faced him sheepishly.
"Now, would somebody tell me the reason…." He then continued on with their lesson without delay. This happened all the time, it was like a routine.
"Sir, when you speak of-uh…. Financial problem, do rich people-uh….um… also experience this?" Arnold Drew, the one sitting behind Lee raised his hand. "Just c-curious, that's all."
raised his brow in an amused way. He stifled a smile and answered. "Oh, take for example….Mr. Stickleburn."
"Oh yeah… I know his issue." Lee whispered to himself.
"Mr. Stickleburn was rich enough to begin with, but when his wife died, well, he went-uh- haywire. He lost sense in the world. He became paranoid, but the one that did the most of his being crazy is that his wife's death was a complete mystery. Trust me, class, I'm not lying. There wasn't a single clue present. No wounds, no blood. Not even a sign of poisoning. Then, the detectives gave up, they said there wasn't a single point in continuing on if there aren't any clues so they closed the case. Poor Mr. Stickleburn, he couldn't move on, he spent most of his money on beer and things his wife favored. He didn't work, he didn't earn any money after that and that's story up 'til now." Mr. Tomson explained.
"P-p-poor Mr. Stickleburn. I-I never knew." Amy Thachorn was on the verge of tears. She covered her mouth with her hand as she fought hard to stop the tears. Another reason that she did that, Lee thought, was that she was well aware that her makeup will run if she cried. Lee turned around and saw numerous gasps and cries of guilt from his classmates. To think of it, most of them were horrible to Mr. Stickleburn. Most of them called him names like "Cuckoo","Loony","Crazy","Mental" and "Demented", lucky for them, the only reaction they got from Mr. Stickleburn was a grunt or a scowl.
"Now then, shall we continue?" Mr. Tomson ruined the moment as he clapped his hands and quickly wrote on the chalkboard. Amy wiped her tears but she was more on dabbing on it lightly because of her makeup. Class ended and what was on Lee's mind was that luggage bag. Only that. He grabbed his back pack and put his pen in his pocket. Then he remembered he left Max behind and had to stop and turn around to check if he was still there. The half part of him felt a little guilty, the other half, well, he was bit on the funny side.
"S-sir, just out of curiosity, who was the wife?" He heard Max ask. He peeked through the window and eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Aaah… she didn't show her face at all to you, right? Well, Mr. Stickleburn was very protective over her. At least… that's what they told me." Mr Tomson answered as he fixed his books and arranged them accordingly. Max leaned forward and asked "You mean … you've never seen her, sir?"
"Not once." Mr. Tomson said in a hushed voice and Lee was lucky enough to hear him.
"That's…..peculiar." Max answered. Mr. Tomson smiled as if to tell him that he agrees. Max bowed his head a little and said "Thanks, sir." and went out.
Lee ducked and leaned so close to wall that he seemed to be glued to it. Max was outside the room, he looked from left to right and spotted Lee.
"You eavesdropped." He said accusingly.
"Well, I was curious so…"
"Never mind, we'll be late for English, and we've got that paper we need to turn it today."
Max pulled Lee's bag and beckoned him to follow their classmates.
"Right." Lee nodded and gave in.
They closely followed as they went up the stairs.
"Poor Mr. Stickleburn." Amy whined.
"Oh, shut up, Amy. Everyone goes through that. Madeline snapped.
"Then would you like to go through that? Since it's no big deal to you." Max answered back casually.
Madeline Walsh looked back and rolled her eyes at him.
"You think you're so smart, Clark." She said arrogantly and continued on.
"First of all, don't call me Clark. And what makes you think that I'll let you off just because you're a girl? You don't know what he's been through. You don't know about how it actually feels. And you know what, I bet you just compare those chick flicks to his state. They aren't your basis that everyone experiences that and even if you don't, that still isn't the way to treat him." Max rolled his eyes. Max was getting a little irritated and as soon as he said this, he shook off his irritation and walked past them. Lee followed and looked back at Madeline.
"That little know-it-all…" Madeline tried hard to curse but Lee could see the guilt hidden behind it.
"B-b-but Madeline?" Amy asked in a confused tone.
"What?"
"I thought you said you liked him." Why are you being so hostile?" Amy asked in a rather hushed tone, which had no point at all because Lee could hear her.
"I-I-do like him." Madeline admitted as she sighed, not noticing that Lee was eavesdropping.
"Then why're you being so hostile if you even like him?" Amy stifled a laugh. "That's not a very effective way to show your love."
Madeline reacted with a scowl then sighed.
"Well, um, so-so that nobody knows but you." she said.
"Aaaah.. what if-"
Lee didn't continue eavesdropping on them further. He couldn't believe it, to be honest. Every single day she's been complaining about how Max aggravates her, insulting him about how Max has a strong sense of justice. If it's about keeping the fact that she likes him a secret, Lee thought, she was great at it.
"M-max." Lee caught up to Max.
"Yeah?" Max now reached the classroom and went inside. Lee followed.
"A-about Madeline…" Lee hesitated to tell him.
"I know, she's annoying. She irritates me, when's she going to understand, anyway?" Max complained.
"Huh-"Lee was the interrupted by an upperclassman, who was now standing in front of the class and announced.
"Okay, everyone, I'm afraid to tell you that Mrs. Charlton can't teach your class today. She's not feeling well not too long ago. So feel free to visit her in the clinic. Thanks." She said without breathing and ran outside. Apparently, she was late for her class. Lee could hear everyone's cries of relief as they all scrambled out of the room. Just as soon as they'd gotten out, someone pulled Max's hood and Lee's bag, pulling them out of the cheery crowd. Max finally faced the person and said.
"Now you're pulling people's clothes?" It was Christine and she was smiling at the both of them.
"Don't you have class?" Lee chimed in.
"Nah, she dismissed me early because I finished the activity first." Christine replied.
"She?" They both asked.
"Mrs. Downley. Math Class." She replied. "Anyway, don't you want to check that bag again? I'm quite anxious."'
Lee nodded and so did Max. They were anxious as well. The thought of what it was doing there tickled their brain and they know that they just HAD to check it out again. They made their way down the stairs and reached the old oak tree. Luckily, it was still there.
"Yes." Christine opened it and checked what's inside again.
"Nothing, AGAIN." She concluded sadly.
Lee looked around and spotted Madeline sitting on a nearby bench with Amy. He noticed she was anxiously looking at Max, gripping on her skirt and shooting death glares at Christine. Figures, she was jealous.
Max knelt down with Christine and fiddled with the padlock. He turned the slots into different numbers, like he was cracking a code.
"Hmmm…" Max said. Obviously, it wouldn't work.
Lee kept looking at them and Madeline at the same time. Then, Madeline stood up while Amy was day dreaming. It took Amy a while to notice that Madeline was now marching to Lee's direction.
"Madeline!" Amy called out and ran to catch up with her.
Madeline didn't answer. She didn't even look back. All she was focused on was Max and the fact that Christine was right beside him, which aggravated her.
"M-M-Max!" Madeline called him in an irritated tone.
"Madeline?" Max turned and shrugged, apparently not too happy to see her again.
"C-Christine, you, you stay away from HIM!" Madeline said desperately.
Christine was taken aback and chuckled silently.
"W-What?" she said. Madeline eyed the opened luggage bag and said.
"Stay AWAY from MAX!" She then pushed her inside the bag.
"STAY AWAY!"she repeated.
" Madeline?" Amy was shocked.
"Ma-madeline! What're you doing?! Don't go pushing her in there!" Lee stepped up and searched for Christine indside.
Max followed and shot Madeline an angry look and went inside as well.
"Wait, this bag isn't big enough for three people to-"Max realized but his voice faded as well as the others'
Madeline stood there, flabbergasted while Amy stepped forward and checked the insides of the bag.
"E-empty." She stammered with shock and suspicion present in her voice.
"OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! What have I done to MAX?!" Madeline screamed as she frantically checked the bag to see if Amy was right.
Unfortunately, she wasn't lying.