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1 Chapter 2: Awkward



After a long nap, sixteen-year-old Madigan felt slightly better. All day, she had stayed tucked away from everyone, and watched T.V., not really paying attention, waiting for Julie to come back from class. Finally, she did, carrying a rose.

"This is from Charlie," she grinned, "He said he's sorry for driving you away earlier. Sometimes he has a tendency to scare people off of the face of the planet."

Madigan took the flower slowly, looking out the window blankly, feeling warm tears form in her eyes, "Thanks."

"Hey, why so glum? Don't you like Charlie? He came and told me how upset he was for making you leave, and he really likes you."

"I…uh, I don't know if I like him or not. He seems nice and all, but I really don't want to move to fast."

"So what am I supposed to tell him?"

"About what?"

"About you. Do you want me to tell him like how you reacted, or to tell him thanks but no thanks, or what?"

Madigan hesitated, "You know what? I want to talk to him by myself. Do you know where his room is?"

Julie laughed. "Of course, it's right down the hall, but he's in the rink, skating off his thoughts. You going now?"

"Yeah. I'll be back later, okay?"

"I bet you will. Have fun."

If only Julie knew.

~V~ ~V~ ~V~ ~V~ ~V~ ~V~ ~V~

Madigan entered the rink with caution, almost afraid that she would be sucked into the darkness surrounding her. From the side, she saw Charlie shooting pucks into a net furiously, as a goalie talked to him, both unaware that she was present.

"So, uh, Charlie, man," he said, blocking pucks, "What exactly did she say to you?"

Charlie shot hard and the puck swooshed past the goalie, directly into the net. "Goldberg, I was rejected. Nobody's ever rejected me like that. She basically said that she hated my guts and she wanted nothing to do with me, or with any other guys at all."

"Charlie," Madigan spoke, walking around, into his view, "Can I talk to you?"

Goldberg skated away from the net. "I'll see you around, Conway."

"Yeah."

"Hi Madigan," smiled Goldberg as he trudged past her.

She didn't smile. "Hi."

Charlie took a deep breath and skated over to her, "Hi. I didn't think you'd want to see me again."

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, earlier was some kind of hint, huh?"

Madigan shook her head. "No, I didn't mean to be so rude. I've just had a lot of stuff going on lately, and well, a lot of guys hit on me, and…" she drifted off, "Sorry."

"Apology accepted," Charlie grinned, "So, I take it as you got my apology to you?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"No problem. So, uh, where'd you move from?"

Madigan shifted uncomfortably and didn't speak, but instead, started to feel tears run from her eyes.

"Oh my gosh," Charlie gasped, horrified, "I'm sorry, Madigan. I didn't mean to make you cry. Oh no, please don't cry. I didn't mean to."

"You didn't do it. Geez," she sighed, wiping away the wetness, just to feel more. "My parents. They….well, I'm here because my parents died last week in a car accident. My aunt lives here, so she has custody of me now."

She looked down at the ground and glanced back up at Charlie, who stood speechless. He had no idea. In fact, nobody knew.

Feeling awkward, she asked, "You think I'm just some messed up girl now, don't you? That's why I didn't want to get attracted to you. You're thinking about how stupid I'll make you look. I don't even know why I let you get to me."

"But Madigan," he protested, confused, "Woah."

"No," she sobbed, "My whole life has been nothing but trouble, with everything from death to anything else, and now I have to worry about a relationship that I'm not sure of. How do I know that you're not just being some jerk trying to use me?"

Charlie couldn't help but to laugh a bit. "Use you? I just met you, Madigan. I was just trying to ask you out, not asking you to marry me or anything, so it's not like you're making a huge commitment. And you know, just for the record, I don't want anything from you that you're not giving away, alright?"

She sighed, realizing how much she flipped out. "I'm sorry for doing that."

"Don't worry about it. I can see why you would be stressed out. So can we try it all over?"

"Why not?"

He smiled. "I'm Charlie. I'm sixteen years old, drive a junker, live six rooms down from you, like to listen to music, love to play hockey, and my new hobby is looking at you. I really like you."

She blushed madly, pressing hair from her eyes. "I'm Madigan Recchi, I'm sixteen, I don't like to drive, I love to dance, and I think I like you, too."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, alright. So, what would you say if I asked you out to a movie tonight?"

"I'd probably say 'yes'."

"Good. So, can I pick you up at, uh, oh boy, seven?"

"Sounds great, Charlie."

"Like always," he joked, "So, do you skate?"

"Oh yeah."

"Really? Like skate by yourself or holding onto someone?"

Madigan laughed for the first time in so long. "Oh, I can skate pretty well. I used to play a little bit of hockey where I lived before."

Perking up, Charlie answered excitedly, "Really? Maybe you should join the team here."

"Oh, well, I don't know about that."

"Why not?"

"I should really get back to my room. I've got a bunch of unpacking left."

It was very obvious that she was attempting to avoid the topic. In fact, she felt pathetic and embarrassed, hiding from him.

"Okay. Well, I'll see you later, right?"

"Yes. So, I'd better go, and uh, do whatever I said I had to do."