Chapter 5

Maddie had been up for an hour already. She had taken a shower and gotten dressed in her ripped jeans and a white tee shirt with bright blue stripes. She had pulled her hair up into her artist hair. It was nearly noon and she was sitting at her kitchen table sketching out the outline for her latest painting, a landscape of the pier and beach. The canvas she was working on was about as big as the table. As she sketched out the outline of the broken Ferris wheel, there was a loud knock on her door.

"Come in, unless you're planning on raping, robbing, or murdering me!" She yelled, still engrossed in her drawing.

"Does that really seem like an effective method of security?" She heard Stacy's voice ask as he and Jay wandered into her kitchen, both of their hair wet as if they had just come from surfing.

"Yes, see you came in because you weren't going to rape, rob or murder me. It's perfectly effective. Now, what are you two doing here?" Maddie asked pointing at the two boys.

"We're here to fetch you. Now let's go, Tony's waiting outside in the car. We've got to go." Stacy explained while Jay had helped himself to a cup of coffee and was now dumping a bunch of sugar in it.

"You left Tony alone in your car? Why would you do that? And where's Sid?" Maddie questioned while still drawing.

"Maddie, you ask too many questions. We're meeting Sid at Zephyr. Now get your ass in the car." Jay demanded. He had already polished off her coffee and was now pulling her out of her chair. "Grab her board." Jay said to Stacy while gesturing to her skateboard that was leaning against the front door.

"I need shoes." She yelled as Jay had already pulled her out the front door. Stacy grabbed her black converse shoes and followed them out. Tony was rocking out in the passenger's seat blaring some angry band's music.

"Nice hair." Tony said as Maddie realized that she still had her artist hair up. She took down her hair and shook it out before pulling her hair up in a ponytail leaving her long angled bangs hanging in her face

Jay and Maddie climbed in the back seat as Stacy turned off the music and pulled away from Maddie's house. They headed for Zephyr while Stacy and Tony argued about what music to listen to, changing stations every five seconds. In the back of the car Maddie and Jay, the most immature of everyone in the car and probably everyone in Dogtown, had started this sort of poking war with each other. Tony and Stacy had chosen to ignore their very strange friends because no matter what they said they knew that they couldn't stop Jay and Maddie. She had only been back for a day but with Jay it was like she had never left. They had pulled up to Zephyr just as the poking war was ending; Maddie was laying down on the backseat as Jay, who was straddled over her, was poking her stomach over and over. Soon the poking turned to tickling and Maddie was forced to give up. Between fits of laughter she managed to state that she gave up and Jay won.

They calmly exited the car as if nothing had happened, and Maddie jumped onto Jay's back so that he would give her a piggy-back ride into Zephyr. When they finally got in, they saw everyone surrounding Sid as he held up two skateboard wheels. Maddie heard him say something about urethane and gripping and turning, all the skaters around her seemed amazed. But she really didn't know what was going on. Maddie wasn't really a skater. Sure, she had a board and Jay had started teaching her when she was eight, but she spent a lot of time just watching everyone else. It was mesmerizing watching them try over and over to nail tricks that were seen as impossible before the day began. Maddie wasn't bad at skating or anything, but she was more for racing down hills then attempting tricks. Skateboarding was a way of transportation for Maddie, not a way of life like it was for everyone else.

Maddie was still perched on Jay's back and too busy looking around the shop to notice what anyone else was talking about. Next thing she new everyone was grabbing their boards and skating out. Jay tried to drop Maddie off of his back but she wouldn't loosen her grip on him. "Dude, get off of me. I want to try those wheels out."

"What's so special about them?" She asked. Jay was still trying to shake Maddie off of his back while walking to Stacy's car to get their boards. Maddie finally gave up and dropped off his back.

"They grip and turn. They're made from oil or some shit." Jay explained as the two of them furiously tried to catch up with the other that had left ahead of them. They arrived at a schoolyard just as everyone was climbing over the fence. Jay and Maddie followed their lead. Tony had grabbed the board and started skating throughout the schoolyard as Maddie watched him in amazement. Jay had abandoned her to go and get his turn trying out the new wheels and Maddie continued to stare at them, she had missed this.

She sat down on the concrete hill as Jay skated past and around her. Jay leapt off the board letting it roll over to Peggy for her turn. "Wow, you're even better then I remember." Maddie complimented Jay as he sat next to her.

"Yea, sometimes it's hard being the best." Jay bragged. While rolling her eyes she shoved him. "No seriously, I have to tone it down a bit so no one gets too jealous and I have to deal with everyone admiring me and….holy shit." Jay had suddenly been distracted by the girls who had just arrived including one Kathy Alva.

Maddie groaned inwardly. She and Kathy didn't get along. Ever since Junior high when Kathy accused Maddie of starting a rumor about her. It ended in a fight that Tony and Jay had to break apart. From that day on they never liked each other and generally just avoided one another.

Jay stood up to go over to Tony and Stacy, who had also noticed the girls' arrival. Maddie stayed where she was and watched from a distance. She watched them talk while still far from each other before Jay knocked Peggy off the board so he could show off his skill. It didn't seem to be working; Kathy was now getting close to Stacy rather then swooning over Jay. Maddie could tell that Jay was defeated; he was lying on the concrete with his hat tipped over his eyes so that he could discreetly watch them. Maddie plopped down next to him.

"So, how long have you been in love with Kathy?" She asked as she lay next to him.

"If by 'in love with' you mean 'want to sleep with' then about four minutes."

"Bullshit. You can't fool me darling, I know you better then I know myself and better then you know yourself. You actually like her. Like, like her like her. Jay and Kathy sitting in a tree, A-B-C-D-E-F-G."

"What are you rambling about now?"

"The future Mrs. Jay Adams, Kathy Alva. Skank queen of the universe." Maddie stopped herself. "I mean, all around sweet girl. Who is so not worthy of my bestest friend's devotion."

"Maddie, shut up. I don't like her like that."

"Uh, yea you do."

"Fuck no."

"Tell the truth, it's good for your soul."

"Ok, so maybe I like her a little. I mean she is hot. But she's all over Stacy."

"Like butter on toast." Maddie added as Jay gave her his you're-a-freak face. "Sorry. Stacy's not her type, and if she's got any brains at all she'll give you a chance. If not fuck her, not like 'bang her' fuck her, but forget about her. And now I sound like an after school special except for all of the fucks, so uh… don't do drugs and stay in school then you will be really cool." Maddie ended her spiel with a thumbs up.

"Thanks dork." Jay said with a smirk. This was why he loved Maddie so much; she was weird, random and could always make him feel better. They always had a great time together because they were both spazzy and entertaining.

"Don't mention it. It's my job." Maddie then stood up and grabbed Tony's board so she could try out the urethane wheels. They were great, never had she skated so well before. She could turn better and without falling and she was going faster then usual. These would certainly affect the future of skating.

Authors Note

Ok, it's short. Like half of what I wanted the chapter to be but I felt bad about not updating so I'm giving it to you now rather then having you wait.Review please.