Maddi stared at the ceiling blankly, hand resting loosely on her forehead. She could barely think straight. It was also very distracting that the ceiling was made with square panels. She sighed and pushed herself up, walking towards her laptop. She opened it and went to check her email- something she did quite often, much to a few of her friends discontent. One was from Maria.
That's strange, she thought. Maria almost never checks her email; much less send things from it.
She opened it up. It said:
hey mads. u feeling ok? u seemed sort of bummed the last time i saw u. and sorry 4 not being able 2 go 2 ur half time thing. u kno how my parents r about me going where they can't come 2 my rescue in a few mins.
anyway, natalie wanted me 2 send u something- she was going away w/ her family 4 a month, remember, and yahoo wasn't working- when u came back, and i 4got about it til now. if u don't get it, i don't blame u- so i'll just say it. she's saying thank u 4 coming back.
here it is.
Maddi clicked on the link and smiled. Only Natalie would want to send this to someone. But she exited out from it because, really, it was getting quite annoying. (Eiji Note- This thing has been running since 9:30pm on the first of March, and right now it's 1:55pm on the second, and they're at 665000 thank yous)(Lila Note - It is annoying. I wanna know how long until it makes a million.)(Like, a day. then it gets to a million and nothing happens. D:)
She preceded check the rest of her emails, not really paying much attention. She then heard a light knocking on her door. "Come in," she said just loud enough for Louden to hear (for he was the only one who knocked that way when he thought she was asleep).
He stood in the doorway awkwardly for a moment, then smiled softly and plopped down on her bed, comfortably gazing around her room.
"So..." he started, in a way that told Maddi he had no idea how to continue.
"You don't have to say anything." She leaned her head on her arms, which were resting on her desk. "I pretty much know what you're going to ask. And I have no answers." She sighed indiscreetly. "I'm so frickin' confused!" She threw her arms up in the air for effect.
They sat in an awkward silence for several minutes, before Louden said quietly, "I was actually going to ask you if your friends were tagging along the next time you decide to perform, but..."
"Oh," was all she could do to reply.
----------
"Oh," was all Natalie could say when her brother (majoring in physics) finished explaining why and how the velocity of an electron could, theoretically, affect it's weight (when all she needed was the equation to find how much it was affected at certain extreme speeds). "Um... That thirty-minute speech was very... interesting. Thank you. Uh... I'll... See you, then. I need to drop in on a friend for something... Latin homework... yeah..."
"But I thought you were taking Mandarin?"
"Oh, uh, yeah I am, but I accidentally took her English-Latin dictionary home with me yesterday... I have to give it back..."
The girl sprinted away as she heard her brother yelling, "Wait, your grade doesn't have language homework over summer vacation!"
----------
Natalie pulled up into Maddi's driveway (on a bike, not a car, sadly) and knocked on the door.
Louden answered. He looked surprised to see her. Then, "You're here to see Maddi, right? I'll call her down." He disappeared behind the door and she heard a slightly muffled, "Maddi!" and then sounds of feet stomping quickly down stairs.
"Hey Nat!" she exclaimed, giving Natalie a hug.
"Nice to see you, too," Natalie managed to laugh out. When she was released from the (not-so, at the moment) death-grip, she continued. "Did anything happen while I was gone I would find intriguing?"
Maddi paused. "Well, fuck. 'Intriguing' isn't something I can really find a loophole in."
"Oooh, you were expecting questions? Tell me what's got you worked up. Wait, no. We'll go to your room first," she said, motioning oh-so-discreetly towards a lurking Louden, though Maddi could see her smile slightly when she glanced in his direction. (Nya Note - Lila, can you do this? I'll make up the writing later, I promise. I'm having serious writers' block.) (Lila Note - No prob. I was tempted but I knew this chappie was yours. You r awesome at setting up scenes, u no that?)
A few minutes later, Maddie told the whole story since she had left for Cube's Headquarters. When she finished, Natalie was shocked for a few seconds, and then screamed "Whaaaat?!?!?!?!? He did what now?"
Maddie sighed and flumped down on her bed. She groaned, "I know! I can't do anything about it!"
"Wait, what do you mean? And anyway, isn't he like seventy?!" Natalie was freaking out. A lot.
"No. Louden explained (after I freaked out about Cube being a pedo) that he took a youth potion and is now -physically- eighteen. Louden is 18 too, now that I think of it," Maddie said, staring slightly cross-eyed at the ceiling for a bit.
Natalie could find no words- for about ten seconds. Then, "YEEESS!! Louden's only two years older than me!" she exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. (Lila Note - NYA!! I KILL YOU! This is not a full chapter! I was at Sam's all weekend and I still FINISHED chapter 13! Now, finish it or no LoudenNat fluff till chapter 16!)(... -_-; About that... I was gone all Saturday... Friday was tiring... I forgot about this today... I apologize...)
Maddi giggled nervously at her friends' antics- it would have been cute, if it weren't her brother that the girl was crushing on.
After Natalie calmed down and their conversation had had enough time to jump around several different subjects (something all of Maddi's clique-like-thing had a tendency to do) Natalie proposed something.
"How about you invite Maria and Katie over (and Sam, if she's dropped that grudge with us, she had added under her breath) and we can have a Kaiju night!" The shorthaired girl was grinning happily, bringing her hands up to her face giddily. "And Louden can do the commentary! Wouldn't that be fun?" She had the air of an ecstatic seven-year-old, one that had maybe had their first experience on a roller coaster and had screamed even less than their father had (which Natalie happened to do, till this day).
"Look, even though I would no doubt enjoy a meet-up with all my friends, why is the first place you suggest it be at is my house?!" Maddi said in slight aggravation.
"Because Louden isn't at anyone else's house, obviously," she stated bluntly, "And, actually, I didn't 'suggest' it..." Natalie grinned evilly, "I was, in fact, trying to persuade you that the inevitable would be highly entertaining." Maddi sighed.
"Fine, fine. I'll go quietly," Maddi said in submitance.
"I knew you would!" Natalie said cheerfully, but turning her back to Maddi slightly. Maddi took the chance, and attacked.
"Muwahahah!" she had laughed after strangling Natalie with a fierce glomp. "I've got you now!" Nat had let out a strangled 'Uncle, uncle!' soon after, and Mads had released her, laughing almost hysterically, and after a bit, Natalie joined in.
"So..." Natalie smiled serenely after she was able to talk without bursting into giggles, "... about tonight, you'd better let me sit next to Louden if he decides to join us."
Maddi groaned loudly.
(Lila, I have no idea how long two pages is, so I'll just put in a random song to fill up any empty space. :D lol)
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"Well," Maria stated smugly, "Since Louden doesn't want to watch any more Kaiju, I'll just pick a soundtrack to go with our boredom." Maria picked up her backpack and dumped out its contents revealing about a dozen CD's as well as the rest of her stuff. Some read 'Linkin Park' and others 'My Chemical Romance', but there were also some others of assorted bands that I don't feel taking the time to mention in this FanFic (*is shot for breaking character*).
"I think Sum 41 would be good."
Maria grinned giddily as Natalie cheered, "BOOYAH!!"
The first song started with a guitar piece.
(This is Top of the World by Sum 41, and I obviously don't own it, so please don't sue me or Lila.)
Is there anybody out there
That wakes up with a bitter taste?
It's the king that we put up there
And he's a short way to fall from grace
It's slowly filling upward.
You can stand but you have no ground.
I hear it from the lost words.
They say it's time that you lost your crown.
Natalie sang quietly along with it, mouthing 'it's Top of the World!' to Maddi in a no-lyrics musical bit.
Don't be so greedy.
A dollar's a penny to you
When hearts are beating
Say what you want 'em to do.
Wasting away... I see you.
When the top of the world falls on you
Finding a day, don't wanna be you
When the top of the world falls on you
"It's her favorite band," Maria answered to Louden's inquisitive glance. "Though it's a bit depressing if you listen to the lyrics, she dances to it like she doesn't know what they mean. Although she most definitely does."
Is there anybody out there
That can see what a man can change?
It's better that you don't care
Because he knows that he's in this stage
I feel the paranoia.
When there's a time, put you in your place
In the eyes of those who watch ya
Well they can wait 'til you hit your face
Don't be so greedy.
A dollar's a penny to you
When hearts are beating
Say what you want 'em to do.
Wasting away... I see you.
When the top of the world falls on you
Finally a day, don't wanna be you.
When the top of the world falls on you
Paint yourself a picture
When you waste another picture
And you win, and you win, and you win
Paint yourself a picture
And then you break another picture
And you win, and you win, and you win
And you win, yeah you win, and you win
Don't be so greedy
A dollar's a penny to you
When hearts stop beating
Say what you want 'em to do
Wasting away... I see you
When the top of the world falls on you
Finding a day, don't wanna be you
When the top of the world falls on you
Wasting away... I see you
When the top of the world falls on you
Finding a day, don't wanna be you
When the top of the world falls on you
"Onto the next song!" Natalie cried happily.
"No," Maddie said while she shut the CD player off. "Why must you only like songs so unfitting for partying?" She pulled out a Jonas Brothers disk. Everyone else in the room groaned. "I much prefer this..."
"I'd prefer we went to sleep if it means we don't have to listen to that." Maria stood up and fetched some sleeping bags to make her point.
In the end, they didn't decide to go to bed until several hours later, and the only one that listened to any Jonas Brothers was a mumbling Maddi with earphones. "It's my house!" she had complained. "I'm the one that invited all of you!"