Nathan went to bed early last night, because he wanted it to be today sooner.
((Nathan Coleman, begin.))
Today was Friday, the last day of the week. That meant, because he did all of his work throughout the week and earned enough stars from Ms. Bautistia and Ms. Martin, he could enjoy a reward of free time after lunch. Sometimes school was very hard and he could grow frustrated. When that happened, he didn't get gold stars. Not this week, though; this was a very good week! Nathan remembered being very proud when he came home on the bus Thursday and was able to show his weekly report to mom and to his grandparents. The report was even signed by his teachers, and his family also knew that meant he was able to enjoy a reward. The reward could be coloring or free reading or playing games on the computer, but Nathan knew what he wanted to do. It was the same thing he did every week when he earned enough stars.
So Nathan stepped out of Ms. Bautista's room and into the hall. With him, he brought his very own radio boombox which he had taken to school that morning. He knew he wasn't allowed to play it too loud, so he never touched the 'volume' dial. Nathan didn't like the music to be too loud anyway; when it was too loud, it hurt his ears and he had to cover them. Even if his teachers and classmates wouldn't get angry, he kept the music soft. Instead, he pressed the power button to turn on the boombox.
Nathan looked down to make sure both of his shoes were tied. One time, he didn't check. Now he was more careful. He pushed his glasses up to make sure they wouldn't fall off. Sure that he was now ready, he set the boombox on the floor and bent over it, carefully pushing the 'play' button. The boombox began to play the cassette tape his mom helped him make.
Familiar music began to play through the speakers of the boombox. Nathan stood up straight and tapped his foot to feel the beat. This song was one of his favorites, and he loved to dance to it. He danced to it at home and, when he earned his reward, he danced to it at school too. Soon, the music was joined by singing.
As he came into the window
Was a sound of a crescendo...
Nathan popped his arm and turned, carefully spinning. He pointed out down the hall, then put a hand on his head. He did not wear a hat, but he pretended to wear a hat because of the dance. He clapped his hands next and moved his feet, performing the dance he had practiced.
You've Been Struck By...
Nathan Coleman
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
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** Madison Springer continued from... Let Me Borrow That Top
Madison had two options, she figured, as she watched Nathan Coleman with a grim, all-consuming sense of secondhand embarrassment; she hovering close to her locker a safe distance from the train wreck unfolding before her and he playing the gatekeeper preventing her from marching ever onward to her next class. She could either press her luck and attempt to camouflage herself amongst the throng of students equally trying to make it to their next period or risk Old Man McClellan's wrath by loitering around in the nearby restroom until Nathan was ushered from the halls, boombox in tow, by his aides.
Alternatively, she could make a mad dash and punt that goddamned stereo stereo down the hall and never have to put up with Nathan's shit again. He'd cry, sure, and she'd get into trouble, sure, but she'd be free of his bullshit for at least a short while until some bleeding heart started up a gofundme or something to replace it.
She watched for a moment with a bitter taste in her mouth as some boys from the basketball team offer him high fives and cheered him on. It was such a flagrant display, one she'd never get away with even if she'd wanted to and the fact that he didn't feel even a little bit embarrassed made the whole situation all the more annoying. Part of her wanted to embarrass him, laugh at him or something, but she doubted he'd even understand.
With a sigh, she resigned herself to the first of her options and pulled her textbooks closer to her chest, pushing and bumping her way through any underclassmen that had been unfortunate enough to find themselves in her path as she attempted to position herself along the wall furtherst from Nathan. Her eyes were trained forward as the music grew louder, the same song every fucking time by the way, so as to not to invite his attention with a misplaced glance.
Unfortunately, Madison was tangentially and weirdly attached to him, just by proxy of Cassidy whom shared classes with him. And maybe once upon a time, Madison had been kind to him and helped him or played with him when during recess because he reminded her of her little sister and she'd been more accepting than other kids. And for that, she was repentant, because now anytime Nathan Coleman was in the vicinity, she had to do her best to dodge him.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Some students had come to watch Nathan dance. He liked it when people cheered for him; the cheering made him feel good, and it told him he was doing a great job! Somebody put out their hand to give Nathan a high five. He slapped the hand and smiled. Today was turning out to be such a good day.
But the day also had a surprise for Nathan. Just as the second song was about to start, Nathan saw somebody in the crowd that seemed familiar to him. It was his good friend, Madison! Nathan knew Madison because Madison was the older sister of Cassidy. Cassidy was younger than Madison, but shared some classes with Nathan. Nathan didn't have a brother or a sister like Cassidy did. He was a little jealous. It must be nice to have a sister!
Nathan bent down to turn off his boombox. Then, he ran past his friends from the basketball team. He ran past them to get to Madison and to speak to her. He did not run for long, but he was very tired; he huffed and puffed when he reached her. He had to catch his breath before he talked to her.
"Hey, Madison!" Nathan said. The dancing had made his glasses wiggle on his face, so he pushed them back up on his nose. He looked at Madison's shirt. She was wearing a nice shirt today - Madison always dressed well! "Um..." Nathan said. He tried to think of what to say next. Nathan knew he wanted to say something, but talking could be very difficult. The words were in his head sometimes, but they could not come out the way he wanted them to.
"I was... um... I was... um..." Nathan wanted to tell her how he was dancing to his favorite song. He wanted to ask Madison what she thought about Michael Jackson. He wanted to ask what her favorite song was, and who she liked to listen to. He could not put the words in order, no matter how he tried. But Nathan remembered his speech therapy, and what to do when he was having trouble talking. Sometimes he had to ask for help, but he could also try to think about something else that might be easier to talk about.
"I like your shirt!" Nathan said, with a great, big smile pointed up at Madison.
But the day also had a surprise for Nathan. Just as the second song was about to start, Nathan saw somebody in the crowd that seemed familiar to him. It was his good friend, Madison! Nathan knew Madison because Madison was the older sister of Cassidy. Cassidy was younger than Madison, but shared some classes with Nathan. Nathan didn't have a brother or a sister like Cassidy did. He was a little jealous. It must be nice to have a sister!
Nathan bent down to turn off his boombox. Then, he ran past his friends from the basketball team. He ran past them to get to Madison and to speak to her. He did not run for long, but he was very tired; he huffed and puffed when he reached her. He had to catch his breath before he talked to her.
"Hey, Madison!" Nathan said. The dancing had made his glasses wiggle on his face, so he pushed them back up on his nose. He looked at Madison's shirt. She was wearing a nice shirt today - Madison always dressed well! "Um..." Nathan said. He tried to think of what to say next. Nathan knew he wanted to say something, but talking could be very difficult. The words were in his head sometimes, but they could not come out the way he wanted them to.
"I was... um... I was... um..." Nathan wanted to tell her how he was dancing to his favorite song. He wanted to ask Madison what she thought about Michael Jackson. He wanted to ask what her favorite song was, and who she liked to listen to. He could not put the words in order, no matter how he tried. But Nathan remembered his speech therapy, and what to do when he was having trouble talking. Sometimes he had to ask for help, but he could also try to think about something else that might be easier to talk about.
"I like your shirt!" Nathan said, with a great, big smile pointed up at Madison.
Madison did her best to ignore Nathan, pushing through his grasp with all the ferocity of a brake-less freight train when he shuffled toward her, her thin arm snaking from his grip as he both struggled to match her long strides and attempted to call her attention toward him. A wall of ice separated them as she pushed forward; he was a non-entity to her, a formless specter gone unseen by living eyes, nary a glance sent his way as he trailed behind her like a puppy with no master. As far as she was concerned, he wouldn't mind or even know any better. Nathan lived in a world undiluted by social norms or subtleties and a snub was fully lost on him, he'd move on the same way Cassidy had so many times before and so to would Madison. She wasn't dumb or pigheaded enough to think she was above him, or that he was devoid of feelings; she knew better than that. Life was just simple and uncomplicated to Nathan and Cassidy, every little action didn't have two-hundred different meanings and complexities behind them. They just were.
And she would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for a meddling underclassmen, whom was oh-so-helpful in pointing out to her, in front of a throng of classmates, that Nathan was trying to get her attention as if it wasn't immediately obvious what she was attempting to do. She felt called out, in a way, as if people were now looking at her to see if she'd finally acknowledged the smaller boy following behind her and she didn't like that.
Nathan wasn't a bad kid. He was annoying sometimes and that fact that he was free to do just about anything he wanted and was free from scorn and judgment irked her, but at the heart of it, she just didn't want the reputation. It was embarrassing enough to be the girl with the sister with down syndrome, a fact that people either felt the need to talk to her about and interrogate her how she dealt with it or, better yet, were so fearful of even mentioning that they ended up walking on eggshells around the subject. People seeing her with Nathan would only cement that. She'd turn into that girl people constantly associated them with and they'd expect things from her or form opinions about her that she didn't necessarily want. Separating herself from Cassidy was hard enough as is, to become a person separate from her family and she didn't need Nathan to remind people.
Even more so, however, she didn't want to be the girl who shunned the retarded boy, so she offered the underclassman a curt, venomous 'thank you' and turned to face Nathan. He was smiling as if nothing happened and a deep desire to rip his glasses from his face and chuck them down the hallway bubbled up inside her, but she greeted him sullenly, her eyes scanning the hall behind him.
"Yeah, thanks, my boyfriend got it for me,"
He didn't care and she didn't know why she felt to add that point. Maybe she just liked reminding herself and others that she had Connor in her life.
"Where's Ms. Bautistia, though, Nathan? Does she know where you are?"
It sounded as though she was concerned, but it wasn't concern so much as it was her wanting Nathan out of her hair.
And she would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for a meddling underclassmen, whom was oh-so-helpful in pointing out to her, in front of a throng of classmates, that Nathan was trying to get her attention as if it wasn't immediately obvious what she was attempting to do. She felt called out, in a way, as if people were now looking at her to see if she'd finally acknowledged the smaller boy following behind her and she didn't like that.
Nathan wasn't a bad kid. He was annoying sometimes and that fact that he was free to do just about anything he wanted and was free from scorn and judgment irked her, but at the heart of it, she just didn't want the reputation. It was embarrassing enough to be the girl with the sister with down syndrome, a fact that people either felt the need to talk to her about and interrogate her how she dealt with it or, better yet, were so fearful of even mentioning that they ended up walking on eggshells around the subject. People seeing her with Nathan would only cement that. She'd turn into that girl people constantly associated them with and they'd expect things from her or form opinions about her that she didn't necessarily want. Separating herself from Cassidy was hard enough as is, to become a person separate from her family and she didn't need Nathan to remind people.
Even more so, however, she didn't want to be the girl who shunned the retarded boy, so she offered the underclassman a curt, venomous 'thank you' and turned to face Nathan. He was smiling as if nothing happened and a deep desire to rip his glasses from his face and chuck them down the hallway bubbled up inside her, but she greeted him sullenly, her eyes scanning the hall behind him.
"Yeah, thanks, my boyfriend got it for me,"
He didn't care and she didn't know why she felt to add that point. Maybe she just liked reminding herself and others that she had Connor in her life.
"Where's Ms. Bautistia, though, Nathan? Does she know where you are?"
It sounded as though she was concerned, but it wasn't concern so much as it was her wanting Nathan out of her hair.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
"Your boyfriend?" Nathan repeated after Madison. He was still smiling at her. Nathan did not remember that Madison had a boyfriend, but he must be very nice. It was nice to think about Madison spending her day with her boyfriend and having a good time holding hands and going for walks. Maybe they danced together, Nathan thought.
He almost forgot Madison asked him a question. Nathan thought carefully about what he was asked. His tongue stuck out of his mouth a little; his jaw moved up and down and his eyes looked side to side. Then, he looked back at Madison. "Uh..." Nathan remembered the question now. Madison wanted to know where Mrs. Bautista was. Just like every day, Mrs. Bautista was in her classroom, waiting for the bell to ring so class could begin!
"She's... in her room!" Nathan said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his classroom. "I come... I come out here to dance. Did you see me?" Nathan asked his friend with a proud grin. It was extra important to Nathan that he practiced his dancing, because he wanted to dance for the school assembly at the end of the year. He asked Mrs. Bautista to ask the principal, and was sure that the principal would say yes and let him put on a show for his classmates.
But, just as Nathan had asked that, the smile on his face disappeared. He was looking up at Madison, but she wasn't looking back. Something, Nathan decided, was not quite right.
"Are you okay, Madison?" Nathan asked, trying to get her attention. "Are you sad today?"
He almost forgot Madison asked him a question. Nathan thought carefully about what he was asked. His tongue stuck out of his mouth a little; his jaw moved up and down and his eyes looked side to side. Then, he looked back at Madison. "Uh..." Nathan remembered the question now. Madison wanted to know where Mrs. Bautista was. Just like every day, Mrs. Bautista was in her classroom, waiting for the bell to ring so class could begin!
"She's... in her room!" Nathan said, pointing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his classroom. "I come... I come out here to dance. Did you see me?" Nathan asked his friend with a proud grin. It was extra important to Nathan that he practiced his dancing, because he wanted to dance for the school assembly at the end of the year. He asked Mrs. Bautista to ask the principal, and was sure that the principal would say yes and let him put on a show for his classmates.
But, just as Nathan had asked that, the smile on his face disappeared. He was looking up at Madison, but she wasn't looking back. Something, Nathan decided, was not quite right.
"Are you okay, Madison?" Nathan asked, trying to get her attention. "Are you sad today?"
Madison shifted her weight to her one of her hips and drew her textbooks even tighter against her chest following Nathan's inquiry. It was an innocent statement, probably just Nathan thinking aloud, but a flush of embarrassment quickly rushed to her face as she prepared herself to go on the defensive. There were plenty of people that thought she didn't deserve Connor, many of them part of her own group of friends, and she found herself falling back into that place in her mind; as if she had to convince Nathan, whom spent his days grabbing at his crotch and flailing around in the hallways, that Connor was in fact a real living human and not some Canadian model that she swore was real and was dating her. And that he did it because he wanted to.
And it was stupid, she realized very much beside herself. Nathan didn't care who she was dating or if he was real. She could've told him she was dating Blues Clues and he would've congratulated her and smiled and she was suddenly an asshole for thinking otherwise.
"Yup. The boy with the big red car that Cassidy leaves in sometimes? That one," She responded, if only for herself as she tried to climb down from the ledge she'd created for herself.
But it was easier said than done, as she found out over and over again. Once she was up there, it was so incredibly hard to retrain her brain; imagined slights becoming more than reality, everything Nathan said lacing itself with false poison that she'd put there herself. And then she'd think about the things she read into, convincing herself that she hated the person in question and she'd see them again and let that color her interactions with them, giving her the evidence she needed when she'd eventually lash out because of her perceived atrocities and it'd never end.
So when Nathan asked if she'd seen his dancing, not giving her a chance to answer before following that with a loaded question about her happiness, she couldn't stop a stunned laugh from escaping. She wanted to be the person people admired for their softness or their kindness, the person that impacted someone's life forever in a good way.
But Madison was not soft and Madison was not kind and she felt like she never would be as her eyes narrowed toward the much smaller boy and her mouth curled with dissatisfaction.
"I don't know, Nathan, are you happy? It's probably awesome to do whatever you want and people will put up with it because they have to."
And it was stupid, she realized very much beside herself. Nathan didn't care who she was dating or if he was real. She could've told him she was dating Blues Clues and he would've congratulated her and smiled and she was suddenly an asshole for thinking otherwise.
"Yup. The boy with the big red car that Cassidy leaves in sometimes? That one," She responded, if only for herself as she tried to climb down from the ledge she'd created for herself.
But it was easier said than done, as she found out over and over again. Once she was up there, it was so incredibly hard to retrain her brain; imagined slights becoming more than reality, everything Nathan said lacing itself with false poison that she'd put there herself. And then she'd think about the things she read into, convincing herself that she hated the person in question and she'd see them again and let that color her interactions with them, giving her the evidence she needed when she'd eventually lash out because of her perceived atrocities and it'd never end.
So when Nathan asked if she'd seen his dancing, not giving her a chance to answer before following that with a loaded question about her happiness, she couldn't stop a stunned laugh from escaping. She wanted to be the person people admired for their softness or their kindness, the person that impacted someone's life forever in a good way.
But Madison was not soft and Madison was not kind and she felt like she never would be as her eyes narrowed toward the much smaller boy and her mouth curled with dissatisfaction.
"I don't know, Nathan, are you happy? It's probably awesome to do whatever you want and people will put up with it because they have to."
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
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Madison definitely did not seem happy. When she turned and when she answered, she seemed almost angry. The tone in her words made Nathan shrink back. He was not smiling any longer. Instead, Nathan looked concerned, and he looked a little sad and hurt by how Madison was speaking to him. It confused him, because her tone did not seem to match her words. She asked him a question.
Was he happy?
Until just a moment ago, Nathan thought he was very happy. Today was a good day, and he got to do everything he wanted to do. He did all of his work and danced to his music, got to see and wave and talk to his friends. It seemed like Madison was not having a good day at all.
"Uuhhh... yeah?" Nathan said, following up behind Madison. "I think so. I like... I like... school and..." Nathan furrowed his brow. "I like school and I like Mrs. Bautista, and I like my friends and I like you." He looked up at Madison, keeping eye contact. "If you're... sad, I want to, um, I want to help you feel better!"
Madison had said more, and Nathan understood what she meant. But instead of getting angry, it was more important, Nathan thought, to help a friend to stop feeling bad. That was what he had been taught to do, and it was important to do what was right more than just doing what you want to do all the time. Nathan wanted to go back and dance. Instead, he stayed with Madison.
Was he happy?
Until just a moment ago, Nathan thought he was very happy. Today was a good day, and he got to do everything he wanted to do. He did all of his work and danced to his music, got to see and wave and talk to his friends. It seemed like Madison was not having a good day at all.
"Uuhhh... yeah?" Nathan said, following up behind Madison. "I think so. I like... I like... school and..." Nathan furrowed his brow. "I like school and I like Mrs. Bautista, and I like my friends and I like you." He looked up at Madison, keeping eye contact. "If you're... sad, I want to, um, I want to help you feel better!"
Madison had said more, and Nathan understood what she meant. But instead of getting angry, it was more important, Nathan thought, to help a friend to stop feeling bad. That was what he had been taught to do, and it was important to do what was right more than just doing what you want to do all the time. Nathan wanted to go back and dance. Instead, he stayed with Madison.
Almost instantly, regret set in.
It wasn't often that Nathan Coleman wasn't smiling. You could take that kid's milk at lunch and he'd smile that smile and ask if you wanted to share it. If you shoved that kid completely to the ground, he'd laugh and smile and proclaim bashfully with his little voice that he'd tripped and ask you for help getting up. Short of full on rage-screaming in his face, there was no taking Nathan's smile from him. And as Madison watched that same smile that she'd previously wanted to rip from his face vanish and watched as he shrank into himself like an abused puppy with her in the role of callous owner, she couldn't fight her stomach from twisting into tight knots.
And it was with a grim sense of irony that Madison realized she didn't even have to try hard to accomplish the impossible.
Her gaze was forced downward with an exaggerated roll, far from meeting Nathan's and far from locking eyes with any stragglers that still dotted the halls. She found particular interest in the untied laces of Nathan's dress shoes, the same grim irony not lost on her that this kid couldn't even keep his shoes tied and yet here he was pitying her and wanting to cheer her up. Madison didn't know what made her the angriest, whether it was him or herself, or that she'd fully just lashed out at Nathan and he still wanted to make her happy and tell her how much he liked her.
But it was too late for Madison to accept the compliment or deviate from her original stance now that she'd already made her bed, jumped from her ledge, or any other metaphor there was to be made. Maybe it was a pride thing, maybe softness invited vulnerability, maybe she wanted to punish herself, but there was no going back, no warm fuzzies and no apologies.
She dropped to a knee with a heavy, defeated sigh, placing her textbooks and purse at her side as she grabbed Nathan's unruly shoelaces.
“I don't need you to make me happy, Nathan,” She said, unable to muster the previous iciness in her voice as she worked with a purpose on the laces, “I'm doing just fine on my own.”
She gave the tip of his shoe a quick, finishing double-tap to cement its done-ness before turning to her purse;
“Why don't-” She cut herself off, quickly pulling several crisp dollars from a pocketbook gifted to her from her parents following a particularly brutal argument of their own and forced them into Nathan's hand, finally looking to him from her position on the ground,
“-you just go get us some chocolate or whatever, okay? I'm fine with anything.”
Just go.
It wasn't often that Nathan Coleman wasn't smiling. You could take that kid's milk at lunch and he'd smile that smile and ask if you wanted to share it. If you shoved that kid completely to the ground, he'd laugh and smile and proclaim bashfully with his little voice that he'd tripped and ask you for help getting up. Short of full on rage-screaming in his face, there was no taking Nathan's smile from him. And as Madison watched that same smile that she'd previously wanted to rip from his face vanish and watched as he shrank into himself like an abused puppy with her in the role of callous owner, she couldn't fight her stomach from twisting into tight knots.
And it was with a grim sense of irony that Madison realized she didn't even have to try hard to accomplish the impossible.
Her gaze was forced downward with an exaggerated roll, far from meeting Nathan's and far from locking eyes with any stragglers that still dotted the halls. She found particular interest in the untied laces of Nathan's dress shoes, the same grim irony not lost on her that this kid couldn't even keep his shoes tied and yet here he was pitying her and wanting to cheer her up. Madison didn't know what made her the angriest, whether it was him or herself, or that she'd fully just lashed out at Nathan and he still wanted to make her happy and tell her how much he liked her.
But it was too late for Madison to accept the compliment or deviate from her original stance now that she'd already made her bed, jumped from her ledge, or any other metaphor there was to be made. Maybe it was a pride thing, maybe softness invited vulnerability, maybe she wanted to punish herself, but there was no going back, no warm fuzzies and no apologies.
She dropped to a knee with a heavy, defeated sigh, placing her textbooks and purse at her side as she grabbed Nathan's unruly shoelaces.
“I don't need you to make me happy, Nathan,” She said, unable to muster the previous iciness in her voice as she worked with a purpose on the laces, “I'm doing just fine on my own.”
She gave the tip of his shoe a quick, finishing double-tap to cement its done-ness before turning to her purse;
“Why don't-” She cut herself off, quickly pulling several crisp dollars from a pocketbook gifted to her from her parents following a particularly brutal argument of their own and forced them into Nathan's hand, finally looking to him from her position on the ground,
“-you just go get us some chocolate or whatever, okay? I'm fine with anything.”
Just go.
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Nathan was confused why Madison had gone down on one knee, at first. His confusion turned into gratitude instead when he noticed that she was tying his shoes. He did not realize that his shoes had become untied! If he continued dancing with untied laces, he might have fallen down and gotten hurt, then he would have to go to the nurse's office. Maybe Mrs. Bautista wouldn't let him dance anymore for reward time if that happened. Nathan was filled with the urge to thank Madison. He would have thanked her, but a silly thought filled his head before he could say it.
On TV, when a man wanted to marry a woman, he got down on knee, didn't he? Madison was just tying his shoes, but she really reminded Nathan of those men on TV with the diamond rings. He giggled at the thought. He tried to keep the thought to himself.
"I thought, I thought, you were going to propose - to marry me!" Nathan joked. He did not keep the thought to himself. "Just kidding," he assured Madison, just in case she did not get the joke. "I know you... uh, helping me with my shoes." Nathan wanted to tell Madison more. She said to him, she did not need him to make her happy. It was not necessary. But even if it was not necessary, he still wanted to make her happy any way he could.
Instead, he was bewildered by Madison putting some money into his hand and telling him to buy them some snacks.
"Okay! I'll get us Kit Kats!" Nathan said excitedly. "Those are my favorite!" He ran off down the hall toward the vending machine, forgetting to ask Madison what her favorite chocolate was.
On TV, when a man wanted to marry a woman, he got down on knee, didn't he? Madison was just tying his shoes, but she really reminded Nathan of those men on TV with the diamond rings. He giggled at the thought. He tried to keep the thought to himself.
"I thought, I thought, you were going to propose - to marry me!" Nathan joked. He did not keep the thought to himself. "Just kidding," he assured Madison, just in case she did not get the joke. "I know you... uh, helping me with my shoes." Nathan wanted to tell Madison more. She said to him, she did not need him to make her happy. It was not necessary. But even if it was not necessary, he still wanted to make her happy any way he could.
Instead, he was bewildered by Madison putting some money into his hand and telling him to buy them some snacks.
"Okay! I'll get us Kit Kats!" Nathan said excitedly. "Those are my favorite!" He ran off down the hall toward the vending machine, forgetting to ask Madison what her favorite chocolate was.
A better person would have stayed; would have waited for Nathan to return with the candy they'd sent him for, but Madison had no plans on being there when he got back.
She watched with some trepidation as he bounded down the hallway, half expected him to completely barrel another student over in his excitement, fall over himself, or get scolded by Mrs. Bautista when her sixth sense kicked in and she sprung out from her classroom like a human jack-in-the box. Absently, she mentally willed him not to blame her in the latter situation, to leave her out of the equation all together. As much as Madison tried to distance herself from Cassidy and that life in general, Mrs. Bautista took any excuse to share information with her about Cassidy, keeping her up to date with her sister's class performance or letting her know if she was having a rare bad day and once upon a time, Madison may have appreciated that. It was coming from a good place, she understood that, but she wasn't her sister's keeper, she wasn't Cassidy's parent or her aide. She just happened to be born into the same family as her.
And as far as Madison was concerned, when they were at school, they didn't know one another.
The same could be said about Nathan.
He was cute and good, anyone with two eyes and a brain could see that clear as day. She'd succinctly ignored his joke about marriage, because there was no point in humoring the kid – it'd just give him more of a reason to talk to her. And the more he talked to her and the more time he spent around her, the more she'd see her own nasty glaring faults and she was cool on that.
So she watched as he reached the vending machine at the end of the hall, summarily scooping her purse from the floor, replacing her pocketbook inside, and getting back to her feet in a swift motion, before turning and walking the opposite way toward her class.
She told herself he'd at least get the second candy bar to himself.
She watched with some trepidation as he bounded down the hallway, half expected him to completely barrel another student over in his excitement, fall over himself, or get scolded by Mrs. Bautista when her sixth sense kicked in and she sprung out from her classroom like a human jack-in-the box. Absently, she mentally willed him not to blame her in the latter situation, to leave her out of the equation all together. As much as Madison tried to distance herself from Cassidy and that life in general, Mrs. Bautista took any excuse to share information with her about Cassidy, keeping her up to date with her sister's class performance or letting her know if she was having a rare bad day and once upon a time, Madison may have appreciated that. It was coming from a good place, she understood that, but she wasn't her sister's keeper, she wasn't Cassidy's parent or her aide. She just happened to be born into the same family as her.
And as far as Madison was concerned, when they were at school, they didn't know one another.
The same could be said about Nathan.
He was cute and good, anyone with two eyes and a brain could see that clear as day. She'd succinctly ignored his joke about marriage, because there was no point in humoring the kid – it'd just give him more of a reason to talk to her. And the more he talked to her and the more time he spent around her, the more she'd see her own nasty glaring faults and she was cool on that.
So she watched as he reached the vending machine at the end of the hall, summarily scooping her purse from the floor, replacing her pocketbook inside, and getting back to her feet in a swift motion, before turning and walking the opposite way toward her class.
She told herself he'd at least get the second candy bar to himself.
** Madison Springer continued in...
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MK Kilmarnock
- Posts: 1931
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:28 am
- Location: On one of the coasts, generally
Nathan stood in front of the machine. One. Two.
He counted the dollar bills in his hand. Madison had given him two dollars. He counted the bills again: one, two. He looked at the Kit Kat bars in the machine, and at the price listed above the snack.
$1.25
Nathan was not sure what to do. One dollar and twenty five cents, plus another one dollar and twenty five cents... he added one dollar and one dollar, that was two dollars. Then there was twenty five cents and another twenty five cents. That made fifty... Nathan closed his eyes and thought just to make sure that he had not miscounted. He was fifty cents short. With only two dollars, he did not have enough for two candy bars. He would only be able to buy one candy bar.
While he frowned and scratched the back of his head, he pulled the two dollar bills apart and carefully inserted one bill into the slot. The dollar was nice and crisp, the machine would have no trouble taking it. Nathan patiently waited for the display on the machine to read '$1.00' before inserting the other bill. '$2.00', the display read. Now, he had enough money to buy a Kit Kat bar. One bar would be enough, Nathan decided. He and Madison would just have to share, and she could have her change back. Twenty five cents was a quarter, four quarters made a dollar, four minus one was three. Three quarters, 75 cents. He smiled to himself; Mrs. Bautista would be proud to know just how Nathan was using math!
He hit the 'A' button and the '5' button on the machine, for 'A5', but the machine did not do anything. The metal thing in front of the Kit Kat did not turn. Something was wrong. Nathan hit the two buttons again, sure that was correct, but still nothing happened. He looked at the display. The display read, 'Out of stock.' Now something was definitely wrong, because he saw the Kit Kat bars in the machine! Nathan looked again...
He had been looking at the wrong row! The correct amount was displayed below the Kit Kats, not above! B5... just one dollar! He had enough money for two bars! Nathan could not slap 'B' and '5' quick enough, his left fist balled up tight and shaking. He jumped up and down a little bit as the first bar was released from the machine and fell, excited. He hit the correct buttons again, the second bar fell. He pushed the door at the bottom of the machine open and grasped for the bars, snatching them up and running back down the hall.
"I got them!" Nathan shouted, shoes clapping against the tile loudly. He was being too loud, he might get in trouble! He slowed down as he got closer to where Madison had been standing before, but now there was nobody. He stopped running, but continued walking just a little more, down to the very end of the hall. He looked to the left, and he looked to the right.
But he couldn't see her anywhere.
"... Madison?"
((Nathan Coleman, continued elsewhere.))
He counted the dollar bills in his hand. Madison had given him two dollars. He counted the bills again: one, two. He looked at the Kit Kat bars in the machine, and at the price listed above the snack.
$1.25
Nathan was not sure what to do. One dollar and twenty five cents, plus another one dollar and twenty five cents... he added one dollar and one dollar, that was two dollars. Then there was twenty five cents and another twenty five cents. That made fifty... Nathan closed his eyes and thought just to make sure that he had not miscounted. He was fifty cents short. With only two dollars, he did not have enough for two candy bars. He would only be able to buy one candy bar.
While he frowned and scratched the back of his head, he pulled the two dollar bills apart and carefully inserted one bill into the slot. The dollar was nice and crisp, the machine would have no trouble taking it. Nathan patiently waited for the display on the machine to read '$1.00' before inserting the other bill. '$2.00', the display read. Now, he had enough money to buy a Kit Kat bar. One bar would be enough, Nathan decided. He and Madison would just have to share, and she could have her change back. Twenty five cents was a quarter, four quarters made a dollar, four minus one was three. Three quarters, 75 cents. He smiled to himself; Mrs. Bautista would be proud to know just how Nathan was using math!
He hit the 'A' button and the '5' button on the machine, for 'A5', but the machine did not do anything. The metal thing in front of the Kit Kat did not turn. Something was wrong. Nathan hit the two buttons again, sure that was correct, but still nothing happened. He looked at the display. The display read, 'Out of stock.' Now something was definitely wrong, because he saw the Kit Kat bars in the machine! Nathan looked again...
He had been looking at the wrong row! The correct amount was displayed below the Kit Kats, not above! B5... just one dollar! He had enough money for two bars! Nathan could not slap 'B' and '5' quick enough, his left fist balled up tight and shaking. He jumped up and down a little bit as the first bar was released from the machine and fell, excited. He hit the correct buttons again, the second bar fell. He pushed the door at the bottom of the machine open and grasped for the bars, snatching them up and running back down the hall.
"I got them!" Nathan shouted, shoes clapping against the tile loudly. He was being too loud, he might get in trouble! He slowed down as he got closer to where Madison had been standing before, but now there was nobody. He stopped running, but continued walking just a little more, down to the very end of the hall. He looked to the left, and he looked to the right.
But he couldn't see her anywhere.
"... Madison?"
((Nathan Coleman, continued elsewhere.))