Chapter 8 I spend the next few days trying to found out what Maddox is afraid of. However, I've been asking all the wrong people. Cassidy says that in all of her years knowing Maddox, she's never bothered to ask what he's scared of. Winona says something similar, but replies in a joking voice: "Well, he's scared of commitment, if that's what you mean." But that's not what I meant. I'd probably be able to build off of that if I need to. I mean, I can always write the word "commitment" on a sheet of paper and hang it above his head with a fishing pole. If I'm lucky, he'll skip town. Because I refuse to speak to Maddox, he has to come to me to plan another get together for our American Literature project. We have to edit our book and make any corrections to it. "Today?" he proposes on Wednesday during art. I simply shrug. He tells me the time, five o'clock, and the location, his house. I shrug again before going back to the painting I'm working on. He lets out a slightly frustrated sigh by my lack of communication and I want to laugh and ask how he likes it. By the end of the day, I'm a bit relieved that I'd be going over his house, though. The sooner this project is complete, the sooner I can cut all ties with him. When I arrive home, I plan on asking my aunt for permission to go to Maddox's house but she isn't there. I go up to my room and listen to Vivica's loud conversation as I stroll down the hallway. Once I enter my room, I pull out my book bag and start on my homework, finishing my Forensics and my Pre-Calculus with ease. While attempting to work on the homework from my last American Literature class, which is to read four pieces of literature from the olden days and evaluate it, I realize that I'm completely and utterly lost. I skip that and manage to finish the rest of my homework before 4:15. I spend the next fifteen minutes getting ready and putting my stuff in my bag. My aunt still isn't home by 4:30 so I just leave her a note before heading out. If I text her and ask, there's a chance she'll say no. Though slim, I'd rather not risk it. Besides, there's a chance I can get home before her and rip up the note. As I'm was walking to Maddox's house, under the dim skies and the thick, dark clouds, I sigh loudly. I feel drops of rain hit my face slowly and I suck my teeth when I realize that I didn't even bring a hooded sweater or an umbrella. I hear a loud honking behind me so I whip around and prepare to have a battle with a predator only to find that it's just Abel. He slows down to a stop beside me and grinned. "Are you heading to my house?" "Yeah," I nod as I hold a hand above my eyebrows. "Have fun getting there in the rain!" he calls as he drove a few feet. I stare at the back of his jeep with a flat look on my face. They really are brothers. The car stops and he slowly backs up. "I'm kidding. Get in." I walk over towards the car and grab the handle, letting myself into his vehicle. The warm air greets me and I sigh in relief. "Maddox didn't offer you a ride?" "No, but it's not like I'd accept it anyway," I scoff with a shake of my head. I rub my hands together in front of the heaters. "You're stubborn, you know that?" he asks me. "I get that a lot," I reply with an understanding nod. We sit in silence, or at least I so. Abel's humming to himself and I decide to cut in as he attempts to sing the high notes of the song playing, which results in wavering hums that hurt my ears. "Hey Abel, do you know a lot about Maddox?" "Well, he's my brother, so I'd say yes," he quickly drops the humming and tunes into conversation without skipping a beat. "What's he scared of?" I inquire curiously. "That's easy! Spiders," Abel confirms and I feel an evil grin spread across my face as I began to laugh, cutting Abel off as he tries to further his statement. He looks at me and I sit there cackling loudly "A-are you okay? Should I call someone?" I only grin at Abel. "I'm perfectly fine." We arrive at their house and Abel turns to me. "May I ask why you wanted to know what my brother was scared of?" he wonders. I smirk and decide to let him in on the plan. "Well, you can't say anything but I'm going to use it for revenge," I inform him. "Can I help? Abel pleads with wide eyes. I smile at him and slowly nod. "You know what, Abel? You can." "What do I need to do?" he questions me. I grin proudly and give him the instructions. + + + "I think it's good. Send it to me and I'll make the revisions," Maddox concurs from his spot a cushion away from me. I nod, opting to not speak. I haven't said more than three words to him. I spoke to Abel, who's chilling on the recliner watching Power Rangers. I even shared a laugh with the older brother at one point, but whenever Maddox would lead the conversation back to our project, I'd resort to silence. I honestly don't think he cares very much about my lack of verbal response. As long as I help him edit the paper, then he isn't complaining. Eventually, Maddox tells Abel to go upstairs because he's being a distraction. As Abel walks behind Maddox, who's moving to the recliner, he winks at me and I nod. He's going to get the information like we planned. Maddox begins to tell me about what we're doing for the illustrations. I'm barely paying attention to him; I'm just nodding along. I'm too busy listening for the three stomps that'll tell me that Abel successfully got what I asked him for. Once we finish up, I hear three loud clomps and Maddox looks up at the ceiling. "What is he doing up there?" he mutters quietly. I turn my gaze to the stairs, where Abel descends with a smirk on his lips. It hits me hard how much Maddox looks like his older brother. Abel pats his pocket and looks at me. "Ready to leave?" he asks me when he sees that Maddox and I are packing up our supplies. "Since when has it become a custom to bring her home?" Maddox wonders when he sees his brother waiting for me. I pull my shoes over my mismatched socks, which earned a scoff from Maddox but a laugh from Abel. "Since you've been too much of a jerk to do it yourself," Abel retorts as he leans against the stairs. "I can bring her home," Maddox suggests as he slowly begins getting up from the couch. I immediately jump in and end this discussion before it can start. "No, I prefer Abel," I conclude quickly. Maddox's eyebrows shoot up as he slowly settles back down against the recliner. "That's the most words I've gotten out of you this entire time, Olive," he comments with a slight frown on his face. So he did notice. "Because you're a jerk," I elaborate as I pull my bag onto my back. "I'd speak to you if you bothered to apologize." "That doesn't seem like a very good deal," he retorts with furrowed brows. "Besides, I told you already that I don't apologize."