He was torn. Completely split down the middle as he tried to make a decision. Uneasy, unsure, confused at what would be right and what might be wrong. He chewed at his bottom lip in trepidation. Hand gently reaching out before pulling back.

"To be, or not to be. That my dear, is the question-"

"Maddox shut the hell up and buy it or don't. My ice cream is gonna melt with your internal dialogue."

The blond turned over to Isadora with a painless glare. Picking up the hair dye and pulling it to his chest.

"No need to be so mean about it..." He grumbled.

"When my food is at stake, I have to be." She said, picking up the basket before flicking his nose, making him laugh before he did the same to her.

They walked through the rest of the store without any real haste, picking up little snacks and things they had forgotten to pack, or simply wanted for when they got back to their dorms. A pleasant distraction to help both of the high-strung teens relax. There's nothing but comfort in the mundane. And according to Izzy, rocky road too.

"Okay okay, but think about it... We eat the ice cream at the park, go to the arcade for a few mindless hours, then get back for classes in the morning." Maddox suggested a plan, since if they didn't have one, they had a tendency to go way of the rails of a normal evening.

"The park? What do you mean park? I'm not going outside to eat." She said with a huff. "There's a perfectly good parking lot and your perfectly fine car to dine in."

"Well yeah but it'd be a nice view." He shrugged as he began to put things over for the guy at the cash register. Tossing in a few 100 grands as he saw them near the other candies.

"How about we scrap that idea, eat our junk in your car, pick up my stash from my dorm and get hungover for Mr. Darko tommorow?" She suggested. To which Maddox pretended to think about for a moment.

But he was always a boy of easy push. So as he delicately tapped his chin while the people in line gave them a look for keeping the cashier waiting, he grinned before saying "Yes."

•••

"Stay out here. I'll be right back!" Isadora stopped Mads as he stepped out of the car, watching his frown as he looked like he was immediately about to whine.

"It's a girl's dorm remember, you can't just go in-"

"Yeah yeah, I hear that the other guys go in here all the time-"

"Not during the day. Daniels."

She watched what she said register in his blond head as his eyes sparked in realization.

"Oooooohhhh...."

"YEAH. Now stay put big guy. We can head over to the spot as soon as I come back. Then we can continue our lovely healing process." Isadora flipped her thick hair over her shoulder once she turned around, hitting Maddox with it as he laughed.

How it was so easy for them both to pretend everything was so happy between them, neither had any idea. But it helped. At least they think it did.

Yet, as Isadora strode inside Scarlett Manor, and Maddox stayed obediently put outside. The space between them seemed to expand, the rolling happiness they had kept up with until now falling still as they where left with their own thoughts. Thoughts of school. Thoughts of themselves. Thoughts if Holland, who both eerily felt like they might just bump into here. The place she was supposed to share with the rest of them like every other year.

Isadora took a shaking breath. Visibly shaking her head as if that though might just fall out easier is she used more violence. She pushed the door open finding the small girl she was bunked with, wide eyed and surprised as she accidentally burst in.

"Oh, sorry Gwyneth...." She said awkwardly before immediately heading over and rifling through her stuff.

"Uh, it's no problem, hun...." She said brightly. Trying to ease the tense air around her she couldn't help but notice. "Um... Do you need help looking for anythin-"

Isadora triumphantly held up a backpack, smiling wide at Gwen before hightailing it out. Leaving her confused over the flurry, but she wouldn't worry just yet. People grieve in weird ways.

Maddox put his head against the cool glass of the car door, knowing it would leave an imprint, but genuinely not caring as the contrast gave his mind something else to focus on. Which was going alright for s second, until something else came up, gently crawling up his back.

For fairly good reasons, he panicked. Turning around on his heel and trying to brush off whatever monster spider that was without trying to tell until he nearly fell back against his car with another fright. Ryan's face right in front of his.

"Woah woah woah, sorry, I didn't think I'd spooky you that bad, Madsy..." She said happily as she watched the blush bloom in his cheeks from obvious embarrassment.

What was a guy like him doing out here in a place like this? A question she was fine was posed for her to ask.

"I-I just thought it was like a... Spider... Or.. something..." He tugged at his collar. Eyes wandering everywhere out of force of habit.

"Still scared of spiders then?" She eyed the blond like he wasn't a 6ft tall boy who could easily crush whoever was in front of him. But his teddy bear like expression of cluelessness completely destroyed the illusion the rest of him put up.

"I'm afraid of things I can't see. " He said quietly.

"Now that makes more sense." She smiled as she brushed a few strands of blond hair out of his face. Watching the way his breath hitched the closer she got. How innocent and clueless was this boy? It had her curious the more she messed with him. What sort of thoughts went through his head?

How often did he think about their kisses?

Now that was a thought she had to violently push out of her head as she gently patted his cheek. Taking a step back as Maddox put his hands over his face like that one monkey emoji. Ryan knew it was that one thing about see no evil, but that thought popped into her head first.

"So what brings you here? Waiting for someone?" She asks as he drops them. Finally looking at her with the red still high on his cheeks.

"Yeah. Isadora had to go get something." He said simply. Knowing that spilling how he wanted to get shitfaced more than ever was most likely a bad idea. Especially after that stupid warning of sin from that assembly. But of course, Ryan saw he wasn't telling him more.

"Gonna go on a date?" Ryan teased effectively, to which made Maddox actually scowl.

"No, she's my best friend since forever. We're going to-"

"Got it Mads let's go-" Izz came down at just the right moment. Casting a wayward glance at Ryan before grinning at the blond. Sliding right into her seat beside him, cradling the backpack like a child of a loving mother.

"Oh! Yeah! Coming!" Maddox snapped back into what was happening. Giving Ryan a small smile and wave as he tapped at the cars hood 4 times.

"See ya, Madsy." She waved back, eyeing the bag curiously as he slipped in. Ready to hound him about it soon, hopefully without Isadora around.

"See ya, Ryan."

•••

"Okay, drinking games are gonna be a no for me right now. Besides, it's only the two of us." Maddox said as he bit down on his KitKat bar he found under the seat. Making Isadora shiver in disgust.

"What is wrong with you... You break it you psycho!"

"Psycho!? I'm not the one wearing sunglasses in the dark. Whatcha hiding from me Izz? Demon eyes-" He said playfully as he tried to snatch the glasses off her face. Only for her to dodge with a laugh, smacking the candy bar out of his grip much to Maddox's horror.

"No!" He cried out dramatically as it hit the ground. Making Isadora burst out laughing as he fell to his knees to mourn his melted treat.

"You know better than to touch my glasses, they're a part of me-" She scoffed. Although the reason she had them on all day was much different from the one she handed him.

"It was perfectly good chocolate." He pouted, the both of them already half drunk and cheery from the bottle they shared.

"Yeah, that you where disgracing by eating it like a barbarian. Here, let's play the gamee, c'mon and I'll buy you a new one."

"I don't like these games anymore Izz. They leave me drunk and naked in my car or hallucinating Bob Ross and Armageddon in a strangers bed." He muttered as he recalled his most recent outcomes of playing harmless games.

"Don't be such a baby. It's just truth or drink. Your favorite~" She called as he looked back up at her. His frown curling back up into a smile.

"Fine. Only 'cause I have some questions-" He sat across from her. Watching as she finally pushed her glasses up out of her face to see him. Gently glazed over like his, and gleaming with curiosity only Maddox could apparently appease.

Without any prompting, they pulled out their fists playing only a single round of rock, paper, scissors to decide who's first. Like always, Isadora winning since all Maddox ever chose was rock.

"Easy one first. Why do you wanna dye your golden locks, Blondie?" She held the bottle between her hands ready to offer is he chose to pass, but she knew he wouldn't.

"I dunno, maybe it'd make me look cooler, try something new-" He grinned taking the bottle as it was his turn to offer. Not even sure what to ask now that he thought about it.

"Alright Izz, you got a problem with Kit Kat munching?" He joked. Knowing the action had always peeved her off.

"Damn right. I also hate how you only eat the left Twix and save the right one for later. You are certifiably insane for that." She scrunched up her nose as she said it. Only getting a cheeky laugh in return as she pulled the bottle back.

"Well, Madsy, mind answering me who you have a bigger crush on..." She watched the color drain from his cheeks as his mouth fell open. Already knowing what she was going to say. "Parisa, or Ryan?"

"Oooooh.... Izz. You monster-"

"Oh wait a second, I forgot another name, maybe even Callem since you've been eyeing him since-" She couldn't even finish what she was going to embarrass him with as he plucked the bottle straight out of her grip. Taking a burning amount of liquour into his mouth that made him cough and sputter. Nope. No answering that question.

"Atta boy, take it like a man-" She joked, just a bit upset that he couldn't tell her.

"Oh bite me, Izz." He muttered, letting out one more strained cough before he turned back to her with a strangely straight face. The air seeming to shift between them as they looked at each other. Serious, for a reason Isadora couldn't understand.

"My turn." His voice was a bit raspy. And almost immediately did he think he was going to regret asking it the moment he thought of it, but it rushed to his mind now more than ever as he looked into her brown eyes with his. His lips where loose today, and out it slipped through. A worry he wanted to know if she shared.

"Do you think what happened to Holland might happen to us?"

They fell silent. Their faces stone cold as they looked at each other in the dim moonlight. Eerie quiet as the night seemed to continue to melt into inky blackness.

But he could see them, bright as day as one slipped down Isadora's cheek. A tear that fell. Fear gripping them both.

×××

-parabellums
luemonades
daringIy
rosedaIe
-wow-pink-
mg-honeybee
rosedaIe
SqoobySnaqs
m

akingmeblush

#idkwhatthisisbuthere