003

Madelyn Vance

~•~

Somewhere between the first and second period, I decided that Flynn Cahallan was not someone I needed to be thinking about. He’d given me a ride. I’d said thank you. That was the beginning and the end of it and the fact that I was still thinking about ‘be careful, golden girl’ three days later was simply a character flaw I’d have to work on.

By lunch, I’d almost convinced myself, but then I spotted him in the cafeteria.

He was at the end of a table near the windows sitting alone. I had a feeling it was intentional. His backpack was on the seat beside him and his earphones were plugged in. It shouldn’t have been surprising but I was taken aback anyway when I saw an open book in front of him.

I got my food and immediately started walking the opposite way to my usual table.

“Hey.”

His eyes were stuck at my feet at first, then he looked up slowly, his lips twisted in annoyance. Okay, ouch.

“Hey,” he replied noncommittally. At least, he replied.

“I just wanted to say thank you properly for Friday.” I kept my voice pleasant. It was the voice I used for teachers and in difficult situations and for people I needed something from. “I didn’t really get the chance—”

“You thanked me.”

“I know, but—”

“You’re good.” He looked back at his book.

I stood there for a moment with my tray in hand. I wasn’t expecting him to be buddy-buddy with me, but I also didn’t expect him to dismiss me so casually. Why was he so rude? It wasn’t like I wanted to sit and eat with him. The conversation wouldn’t even take more than a minute. Was his time that precious?

“Your little friends are waiting for you,” he added without looking up.

I glanced back. Hazel, Anna, and a few other cheerleaders were watching from our usual table with matching expressions that meant I would be answering questions for the rest of the day.

I looked back at Flynn just as he turned another page. It was almost like he did it solely to piss me off further. “Right,” I gave him a tight smile. “Sorry to bother you.”

Nothing. Fucking asshole.

I walked back to my table with my head held high, hoping no one overheard our conversation so I wouldn’t have to dig a hole and bury myself.

“What was that?” Anna asked the moment I sat down.

“Nothing.” I stabbed a piece of lettuce with more force than necessary. “He helped me last Friday. I was saying thank you.”

“You got help from Flynn Cahallan?” Hazel questioned, her voice rising unnecessarily.

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Maddie—”

“It really wasn’t.”

She opened her mouth, I looked at her, and she closed it.

I did not look toward the window table for the rest of lunch. Not more than twice, at least. He didn’t deserve any more than that.

~•~

Practice ran until seven.

By the time I’d corrected the third quarter formation twice, rebuilt the pyramid sequence from scratch because the spacing was wrong in a way that was going to bother me until I fixed it, and stayed thirty minutes longer than everyone else because I had to watch the videos of our practice and check if anything else was missing, the parking lot was almost empty and the sky was beginning to darken.

I got into my car and started the engine, eager to get home, shower, and crawl under my sheets until the next day, but it died in two seconds. I stared at my steering wheel, wondering if I had offended anyone in the last school year who was playing pranks on me.

I tried again. It made a noise and stopped.

I hissed and got out of the car to pop the hood. Then I stared at the engine, hoping it would magically tell me what the problem was. I was still staring at it when I heard footsteps slow down behind me. “Problem?”

I turned around immediately, narrowing my eyes at him. He was eager to dismiss me earlier. Why was he talking to me now? “What are you doing here?”

Flynn was standing a few feet away with his backpack over one shoulder, his eyes moving from me to the open hood with an unreadable expression. “Problem?” He repeated.

Why did all handsome boys have to be assholes? “It won’t start,” I said flatly.

He looked at me for a moment. Then he dropped his bag on the ground and walked over without another word.

I stepped aside. He didn’t ask me what happened or how long it had been going on. He just looked at the engine for a few seconds and got to work like it was obvious what needed doing and talking about it would be a waste of everyone’s time.

I crossed my arms and said nothing. He said nothing either, which irritated me more than it should have. We weren’t friends and we didn’t owe each other a conversation. I just hated that while I wanted to talk to him, it seemed he wasn’t keen on the idea.

I was still salty about his comment about my little friends and the way he’d looked back at his book like I wasn’t worth his precious time. And now here he was, fixing my car in the dark without being asked, and I didn’t know what to do with that. I didn’t know how to handle someone being hot and cold to me.

“Try it,” he said after a while.

I got in my car and it started on the first try. I shook my head to myself. Was my car playing matchmaker?

“Thanks,” I said as I got out. Despite being annoyed at him, he’d helped me twice in less than a week. Maybe he was rude but had a good heart.

He didn’t reply at first. Then he held up two fingers.

I stared at them blankly. “What?”

“Two favors,” he said. “You owe me two now.”

Then in true Flynn fashion, he turned around and walked away before I could question what that meant for us.