"Guess what Roach" Said the looming personification of dumb jock energy. "We get to do the senior chem project together."
"It's Roché" Francis mumbled, enunciating the two syllables Roh and Shay, before speaking up at a more normal tone of voice. "Oh, what fun, Chad."
"Yeah man!" Chad slammed down into the chair beside Francis. "Glad to have you. Gonna pass through this no problem now that you're here."
The slap on Francis' back was heartfelt and bone shaking. Chad really should consider that, not everyone was a high school football linebacker. In fact, Chad should have realized that Francis was possibly the furthest thing from a linebacker that someone could be.
"Can't hang around too much after class to help though." Chad continued. "Coach says we can't miss practice. This year we're going to state he says. So I'm counting on you to make sure we don't fail class, and I can keep travelling with the team."
"Sure thing Chad." Francis groaned from the bruise that was surely spreading under his shirt. "I'll make sure you pass. Get you those participation points and everything."
"My man!" Chad was already dragging his chem book out of his bag and onto the table. The book in question still having it's protective shrink wrap on showed how much it had been used and how much work Francis should expect from Chad for the chem project.
Class was starting soon, and Francis could see that Chad was already checked out mentally. Still had that look of concentration on his face though. Probably a reflexive safety measure to prevent the teacher from calling on him often. At least he looked like he was paying attention.
As the teacher walked in, Francis gingerly rubbed his shoulder. He was eighteen. There were only nine more months of high school left. Just had to get through all of this. Get into University. Get out of this town. And his life could truly begin. Long term goals and all that.
But before that could start. Chemistry demanded Francis' attention. At least one of them would have to know what's going on for the project to succeed.
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Lunch was the standard weekly affair of rubberized hamburgers, fries that weren't truly soggy but just close enough to being so, and on the recommendation of Francis' mother, milk, because it helped build strong bones, according to her. Just enough food to keep an 18 year old teenager from starving, but not so much as to make them full. The exact government subsidized amount that $4.50 would buy.
With the soft thud of a full lunch bag, Francis was joined at the table. "I don't see how you can stomach that every day?"
"It's cheap, mostly filling, and I don't have to cook it myself, Maddie." Francis shoved his butt over a smidge to make room for Maddie on the bench seat of the cafeteria table. "I see that you've brought your own, again, today. What ya got?"
Standing over the table, Maddie opened her bag with a flourish. "Well today my favourite friend. We have quite the magical selection." Ah, this whole shtick once again. Maddie did fancy herself quite the witch.
"First off. Contained within these loaves is the flesh of a most fearsome beast, the head of a mandrake, fruits taken from my secret garden, the unborn offspring of a dinosaur, and of course eye of newt." A BLT sandwich with mustard and mayo.
"These next being's were first stripped of their flesh then kept in boiling oil for a thousand years before finally being trapped in this mystic cage." Bag of potato chips, original flavour.
"And finally, while it's secret has been lost to time, this witches brew has been known to provide everlasting life!" Can of coke.
The sandwich was, large, to put a not so fine point on it. Francis could see how Maddie had become the 'growing girl' she currently was. The kind of girl that plump was a perfect description for. However it paired well with her frizzy red hair, green eyes, and pale Irish skin.
"Aha, quite the haul." Francis eyed the potato chips. "Spare some fried beings for a poor impoverished child?"
"Since you ask so nicely, sure." Maddie plopped down onto the bench and ripped open the chips. "How're thing going?"
"Oh they're going." Francis plucked a chip from the bag. "Just got informed that I'm paired up with Chad for the senior chem project."
Maddie winced as she was picking up her sandwich. "Chadwick Larue? Football enthusiast?"
"The one and the same." Francis gave a light chuckle and ate the chip. "So I'm thinking that I'll have to do the whole thing myself. I might get lucky and he'll help if he gets injured during practice or something. Or maybe that's just a different kind of bad luck."
Maddie was tearing into her sandwich with gusto. "Wouldn't worry about it too much. At least people will know you did all the work." Maddie was chewing thoughtfully for a minute. "Guess who I got paired with"
"Sally." The immediate first guess, Maddie's friend. Nice enough girl, bit mouse like and wearing thick glasses most of the time. A potato chip suddenly appeared in Francis' hand.
"I wish." Maddie took a sip from her red 'witches brew' coke can. "But apparently the teacher had been watching who we were working with usually, and paired us up to, and I quote 'Get you used to working with people you usually don't, like the real world will.'"
"So if not Sally, who then?" Francis could imagine that his own assignment with Chad had been done in a similar way. The two of them had barely talked before then. Another chip acquired.
"Eveline Veradera, if you can believe it." Maddie made this comment with a casual nonchalance that belied the enormity of it.
"Eve?!" Francis was gobsmacked. "The Eve that is currently leading the preppiest clique you could imagine at school? The Eve that is dating quarterback Bill? The Eve that is apparently, as you say, 'too pretty for her own good'. That Eve?"
There were a few angry chewing motions as Maddie finished her current mouthful of food. A scowl had crossed her face. "Yes, that Eve, and how do you know so much about her?"
"You!" Francis was amused at the accusation. "I think half of those facts were told to me, by you. The other half by good ol powers of observation." Francis gestured across the cafeteria towards where Eve was seemingly holding court. Surrounded by a gaggle of hanger ons and sycophants vying for her attention.
"Yeah well, she's my partner for chem." Maddie returned to her sandwich. "So I think I'm going to be in the same boat as you on this. She's 'too busy' to contribute much apparently. Got some 'things' going on. I'm just not going to get any of the 'credit' like you will, as Ms. Super Student there will probably swoop in at the last moment, sign her name, and the teacher will believe anything she says."
"So you thinking what I'm thinking then?" Francis snuck another potato chip, his own food long since finished. "We work on it together because our assigned partners can't be bothered?"
"Yeah that was what I was hoping you'd suggest when I sat down." Maddie ate the final few bites of the BLT. "My place after school?"
"And here I was thinking it was our life long friendship that brought you here to me." Francis took a final pinch of chips as he stood up. "My payment, in advance."
"Yeah yeah, see you there for five." Maddie reached for the potato chips only to find that there were hardly any left at all. "Hey!" But Francis was already out of arms reach and cackling.
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It was five p.m. and Francis was making the walk to Maddies house. He was lugging along the bulging backpack filled with books that they'd need to do the chem work. This gruelling walk provided ample time for Francis to really consider his life choices regarding Maddie and why he was willing to do as much as he does for her.
They'd been friends since forever it seemed. A playground romance of "We're married now." declaration from Maddie at the age of four had been met with "OK, I'll be Batman." from Francis. From then on they were inseparable, or at least unable to get away from each other, as their parents constantly made them meet up for play dates.
He'd been there for all of the phases. Punk rebellion, Goth drama, pink princess, and the darkest of times, when Maddie thought she would be a Broadway star. The echoes of her attempts at hitting the high notes still ringing in his ears to this day.
And she had been there for all of his as well. Comic book nerd, wrestling manic, clean cut straight edge, and even his current attempts at growing out his hair. He was too busy applying to schools to have much of a personality shift beyond 'yes I would be good at studying, this scholarship would be very helpful please.'
Finally arriving at the door and ringing the bell, Francis was greeted by Maddies Mother. "Hello Mrs. Callahan."
"Well hey there Francis. Come on in." With a bright smile on her face, Mrs. Callahan ushered Francis inside their home. "Madeline is down in her room right now. She said you'd be dropping by for..." She gave the single most exaggerated wink that he'd ever seen up to that point. "Chemistry homework."
Not one to rise to the bait, Francis was a bit more even with his tone than usual. "Yes, Chemistry, and nothing else."
Smile not slipping an inch, Mrs. Callahan made her way to the kitchen. "Dinner's going to be ready in an hour, but bring down these snacks as you go. Gotta keep that energy up for studying." She gestured at a tray filled with chips, soda, and a cut up apple. A peace offering. Somewhat ruined by the strange emphasis on 'studying'. A valiant effort at least.
Francis kicked off his shoes, scooped up the tray, and descended into 'the witches lair' as Maddie was calling her room these days. "Hey Maddie, I'm here." he called out while stepping down the stairs.
The basement had been made much more livable as Maddie had outgrown her original room. Her parents had wanted a room for an office. Maddie wanted more space. A win win situation all around.
Maddie was currently rocking a bunch of Spirit Halloween stock on the walls of her basement abode. Many symbols of the occult (plastic), ancient tomes of knowledge (D&D books), and devious devices of magic (dozens of collectible toys) adorned the walls and shelves. The space that she had gained from the move a few years back was slowly being lost to the multitudes of stuff she was acquiring from each phase of her life.
"That you Francis?" Maddie called out from below. Francis made the final few steps down to find her laying on her bed reading a book. "Ah yes, I see. And you come bearing gifts as befitting your betters."
Francis chuckled and put the snack tray on her desk, pushing some pens and a cup to the side while doing so. "Yes oh mistress of the night. Sustenance for our mighty efforts. Also your Mom said dinner's in an hour."
Maddie laid down her book and rolled off the bed to join Francis at her desk. "Thanks for coming by, this'll be so much easier with us working together."
"Oh I know." Francis offloaded his backpack and drew out the assignment paper and chemistry book. "Twice as many hands, half as much work."
The two of them bent their heads to the work. Discussions were had. Pencils were scraped. Snacks were consumed. All too soon the hour had passed and they were jolted out of their studious reverie by the call of "Madeline, Francis, dinner time!" coming from Mrs. Callahan up the stairs.
