Chapter 1
Most days blend together in a blur of routine, barely distinguishable from one another. Wake up, eat, go to school, deal with my brother, and rinse, repeat. So why would today be any different? No reason at all, right? But life has this funny way of flipping you upside down when you least expect it. Sometimes it only takes a single moment to turn everything you thought you knew into chaos. And more often than not, those moments sneak up on you.
Let me back up. My name’s Maddison Sinclair—Maddy, to anyone who knows me. I live in the kind of suburban town that’s small enough to be boring but big enough to still feel anonymous. My mom, dad, and bratty little brother, Brayden, share our two-story house with a revolving door of rescue animals—two cats and three dogs, to be exact. My mom has a habit of falling in love with anything that breathes and has fur, and my dad is too much of a softie to say no to her or any strays that come our way.
“Maddy!” my mom’s voice called from downstairs, shaking me out of my thoughts.
I took a final look in the mirror, inspecting my eyeliner and taming a strand of hair that refused to behave. Honestly, the mirror and I had a bit of a love-hate relationship. Some days, I thought I looked great. Other days, not so much. But today, I was feeling okay. The flick of eyeliner was sharp enough, and my hair was behaving—more or less.
“I’ll be right there!” I shouted back, shoving a lip gloss into my school bag. I didn’t even get a chance to leave my room before her voice echoed again from below.
“Maddy, come on! Breakfast is ready!” she called, louder this time.
Sighing, I gave the mirror one last look, grabbed my phone, and headed downstairs. The smell of waffles hit me before I even reached the bottom step. My mom’s specialty—crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, drowned in syrup. My stomach growled in approval.
Sliding into my chair at the kitchen table, I smiled at the spread before me. Mom placed a fresh plate of waffles in front of me, and I immediately grabbed the syrup, drenching the stack.
“Waffles for breakfast. What’s the occasion?” I asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
She shot me a look, hands on her hips. “Does there have to be an occasion to make sure my daughter eats something before school?”
“No, I guess not,” I said, stuffing a giant forkful into my mouth. “Make it a double stack, though. I’m skipping lunch today.”
“Skipping lunch? Again? Maddison, that’s not healthy.” She frowned at me, setting a mug of coffee on the table. “And you really don’t need coffee, either.”
I rolled my eyes, barely able to respond through my mouthful of waffles. “Mom, I’m sixteen. I can handle coffee, and I’m busy. Besides, you drink it.”
“I’m forty, Maddison. I’ve earned my coffee after years of dealing with teenagers like you. You, on the other hand, have no excuse.”
I smirked and took a long sip, savoring the creamy French vanilla creamer I’d poured in. “Well, I have a lot going on today. I’m heading out at lunch to grab supplies for the homecoming dance.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Supplies? Shouldn’t the principal be handling that?”
I swallowed the next bite and rolled my eyes. “Mom, I’m student body president. It’s my job to make sure the decorations are perfect. Principal Jones is trusting me with this. Plus, it’ll give me a break from school.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “Just be careful, okay? And don’t let this school stuff stress you out too much.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control,” I mumbled, already halfway through my waffle stack.
Before I could get another bite in, she dropped the bomb. “You need to take Brayden to school today.”
I stopped mid-chew and shot her a pleading look. “Mom, come on. Seriously? Why can’t he just take the bus?”
“Maddison, you both go to the same school. There’s no reason for him to ride the bus when you’re driving.”
I let out a long, dramatic groan. “But he hates the way I drive! And… and he’s so annoying.”
Mom crossed her arms, unfazed. “He’s your brother, and he looks up to you. You should be setting an example, not calling him names.”
“He’s a nerd, Mom. He smells funny, too,” I muttered, pushing the waffles around my plate.
“Maddison.” Her voice was sharp this time. “Enough. Take him, or we’ll have to discuss your plans for skipping lunch.”
My eyes narrowed. “Fine. But only because I really need to get those decorations.”
“Thank you. Now, go get him. He’s upstairs.”
Reluctantly, I stood up and grabbed my bag. Before heading out, I shouted up the stairs, “Brayden! You’ve got five minutes, or I’m leaving without you!”
There was a muffled shout from above, but I didn’t catch what he said. It didn’t matter. He’d be down soon enough.
I was right. Five minutes later, Brayden appeared at the kitchen table, his backpack hanging awkwardly off one shoulder. He gave me a look that could melt steel. “Mom, tell her to stop being an idiot.”
“Maddison, enough with the names. Both of you,” Mom scolded.
I grinned at Brayden. “Five minutes, booger. I’m serious.”
He glared at me but said nothing, heading toward the front door while I grabbed the car keys. By the time I caught up, he was standing beside the car, arms crossed, looking thoroughly annoyed.
“You’re late,” he muttered as I unlocked the car.
“I had to brush my teeth. You should try it sometime, dog breath,” I shot back, sliding into the driver’s seat.
Brayden grumbled something under his breath as he buckled his seatbelt, and we pulled out of the driveway. The ride to school wasn’t long—just ten miles—but it felt like a million awkward hours every morning when it was just the two of us.
As we passed through the last intersection before reaching the school, I finally broke the silence. “Alright, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Brayden mumbled, staring out the window like the scenery was suddenly fascinating.
“Don’t lie. I can tell when something’s bothering you. What is it?” I pressed.
“I said it’s nothing.”
“It’s something, Brayden. Spill.”
He sighed heavily, crossing his arms. “The kids here… they’re stupid.”
I glanced over at him, eyebrows raised. “Stupid how?”
Brayden slumped deeper into his seat, his voice dropping to a whisper. “They just… pick on me. You wouldn’t get it.”
I felt a flash of anger rise in my chest. “Is it Wisnowski again?”
Brayden shrugged, not answering. That was enough for me to know. Wisnowski had been picking on him since last year, some pudgy kid with a bad attitude and a worse reputation.
“Why don’t you do something about it? You can’t just let him push you around.”
“It’s not that simple, Maddy. He’s bigger than me, and it’s not like I’m you, okay? I don’t have your confidence or your popularity. People like you. I’m just… me.”
His words stung more than I expected. “Brayden, you’re smart. You’re my brother. You don’t need to let anyone treat you like that.”
He finally looked over at me, his face softening. “Thanks, but I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
I pulled into the school parking lot and parked the car, turning to face him before he could escape. “If Wisnowski messes with you today, let me know. I’ll deal with him.”
Brayden rolled his eyes but smiled faintly. “You’re not going to storm the cafeteria or something, are you?”
“Only if I have to,” I said with a grin. “Love you, booger.”
“Love you too, nerd.”
With that, Brayden grabbed his bag and bolted out of the car, eager to get away from his overprotective sister. I watched him disappear into the building, feeling a mixture of frustration and concern bubbling up inside me. I hated the idea of anyone messing with him.
As I locked the car and slung my bag over my shoulder, I spotted Alex Watson leaning casually against the front doors, his letterman jacket thrown over one shoulder. His face lit up as soon as he saw me, and within seconds, he was in front of me, pulling me into a bear hug.
“Hey, good looking,” he murmured, leaning down to plant a kiss on my lips.
I giggled, pushing him back playfully. “We’re at school, Alex. Keep it PG.”
Before he could respond, we heard a familiar voice. “Miss Sinclair and Mr. Watson. Separate, please.”
Principal Jones stood a few feet away, arms crossed, looking stern but not exactly furious. Alex quickly let go of me, flashing the principal his signature smile.
“Sorry, Mr. Jones,” Alex said, holding up his hands in surrender.
“Yeah, sorry,” I echoed.
“Just get to class,” Principal Jones sighed, waving us off.
As soon as he turned away, Alex chuckled and draped his arm over my shoulders again, guiding me toward the cafeteria. “Lunch today?”
I shook my head. “Can’t. I’ve got to run to Party City and grab decorations for the homecoming dance. You know, student body president duties and all.”
“Bummer,” he said, sticking out his bottom lip in an exaggerated pout. “But I get it.”
“Hey, actually,” I said, glancing over at Brayden, who was now waiting in the lunch line. “Do me a favor?”
“Anything for you, babe.”
I nodded toward Brayden. “Keep an eye on my brother, will you? Wisnowski’s been giving him a hard time again.”
Alex’s expression darkened. “Yeah, I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry about him.”
I smiled and kissed his cheek. “Thanks. You’re the best.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know.” He winked as we parted ways, heading to our respective classes.
As I entered English, I spotted my best friend, Emily, sitting at the back, waving at me with both hands. Her curly hair bounced around her shoulders, her smile so wide it was contagious.
“Ready to bail on this place at lunch?” she whispered excitedly as I slid into the seat next to her.
I grinned back. “Absolutely. Let’s make this day interesting.”
We exchanged knowing looks, silently agreeing that whatever happened next, we were in for an adventure. Today was going to be one for the books.
