Echoes 1

"Hey, Maddie!" Alfred came running up to me. A lot of people are staring at him like he's crazy; like he's talking to an imaginary person. Well… They're half right. To most people, I'm invisible 'cause I'm so quiet, eh. Alfred, my twin brother is pretty much the only person who notices me.

"Hey Al," I give a small smile. He's the one who really cheers me up after a long day. Well, him and hockey. And music…"What's up?"

"I've got a surprise for you~" He grinned.

"You got tickets to the Habs and Brutes game?" I say quickly. I wasn't gonna get my hopes up though. We don't have that kind of money but it's always nice to joke. And to dream.

"Better. We… are going to a party!" I mentally head desk myself. I hate parties. It usually means Alfred gets horribly drunk and being the only sane, I mean sober person, I get to drive him home. I feel sorry for our poor car's backseat. He is seriously going to make a hole through the floor.

"And I mean you are gonna party too." He winks at me. I don't like that look. What is that look for?

"I-I…eh… Okay. But you are NOT going to drink." I try to yell but I'm no good at it.

"Move it wanker! You're as bad as the freshman you git!" I jump as a grouchy voice came from behind me. I whip my head around and I find myself shrinking in fear. Arthur Kirkland had a dangerous glare, although it wasn't directed at me, and I felt myself growing smaller by the second. I can't believe Al has a crush on this guy. I know, it sounds a little weird, a guy liking another guy, but I'm perfectly fine with it. People should learn to have an open mind instead of condemning such feelings. Like me. Only they don't know me.

"Chill dude! It's a free country!" Alfred put his hands up trying to calm Arthur down. "And you almost ran over my sister!" Arthur looked around a bit then I waved my hand in front of his face.

"I'm right here." His expression softened in apology.

"I'm sorry, er…"

"Madeline." I said coolly. Although, again it didn't sound like it. I want to scream. I want to lash out in anger. I hate being forgotten. But my expression is always quiet and forgiving.
"Ah yes, Madeline. Please take your brother and move aside for other people to walk through the hallways. Like I said, you two are as bad as the wanker freshmen." He said as he walked off. After we moved to the side, I glare at Alfred.

"I can't believe you like him! He's such a… âne." I tend to keep my profanity at a minimum level. If I have to swear, I tend to swear in French because most people here don't speak French. And those who do, I apologize.

"And what about your crush?" He had venom in his voice. He likes teasing me about him but he doesn't like who I like. Gilbert Beilschmidt.

"I-I don't have a crush on him! I just… admire him." I blush as I think of him. Gilbert's a little strange. To start, he's an albino which I think that is pretty cool, not something that you see everyday. And he's pretty handsome too. His silver hair, his captivating red eyes give me butterflies in my stomach. And he is a little, or very, no a little conceited and he has a sweet side too.

"Sure you do. But he's worse than Arthur. Just face it; we're just two idiots who fall for guys with a bad side. Although I think you could have a better guy." The bell rang that signaled the end of break. Alfred kissed me on my forehead and wished me for a good day. With Alfred around, hardly anything gets me down.

My mind ends up wandering all over the place. The party tonight, mon dieu, je suis très anxieux. I really don't belong in a place like that. Then it wandered to Gilbert and the first time we met. Or… First time he ever talked to me.

It was five years ago. I had a bullying problem; a lot of people picked on me and spread rumors about me because I'm introverted. I had nowhere to turn and I couldn't even go to Alfred. He had lots of friends and problems of his own and I didn't want to burden him like this. One day, after my shift from work, I work at a Boston Pizza-in the kitchen and I sometimes wait tables, I was supposed to wait for Alfred but I just ran.

I was serving some people at school, their taunts, their jeers, their laughter hurt me so much. I'm stupid, useless, a klutz, and I can't do a single thing right. That's what they said. It got me so upset; I washed the dishes so thoroughly I washed off the patterns of most of the plates and broke at least five. I'm tired of being ignored and when I'm noticed, I'm only taunted and tortured.

I just kept on running aimlessly. I didn't care where I was going, what was going to happen to me. I heard thunder nearby and I started to slow down. I'm terrified of thunderstorms and I look up, only to find thunderclouds above me and raindrops merging with my tears. Nobody notices me. Nobody cares about me. Why should I keep on living here?

"I'm useless." I whisper. The rain started to fall harder and I covered my ears in fear as an earsplitting thunderclap came from above me. Where am I supposed to go now? I'm in the middle of nowhere, I'm filthy, I'm tired. And I'm afraid. I feel like I'm going to collapse on my knees and I start to fall but I don't make it to the ground. Something catches me. Someone. Mon dieu… It's a pervert. I'm going to be raped. My mind started to panic.

"Hey, you okay?" My vision is blurry and all I can see is a pair of red eyes that were so beautiful staring right at me. "It's not awesome to be lost." I couldn't say anything. Tears just kept on falling down.

"How about you hitch a ride with the one and only awesome me back to my place?"

"I-I can't. Al-Alfred is expecting me." I say weakly. "I'm heading home."

"Lying is not awesome, just so you know." He gave me a comforting smile. "C'mon." He puts my arm around his shoulder and he half carries me to his car.

"Thank you. You don't have to do this, you know." I say.

"Hey, it's so not awesome to leave a pretty and awesome girl lost in the storm." He called me pretty. I felt myself blush slightly.

"I-I'm Maddie Williams." I finally say.

"I know who you are. You sit next to me and you never talk." He had a huge grin as if he knew me for years. It was making me uneasy. "And I'm Gilbert Awesome Beilschmidt." He points at himself and I giggle a bit. "Do I make you laugh? That just proves how awesome I am. So what are you doing at the edge of town?"

"Nothing." I murmur. "I-I mean I was doing something… I just… I don't know what to do anymore."

"Hey, you said Alfred was expecting you right? He your cousin or something?"

"Brother." I barely manage to get out. "We're twins."

"Alright. I'll give him a call and tell him that you're staying with me." He pulls out a cell phone out of his pocket. I can't believe his parents actually bought him one. They're so expensive and all the rage these days. Alfred and I can't afford fancy stuff. We're on our own and have to conserve our money for our needs. We only spend on our wants once or twice a month. Cell phones would cost both Al and me about two months worth of grocery money.

"Eh… Couldn't you drop me off at my place instead please?" I kept my head down.

"Please, I'm so awesome I can read people and I can tell you need some space from him for some reason. We've got a guest room and my old man wouldn't mind. And you can clean up or whatever."

"Th-Thank you." I murmur. I hear a heh and catch a smile out of the corner of my eye. Soon I was led to a huge house-it was a mansion, no a castle where a butler greeted them and a maid took me away to a lavish bathroom. It was more like one of those spas I've seen in magazine ads.

"Take your time. I'll be back later to help wash you." She smiled. Wait, what?

"Eh… I can wash myself, thank you." Well, after I cleaned up I was given a night dress that was one of the maids while she took my uniform and my usual clothes to wash. Then she led me to a room where Gilbert was waiting for me. I think. A rumble of thunder echoes through the room and I shudder involuntarily.

"Well, I'd say you look 110% awesomer." He grinned and motioned me to come sit with him. I hesitantly obeyed. I can't believe I'm saying… er thinking this but I trust him. He makes me feel safe even though this is our first interaction with each other.

"So… What were you doing out in the middle of nowhere? That place is as boring and as unawesome as it gets."

"I was running away." I murmur. I'm not sure if he heard it. "I just… I had a bad day and I-I wasn't thinking straight. Alfred must be so mad at me. Je suis le plus mauvais personne en la monde."

"Not sure what you said at the end but Alfred's cool with it. He's happy that you're safe. Hey! You know any awesome card games?"

"Eh… How about golf?" I asked shyly. I explained the rules to him. Like the real golf game, you want to have the lowest score. The cards are equal to the numbers. Ace is one, two is two, three is three and so one. Jack and Queens were worth ten, Kings worth zero. We had four cards, we could look at two then cut the deck and place one card in the middle. We can either take the card or trade it with one of ours to get a pair or draw a card and trade it with one of ours. It's simple but I like it.

"That was… pretty awesome. Hey, you know how to play rumoli?" Rumoli! My favourite game ever! Alfred and I play it all the time… When we have time. I instantly light up and so does Gilbert. It makes it so easy to forget about the thunderstorm. We played so many hands and there were many times when we burst out laughing because we both had hands that could've gotten us the 7-8-9 same suit pot and the King and Ace of diamonds pot but we ran out of cards before the other person played it. I haven't laughed like this in a long time.

"Hey Maddie, you're so awesome, I don't know why people don't hang out with you."

"Well… To most people, I'm invisible." I smile.

"Invisible? How? I can see you like I can see my hand in front of my face." I pause for a moment and think. How can he notice me while other people see right through me? Other than Alfred and one other person who scares the crap out of me, no one has ever acknowledged my existence. I snap out of my thoughts as another clap of thunder makes me jump.

"I… I don't really know."

"Well, I'll tell you what I think. I think that they're idiots. You're pretty, you're smart and you're awesome to hang out with. Any person would be the luckiest person to know you, to be friends with you. I feel like the luckiest person in the world."

I sigh as I think of that wonderful memory. I thought he thought we were friends. I do see him every now and then but we don't actually talk. It was like that memory only happened in a wonderful dream.

We never end up in the same class and when we are, he is always with his friends and me… I'm paying attention like my life depends on it and only admiring him from afar. Today was one of those days. I just wish that one of us had the courage to talk to each other. Well, at least courage on my part.

"Vhat are you doing little Maddie? You should be reading instead of letting your mind wander." A voice sends a shiver down my spine. I look to my right and Ivan is standing right next to me, smiling like a child. Other than Alfred and Gilbert, Ivan was the one who notices me although he scares the crap out of me. He's alright when playing hockey but overall, he scares the crap out of me. I just smile politely and hope that he'll go away.

"I'm just a little… Out of it today." I had to make up an excuse so that he'll believe me. "I-I'm going to a party with Alfred tonight and well, I'm excited. On the condition he doesn't drink. I'll go if he doesn't drink, you know what I'm saying?" I say nervously.

"Vat should be nice." He smiled. I'm uncomfortable around Ivan. He gives off an aura that's frightening and there's something else, I can't put my finger on it. Oh well, back to studying.