Sounds of Summer|Braden Higgins|

|TWENTY-SIX|

"You ready to start Senior year with us?" Greg asked his twin sister as they waited for Keithie to finish getting ready.

Since getting his license over the summer, Andre got a new car and was driving himself, and Charlotte to school, while Maisie told Donna that she would pick her up and start taking her to school so that way none of them were on the bus with Nick driving.

"Yes and no." Maisie told him. "Braden and I would've been together a year today."

"Maisie..." Greg trailed off.

The blue haired girl shook her head, "Don't worry about it. Let's just get through today and the rest of senior year."

"Hey, at least you are graduating with Andre and I." Greg grinned at his twin sister.

"I'm ready." Keithie rushed down the stairs, "This boot makes everything ten times harder."

"It's only for a few weeks." Maisie chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Come one. We gotta pick up Donna and try not to be late for school."

✖✖✖

"Is she doing okay?" Andre questioned as him and Greg made their way to gym class.

"Not really." Greg sighed. "She slept in my room last night. And I woke up about three to go to the bathroom and she was crying."

"I hate seeing her so broken." Andre frowned, "What class does she have now?"

"Music, I think." He said, "She might have art this period."

"I wish we could do something." Andre told his best friend.

"All of us do."

"Braden's Mom is such a bitch. Everything was okay before she just randomly showed up and told us that she was here to take Braden home."

"Yeah, but what could we do." Greg shrugged, "It was his Mom."

✖✖✖

"Hey, babes." Nancy smiled softly as she sunk down next to Maisie, who both had a free period just before school let out. The seniors didn't have eight classes like the others, well most of them did, but Maisie, Nancy, Andre and Greg, that they know of, only had to do four. "How you doing?"

"Bad." Maisie huffed, leaning her head on the blondes shoulder. "I miss him like crazy. And I thought about calling him, but it only makes me miss him more because I don't know if he hates me or not."

"I don't think Braden hates you. I've seen the way that boy looks at you, and there is not a doubt in my mind that he's not thinking about the same things that you are right now." Nancy says. "Besides, having you heard the saying 'If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were.'?"

The two girls chuckled just as the bell rang.

"Come on. Let's go find the guys." Nancy said, the two of them standing up to search for Greg and Andre.

✖✖✖

"Where are you going?" Lenny asked his daughter as she walked down the stairs, dressing in something completely different than what she went to school in.

"To pick up Keithie, Charlotte and Donna from school." Maisie told her father slowly as if he had two heads. "I'll be back later."

"Our daughter's a mess!" Roxanne exclaimed as the door closed behind her.

"She's experiencing her first real heartbreak."

"Her first real heartbreak was when she found out that Jacob was dead and left a letter to her next to his body." Roxanne told her husband. "This is a totally different thing that heartbreak! She's dying inside and I just want to help my baby, Lenny."

✖✖✖

~FRIDAY NIGHT~

"You know what." Greg stood up from the couch where him, Andre and Keithie were sitting and playing video games. "I can't just sit here and watch her be sad over a guy."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Keithie asked his older brother, "Jump into Andre's car and have him drive us all the way to Braden's Mom's house and force him to come back so that way him and Maisie can get back together, get married, have a baby and have a happy ending?"

Greg and Andre starred at Keithie for a few moments.

"I was just gonna suggest finding her a new boyfriend." Greg said, "But your way sounds so much better."

"Let's go!" Andre exclaimed.

"Guys, I was joking!" Keithie called, getting off the couch and hobbling behind them. "Me and my big mouth."

✖️✖️✖️

"Maisie, do you know where your brothers and Andre went on the lovely Friday night?"

"I've been with Nancy all day, Dad." Maisie replied.

"Well, they are not answering their phones so call your twin and find out where they are." Roxanne said, hands on her hips, "And if he answers, then tell him when they get home, I'm kicking their asses."

Maisie pulled her phone out of her pocket, dialing her twins number and holding it to her ear.

✖️✖️✖️

"Turn it down! Maisie's calling!" Greg hissed, pressing his phone against his ear. "Hello."

"Where the hell are you, Keithie and Andre?" Maisie questioned.

"Um, well, we decided to take a spontaneous camping trip." Greg told her.

"Whatever. Just so you know, Mom said she's kicking your asses when you get home." Maisie said before she hung up.

"Mom isn't the one I'm worried about kicking my ass." He mumbled.