From Ashes [#?]

???????? [ hate. ]

It was only minutes, though, before Maddie heard the familiar Southern drawl as Marie spoke. "Why do you always come out here?"

"To get away from you." There was no pause, no hesitation. The words spilled from the ten-year-old's mouth easily enough to startle the other girl. Up until that moment, the only emotions Madeline Hayes had seen from the girl she had dubbed her arch enemy were happiness and anger. Without looking, she knew that neither were present. Out of sheer curiosity – or possibly malice – she looked over at the older girl. She was still looking at the sky with her wide blue eyes, perhaps to keep herself from looking at Maddie with guilt. Without missing another beat, the tiny brunette continued. "Why are you out here?"

"I dunno," she answered with a shrug. "It was getting crowded. Too much stupid, ya know?"

Maddie didn't exactly know how to take that. Was she being called smart or maybe just not as dumb as the others? She didn't answer either way. She didn't care to answer. She was too infuriated by the inane mixture of laziness and arrogance. Stupid? She was one to talk.

"Hey."

This seemed to catch Maddie's attention, causing her to glance back over at the older girl. In her hand, she held two packets of Reese's, passing one of them to Maddie. The girl nearly caught it before it bounced off of the side of her hand and to the grass. Marie laughed a bit as Maddie picked up the bright orange packaging. They hardly went beyond their headquarters, so candy was a luxury for the older girls and the trainers usually, with a treat here and there when Willow stopped by. Her eyes widened and she looked back at Marie. "How'd you get this?!"

"Field trip. I got to tag along for 'Outstanding Merit' or somethin' dumb like that. Don't really remember." The blonde tore open the wrapper with her teeth and threw the paper cup behind her as she bit into the chocolate.

Maddie watched her with a frown. So careless. How could this girl be so special? "I kind of hate you."

There it was again – another carefree smile. There was no hint of anger or hurt. In that moment, Maddie knew the difference between the two of them. Marie glanced back over at Maddie with her wide, toothy grin. "S'okay. I kinda hate me too."

Maddie watched the girl in between eating her own peanut butter cup. In between the hate, something else seeping through. Curiosity.

It was not the last time they sat out in that field together.

Six months later, right before summer crept up on them, Marie had finally apologized.

+

Maddie's hands were stuffed in her pockets as she watched Stiles meander over to the vending machines. His mouth stretched open in a yawn as he reached in his pocket. Maddie rocked back and forth on her heels quietly and impatiently as Stiles put change in the machine and idly pressed some buttons. The silence had gone on for only a few minutes and they both seemed to agree on not making any small talk. Maddie was horrible at small talk – besides, it would probably end in arguments and violence anyway.

She looked over at the machine to see a Reese's package almost fall before it got stuck on the wire. Stiles pressed the button again, several times over with no change. He gave an exasperated sigh and muttered, "...Seriously?"

Maddie's dark brown gaze shot back over to Stiles hitting the glass of the machine. "It's just candy. Put another quarter in and get another one."

"I don't have another quarter," he argued. In a split second, his head turned towards her and his eyes turned slightly hopeful. "Wait, do you have quarter?"

She scowled at him, not bothering to look. "No."

He rolled his eyes and huffed before turning back to the machine. Grabbing the top of it, he began shaking the whole vending machine. Still, the candy did not move.