Swept Under: Chapter 1: draft (looking for feedback) 25/03/26

 

  Maxis, with the rest of the class, watched from the shore as the event unfolded. He saw the lifeguard jump in as soon as Cameron and Trevor's heads were spotted bobbing above the surface of the water. Maxis saw his best friend disappear as he slipped off of Cameron and went under. The lifeguard was too far out. He wasn’t going to make it. 

  Maxis lost his view of the situation as the teacher stepped in front of him, shouting orders for the students to follow her back to the bus.

  Maxis ignored her and stepped around her, hoping to see his friend being saved but his view was again blocked, this time by a small wave, as he was pulled away by the teacher and into the crowd of moving students.

  Maxis made sure to leave an empty seat next to him on the bus. An hour passed by and he was still curled up in his jacket, with his towel around him, shivering. The ambulance had arrived some time ago, which only caused Maxis to worry even more.

  In the bus, most of the boys sat in silence, keeping to themselves. The girls on the other hand were seated at the front, entertaining Karina Know-it-all Cornwall as she ran her mouth, detailing everything she saw and heard, true or not. The Girls shut up as the bus doors opened. Maxis sat up in his seat as he saw someone's leg step into the bus. Both Trevor and Cameron entered and Maxis was about to bound from his seat, but he stopped himself when the whole bus erupted with cheer and praise for Cameron. 

  Trevor and Cameron made their way through the crowd and towards Maxis at the back of the bus. Cameron kept his head down while Trevor collected high fives on his way down the aisle. Maxis couldn’t understand Cameron. Even though he was at the centre of attention, he was still trying to hide away, like always. 

 Maxis stared at them as they approached, waiting to be acknowledged. He shifted himself against the window to make the seat next to him clear for Trevor to take, but Trevor wasn’t paying attention. He was too distracted talking to Cameron. They stopped and slid themselves into the empty row right in front of Maxis.

  Maxis wanted to talk to Trevor but the shame inside him grew. He lay down and scrunched up, occupying both seats. 

  ‘Why wasn’t I the one to save Trevor?’ he thought.  ‘Cameron beat me to it. Because he’s a better friend than me?.. No! Cameron didn’t even save Trevor. He just put himself in danger and made it harder for the lifeguard to save them both.’ 

  On the way back to the school, Maxis listened in to Trevor’s conversation with Cameron.

  “You’re the last person I’d expect to jump into action and save me,” said Trevor.

  “Yeah, I surprised even myself,” said Cameron.

  “That life guard was shocking. He’s got the reaction speed of a sloth,” said Trevor.

  “You should’ve seen him running up and down the shore,” said Tom Hill, sitting in the row next to Trevor and Cameron. “He couldn’t see you guys. That man needs to get his eyes checked for sure.”

  Trevor started chuckling. He had one hand covering his mouth and the other holding his belly. He leaned in towards Tom.

  “We’re still alive,” Trevor said. “That’s all I care about.”

  Maxis noticed Cameron shift and lean back in his seat to hide behind Trevor. 

‘He’s such a weirdo,’ Maxis thought.

  “Hey Cameron,” said Tom. “where did all of that bravery come from? It’s amazing to see a recluse like you put yourself out there to save a helpless damsel.”

  “Hey!” said Trevor.

  Cameron leaned forward a little so that his face was now visible to Tom. Maxis could clearly see how uncomfortable he was just trying to hold eye contact.

  “I just don’t want to be like the people I see who act all cool in front of everybody but hide in the shadows when things get scary,” said Cameron.

   “Ha ha, I hope you don’t think I’m a wuss like that, but I'd completely understand if you did,” said Tom.

  “I guess you’re right,” said Trevor. “Maxis is always acting cool around me, but he'd never risk his life to save me.”

  Maxis’ Eyes started to water as his stomach churned. His mind rapidly flicked through thoughts of excuse and self pity and shame. It was dizzying. When the dizziness subsided, they had just about reached the end of their trip. As the bus slowed to a halt at their destination, Maxis’ mind was overrun with thoughts fueled by one clear emotion, His hate for Cameron.

 

***

 

  The next morning Maxis sat alone, leaning over his desk at role call, staring at the door of the classroom. He got more anxious as the long hand on the clock moved closer to the twelve which is when the bell would ring for period one.

  The clock struck nine and the bell rang. The whole class shot out of their seats and streamed through the door. Maxis, on the other hand, took his time. He dragged his feet to period one, math. He spent the whole hour pretending to work in the back corner of the class until the bell rang again. 

  Period two was painful. He was forced to cook in the kitchen without his usual cooking partner. Without Trevor Maxis and the unlucky soul who was paired with him turned out a horrid dish. Foul in smell, look and presumably taste, the teacher forbade its consumption and ordered them to throw the ‘omelette’ out.

  When break time hit, and as Maxis was exiting the classroom he was baffled to find Trevor at the handball court, playing against Cameron. The sight made him feel uneasy. He approached them.

  “Don’t worry about running very far for the ball,” said Trevor to Cameron. “You only need to worry about it when it touches your square.”

  Trevor slugged the ball along the ground and Cameron mis-stepped. His foot landed on top of the ball and slid over it, causing him to fall onto his back. 

  Tom and his friend Musa, who had just come out of class, rushed over and started hovering around Cameron. Musa reached his hand out towards Cameron who hesitated before taking it, which Maxis was surprised by. He’d never seen Cameron make physical contact with anyone before. As they checked on him, Maxis tapped on Trevor’s shoulder. 

  “Where’ve you been all morning?” he asked.

  Trevor turned around to face him. A smile spread across his face. “I had breakfast with Cameron at my house and then we went to the arcade together. You should’ve come! We only got to school like ten minutes ago, so we didn’t even bother going to class.”

  “How could I have known to come if I was never invited!”

  “Woah,” said Trevor. “I know you weren’t invited. It was late notice even for me. I just meant that I would’ve liked you to be there.”

  “Whatever,” said Maxis. “What are you doing now?” 

  “Im teaching him how to play handball.”

  “What? He doesn't know? He’s seriously so wimpy.”

  “No, he’s just never had anyone to play it with.”

  Maxis looked beyond Trevor to Cameron who was somewhat comfortably talking to Musa and Tom. 

  “Well he’s got Tom and Musa to play with now,” said Maxis, gesturing to the boys behind Trevor. “Do you want to go kick the ball with me on the field?”

  Trevor kept up his grin. Trevor’s behaviour confused Maxis. 

  ‘Why is he this happy? Maxis thought. ‘He almost drowned yesterday and he’s not shaken even a little bit. Is it because of Cameron?’

  Maxis couldn’t stop breaking eye contact as Trevor told him that he was having fun and he wanted to continue teaching Cameron. He asked Maxis to join them, but Maxis turned down the offer. 

  “I’ll find something better to do,” he said before walking off.

  That ‘better something’ was to sit on a bench and watch Cameron and Trevor play from a distance. 

  Maxis watched Cameron trip, and fall, and miss, his anger growing as Cameron failed over and over again. He couldn’t even seem to stand properly, but over time Cameron started to get better. He started returning more serves and falling over less. It angered Maxis even more. 

  Someone sat down next to Maxis. He glanced to his side and Karina Cornwall glanced back. She smiled at him. 

  “He’s not very good at handball is he? That boy gives me the creeps. Do you know what’s gotten into him? He’s usually just sitting alone and writing in that diary. I’ve never seen him so… active?”

  “That diary?” asked Maxis.

  “Haven’t you noticed? He's always writing in that black note book. He’s not holding it right now, but it’s probably in his bag.”

  “What does he write in it?”

  “He writes about us, I bet,” said Karina.

  Maxis turned in his seat to face Karina completely. “You think so?” he asked.

  “A hundred percent. He’s always staring and writing, staring and writing, staring and writing, that’s all he usually does. I bet there’s so much trash about everyone in that book.”

  “Has anyone ever seen any of it?”

  “No, he's so protective of it. He’ll never let anyone ever go near it.”

  Maxis looked at the handball game. His heart scrunched and twisted and he ripped his gaze back to Karina. The closer Trevor and Cameron got, the deeper Maxis’ heartache. 

  “If I got you that notebook, what would you do with it?” Maxis asked.
  “Realy? thanks Maxis. I didn’t even need to ask.”