Saving Madison

Chapter Thirteen

Madison's p.o.v »»

I'm assuming my mother finally came to the realization that I needed space, because she's been avoiding me for the past three days. Ever since the trip to mom's workplace, nothing was the same at home.

I walked out into the empty kitchen, noticing a small note beside a plate of eggs. I pick up the green sticky note curiously reading it, This isn't as nearly as good as your mom's, but I hope it cheers you up. Have a great day- Dad.

My face remained emotionless, setting the note back down on the table and picking the plate of eggs up. I scarfed them down following it with a glass of orange juice, until the sound of a honk outside made me throw the dishes into the sink and run out towards the car.

"Sorry, I woke up late." I mumbled while getting into the backseat.

Tyler glanced up at me through the rearview mirror, "Still fighting with your mom?" He asked, driving down the street.

I tried not to roll my eyes at the mention of my mom, "Yes, and it's probably going to stay that way for a while." I said through gritted teeth.

"That's tough," he mumbled, looking back at the street and away from me. "What happened between you two?"

That question makes me remember the words said in that conference room and my body instantly tenses, "I'm not allowed to say... I took an oath." I said, "It's 'top secret' information."

His eyebrows drew together but he didn't say anything for a second. "Is it related to what happened to you?"

I pursed my lips, staring out the window. "Maybe," I paused, "Maybe not." I responded with no straight answer, shrugging.

He laughed lightly, his shoulders shaking. "Okay, okay, I won't ask any more questions."

I remained silent stepping out of the car after we parked, I watched as Will waved good-bye, walking off into the building. Glancing to my side, I saw Tyler hadn't moved to go with his friends yet. "What's wrong with you?" I asked.

"What's wrong with me?" He repeated, holding the door to the building open for me. I nod while stepping through the glass doors, "Yeah, you haven't left with your friends yet."

He scoffs and rolls his eyes playfully while we walk down the hall earning a couple of looks, "I wasn't aware you wanted to get rid of me this badly." He said.

I was about to respond with something sarcastic, when I spotted Luke leaning against my locker. I stopped in my tracks, making Tyler almost run into my back.

"Why'd you stop?" He asked, peering over my shoulder.

I said something incoherently and left him standing in the hallway by himself. I tried to fast walk past Luke, blending into a crowd passing by.

He seemed to notice because he was yelling my name from down the hall, running at the crowd I was currently in. I pushed past more people and turned into my gym class, not wanting to talk to him.

I earned some curious looks from people sitting on the bleachers while I jogged into the locker room. Once I was inside, I stripped down, tugging the shorts and school T-shirt.

I forced my feet into some running shoes when I heard Coach Rivera blow her whistle and clap her hands, "C'mon girls get outside!"

I hurriedly walked out into the big gym, throwing my hair into a ponytail. "Today, you're going to run 3 miles along the trail!" Coach Rivera yelled with her hands on her hips. The class immediately erupted into groans and complains, but stopped when Coach Rivera threatened to make it 5 miles.

"Mom!" Heather whined, "Can't we just play a nice game of volleyball?"

Coach Rivera narrowed her eyes at her daughter, "It's Coach Rivera to you," she ordered, "And because you feel the need to complain so much, you're running 5 miles, Heather!" The coach screamed at her daughter.

It looked like Heather was going to cry, but she pushed through the crowd and ran out into the track field, while we all stared at her. "What are you still doing here? I said run!" Coach said with fury in her eyes. Startled, we all ran as a hurd in the hot weather.

After 2 miles, I want to faint, but my running partner, Evelyn, encourages me to keep going. "That's easy for you to say," I remark breathlessly, "You're on the cross country team!"

"You can either run the extra mile or run 3 more with Heather, you decide." She said, jogging in sync with me.

I suppress a groan and keep running.

I hate gym class.

〜〜〜〜

I stabbed my soggy salad in disgust with my plastic fork, "Who would let them sell this food?" I whispered to myself.

"Because of budget cuts." An extremely familiar voice said, sitting in the metal chair from across me. I keep my eyes down, focusing on my salad. "So, you're not talking to me anymore?" He asks.

I gnaw at the inside of my cheek.

"Madison," he sighs, "You can't ignore me forever."

Yes, I can.

After five minutes of sitting in silence, Luke gets frustrated, "If you don't say something in the next five seconds, I'm going to scream bloody murder." He admitted.

My head snaps up at the sound of this.

I stared at him, waiting to see what'd he do next, when a piercing scream flooded the cafeteria. I covered my ears at the sound and looked around to see everyone staring at our table in the back.

"Okay, okay!" I yelled, "I'll talk to you, just stop screaming." I said annoyed.

"Finally," he laughed, "I thought I'd be screaming the whole period."

I roll my eyes at his immature behavior, "Why are you so desperate to be my friend?"

He leans over the table, staring at me. "Why don't you come over to my apartment tonight."

I look at him weirdly, "To do what?" I questioned.

He shrugged, "I want to show you something."

With that being said, he slid over a paper with an address scribbled on it, and got up to leave. I watched him until he was no longer in the area, before staring down to read the paper.

Was I actually considering this?