Saving Madison

Chapter Twenty-One

Madison's p.o.v »»

My legs are covered in dirt, I have twigs in my hair, and my vision is extremely blurry. I'm cold and it's dark. I don't even know where I am. As I walked down the road, some cars would stop by me.

I stop walking to clutch my forehead. I have a massive headache and I can't think or see properly. I've walked about 2 miles already, or at least that's what it feels like. I'm seriously contemplating if I should just fall asleep under a tree.

Eventually, I stop walking and just sit down in a muddy puddle. I probably look how I feel; complete shit. I notice my phone has 5%, so I quickly call the only person who I knew would help.

The phone rings twice and I wait impatiently.

"Hello?-" Tyler's sleepy voice invades my ear drums.

"I'm on the side of the road in Marshall Town, and Evelyn left me here!" I scream into the receiver panicking.

"What?" Tyler says, sounding fully awake now.

"Help me!" I cry out.

It sounds like Tyler's moving around on the other end, because I hear him shuffling around.

"Where are you?" He asks.

"I went to a party in Marshall, I'm in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road." I say, looking around the forest area and the empty road.

"Alright, I'm on my w-" He responds, but my phone dies, ending the call unexpectedly. Every bone in my body wants to sleep desperately, but I know Tyler will be here soon and I'll have to jump and wave my arms around, so he could see me on the dark side of the road.

What seems like hours later, the familiar silver truck pulls up, headlights shining me in my face. Tyler slows down, rolling down the window casually.

"Look who called for help," he says with a cocky grin, his eyes not as lively as when he's fully awake. "From me, nonetheless. Was your boyfriend busy?"

I groan at his comment and push myself up from off the ground, "Please don't start, I feel dead inside... again." I respond, walking over to the passengers side.

"How do you think I feel? I'm tired as hell, but I sucked it up to get here." He unlocks the door, turning up the air a bit in the truck. I feel like I'm about to cry at any moment, but try not to, "I'm really sorry, Tyler, I wouldn't have called you if I knew it'd cause you this much trouble."

"It's not that much trouble," he says, managing to drive with only one working hand. "My mom's going to kill me, though, but she'll understand," he pauses. "What were you doing all the way in Marshall? Alone?"

I rest my head against the window, fighting to keep my eyes open. "I went with Evelyn to a party, but we got in a fight and she left me to find my own way home."

He doesn't say anything for a second. "I swear, all the girls at school are no good," he mutters. "Do your parents know you were out? Are you going to get in trouble for not being home?"

I glance at him and quickly look back out the window, "My parents haven't exactly been tracking my every move, but I wouldn't be surprised if they grounded me for life."

"You can't be out at parties on a Wednesday night, who knows where, with God knows who. It's not safe. You could have been kidnapped, killed, anything."

"I'll remember that for next time, dad." I say jokingly, "Why did you come anyways?"

He shrugs, his eyes staying intent on the road. "You called, so I came. I do that now." He said, partially sarcastically. "You would've done the same."