chapter 3

Madison went home after her lunch with Riley and quickly changed into a striped t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and white converse. She checked the rather large mirror in her bathroom analyzing the outfit of her choice.  Content with her outfit she walked into the garage mentally deciding which car she'd take. 

She'd come to the conclusion that she'd be taking the mustang. It was a gift from her grandfather, James, he'd loved Madison to death. James was a good man, he was loved by many,  the whole damn town admired him in fact. He was a pure loving soul. Right before he died he'd given Madison his black 1967 Mustang with a red interior. Madison loved the feeling she got when she sat in the car, she felt as if her grandfather sat there in the car with her. He'd tell her, "No matter what happens, let the wind take you where you belong, it knows best".  And so she did, anytime she drove around she went where she felt was right, but not right now since she had to go with Noah.

She made her way to Starbucks ready to deal with the golden boy. Madison was always neutral about Noah. She questioned what every girl and gay boy saw in the boy, in her eyes he was just an average jock. As Madison arrived she caught sight of Noah through the window looking at his phone smiling, a sudden ping was heard in the beloved car. 

Noah: "I'm at Starbucks already" 

She read his message and got out of the car, as soon as she entered the popular cafe she quietly, swiftly got behind him and yelled "BOO, BITCH"!!! Madison laughed as Noah jumped in his seat frightened by her unexpected action.  "You could have given me a heart attack" Noah told her as he placed his hand on his chest. "Quit being such a little bitch" she replied as she rolled her eyes at him. He laughed and suggested they start on their child thus leading to her making a face filled with pure disturbance. "What it's for the project Madison" he deadpanned. "Yeah no I know but kids are not my best suit and just thinking of children it's idk, I could never be a good mother." "How come" the boy asked. "I uh, I don't know, my mother doesn't act like one and I don't want to end up like her, you get me" "yeah I get you, so uh we don't have to sta-" "-no it's fine" Madison cut Noah off.

The two worked on their assigned project and tried depicting what trait would their "child" receive and from who when Noah's hand brushed against Madison's. "Aww did Noah want some kind of skin contact with me" Madison playfully responded to the touch. "Shut up, Monroy, it was an accident" "Sure it was Andrews, I bet you've been dying to kiss me ever since I got here and scared the fuck outta you hun" Madison playfully smirked at him and the two burst out laughing. "You two are cute together, treat her right young man," an old lady said as she stopped for a minute at their table after seeing their actions towards each other. "Oh no-" "Yes, ma'am and thank you, I think we're cute together as well" Noah interrupted Madison before she got the chance to disagree and let the lady know he was with someone else. 

As the elderly woman left, Madison arched her eyebrow at Noah. "What I'm not wrong" he said with a smile. "You have a girlfriend Noah," Madison reminded the boy. "Yes and the feelings are not mutual" "Then leave her" "I can't Mads" "Why can't you" she asked confused. "My parents think she's good for me and don't let me leave her, so I have to deal with Jenny" Noah said.

"Oh."

"Yup"

the two sat in silence working on their project getting ready to finish it.

She arrived home expecting her parents to be there, but was met with an empty house. As much as they fought everyday, Madison loved them, as much as she wanted to leave the house and get out of the state, she didn't want to leave them. Their relationship was complicated. They thought Madison was loveless and cold hearted, but that was definitely far from true, she had a lot of love in her heart, she just never knew how to show it, and she tried to protect her heart as well as herself. As far as they were concerned, Madison wasn't affectionate because she didn't want to be and despised her family, although it was the exact opposite, she wanted to be, and when she tried to be, anxiety kicked in, she'd feel trapped, like she couldn't breath, she didn't like being touched. 

When Madison was four, her uncle had sexually taken advantage of her, resulting in the lack of affection she gives and the feeling obtained when touched. She never told her mom, not a word had slipped in all her seventeen years. Madison often found herself thinking about telling her, but she never found the words to say. Riley knew, he encouraged her to tell her mother, but he supported her decision not to, and protects her with his life. 

Madison walked around the house pondering about what she'd do at the moment. 

It was two a.m. and Madison couldn't sleep. Her mind was being consumed by her thoughts. 'why haven't they been home yet' 'why haven't they called' She didn't know why her parent's hadn't been back yet, but then her mind drifted to them not caring about her. She noticed that they'd always treat Matthew different than her, their childhoods were different, well at least the way their parents disciplined them were. She thought of the time her mother had kicked her out when she was 5, Dylan, her older brother who was 12 the time and they had gotten into a fight. 

Dylan was sent to his room and Madison was taken outside and told to find a new home. She stood outside crying begging her mom to take her back in and her mother only took her hand and walked her further down the pathway and told Madison to leave. A few minutes later Madison's mother grabbed her and took her back in the house and sent her to the room.    

She went downstairs, grabbed her jacket, and walked out the door. She needed to clear her head.  She pressed her back against the bricked wall outside and sent a quick "Hey" to her mother. Madison walked towards the night house, she needed to work on it, maybe that'd take her mind off her thoughts. She spotted Rachel. "Hey miss Rachel" she greeted, she loved Rachel and vice versa. "Hey beautiful, hows it going" she asked genuinely interested seeing as it was two- thirty a.m. and Madison only took these late walks when something bothered her. "It's going" Madison replied not wanting Rachel to worry. She knew Rachel cared, they were close, they understood each other more than either of them knew. The two had a connection that was just there since the day they bumped into each other. 

"I have to go, but I love you Mads" Rachel excused herself as a man approached her asking for her services. Madison smiled and nodded her head and watched her leave with the man, before walking to the night house.

As she arrived at the night house, she put her phone to charge, turned the light on, and mopped the floor. After she finished mopping the floor, Madison began to finish painting the walls. As she was about to finish painting the last wall, she got the urge to go to the backyard and explore it. 

She stepped out the back door, and noticed a small pond along with a statue of a young boy in the center of the backyard. She knew the boy, at least that's what she thought. He seemed familiar after all. Dylan. She thought of him, she noticed the statue of the boy looked like him. The more she analyzed it, the more she noticed that the boy in the statue was her brother. 

She began to sob, she missed him. Dylan was the only one beside their grandfather to genuinely care about her. 

Dylan was taking care of Madison when she was ten, and she'd asked for Ice cream after he'd came inside after hanging up on someone. Madison hadn't noticed at the time but Dylan was pissed of and the person he'd angrily hung up on was their mother. Although he was mad, he smiled and told Madison he'd get her ice cream so they went to the nearest ice cream shop to get her favorite.

 On the way back home, they stopped at the stop sign for 5 seconds as he drove forward a Mack truck drove into Dylan's side causing the car to tip over. The two siblings looked at each other, and although he was scared, and worried Dylan told Madison they'd be alright, and suddenly a liquid started pouring into the car. He yelled at Madison to quickly get out. She'd tried to help him get out when he couldn't unbuckle his seat belt, but neither of them could get it undone. 

Dylan yelled at her to step away as the car started to catch fire. Madison cried and told him she wasn't going to leave him. "I know you don't want to, but it's okay princess, I'll be okay, no matter where you are, I'll be there with you in your heart, just step away and save yourself" Dylan told her as he cried. When help got there, the car exploded and the sheriff quickly pulled Madison farther away making sure she didn't get hurt. 

Madison's family always placed the blame on her for the accident. 

Madison sat by the statue of Dylan and continued sobbing as she hugged it. She lost the only person who cared after her grandfather passed away.