Chapter 32
CHAPTER
THIRTY-TWO
MADDEN
"Do you have any idea what is going on with Lainey? I mean, did she mention anything to you?" Drayton slings his glove into his bag.
My first thought goes to her parents, "I haven't talked to her since lunch. Why?"
He slams his hand into the fence, "She just broke up with me. Over a cryptic text, and now she's avoiding me. I mean, last night we... well, we were fine and then boom!"
I stop him right there, "Spare me the details."
If he pressured her into anything, there is a very good chance I'll break his jaw.
"We didn't..." he stammers, turning his voice to a whisper. "I mean, she's a virgin. We didn't."
"Okay. No. We aren't this type of friends. The 'heart to heart' kind. Even if I did know something, I wouldn't sell her out to you."
Drayton sighs, "I'm worried about her."
"Is she in trouble? Is it her parents? Believe me when I say that her Dad is a complete mind fuck."
"She posted the video of Nash."
Of course, she did. I don't know why I didn't realize it earlier. I've never seen her so pissed.
"Do you think he had something to do with this? I mean, it's just so out of the blue." He rushes, "Do you think he threatened her?"
I wouldn't doubt it.
"What did she say to you?"
He pulls out his phone, but at this point, I don't have time, "Just paraphrase."
He looks away from his phone, "Basically, she said that she wasn't ready for us, that she hoped someday we could try again."
"Yeah, something is up. Lainey is too blunt to break up with you over text."
Come to think of it, she was short with me after school, rushing around to leave. "Come with me."
Drayton and I find Nash in the locker room beneath the stadium bleachers, shoving his catcher's gear in his locker. Everyone else has already managed to flee, including Carson. I walk up to him, pinning him against the lockers in one swift motion, my forearm pressed against his throat.
"I warned you," I spit. "I told you if you ever messed with her again, you would regret it. Well, here I am."
He struggles against me, staring at Drayton, his eyes wicked.
"Oh shit," he chokes. "I thought you were the boyfriend. It looks like Madden is willing to take your spot. You know, fighting for your girl and all."
Drayton walks straight up to him and lands an uppercut straight to his gut. "I'm done with you. Do not come near Lainey again, do you understand me?"
Nash bends in pain.
"When..." he coughs, trying to get back some of the oxygen Drayton stole. "Are you going to learn that you don't call the shots?"
I take this opportunity to let him know that I'm done falling in line.
"The days of you dictating this school are over.
The Sharks as you know them? Done. And in case you haven't noticed, your spot on the top of the food chain here is gone.
The new girl came to school, and Nash lost his head, and you know what's even better?
" I sing, teasing him. "You executed yourself over a girl that wants your best friend. "
I push him back into the lockers with a thud. His eyes go wide, and then squint like he's trying to figure out if I'm serious. "You don't know anything about Corinne."
"I know that she hates being called Corinne, especially when it's coming from you. So do yourself a favor, stay away from Lainey and Cori, or next time this little chit-chat won't be so cordial."
I expect him to yell or hit me—hell, anything really—but instead, he looks defeated. I don't wait around to see if he has anything left to say, and I revel in the fact that I had the last word, finally.
By the time I make it home from practice, Mom is standing over the stove stirring a pot of potato soup.
"Hey, Ma."
"Hey, Mad, how was your day, honey?"
"Eh," I sigh. "It was pretty normal. Same shit, different day."
"Language!" she warns, pointing the spoon at me. I giggle as the soup drips to the floor.
"Ugh, you'd think after taking care of you for almost seventeen years all by myself that I'd have this cooking thing down by now, and you'd know better than to curse in front of your mama."
"Sorry," I wince. "If it makes you feel any better, I think you are a wonderful cook."
"Well, let's wait until you taste it."
"I'm sure it's fine."
She huffs, "Shut up! You'd tell me it was good even if it wasn't."
She's right. I wouldn't hurt her feelings, I'd eat it anyway, soI shrug, not bothering to deny it.
"You'll make a great husband one day, kid."
"Only if she doesn't mind the touring and music."
Mom rolls her eyes, "I'm sure she won't mind. Not if she really loves you, but it's all about compromising Madden, remember that."
I open an app on my phone, pulling up the version of my song that Lainey produced, playing it for Mom.
She listens intently, but unlike most, she really takes in the lyrics, repeating them to me.
"You got my head in a mess. You're clueless.
I'd say I love you, but that would be useless.
Influence around your neck. You're choking.
Arms around my body when I'm not the one you should be holding.
" She raises her brow, "Is my son in love? "
I roll my eyes at her, "They're just lyrics."
"This wouldn't have anything to do with the cheerleader that came here looking like a runway model and left in your clothes, would it?"
She has a good memory. I give her that. "No. She's just a friend, mom."
"Mhmm, it didn't sound like friendship."
"Mom!"
Jesus Christ.
"Mad, I'm your mother. I'm not stupid. I just hope you are being safe."
"Mom."
She shrugs, "It had to be said."
"No," I whine "No, it didn't."
She pushes a bowl to me across the counter, "I know we've talked about this before, but I just want to make sure you know how I feel about it."
Mom isn't afraid to talk to me. I like the fact that she doesn't treat me like a child.
She understands that while I might not be eighteen yet, I'm old enough to make some decisions on my own and learn from my mistakes.
Our relationship is stronger because we can talk to each other about anything.
"I know," I sigh. "You don't think I'm old enough, you're too young to be a grandma, blah blah blah... "
She stares at me, a warning glare that kind of terrifies me.
"Mom, I promise you. I was safe."
She squeezes my arm, right above my elbow. "It's not just about having babies, Madden. I want you to be safe with your heart too."
I lean back in my chair, suddenly feeling like a balloon that's been deflated. She's right. I need to get my feelings under control and fast. I want to take care of Avery, to protect her, but I need to protect myself too.
Hours pass and after I finish the dishes for Mom, I just stare at the ceiling in my room.
The glow-in-the-dark stars and planets remind me of Lainey because she insisted we put them up.
She said—and I quote—"Our friendship was written in the stars, Mad.
No matter what galaxy we're in, we will always be best friends. "
I smile, thinking about how I argued with her about buying them, and now I'd be so upset if they weren't here. I make a mental note to text her and let her know I spoke with Nash. Honestly, I'm surprised she isn't here.
Rolling over in my bed, I flip the lamp on and rummage through my nightstand, pulling out the last set of letters between Avery and myself. Partially regretting how open I was and admiring her words, again.
Avery,
I'm not good at this.
My handwriting is terrible.
I miss you too.
I can't help but feel guilty about what happened before you left.
Guilty that I wanted it, even when you were upset.
Guilt but not regret.
I wish you were here.
Madden
Madden,
One more week, and I get to hug you.
My meds are straightened out, and so are my thoughts.
The night that I left, I was so mad.
Mad at myself.
Mad at my dad for making me go.
Your words are permanently engraved in my mind.
Just be yourself, Avery.
I don't know who that is anymore, but I think I'll find her with you.
Avery
My phone chimes across the room, and after a minute, the line begins to ring. The guitar riff from Deep Purple’s Smoke On The Water fills the silence. It never gets old. Lainey's name and face fill the screen.
"You alright?" I ask.
"No hello?" she sighs. "Just jump straight to business?"
I roll my eyes, "Cut the shit, what's going on?"
"Nothing," she quips. "Did you listen to the file I sent you?"
"Stop deflecting."
"I'm not. Everything is fine."
"So a week ago, you were head over heels for pretty boy, and now you're over him? You are many things, Lainey, but you are a shit liar."
She lets out a breathy groan, one I've heard a million times, and I can practically picture her face.
"So now we're keeping things from each other?" I add.
She's silent. I can't stop my voice from becoming threatening, "Okay. Good to know we aren't telling each other things anymore. If you don't trust—"
"Mad, stop. I trust you. You know I trust you. Why can't you trust that I'm okay when I say that I am?"
"Because I had a chat with Nash after baseball. Whatever he's said or done, it won't happen again."
"What did you do?"
"Nothing permanent," I smirk.
"Just leave it alone," she begs. "Please."
"I will find out what you're keeping from me."
Lainey sighs, "Trust me when I say that I'm doing what I need to do to protect Drayton. The best thing for him is to be far away from me."
"Just tell me, Lainey. Maybe I can help."
"No, Mad. It would kill Drayton if this got out, and I can't risk it."
I let my mind wander. What could Nash possibly know that would cause Lainey to be so worried? Better yet, if Nash has information that would destroy Drayton's reputation, why hasn't he used it yet?
I mean, that is his ultimate goal, right?
Instead, he’s using it to keep Lainey away from him.
To make him suffer slowly? Sounds a little extreme for a petty fight over something Drayton has no control over.
It's not like he forced Nash's mom to cheat and placed his mom right in Nathan Langdon's sights. In fact, it was probably the opposite.
I bet he hated it at first. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that his dad passed away, and that had to be hard to watch his mom move on.
"You there?" she asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
"I'm here."
"Did you listen to the file or not?" she snaps, and I decide to stop pushing her and find out on my own.
"Yes."
"Did you like it?"
"You know that I did."
"Okay, but did you love it?"
I smile, "I love it."