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“He was saying other crude and terrible things about you, things that I can’t even make myself say to you now. But he ended his rant by saying that if you didn’t…give it up by prom he was going to…get with Ana instead.” I look up and gape at him.
“Oh my God…” I gasp.
“I walked over to him and punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. I told him…I’m sorry Mads…this wasn’t the way to handle this situation at all, I know that now. I told him to break up with you, immediately or…I would…beat the shit out of him,” He confesses. “I should have told you the truth…but I didn’t want you to be humiliated. I warned the other guys with Will to never speak to or about you again.”
I stay quiet for a minute, trying to process everything. He looks at me nervously, expectantly.
“He broke up with me but never told me why…he just said he ‘wasn’t feeling it anymore’…I was heartbroken,” I say softly. “I remember crying in the bathroom…and when I walked out you were in the hallway, just standing against the wall…and you said, ‘it’s for the best’.”
He swallows, closing his eyes tight. “In my head, I was protecting you. But I went about it the wrong way.”
“I think…in that moment, I turned my humiliation and anger on you. I just remember thinking that you had something to do with our breakup,” I recall.
“I did…I’m sorry…” He says.
“I freaked out on you,” I say with wide eyes.
“Yeah…it was terrifying…” He answers honestly, his eyes mirroring mine.
I don’t know why…but I start hysterically laughing. I remember how uncomfortable he looked as I screamed at him in the hallway and shoved his chest and demanded to know what he did to ruin my relationship. He just stared at me then, not saying anything.
He looks at me similarly now, like he is afraid I am losing my mind.
“I’m so sorry…I should have just sucked it up and talked to you…told you the truth,” He whispers between my laughs.
“You…were…so…freaked out…” I laugh, clutching my stomach.
“Yeah, I was…I had no idea what to do.” He finally cracks a smile and chuckles.
I compose myself and look up at him, touch his face gently with my fingertips. “It’s okay. Who knows what he would’ve done if you didn’t intervene. He’s a scumbag.” He sighs.
“I should have told you what he said…but I just couldn’t repeat those words to you,” He says and pulls me close again.
“Thanks for protecting me, then and now,” I sigh and rest my head against his shoulder.
“I shouldn’t have punched him today. I’m better than that,” He sighs.
“You are,” I agree. “But you’re human. You’re bound to make mistakes.”
He smiles at me. A few moments pass before he speaks. “God…I was worried you were going to start yelling at me again.”
I start laughing again.
TWENTY-EIGHT
ELLIOT, NOW
Hearing the door slam after she leaves makes what is left of my heart shatter.
Silence. I hear my heart pounding violently in my ears. I can’t move. I can’t speak. I can’t think. I can’t breathe.
I eventually snap back to reality and dart to the door. Minutes have passed, so I know she has to be gone by now but I check anyway. I throw the door open and stop immediately. Madeline is sitting on the porch steps with her head in her hands. Her suitcase sits next to her.
“Mads?” I ask quietly. There are silent sobs coming from her. I walk around her and kneel in front of her. “Mads?” I whisper.
She picks her head up from her hands. Her eyes are red. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too.”
