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“You know this doesn’t make us friends, right?” Madison notes beside me while rubbing at her garish-colored wrists.
My mouth curves into the smallest grin. I’m almost certain she’ll never be willing to give up this strong-assured title. Somehow, in a strange way, I respect that she knows this about herself. Accepts it for who she is.
I could appreciate it, but it doesn’t mean I have to agree with how she chooses to use this part of her.
“Whydidyou show up at the Daniels’ house today?” I ask, eyeing her. It’s one of the few questions I don’t have an answer to.
Mostly though, I was just curious.
“You know if you don’t tell me, I’ll have to pester Eli about it until he gives in,” I hassle, swinging my legs. I won’t, but it’s still fun to badger her.
The air she draws through her lungs is somber and not at all what I expect.
“How ’bout we start with what all this was about instead?” Madison notes, shifting the conversation back to me. “Want to explain that?”
“Is a mess a good enough answer?” I muse, following along. I don’t push because somehow this topic seems easier for her to digest than the reason she’d shown up here to begin with.
“You’re telling me this kind of stuff doesn’t happen to you all the time?” she derides. Sarcasm drips from her every word, but there was no weight behind it like there typically would’ve been in the past.
My gut does a little flip at the genuine smirk she gives. Also, a nudge, and it was playful.
Playful!
The ends of her mouth fall into a sad smile. “You’re lucky, you know.” I’m about to ask her what she means, but she answers for me before I can. “People you care for, care for you back.”
She hugs the blanket tighter around her on a dead sound. I know she’s talking about me, but I can tell that she wishes she had this one thing too for herself. Wants it from the one person she’s had eyes for since this conversation started.
He’s standing beside the person who’s had a similar agenda but for me.
Cole’s gaze is steady. A master at tracking my every move, even if he never directly looks this way.
Iceman’s injuries are bad enough that Finn’s going to be getting his roommate back. At least for the night, as a precaution. Those ribs of his most definitely need to be reexamined.
He won’t leave though, not without me. Him refusing to go until I’m good as well. Always putting me first.
The exhaustion of the day sets in the more time my muscles can decompress. The quiet is a nice change from the adrenaline of earlier.
“If I tell you that I came here because I was worried, would that make me sound stupid?” Madison asks, shifting her weight forward.
She side-eyes me when I don’t respond instantly, and I have to bite back my grin. It’s a strange, interesting junction to see Madison so uncomfortable.
One I would pull out my phone and take a picture of if it wouldn’t ruin this—doubtful to ever happen again—once in a lifetime authentic conversation we’re having.
“So, the empress of steel does have a heart,” I snark, not being able to help myself.
Studiously, her face turns back. She sucks in a large ball of air before hopping down like our spot’s now made of needles.
“Hey Montgomery,” I holler, jerking my chin when she turns back. Exactly like I expect her to. Madison, in all her faults, is fearless when it comes to her pride being involved.
“You’re right. We’ll never be friends.”
“Don’t hold your breath for that handshake,” she quips, and my head arches on a much-needed laugh.
I swear, I catch a ghost of a similar smile cross her face and then she’s turning back around.
Exhaling, I let my head fall back up toward the sky.
What a day.
