waiting for superman | book three

eighteen

"He got stuck at the Five and Dime saving the day"

Josh finally manages to pull away from Maddie and finds himself gasping for air. How long she was kissing him for, he doesn't know. All he knows is that he is thankful he is finally free and that it is over. He did not enjoy one second of the kiss, and he hopes that she knows that.

"Why'd you do that?" Josh asks, looking into Maddie's cold blue eyes.

"Don't act like you didn't like it," she giggles. 

"I didn't," he clarifies. "I didn't like it one bit."

"Let me guess, Chloe is better at it than me?" Maddie snaps. Josh nods and a look of either pain or sadness crossing her round face. Or maybe both.

"Unbelievable," she says with a harsh laugh. 

"I'll never be good enough for you. I never gave been and I never will be. She will always be better than me at everything."

"That's not true. I loved you for a long time, but you changed. You're not the same person anymore. You're cold hearted and mean. You used to be so sweet and loving," Josh explains.

"Sometimes we have to change to protect ourselves from getting hurt by the people we love. Sometimes we have to save ourselves because there is nobody to do it for us," Maddie whispers.

"I'm so sorry Mads," he coos.

"Whatever. Just don't blow it with her. You guys are perfect for each other," she says, wiping a tear from her eye.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready to save the day yet though. I don't know if I can," he states in a voice so quiet that Maddie can barely even hear him.