That night, Alex got home and noticed Nessa’s car was missing from the driveway. He popped his head in to ask and she explained: “I locked my keys in the car but a friend gave me a ride so it’s all good.”
Alex: “You have a spare, right?”
Nessa reached across her nightstand to pull out a set of keys: “Yep right here so I’m all good.”
Alex: “Mads can probably drop you off in the morning because she doesn’t have school tomorrow.”
Nessa nodded as Kouvr yelled up for him. He smiled and excused himself never really asking who drove her home. It was times like this she was grateful to have a dad figure in her life. She never saw hers much even when she lived with him.
She was laying in bed thinking about everything that happened between her and Josh. She was still absolutely shocked that he’d been able to act human for the entire drive home. It didn’t change that she was sure a relationship wouldn’t work but it made her wonder if she was doing the right thing keeping her daughter away from him.
Her thoughts were interrupted by yelling downstairs getting louder and messier. She crept out of her room to hear Kouvr yelling: “It’s one thing to go to a party on a school night and get completely wasted, but you drove yourself home!?!”
Mads: “I’m not a baby! You really wanna tell me you weren’t doing this at my age?”
Alex: “Neither your mother or I would have ever gotten behind the wheel of a car after, never!”
Kouvr: “The fact that you don’t get the difference is just proof you’re not mature enough to be drinking in the first place!”
She heard Mads storming up the stairs and hurried back into her room, pretending that she hadn’t heard anything.
Mads: *knocking then opening the door* “I’m sorry if that woke you up. God, I’m just so frustrated.”
Nessa: “How much trouble are you in.”
Mads: “Grounded from my car for 2 weeks.”
Nessa wondered if Alex remembered offering to have Mads drive her back to campus in the morning: “Yikes.”
Mads: “Oh well. Not like I have anyone to see anyway. Jaden hasn’t talked to me in a week.”
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Mads leaned back against the headboard and took a deep breath before asking: “Have you heard from him?”
Nessa was reluctant to answer, but knew if the situation was reversed and Jaden wanted to know she would tell him. She admits: “He at least texts me every day to check on me and the baby.”
Mads: “So it’s just me he wants nothing to do with…”
Nessa: “He’s just doing what you two agreed to do. He’s actually back in LA right now working on music.”
Nesa rubbed her belly, thinking hard of something more comfortable to change the subject to when Mads asked: “What’s it like…”
Nessa: “Being pregnant? Nothing really has changed because I still can hide under baggy clothes-”
Mads: “interrupting* “No, kissing a girl.”
Nessa: *in absolute shock at the turn of events* “Uh- I- I don’t actually know. I never-”
Mads interrupted Nessa’s rambling by pushing against her full, soft lips. A million thoughts raced through Nessa’s mind, but the thought screaming loudest was how kissing a girl was everything she ever thought it would be. Mads pulled back, slightly and stared into Nessa’s eyes. She brushed her thumb across Nessa’s shocked pout before pushing her lips against hers a second time.
It took a strength Nessa didn’t think she was capable of to reach up and push Mad’s hair behind her ear and then pull away from the kiss. Mads immediately broke out into tears feeling completely ashamed of herself for doing that.
Nessa placed a gentle, reassuring kiss against her lips before pulling back again: “Once upon a time I would have given just about anything to kiss you, but I know you still love Jaden and I have absolutely no business kissing the girl that my best friend is in love with.”
Mads scoffed so Nessa pushed: “Yes, he still loves you. Trust me.”
