Fortuitous || Jack Steele [1]

fifty six

Madelyn's POV.

Most of my time has been spent alongside Humpty Dumpty, Max, Lones and Bytes. I've been trying to avoid Jack at all costs and those four boys do a pretty good job of keeping him at bay.

When Jack is near, Jonesy just has this permeant scowl on his face, Lones looks like he wants to tackle him into no tomorrow whilst Bytes and Max don't take it easy with the glares.

I can tell he wants to talk but I don't want to. Every time I see him I go the other way. I don't plan on interacting with him as it hurts too much and he isn't the same person in my eyes anymore.

Audrey told me that Taylah was indeed involved, having received the information from Caleb. It was a real kick to the gut. Now I know everything I need to.

Jack never told me about Taylah yet drops me because of her. How does that encourage trust? If anything it's hypocritical. He wouldn't open up because he didn't quite trust me yet here we are after he lied.

If he still had feelings for her then why didn't he tell me? Sure, I would've been hurt but not to this extent. I prefer to be hurt over the truth then brought down by a lie. He made his choice.

"Mads."

Fingers click in front of my face and break me out of my daze. I shake my head to clear my vision. Bytes looks at me with an eyebrow raised, a hint of worry deep in his eyes.

"You just zoned out. Everything alright?" He asks with concern. I smile at him honestly, touched by his worry for my wellbeing.

Max sits at the pool edge with his feet dangling in the water. He looks over his shoulder at me with interest for my answer.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a little absorbed in my own thoughts," I respond truthfully from the poolside chair.

"It's Steele, isn't it?" Max questions with a sharp edge to his voice. It's like Jack's name is a bad taste in his mouth. I nod and he grunts unhappily. Bytes sighs with a head shake.

"I'll be right. Just another failure with another relationship. Nothing I haven't dealt with before." I don't do a very good job at masking my disappointed. My boys both know that my words are nothing but shit. They ain't that stupid.

Both Max and Bytes can tell this isn't the same as my other failed 'relationships'. I was truly enthralled in Jack but I've been stabbed in the back and it bloody hurts. They know I'm struggling as much as I milk that I'm not.

I don't miss their constant glances from across the room as they check up on me. It's sweet but annoying. Surely I'm not that fragile.

Ben has been constantly messaging me now as the season is almost complete for the Suns. It's been nice to speak to him a lot especially as the heartbreak is still raw and the feeling won't disappear anytime soon. His company is one of the best things for me right now.

Lones and Jonesy walk down the steps to the pool. Lones has this silly look on his face which means he'll either say or do something stupid.

"How about Mads Max as a duo nickname? You know, like Mad Max?" Lones says with a chuckle, thinking that he's smart. I just rub my eyebrows with a deep sigh escaping my lips.

"If you say that again I will personally shave off your hair and give it to Humpty Dumpty as a wig," I threaten and meet the smallest Jack's now wide eyes.

"Hell no, his hair is gross," Humpty Dumpty interjects. His hand rests protectively on his bald head as he glares at Lones' hair. Lones just smacks the back of his teammates' head because of the insult. I snicker.