𝐔𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 [18+]

Chapter XLV

MADISON

I used to hate driving. Always as a teen thinking that when I finally tried to drive it would only just end up in a crash and a useless panic attack.

But now I just couldn't stop driving.

It took me away. From the pain. From the thoughts. Mostly from the thoughts, the pain always remained present. I would just blast the music on and sing and shout till my lungs gave out.

So it wasn't quite a surprise when I ended up at a Target more than an hour away from Ember's house. And I liked that. It made me believe I had another life. Where I had my shit together and I was happy and not confused. With people I didn't know, people that didn't live remotely near me, and people that didn't know nor care about my life.

It's weird really. None of us can accept that the people around us have lives and thoughts, that they are not secondary characters in our own movies. But right now all I wanted was to just be one of them. To not have thoughts, just be a secondary character of their lives.

And in that moment, in that big store full of people I didn't know, I could finally pretend.

Walking down the aisles, pretending to care about the thirty different types of bowls, one of each color, of each shape, of each use. I grabbed some Chip's Ahoy! down the cookie aisle, then some chocolates, and an energy drink. My footsteps faltered when I saw all the different bread toast. I fucking hated toasts.

There were teens running around, laughing about stupid yet seemingly important crushes. Men with weird looking stares that gave you chills every time you walked near them. Kids screaming and throwing tantrums. And I was still debating whether to grab another chocolate bar or not.

Fuck it.

I walked back to the chocolate aisles, staring at the endless options, when I felt a little tap on my hip. Turning around my breath hitched at the small child in front of me.

"Mad!" He shouted, grabbing onto my leg. All I could do was look down at the cute kid hugging me, as everything came crushing down upon my eyes. What would I fucking do now.

"Finn, where did you run to?" A woman came rushing to where we were, the clink of her heels resonating along the aisles. I stared at the dark eyes of the woman, mesmerizing by their captivating shine. She was beyond beautiful.

The woman grabbed Finn by the arm, forcing his eyes onto hers. "Finn, I always tell you not to talk to strangers."

"She's not a stranger," Finn whispered timidly. My leg twitched uncontrollably, and I slowly and surreptitiously started to inch myself backwards, trying to escape the drama that was bound to unfold.

The woman slowly roamed her gaze over my body, assessing me as if I was a product on the supermarket she was about to buy. "Oh, you're Madison. Finn has talked about you."

"Um, yes, nice to meet you. You must be Jessica," I smiled politely, faking my best smile. Just this day, when I was feeling my worst, this had to happen.

"Where's Aaron. I got the sense that you to were pretty close and comfy at his house," Jessica replied, a smile plastered on her face that could kill me in one second. She was a bitch, that, I had gathered.

"Oh, no, he's back at the house. I just came to buy some groceries."

"So far away? Weird." The woman kept fucking smiling. If she said another sentence with that fake smile on her face I was sure I was going to fucking kill her.

"I just wanted to tour the city a bit since I'm new and all."

"Oh, of course. Surely you've been locked in so much at Aaron's house. Knowing him I'm surprised you're intact. He can get a bit aggressive sometimes." She answered with that sweet fucking smile of hers.

I grabbed her hair forcefully, shoving her head right through the chocolate bar aisle.

That only happened in my head. But it sure was satisfying.

"Not really, it's been going great so far," I actually answered with a straight face, no fake smile in sight. "But if you'll excuse me I have to get going, it's getting late and I'm a bit far away as you pointed out."

"Of course, don't let us stop you," the bitch answered.

"Mad, I don't want you going," Finn said, plastering the cutest puppy face ever seen.

I crouched down to his size, grabbing his hand in mine. "I'm sorry Finn, but I have to get going. But I'll see you next week with lots of Oreos, okay?"

The little boy smiled and my heart broke apart. I just wish those words were actually true.

Surprise, Bitch. I Bet You Thought You'd Seen The Last Of Me.