Survive 2

Chapter Seven

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

November 13, 2022.

Madison Stone's Point Of View.

After a few hours on the road, we finally arrive in Los Angeles and are just a few minutes from my house.

I look at the landscape of the city I have lived in since I was born and realize that even though I have only been away from it for a week, it seems as if I have been away for much longer.

"Are you happy to be back?" Bryan asks smiling.

"A little," I say, not wanting to give in and he laughs.

We passed Royalty and it reminds me of my first day of school there. I remember that I liked the place as much as the people I met. I really liked it there, I felt a really good vibe when I went there until that happened.

I won't say that I hate the school now, because I love some of the people I met there, but it is impressive how one thing can change your whole perception of a place and the energy it gives you.

This business of Alexander not going to school for practically two weeks is very strange. It could be that he really has left school, but I prefer not to get my hopes up, because after the treatment I received from the principal, I don't think he has done anything good.

And no, I am not changing schools. He made the mistake, so he has to leave, not me.

Shortly after, Bryan stops the car in front of my house and we get out of it. I open the back door and close it after grabbing my backpack. I put it on my back and walk together with Bryan to the door.

"Can I ring the doorbell?" He asks and I take a deep breath, already preparing myself for the possibility of my mother fighting me for my act.

"Yes." I agree and he does it.

We wait and a short time later, my mother opens the door, being completely shocked to see me standing next to Bryan.

I can see from her appearance that she is downcast, probably a consequence of her worrying about me, which makes me regret a little what I did.

"Madison!" She approaches me and hugs me tightly. Her hug feels so good. "How I missed you my love." She says in a low voice, and then pulls her face away a little so that we remain embraced, but face to face.

"I missed you too."

"Never again, are you listening to me? Don't you ever do that again," and as impressive as it sounds, she doesn't say this by fighting, but only by asking.

"Okay." I agree and she just looks at me with her eyes shining with joy for seeing me.

"You cut your hair," she runs her hand through my strands and give me a smile.

"She looks beautiful, doesn't she Mrs. Stone?" Bryan comments and my mother realizes that there are not just the two of us here.

"Oh Bryan, I'm sorry. I was so happy to see Madison that I forgot you were here too."

"It's okay," she releases me and gives him a hug.

"Let's go inside, get something to eat and clear some things up, because we have a lot to talk about, don't we young lady?" My mother narrows her eyes and I agree, so we go inside the house right away.

I put the backpack on top of the couch and continue to stand next to Bryan, because we have been in the car so long that our legs are numb. At least mine are.

"Angelina, Marilyn! Look who is back!" My mother shouts excitedly and a short time later they appear in the living room.

"Madison!" Angelina and Marilyn say happily in unison and come over to me, giving me a long hug and then hugging Bryan as well.

"Marilyn, can you make a afternoon coffee with the snacks that Madison and Bryan like?" And Marilyn agrees, getting me excited, because after Bryan and I ate lunch, we still had a few hours left on the road.

"Of course! I will do that now. Excuse me," she says and leaves the room, heading for the kitchen.

"Do you want me to take the clothes that are in the backpack to wash?" Angelina asks me and I deny it, but my mother agrees.

"Please do that, Angelina." And, of course, Angelina obeys my mother.

She approaches me and when she goes to get my backpack, I deny it.

"Let me first take some things that are inside of it." I say and open the backpack, taking out my cell phone and the money that is left.

"You took all your savings?" Mom asks and I agree.

"I didn't know how long I was going to be gone, so I didn't want to risk it," I close my backpack and Angelina takes it, so I give a smile as a form of thanks to her, who walks away from us soon after.

"You've made me quite worried, Madison. Even at the police station I went to ask them to look for you. I went crazy looking for you," she says sitting down on the couch and even though I want to stand up a little more, I sit down, being accompanied by Bryan.

"Not just you Mrs. Stone. Me and our friends were pretty worried too."

"True, Bryan. By the way I have to call Christopher to tell him that Madison is back and to join the conversation I want to have with her and..." she says, taking her cell phone and I interrupt her.

"Is this about I was harassed?" And she looks at me surprised, but as she see that Bryan hasn't expressed the same, she realizes that he already knows too.

"Yes. We have a lot to talk about."

"Okay." I agree, so she goes on with what she was saying before she was interrupted.

"And I will call Andrey too. He's been coming here every day since you ran away. He left a little while ago. He's going to be so happy when he hears you're back."

My heart warms and I am glad to hear it, because I can see that he must not be angry with me like I thought he was, but I still deny it.

"Don't call him, please," I ask and she looks at me as if she doesn't like what I said.

"I know you broke up, but he cares about you," I am surprised to see that he has told her. "Just like you and Bryan broke up but stayed friends, you and Andrey can do the same," and I deny it.

"He told you how we broke up?"

"He said he did and said things he shouldn't have and that ended up hurting you, but that he regrets what he did. Right?" And when she says that, I feel a lot of the sorrow I was feeling from him disappearing, because, at least from what it sounds like, he didn't try to put the blame on me.

"Right."

"Then why don't you guys talk it over and work it out? I believe you can at least stay friends. I can see in his eyes that he likes you," she says and I was going to say more about it, but when I look away and see how uncomfortable Bryan is, I give up.

"We will talk about it later, mom."

"Okay then. I will call Christopher now. Go take a shower to relax," she says and I agree, already getting up. "If you want to take a shower too Bryan, you can."

"I will, but I'm going home to take it there." And she agrees.

"Then go, but please come back so we can have coffee together," she says and does what she always does when she doesn't want her request denied. She speaks and then walks away.

Bryan gets up and I walk him to the door.

"Thank you really Bryan for going all the way to San Francisco, even though you weren't sure I would actually be there. It shows how important I am to you and I am grateful to you for that," I say as soon as I open the door and he steps out, turning to me and smiling.

"No need to thank me. I love you, Madison." And I smile back. I love him too, as a friend.

"I love you too, Bryan." I say and he turns contentedly, heading toward his car.

I close the door and then head toward the stairs to go up to my room.