Survive 2

Chapter Twenty Six

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

November 21, 2022.

Madison Stone's Point Of View.

I snort when my sleep is interrupted by the alarm clock, but I don't care, I just turn it off and turn to the other side to try to go back to sleep, which I can't, because the alarm clock a few minutes later goes off again.

As I see that I will have no choice but to get up and get ready for school, I turn off the small object that has spoiled my sleep and get up grumbling, going to the bathroom, where I brush my teeth and take a shower.

As I shower I remember that today is one month since Anthony's death. Today is one month since the hardest day I have ever had, so I let a few tears that fall from my face mix with the water that came out of the shower.

After I get dressed and grab my backpack and cell phone, I leave my room and go downstairs to the dining room, where I find my mother already eating her breakfast.

"Good morning daughter."

"Good morning, Mom," I say as I sit up and place my backpack on the chair next to me.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I wish I had slept more."

"Got it.. are the boys going to school today?"

"I don't know. I didn't talk to either of them after the party," I put some orange juice in my glass and drink some of it.

On Saturday, when I went to bed, my mother had not come home yet, so only yesterday, after she told me about her dinner with Christopher, the same one that according to her was great, and asked me how the game went, I told her what happened and all she told me was, "you have to be honest with both of them."

"Do you think they are angry with you?"

"I don't know. But I don't think they have any reason to be."

"Be honest with me, Madison," my mother speaks and I stare at her after putting a slice of banana cake on my plate.

"Be honest about what?"

"There's not one percent chance you want Bryan as a boyfriend again, right?" And I deny it immediately.

"No. Why the question?"

"Because if there were, there would indeed be reason for Andrey to be preucupated or upset. And even if it's not your fault, Bryan is likely to be sad, because it's painful not to have your love reciprocated."

Yeah.. it makes sense.

"And what do you want me to do?"

"Be honest with them," and I huff.

At least in my perception, I was honest with Andrey at all times and although I didn't talk to Bryan, I think I was also honest with him, because I was sure he knew about my feelings towards him.

"I thought it was clear to both of them how I felt about each."

"There are two probabilities. The first is that you may have thought you were transparent with them, but in fact you weren't, and the second is that you may have been really honest with both of them, but because he likes you, Bryan may not have wanted to see that. Or he even saw it, but didn't care."

"I don't want to lose his friendship," I say in frustration and put a piece of my cake in my mouth. Marilyn really rocks in the kitchen.

"If he really likes you, he will want to stay close to you, if only as a friend," she tries to comfort me and as much as what she says makes sense, I disagree.

"What if he decides to stay away from me because staying close to me knowing that his feelings for me are not reciprocated makes him suffer?"

"I don't think he will do that, because if not, he would have done that as soon as he saw that you were dating Andrey."

"That makes sense, but I won't know until I see him at school today," I say and sip a large amount of my juice, getting up shortly thereafter. "Including, I'm going to go now, because if I don't I'm going to be late."

"Okay then my love. Good class," I pick up my backpack and walk over to her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Good job," I say and then leave the dining room.

I get in the car and buckle up after putting my backpack on the passenger seat, start the car and leave the garage, heading towards Royalty.

During the way to school I keep thinking with which face I will look at Bryan, thinking how I will try to talk to him, because I really want him in my life and I will not give it up.

I arrive after a few minutes at school and enter, receiving some looks at me, probably because of what happened at David's house on Saturday, but I don't care, I just walk into one of the hallways after the bell rings and look for my friends with David being the first to be found.

"Hi David," I approach him and he closes his locker, looking at me and smiling.

"Hi, Mad. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks for asking.. yeah, I wanted to apologize for what happened at your house," I say awkwardly.

After Bryan left, I stayed alone for a few more minutes where we talked and then I left without even saying goodbye to anyone.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"Andrey told you what happened, right?"

"Yes, and I tried to convince him that there was no reason to be angry with you."

"And he's angry with me?"

"I think he's angry at Bryan and the fact that he knows you will still want him around."

"And you think it's wrong that I want that?"

"I don't think so, but I wouldn't want Emily to be around a boy who stole a kiss from her."

"So do you think that.." and I don't finish my question, because David interrupts me.

"He is coming. We will talk about it later," and I agree, because I know that if we talk about it now we will get into a fight.

"What's up, David?" And I turn my face forward, seeing who I imagined it to be.

"What's up, Andrey?" David says and Andrey looks at me.

"Hi Madison," and I feel the anger rise in me when I hear him calling me that again.

Is it really that hard to get it into his head that I didn't do anything?

"Hi Andrey." I speak and he looks at me for a few seconds as if he wants to say something, but ends up saying nothing, just directing his gaze at our friend again.

"We need to go to our class before the principal catches us in the hallway," he says to David, who agrees and he turns to me.

"We're going to the room now Mad. We will talk later then," and I deny it.

"I will leave you there and then I will go to mine." I speak and he agrees, so the three of us start walking, with David between me and Andrey, towards the room, the same one is still without a teacher.

I would really like to know what was the deal Alexander and Williams made and what the court will decide.

"Where are Ryan and Ashley? Did they come today?" I ask.

"Ryan must be in the history room by now, and Ashley must have gone to hers too, or she must be with Ryan," and I agree.

We stopp in front of the door and think it strange that it is closed, because it was staying open for the coordination supervision, since there is no teacher.

"I wonder if they hired another teacher?" David asks and approaches the door, knocking on it and then coming back to my side.

"Did he come back?" Andrey asks and I feel a certain fear.

We wait a few seconds and the door opens, causing my heart to speed up and anger to rise in me when I see Alexander again.

What is he doing here?!