SURVIVORS |J.FOLEY ¹

XVI. another party

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
ANOTHER PARTY

Madison swung her bedroom door open, though she jumped when she spotted a figure on her chair. "Jesus! What the hell, Justin?" Madison yelled, startled by his sudden appearance.

"I'm sorry, I needed to see you." Justin told her, sucking in a deep breath. Justin knew that Madison would be home, he knew that she wouldn't be in school that day. So he'd made the decision to go see her, he could deal with the fact that he'd hurt her. He couldn't leave it at that. He needed to see her, he needed to apologise and he needed to explain himself.

"I'm gonna scream." Madison told him, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why the fuck would you sneak into to my house?" Madison questioned, taking a step forwards.

"I texted and i called more times that I can count." Justin started, shaking his head at her. Madison scoffed, loudly. Madison turned her back to Justin, though he was quick to shoot up from the chair. "Mads. Please, I was trying to protect you. I promise."

Madison turned back around to face him, her face twisting in disbelief. "Protect me?" She repeated. Madison slammed the door shut and approached Justin, angrily. She clenched her fists by her sides. "Seriously, Justin?" The name rolled off her tongue. "Your promise means nothing to me!"

Justin lowered his head, trying to find the words. But nothing he could ever say would help what he done. "I thought if- if you didn't know, if no one found out-"

"What? I'd be fine, I'd go about my life? and Jessica." Madison asked him through gritted teeth, tilting her head to the side. "You and i would get married and live happily ever after?" Madison's voice broke as she stared into his pained eyes.

"That's what I wanted, was for us to-" Justin shrugged his shoulders, cutting himself off. There it was. Outing himself. But it didn't mean anything to Madison this time. Nothing could excuse what he did. Not even the fact that he practically confessed to her, sober. "To be together." Justin found the words, taking a step forwards. But Madison was quick to take one back. Madison lowered her head. "Forever."

"You let him." Madison cried, her voice breaking again as she thought back to the night. She felt it coming back to her. But at the same time, nothing was. She shouldn't have gotten drunk. She should've never thrown that party. "You let him!"

"No, I was drunk." Justin stopped her, shaking his head, repeatedly. "And I was scared." Justin added.

"So was I!" Madison yelled, lifting her hand and running it through her hair, stressfully.

"Bryce was-"

"Don't say that name!" Madison yelled, moving around Justin. Justin panicked, throwing his hands up, running them through his hair. He turned around as Madison moved around him.

"I'm sorry! It's just that-" Justin cut himself off. He couldn't find any words. He'd hurt her. He'd hurt his Madison. He'd hurt her so many times that he didn't know how many times he'd broken his promise. He didn't deserve her, but he needed her. "I tried to stop him! Everytime i was thrown out, when my mum was fucked up, one of her boyfriends was fucking with me... he was there for me. When I had no money, when I was starving, his folks bought my shit for school. Okay, when my mum was busted for possession, he got his dad to bail her out."

Madison closed her eyes tightly for a moment, slowly shaking her head. "They do that shit so they can own you." Madison stated, her voice soft and calm.