FRIDAY'S GIRL ·ϿʘϾ·

Chapter 28

Christmas flew by in the blink of an eye. I exchanged gifts with Maddison and even tried to seduce her a couple of times without much success. I had to take advantage of Chloe and Oliver being out of Fairfield during that time of year, giving us some privacy. Every attempt I made to get to fourth base ended up with her getting mad. Her fake prudeness really pissed me off, especially since she wasn't so uptight with that other loser.

Now I was in the empty school library with Maddison, surrounded by shelves full of books, silent witnesses to our mutual apathy. She kept an impassive expression while flipping through a book with zero interest. I'd seen her cry so many times because of her parents, who insisted she abandon her dream of studying art to pursue a more "practical" career. That vulnerability hidden behind her perfect facade was something she rarely showed anyone, but it used to make her special to me—at least before—showing she was as insecure as the rest of us.

The soft rustle of pages turning contrasted with the expectant silence of the library. I could catch the faint smell of old paper mixed with the floral perfume she always wore. The orange light of the setting sun streaming through the large windows gave the place an almost surreal touch, highlighting her angelic beauty. Despite the silence around us, I could feel a certain discomfort between us, something that had definitely settled into my life; no matter how much I tried to hide it, I couldn't.

I guessed this was what my mom was referring to during the argument we had after breakfast. She said I was acting strange, always in a foul mood, and my belligerent attitude worried her. I pretended I had no idea what she was talking about, almost making her think she was crazy because I couldn't handle my own emotions and contradictions.

"Brad, son, you can't keep going like this." The distress shone in her sad, dull eyes. "If you need anything, to tell me something, anything, just say it! I know you, I know something's going on..."

"I'm fine, Mom, stop being a nag!" I responded with discomfort, not wanting to share my problems. I felt like the worst person in the world and didn't want to disappoint her. However, I couldn't stop myself.

"If it's a drug thing..."

"Mom! Of course not!" I exclaimed, shocked by the direction the conversation was taking.

"I know it's different with your dad, but you've always been very open with me, and now you've completely shut down." My mom took the glass and plate from me as I made a move to take them to the sink.

"You're imagining things."

The truth was I was a mess, torn between light and darkness. Sometimes I wished I had never found out the truth; staying ignorant would have been better than the hell I was going through. The bitterness was eating me up inside to the point where many days I woke up with my body stiff as a board and my jaw hurting from clenching my teeth so hard. Clinging to the idea of revenge was the only thing that managed to relax me. If it weren't for that purpose, I would have gone crazy or, worse yet, fallen into a depression.

Just recently, because of my plan, I had met with Chloe in a secluded corner of the school, right before meeting up with my girlfriend; knowing this last detail made me enjoy the clandestine meeting even more. Trying to manipulate her and calm her nerves, I had made out with her; it was more mechanical than passionate, I just wanted to keep her calm. Each day that passed, I felt less and less like being around her. Her constant need for attention was starting to wear me down, but I didn't have the courage to definitively end our relationship, out of fear she would blab.

"I love you, Brad," she had confessed, wrapping her arms around my neck. I froze like ice, standing so still I might as well have been a wax statue.

Chloe Miller was just another one to me. Like so many others who had been in my bed in such a short time. Instead of responding, I kissed her like a coward. I had promised myself not to give my heart to anyone again and was determined to keep that promise.