You'll Never Be Alone

Chapter 11

TAYLOR'S POV

Tree: Taylor, I'm on my way over.

Taylor: Ok

I rub Maddie's back gently.

"Don't throw up Mads, it's okay, I'm not trying to be mean, I just want you to know the truth," I say. Maddie nods and wipes away her tears. "Tree is coming over in a few minutes."

"What? Why? I don't want her to be here!" Maddie says, starting to cry again.

"Hey, hey, sweetheart, please, it's okay, Tree's going to help, she cares about you," I say rocking her back and forth.

"No she doesn't, I saw you texting her. She doesn't believe me, she doesn't care about me, nobody ever does," Maddie says.

"Mads, I'm sorry," I say after a minute. We sat in silence for a few minutes and I let her cry until I heard the doorbell ring. I slowly stand up and open the door. Tree walks in and Maddie slides downstairs still crying. I wrap my arms around her and we sit on the couch.

"So, um, Madison? What's going on? Do you have anything to tell me?" Tree asks. Maddie looks up at me and motions for me to move my ear closer to her.

"I don't want to tell her, I don't feel comfortable," Maddie whispers into my ear. I nod.

"She doesn't want to tell," I say.

"Taylor, this is why I said she's lying, she just wants the attention," Tree says, rolling her eyes and standing up.

"Fine! You want to know? My foster homes would always beat me. And then my foster home before this, um, the guy he would beat me everyday. And Taylor caught me hurting myself. I um, I-I," Maddie says. She worries a little bit and can't finish the last part. Her breath starts to race and she panics.

"Mads, sweetheart, it's okay, you don't need to worry," I say, rocking her back and forth. Maddie looks up at me with tears falling down her cheeks. She's having another panic attack. She looks at me, unable to breathe and I take her hand and place it on my heart. "Follow my breathing." I whisper to her. Maddie slowly calms down and buries her face in my chest. I rub her back gently and 'shh' her to calm her tears.

"Taylor, Madison, I don't know what is going on, but I want you and Madison to tell the truth," Tree says, sitting down and rolling her eyes again.

"Tell her," Maddie whispers as she plays with a strand of my hair.

"Tree, I know you're mad, or you think I'm lying, but Maddie did try to kill herself. She went to the hospital, and she's good now, but that doesn't mean she doesn't struggle. She does self harm, she does have panic attacks almost everyday and she might be starving herself, she needs all the help. And more negative people in her life who don't help her, are just making it harder," I say.

"Taylor, I love you, Madison is obviously a darling little girl, but she's okay. She can go back to the adoption center and wait to be adopted. You have a lot going on," Tree says.

"Stop calling me Madison!" I shout as I run upstairs to my room and start to sob. Taylor comes in a minute later and holds me.

"Why don't you like people calling you Madison?" Taylor asks.

"Um, my mom would always call me Madison, which was nice, but then Max would always call me Madison, and I don't know, I just don't want to think about that," I say. Taylor nods.