It's been a few days since Madison and Michael kind of made out on Kristie's couch when she finds a pink letter in her mail box. She only opens it when she sits down at the kitchen table to find out that it's an invitation for the wedding of a friend of hers. Madison used to think that Kristie and Ashton were the exception of the rule, but apparently it was a common thing to get married at such a young age. She leaves the invitation on the table and proceeds to open a bottle of wine. Weddings are complicated, especially when you're the single person between all the happy couples and weird relatives. She still has a few weeks to come up with a lousy excuse for why she can't go, so she pushes the spectacle away and decides to take a bath.
Madison just sank into the bubbles when the doorbell rings. She might have forgotten when Michael comes home from work, and he still doesn't have a key, so she has to get out again, wrap herself into a towel and hurry into the hallway.
Michael examines her from head to toe after she opened the door and lets him in.
"Did I disturb you?"
"No, I'm just gonna take a bath" she explains with a shrug and goes back into the bathroom.
After around ten minutes, Michael knocks on the door and comes in with the invitation.
"We're going, right?"
He sits down on the toilet lid and grins.
Madison's eyes widen.
"We??? I was planning on cancelling a day before because I'm very sick, you know?"
Michael giggles and shakes his head.
"Bullshit. There will be free food and free alcohol and we get to sleep at a fancy hotel! Damn Madison, check your priorities. You might even catch the bride's bouquet, how could you want to miss that?"
She covers her face with her hands and sighs loudly. Why is she even surprised that Michael is so enthusiastic about this?
"Listen, I don't wanna catch that damn bouquet and I don't wanna be surrounded by all these people and fake happiness. Also who the heck gets married right before Christmas??"
Suddenly he frowns and puts the letter on the floor.
"Why would you have to fake it? Are you unhappy?"
Madison wraps her arms around her knees, the now lukewarm water splashing around her legs.
"I can't believe we're having this conversation while I'm naked."
He smirks again and shrugs.
"I can get naked as well if that makes you feel better."
"No, get out so I can get dressed! For God sakes Michael!"
He raises his hands in surrender and walks out of the bathroom. Only now she thinks about what it would be like to take Michael to a wedding. The grandmas would certainly love him for his charm, and the aunts would love him because he can hold his liquor very well. He's probably a terrible dancer, which definitely qualifies him to go. Madison pulls the plug of the tub, dries herself and puts on her pajamas.
Michael is watching TV when she joins him in the living room.
"Alright, let's go" she announces and takes a sip from his beer.
"Brilliant, fill out the little form then and I'll drop it into the post box tomorrow!"
Two days before the wedding, Madison and Kristie are shopping for dresses. Kristie loves looking at every single piece at the store while Madison is the rather systematic type. She already excluded the ones that are too bright or too short or too long, so now she's left with a strapless one in dark blue, a black one with regular straps and a pastel pink one with sleeves. Of course Kristie votes for the pink one because "black is for funerals" and the pink makes Madison look like a fairy. Madison picks the dark blue one and focuses on her friend so they'll make it out of the store alive.
Madison is doing her makeup when Michael comes storming into the bathroom.
"Can you help me with this monster??"
He tosses the tie at her and waits for her to do the magic trick of tying it.
"A tie? Really, Michael?" she giggles and puts it around his neck.
A moment later she fixes the knot and pats his chest which is covered by a white shirt.
"I didn't know you own a suit?"
"That's because I didn't own one until yesterday" he explains and checks his reflection in the mirror.
She ushers him out of the bathroom now so she can get ready, and a minute later he texts her that he'll wait for her in the car. She silently curses him for that when she needs to zip up her dress, but she manages at the end and fixes her curls with his hair spray. Before she leaves as well, she squeezes her wallet, phone and makeup into the tiny purse, grabs a pair of flats for later and locks the front door. Michael is walking around in the hallway, so when he hears her coming down the stairs, he stands still until he can see her in the dress.
"Damn," he mumbles, "you look beautiful."
Madison only shakes her head and joins him in the hallway.
"This isn't a Hollywood movie, Michael, but thanks."
"And they say romance is dead" he replies with a laugh.
The ceremony is cheesy and boring and Madison wonders if she killed her emotions over the course of time because Kristie sheds a few tears and even Michael seems to like it. Finally Stephanie exchanges rings with her now husband and it's time to travel to the location where the party will be held. The first cocktails are being mixed, the first food is served and the first conversations are held. Madison checks out the guests to find a few familiar faces when she spots one and chokes on her drink. Ashton pats her back until she can breathe again.
"What was that?" he asks and follows her stare, "Oh, you know Luke and Calum?"
"Knowing is overstated, I met them like twice" Madison explains, "weren't exactly pleasant encounters."
Ashton crinkles his nose, still looking at his friends.
"Luke is a little complicated I admit, but Calum is pretty cool actually, I'm surprised the two of you don't get along."
Madison only shakes her head and focuses on her drink.
Obviously this wasn't the last one, and once the party is fully rolling, her head is a little dizzy. Michael disappeared a while ago, so she's mostly hanging around with Kristie or alone if her best friend is somewhere else as well. Suddenly she gets some company in the form of Calum though. He sits down next to her, hands her a full glass and says: "You never answered my question!"
"Which question?" she asks back with a frown.
"I asked you out and you only said later!" he explains.
Madison only laughs and shakes her curls.
"Listen, I don't think we should... I don't think that's a good idea."
"At least give me a chance? And if you'll still think I'm a jerk then I'll fuck off" he suggests.
Madison can't really turn him down now, so she takes a sip from the drink he brought her and they begin to talk. Ashton has always been good at looking into people and reading their personalities, so when he told Madison that he's surprised she doesn't get along with Calum he was right because the two of them get along very well. In the next few hours they find out that they share nothing but a birthday; Calum is the scientific type while Madison is the creative type, Calum is the chaotic type while Madison is the sorted type and Calum is the reckless type while Madison is the careful one. They seem to have nothing in common, which fascinates both of them to the point where they drink and talk the whole night.
Madison wakes up with a heavy head and the way too bright sun shining right into her face. She wants to wake Michael and push him to shut the curtains, but when she turns around it's not Michael lying next to her but Calum.
"Oh no" she breathes, "oh fuck oh God no."
Eventually she checks herself under the blanket; of course she only wears panties. The rest of her clothes are scattered all over the room together with Calum's. When she looks at him more closely, she notices traces of red lipstick on his jawline and neck.
"Fuck" she curses again, climbs out of bed and collects her clothes. This can't be real. And where is Michael again?
Author's note:
This is really long because i haven't updated in so long so i thought y'all deserve a bit more to read this time! hope u like it xx
