So Many Reasons

19;

"So, Madilyn..." My fork froze midway to my mouth. Ms. Parker was staring at me again.

"Yes?" I asked, laying my fork onto the table. I felt David interlace our fingers under the table and a small smile fell onto my face.

"What is your profession?" Ms. Parker asked, her eyes piercing into me.

I looked to David, did he want me to tell her? What do I do?

"She works at a diner." David said, squeezing my hand.

"A diner?" She raised an eyebrow. "Like a waitress." She said it with such distaste, like being a waitress was the worst thing you could be.

I nodded. "Yes, I am a waitress part time."

"I see..." Her disapproving eyes weren't hard to miss. "What do you do with the rest of your time?"

I looked to David again, wondering if he'd tell her or leave me to lie. He put his fork down.

"She goes to school." He said.

"College?" She asked and I shook my head.

"High school?" She questioned and I nodded slowly. She seemed to piece together how we met and when she did she gasped.

"She's your student?" She gasped loudly. David nodded and tightened his hold on my hand. 

"We met a few weeks before school started." He said softly and his mom glared at me.

"My son could go to jail because of you."

"No, mom. This is not her fault. I will not go to jail because we're playing it safe."

"Safe?" She scoffed. "What about this is safe? You shouldn't be with this girl, David."

"Mom." Della's voice broke in. "They care about each other."

"Della this is not your place."

"It's never my place with you, mom, but I'm making it my place this time. They obviously love each other, you can't break that up. You were younger than dad." Della said.

To say I was surprised was an understatement. I didn't think Della would stand up for me, but maybe she wasn't. Maybe it was for her brother.

That made more sense.

Ms. Parker huffed. "I just think he should've married Sarah."

"Mom, don't." David said sternly.

"Don't what, dear? She was and exceptional woman compared to this child."

"No." David snapped, standing up. "She was a rich woman. Madilyn may be young, and she may not have a ton of money but that's not why I'm with her. I don't care how much you loved Sarah, I love Madilyn and I refuse to let you talk down on her because she isn't rich." David said.

His mom looked taken back by his words, like she didn't expect it.

David kissed Della on the forehead and grabbed my hand, pulling me up and out the door, ignoring his mom calling after him.

I think David tried to talk to me on the way back to my house, but I paid no mind. Too many things were running through my mind.

Who was Sarah? Were they engaged?

Why hadn't he told me about her yet?

Okay well that's an easy answer; I wouldn't want to know. I don't think I'd be able to listen to him talk about how much he loved his ex fiancé.

"Madilyn?" David's soft voice broke me from my thoughts.

"Hm?" I mumbled, still only half paying attention to him. He nodded to my house.

"We're here." He said. I nodded and stepped out of the car. David walked to my side and stared into my eyes like he was searching for something. "You alright?" He questioned, turning his head slightly. He looked adorable like that.

"I'm fi-" I stopped mid sentence when I realized something very important. He said he loved me.

He

Said

He

Loved

Me.

Oh my god.

"You said you loved me!" My eyes widened slightly and I mentally scolded myself for realizing so late.

David nodded and scratched the back of his neck.

"You caught that, huh?"

I nodded numbly.

"Please don't be freaked out... I mean, I know it's early but It slipped out. I was waiting for the right time to- Madilyn?" He noticed that I wasn't paying attention and stopped. I didn't know what to say, or do.

I loved him too, but something was keeping me from telling him. 

I tried to make the words come out, I really did, but they just wouldn't. David looked like he would break any second if I didn't say anything.

But I couldn't.

Instead, I did the thing I do best when times got tough, I ran.