Double Shot

Chapter Twenty-Four

Alex's POV
I run from my brother's car to Maddie's door. Why didn't I notice? I'm such a bad friend for not picking up on her struggling on Saturday. I thought it was a bit odd when she didn't really eat anything but I put it down to her dieting. She was going on about how she wants to lose wait before Charlie see her again.
I knock madly at her front door but her little sister answers.
"She not here," she tells me looking a bit peeved.
"Where is she?" I ask.
"Try the gym," she says not really caring.
"Thanks," I roll my eyes and run back to the car.
"Can you take me to the gym?" I say shuddering at the words as my brother starts to drive the car
**
I run up to the gym, two steps at a time. This is the most work I've ever done in a gym.
I burst through the doors to the gym and start flying around looking for her.
"Joe," I call to her PT as I run over to him.
"Alex. What's up?" He asks.
"Have you seen Maddie?" I ask. He's a family friend so he might not have seen her here but he might have seen her lately.
"Not since about 7 this morning. She been coming in really early and then around 4 as well," he tells me. "Alright, thanks," I say walking back towards the exit. I sit on the large steps in front of the building thinking of where she could be.
Please don't have done anything stupid.
I sit here for about 20 minutes, racking my brain for where she could be before the idea comes into my head. The bench.
I jump up from the step and run, like full on run, towards the park. I'm halfway in before I see her sitting crossed legged on the bench watching the duck. I walk up to the bench and take a seat next to her.
"Maddie?" I say softly. Her eyes are red and puffy with dry tear stained cheeks. She's got her hair tied up, trainers, gym leggings and her school leavers jumper on.

"I don't know what to do," her voice is hoarse.

"What's wrong Hun? Please tell me," I say placing my hand on her knee.

"It's all so hard," is all she comes back with.

"Charlie told me that you haven't been answering his calls. Are you okay? What's going on?" I repeat.

"He keeps putting these ideas in my head. I didn't think anything of it at first but then it keep playing on my mind. Do you think he would?" she asks me.

"Do what Hun? And who? Charlie?"

"Cheat on me. Do you think he would cheat on me?" Her voice cracking.

"No. Never. He loves you. He asked me the same thing. Who ever it is that is tell you all this please ignore them," I tell her.

She just nods. "Come. We'll get you home," I say helping her up. I walk her home, letting her in then sitting her down on her bed. She starts to drift off into a sleep.

I pull out my phone, leaving her alone in her room, and call Charlie.

"Is she okay?" Charlie says as soon as he answers.

"I founded her sitting on a bench in the park. Physically she's fine but mentally she not. Someone has been putting the idea that you're cheating on her," I tell him and I hear him groan on the other side.  

"Right. I'm coming back," he says.

"Don't be so stupid. You will do no such thing," I say sternly.

"Then what do I do? How do I make her know how much I care about her?" he asks.

"It's valentines next week. Do something really special," I tell him.

"Can you help me?"

"Yeah. But I'm going to Paris on Sunday."

"That's fine. I have an idea."