Saving Madison

Chapter Twenty-Six

Tyler's p.o.v »»

"Hey, Tyler, I know you're pissed, but please talk to me. You're the one person I thought might understand, or, at least hear me out all the way. Please."

"Hey, T, Emma told me what she told you, and I know you don't want to talk to me or anything, but, dude, at least give me a chance. It meant nothing to me, and it was stupid. We were high that night, not thinking clearly..."

"I know that I can't just fix it over a voicemail and Jake can't either, but we love you, Tyler, we just need to know you're okay."

"You don't have to answer, but at least text me back and let me know if we're still going to be friends, Ty. I love you, I don't want you to hate me." I stared at my ceiling as I heard the last of the 18 voicemails that had been left for me, most of them by Emma but some of them by Jake. They had even stopped by, but Will answered the door and refused to let them in. At school, I was nothing short of silent towards them, hardly acknowledging their presence. I wanted to tell Madison that I was sorry for not believing her, and that I wouldn't have been friends with them if I had known. But, every time I went to her house, I was just told she wasn't home.

"Could you tell her I stopped by, again? And to at least answer her phone?" I asked Mrs. Taylor, who gave me a thin, red-lipped smile and a barely noticeable nod.

"I'll let her know." She shut the door before I could say anything else. I stepped back, looking at their house. All the windows were shut, making it appear as if no one were home, had it not been for the car in the driveway. I called Madison's phone again, this time, pressing my ear to the front door. Faintly, I heard a vibration, definitely coming from upstairs. Going around the house, I found the familiar ladder to her window tucked in between growing plants and leaves. I was sure they would have taken it down after I had first put it up when I was in fourth grade so that I could come in at night when her parents didn't want us playing anymore and forced her to go to sleep hours before any normal kid went to bed. I quickly climbed up the ladder, prying her window open and slipping in. Her room looked the same as I remembered a long time ago; lavender walls, medals and pictures everywhere. Based on looking at it, I would have guessed she hadn't been there in a while.

"Maddie?" I whispered, being careful not to make noisy movements.

"Madison?" I called again, walking carefully through the room. When it was evident that she wasn't in there, I continued looking around the room. My eyes went to pictures on the walls, most of her with her parents, choir, or cheerleaders. Pictures on top of pictures made me want to organize her room, giving it a more present-Madison Taylor look. I went through the layers of pictures before I found one of us. We had to only be about nine, and I was pushing her in the tire swing I had once had in my backyard, connected to the treehouse that was still there.

"I was so chubby," I muttered, looking at the picture for a second.

"Are you some kind of pervert, or just nosy?" I turned around quickly when I heard Lily's voice, seeing her climbing into Madison's room from the same window I had.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" I asked quietly, making sure she wasn't here to get me in trouble.

"I followed you in here, Spiderman. You clearly know the way in, so I take it you've done this before?" When I didn't answer, she continued speaking. "Is this how you got in to sleep with her?"

"What?...No, we've never...no." I said, unable to help the blush that I knew was creeping up my face.

"I figured, I just wanted to see what you look like all flustered," she giggled, walking up beside me to see the picture I was looking at.

"You're apparently not her type. You're way too..."

"Don't finish that." I advised harshly. "Now, I repeat, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Madison's in trouble." That got my attention.

"What do you mean? Where is she?" I asked quickly, Lily putting her hands up in defense.

"Her mom is crazy, and she has everyone thinking Madison is suicidal. She's at some "behavioral center", and I'm pretty sure they're going to do tests on her." I wanted to not believe her, but it did sound like something Mrs. Taylor would do to her own daughter.

"How do you know that?"

"You want to keep asking me questions, Detective Gordon, or do you want to go save your girl?"

"How do you know these superhero references?" She rolled her eyes.

"I had a little brother way back when. He loved superheroes." She shrugged. "Now, do you want me to help you find her, or not?"

"Yeah, I do. I want Madison back."