MAD

~ Chapter 26 ~

Opening any kind of social media or even try to listen to the news was a nightmare.

It had been only a couple of hours since a picture of Zach had appeared with Maddeline, even though, fortunately, her face wasn't visible, and both fans and the media were going crazy over it.

Who was that girl with Zachary Adams? Was she the reason for the abrupt end of the relationship with Rebecca? Was the girl pregnant? Was that why they were at the hospital?

It hadn't even been half a day since the photo had been uploaded and Zach's phone wouldn't stop ringing and bleeping and vibrating, and he was getting closer and closer to throwing the damned thing out of the window with every second that passed.

"I'm sorry," he apologized to Maddeline, who laid on the floor.

"It's not really your fault," she shrugged "you were simply helping me to my appointment."

So they didn't move for hours, they talked instead, and revived the old times before they were famous, before everything went wrong and got so complicated.

Maddeline was laughing, her head thrown back and hands clutching her stomach.

"Oh, God, Zach. That was so funny! I had completely forgotten I made you learn the words to that."

Zach laughed along, never letting his eyes stray from her figure, and with every breath, every second that passed he knew firmly that leaving her had been the greatest mistake of his life, and that he would do anything within possibility to have her back.

Reaching over, he stroked her neck, tenderly, breaking her out of her laughing fit.

At that moment, it was almost as if thunder had hit de room, their eyes met, his hand stopped, her breathing slowed down, and it seemed physically impossible to look away from the other.

Then, the door opened, Zach's hand fell to his lap and they looked away.

"Hey, you two," Joel said, smiling.

Maddeline smiled back, guilt eating at her insides.

"Hey Joel, how are you?"

Joel walked closer and helped Maddeline to her feet and pulled her close to his body, kissing her head.

Zach glared at them while getting up.

"I'll leave you two alone," he mumbled as he walked to the kitchen.

Joel and Maddeline sat on the couch and started to talk about what they had done in the days they had been apart.

"So, you're the most wanted woman in the country," Joel laughed.

"Oh, Hell, don't even mention that." Maddeline covered her face. "If they don't even know who I am and it's this bad, imagine if they did!"

Joel laughed, running a hand through her hair and kissing her forehead.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about all of this." he gestured around them.

"The house?"

Joel smiled for a second before his face turned serious and he straightened up.

"No, this all arrangement of you staying with them." He spoke firmly, not an ounce of playfulness in his voice or his stance.

"What about me staying with them?", Maddeline was not happy at all with the course their conversation was taking, but there was really nothing she could do to avoid it, so she would face it head-on.

"I don't like it." Maddeline rolled her eyes at that. "I mean, seriously, you're staying in a house with four guys! It makes no sense when you could perfectly stay with me."

"Joel, we've had this conversation before, they are my friends. In fact, they have been my friends for almost ten years." Maddeline was trying to maintain her calm and composure, but she knew what was to come and she was dreading it.

"I don't want you near Zach, he looks at me as if I'm committing murder every time I come close to you! And if that wasn't enough, you were practically glued together when I got here! Are you kidding me?" Joel exploded.

"Seriously? This is about you being jealous of Zach? Joel, we've had this conversation before: I'm with you, not him!" She huffed. "But clearly, you are so self-absorbed you only care about me being away from him so it doesn't bother you! If I were to stay with you I would be alone for days because you're always going away for work and shit. So please, if this is about that, stop before it gets worse for you."

"Are you kidding me? Jealous of that sweaty rat? He's probably in the kitchen snorting something to write a song!" Joel shouted.

Maddeline, without a moment's hesitation, slapped him.

"I can't believe you just said that. You've been spending way too much time with your father." She shook her head, pulling herself to her feet with some difficulties.

"My dad has nothing to do with this! It's this house, and the people who live in it!"

"Joel, you just accused someone you know of doing drugs simply because you're jealous. Have some shame! I never thought I would see the day you would start to morph into your beast of a progenitor. Get out, we're over, I've had enough of you insulting me and my friends." She gestured tot he door and started to slowly walk to the kitchen.

Joel stood rooted to the couch for a second or two before jumping up and following after her.

"Are you fucking crazy, I'm not going anywhere without you! Don't be a bitch!" He pulled her back by her arm, making her lose her balance and fall down.

"That's enough!" Zach stepped out of the kitchen, having enough. "Joel, get out, you heard her." He said sternly before kneeling next to Maddeline. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, shut up! You just want to fuck her!" Joel pushed Zach as he stood up to stop him to get to Maddeline.

"Joel, you're seriously starting to piss me off. Get out before you regret it." Zach kept his calm, grabbing Joel by his arm and escorting him to the door. "Now, go away and don't bother her again."

Joel huffed, trying to get past Zach and into the house once again.

"Oh, and by the way, you asshole, she was my fiancé, so I've done way more than you ever did. But don't worry, I'll have her with my last name soon enough." With that, Zach closed the door and went back inside to help Maddeline.

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Author's Note:

I'm really sorry, but life got complicated...

I'll try to update more often, promise!

Don't forget to vote and comment if you liked it!

Besitos,

Jessy.