Speak Now

Chapter Nine

Madeline kept thinking about what Alice said even after she got to the hotel and was waiting for Julchen. Oddly enough, the vague threat gave her a slight boost of confidence. Granted, Alice said she wasn’t going down without a fight, she still told Madeline to take what was rightfully hers. That meant Madeline definitely wasn’t going to give up without a fight either. The door crashing open broke her from her thoughts and she looked up to see Julchen standing there with a mischievous grin. Something was going to happen whether Madeline wanted it to or not.

“Get off jour butt Birdie, I have an idea und ve must act before zhe chance is gone like Feli during meine bruder’s training!”

Madeline giggled at the mental image but Julchen ended it quickly when she started pulling the blonde out of the door. Julchen held her keys in her hand, the noise catching Madeline’s attention. Maddie sighed knowing she would lose the argument. “At least let me drive, doof. You did just drive for 32 hours straight. I at least got some sleep at the airport and on the plane.”

“But zhis is zhe best time for me to drive.”

“What are you rambling on about?”

Julchen smirked, “I think of my best insults vhen I am like zhis.”

Julchen just smiled knowing her friend was awful at insulting and wouldn’t be able to show the true road rage spirit this trip required.

“Don’t give me that look. My insults aren’t that bad -” the face Julchen made instantly shut Madeline up.

“Calling somevone a boot licker is not much of an insult Birdie, at least not in Germany.”

Madeline blushed red. “Fine you win,” she gave up, “At least tell me where we’re going first.”

“It’s a secret,” Julchen teased.

“Geez, seems like everybody’s got a secret except me,” Madeline said not-so-in-her-head. “Vhat vas zhat, Birdie?”

Maddie blushed even deeper, shaking her head no. “Okay, fine. Don’t tell me. Anyvay, jou’re going to love it!” Julchen teased some more.

“If you’re lying, I won’t forgive you,” Maddie teased right back.

They walked to the car and before they got in, Madeline prayed to whatever god was up there that she survived the ride.

Somehow, she did manage to survive. She had to scream at Julchen a few times to stay on the right side of the road and to “stop flipping every other driver off before someone got really angry and caused trouble,” but she still had all four limbs intact. They were parked quite a distance away from the place Julchen was dragging Madeline, according to her German friend. They stopped at a little café called Tea By Thé so Julchen could get some coffee, first. They had an amazing variety of tea flavors; Madeline barely had enough time to decide before Julchen was abandoning her. Maddie half jogged to catch up to her friend, when suddenly her camera was in her face, “I know jou von’t be able to take many inside, but here. Jou can take lots of pictures on zhe vay zhere.”

Madeline took her camera out of her friend’s hand when she realized where they were going. “Julchen?” she asked playfully. “Are we, by any chance, going to the Louvre?”

Julchen put her hands up almost spilling her coffee, “Caught me.”

Madeline giddily ran ahead, making it hard for Julchen to keep up in her tired state. If she could wait it out she would hit sleep deprivation mode and would be hyper again, but it looked like Maddie wanted to run now. Julchen drudged on, trying to keep a safe distance between her and her friend.