More Than Friends - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 1)

Chapter 1

Maddie's POV

"Ugh!" I say frustrated. Today is not my day. I have been having the WORST luck. My guitar I was going to use is getting repaired and won't be ready until tomorrow, I'm having a little bit of throat problems, and to make it worse, I have a performance tonight for Idol.

"Hey, what's the matter?" I hear a familiar southern accent say.

I turn around and see one of my closest friends on this show. I give him a small smile, "Hey, Caleb," I sigh and sit down on the couch. "My throat is killing me and my guitar is getting repaired. I won't get it back until tomorrow and I was supposed to use it for tonight's performance."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he says, "Hey, you can use one of my guitars."

"Really?" I say shocked.

"Of course."

"Wow, thanks!!" I smile and hug him.

It takes him a second but he eventually hugs me back, "Anything for you."

We pull away and I start thinking about tonight. I stand up and start pacing a little. I go through the lyrics in my head. What if I forget them? What if I sing a little flat?

"Maddie.." Caleb says.

I stop and look at him, "Yeah?"

"You're doing it again," he chuckles, "You're going to do amazing tonight. Stop stressing about it."

"Ugh, I just.. I don't know," I sit back down, "I really just wanna make it through to the next round."

"You will, I promise." He smiles.

He always knows how to make me calm down. The way he talks to me makes me have a little more confidence. I feel better knowing I don't have to worry about a guitar. I have my lyrics pretty well memorized. Now I'm just worried about my throat. I guess I was thinking so much that I didn't even realize he had went and got me a glass of water.

"Thank you," I say with a small smile.

"Maddie, you really are so amazing. You're the real deal. You've got the whole package. You have everything it takes to win this whole thing. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you."

I feel my eyes watering a little bit, "I lo- thank you."

He smiles at me with his cute little smile, "I love you, too."

I feel my face get warm and I look down at the floor, "you're the best," I mumble.

Before I know it, it's almost time for me to perform and I am in my head so much right now.

"Maddie," Caleb comes over to me backstage and hands me his guitar, "stop thinking so much. You are going to do amazing. I promise you that. And you look beautiful by the way."

I take a deep breath and smile at him, my face red since he said I looked beautiful, "thank you," I say softly.

And then it's time for me to perform.