Trying to Fix You

Chapter 15 {Father of the Past}

It was the end of the school day and Madyson had made it through the whole day without saying a word to anyone. She saw Shayla and Dena but neither of them said a word to her. She thought maybe they would start to try and talk to her, but they didn't. She told herself that it was okay, that's what she wanted...that's what she thought she wanted. It was the end of the school day; the end of the school day three years ago would've meant cheerleader practice. Madyson was team captain once upon a time. Once upon a time she loved it, she loved the attention, the admiring looks from others as she walked down the halls. Once upon a time she loved the idea of being head cheerleader with football captain and Noah as her boyfriend. 

For some reason, Madyson found herself sitting on the bleachers of the football field watching as Noah ran across trying to catch a pass and watching as Sluty Suzy ordered her cheer team to do pointless exercises that would in no way prepare them for Friday's game. She watched as Shayla rolled her eyes, obviously not happy with having to obey Sluty Suzy's commands. She missed being down on that field, laughing with Shayla and plotting ways to get Dena to join the team, she missed her old life and her friends before they were broken. But sometimes...once upon a time is just a memory and happily ever after doesn't even have a prayer.

Dena walks out into the stadium, hoping to catch a ride with Shayla before she leaves. She begins walking over to the opposite side of the bleachers when she sees Madyson sitting on the other end, starring blankly at the football field. She makes her way over to Madyson and sits down beside her. "Hey."

"Hey." Madyson smiles slightly before looking back at the football field.

Dena sits there for a moment in awkward silence before realizing that Madyson was starring at her old cheerleading squad. Dena looks back at her with questioning eyes. "Do you miss it?"

She comes out of her trance and looks back at Dena, unsure of what she meant for a moment. "Oh...uh, no. Not really."

"You loved cheerleading. Are you really going to tell me that you don't miss it even a little?"

Madyson shrugs while continuing to stare at the team. "It was fun, but things change. Chearleading just doesn't seem important anymore."

"There are a lot of things that aren't important per say but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do them if they make you happy."

Madyson glances down at her lap and mumbles under her breath. "I guess you would know a lot about doing what makes you happy." Madyson had shocked herself with her anger towards Dena but she was slowly learning how hard it was to forgive and how it was nearly impossible to forget. She looks over at Dena quickly and sighs a silent breath of relief when she realizes Dena didn't hear what she said. Madyson stands up and grabs her bag, slinging it over her shoulder before looking down at her. "I better get going."

She looks up at Madyson with a smile, trying to block the sun from her eyes. "See you later?"

Madyson nods with a forced smile and walks down the bleachers. She's walking down the sidewalk towards her house still lost in thought about Dena. She wanted to forget everything, she needed to forget everything. It was stupid to hold something like that above Dena's head. 

At times, Madyson could forget what happened with Dena and Lucas but when she thinks about Shayla all she can feel is pain for her. Shayla has no idea that the guy she loved was cheating with her best friend behind her back. But now he's gone, there's no reason to tell Shayla and there's no reason to rat out Dena. It would be wrong to destroy that memory she has of Lucas. Shayla doesn't need to remember Lucas as a cheater, she needs to remember him as the loving, kind person he was. Because he really was.