𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 ⇀ 𝗍𝗌

seven

// CHAPTER SEVEN:: uneasy //

"NATIONAL Park Service?" Audrey asked as she sat across from her mother, who hummed as she sipped her coffee, "I'm being sent to go camping for a week as if that's supposed to help get rid of the smell?"

"Other kids are going, Aud." She tried to persuade, swirling her cup of coffee around to even out the sugar.

"Kids who I don't talk to," She huffed, stuffing the last piece of her pancake into her mouth, her phone quietly buzzing. She pulled it out under the table and saw another text from Harry since last night, but she dismissed it.

"Harry is going," Roxanne shrugged as if her mother was reading her mind, "And the Pressman daughters too. Don't you talk to them?"

"Not really and of course they're going, but that doesn't mean I have too." Audrey grumbled, "And aren't I grounded for last night?"

"You are," Her mother clarified, placing her cup down on the table, "But this trip is mandatory as you're-"

"The secretary's daughter?" Audrey finished and her mother met her eyes.

"I was going to say that since you've been cooped up in places for awhile," She trailed, trying to ease the conversation, "I thought this trip would be a good idea."

"I just got out of rehab and you're sending me off again," Audrey remarked, "I guess it is a good a idea... for you."

Roxanne sighed and reached over the table to grab her hand, "Honey, I'm not doing this to hurt or punish you, okay?"

Audrey eyed her for a moment and nodded, "Yeah I know."

"Okay, now," Roxanne pauses to glance at her phone, "Go get your bag and meet me in the car. I have to help get this town meeting started later."

Reluctantly, Audrey stood from the table and walked out of the kitchen to her room to grab her bag and meet her mother in the car. When she buckled her seatbelt, she looked at her mother as they drove away from the house, "When is the trip?"

"Not sure, probably a few days from now or tomorrow." She answered, looking at the road ahead. Audrey had a bad feeling when she heard about the trip because it was going to be a bunch of teenagers with no adult supervision and her mother was allowing it to happen.

Audrey sighed lowly and stared out of the window, getting to school quicker than before, "I can pick you up early after the meeting, if you want."

Audrey shook her head, "I'll survive. It's only eight hours of my life going to waste."

Her mother chuckled, "It's not going to waste. School can lead you to a great career path."

"Dang, I was really wishing on being a self-made millionaire off of makeup and drugs," She joked, and her mother gave her a look and she chuckled, "I'm kidding, geez, lighten up."

Her mother let out a hesitant dry chuckle as if to show her daughter that she was fine with the joke. However, through her poker face, she wasn't fine with it.

"Okay, here we are," Her mother sighed, looking at the big school her daughter attending, "Have a good day, okay?"

Audrey nodded, "Thanks," she glanced back at her mom to see her with furrowed brows, "For the ride. It's better than walking for twenty minutes."

"Yeah, always," Roxanne hummed before Audrey got out of the car, pulling her bag onto her shoulders and walking to the building.

Audrey let out a huff, not in the mood for today, let alone the trip that's she must go on. She never understood West Ham and there rules, presuming the smell practically corrupted their society's minds before she left.

When she reached inside, she realized everyone was either talking about the party last night or how wasted they were. Audrey simply rolled her eyes.

"Audrey!" A voice called her and she looked behind her to see Harry coming her way, but she continued to walk to her locker, "Audrey, wait!"

"I have to go to my locker, Harry," She huffed, "I don't have time for minor chit chats."

"Please, just talk to me," Harry pleaded and jogged up to her only to grab her forearm, so she could stop walking away from him. When she turned to me his gaze, he let out a breath of exhaustion, "I texted you. Multiple times."

"And I saw them," She shrugged, "Before deleting them." He gave her a furrowed look, so she pulled her arm from him and crossed her arms across her chest, "You left me last night, after you said you wouldn't. You left me surrounded in shit you know would fuck me up."

"Audrey, you know I didn't mean to do that. They had pulled me away before I could even take you with me," He explained, "And I looked for you, okay? Most of the night, that's what I spent doing."

"'Most'?"

"Yeah, I stopped when-" He paused, his voice now in a whisper, "I stopped when I saw you with Campbell at the pool."

She eyed at him momentarily, "Are you threatened by Campbell or something?"

He scoffed, "No, of course not."

"Then why did you leave me with him?" She asked, "You were supposed to stay with me last night, not Campbell. Campbell is not the reason I went to that dumb party and got grounded for, so tell me?"

I was jealous, Harry glanced down, "I don't- I don't know, okay, Audrey?"

"Okay, whatever," She grumbled, about to walk off, but he grabbed her arm again to pull her back, "What, Harry? What else is there?"

"I'm sorry about last night, Audrey. I really am, okay?" He apologized and watched her stand motionless before giving him a brief nod, "Okay, so now that we're friends again, are you ready for the trip?"

She refrained from laughing at his words and shook her head, "No, not one bit."

"Why?"

She met his eyes and shrugged as a chill went down her spine, "Not sure, I just feel like something bad is going to happen."