Trying to Fix You

Chapter 20 {Nothing Left But Regret}

~ 4 YEARS EARLIER ~

Madyson's laughing hysterically after Shayla divulges her deepest secret in a game of truth or dare. "I can't believe you kissed Stevie Mcgrossy!"

Dena shakes her head while laughing along with Madyson. "What were you thinking Shay?!"

Shayla continues trying to defend herself. "He's really sweet...and desperate. He said that if I just gave him one kiss it would change his life...how is someone supposed to say no to that?!"

"Uh...repeat it with me Shay, no, Stevie Mcgrossy, you may not place your gross lips on mine!" Madyson laughs and leans back against her bedroom wall.

Shayla narrows her eyes at her two best friends and throws a skittle at both of them before crossing her arms over her chest. "You guys are the worst friends ever!" She tries to hide her smile by eating a few of the skittles.

Dena snickers and reaches over to put her arm on Shayla's shoulder. "Aw, you know you love us. We're like...Jeremy's disgusting mac n'cheese."

Shayla and Madyson both give Dena a strange look wondering how Jeremy's disgusting mac n'cheese could in any way relate to their amazing friendship.

Dena rolls her eyes with a smirk and begins to explain. "You know...there's three key ingredients in mac'n'cheese; first, you have the noodles which is of course, Mady. The noodles are like a must-have cause you know, without them...like what do ya got, ya know?  Next, you have the cheese, the cheese is like the...stuff that holds everything together, which of course means, Shay. Cause ya know, without cheese...well, you just have lumpy tasting noodles and last, but certainly not least, you have me; water. Water is like...the thing that evens everything out, keeps things balanced. Without water you have burnt noodles and strong, thick cheese."

Shayla and Madyson both stare at Demi with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth before busting out laughing and the strange yet totally awesome metaphor Dena just made.

Dena reaches back behind her and grabs the camera that was sitting on the bed. "Picture time!"

Both Shayla and Madyson move closer to Dena and make strange faces for the camera.

"Aww, how adorable." Lucas smirks while leaning up against the door frame, starring at the three girls.

Madyson narrows her eyes at her brother and reaches for a pillow, tossing it directly at his head.

Lucas dodges the pillow and pretends to pout. "Aw, come on, can't I join your little girls are from Venus group?"

Madyson stands up and walks towards the door. "No, now get out."

"Do they ever do anything fun on your planet?"

"Do they ever get a life on yours?" She shuts the door in Lucas' face before turning back around and sitting back on the floor with a loud irritated sigh.

Shayla quietly speaks her mind while munching on Skittles. "You should've just let him stay."

Madyson looks over at Shayla with squinted eyebrows. "What? Why would I do something like that?!"

Shayla shrugs and sticks a few skittles in her mouth to avoid the question.

Madyson scrunches her nose up in disgust. "Ew! You don't...like my brother, do you?!"

Shayla looks over at Madyson, embarrassed that she saw right through her. "What?! No!"

Dena snickers at Shayla's defense. "You are such a liar. Who wouldn't?" She looks over at Madyson with a slightly grossed out expression. "Besides Mady, of course, cause...that would just be...wrong on so many levels." She shakes her head with disgust.

Madyson looks over at Dena with a shocked expression.

Dena just shrugs and sticks a few skittles in her mouth. "What? You got a hot brother, you might as well get used to it."

Shayla snickers at her bluntness and eats a few more skittles.

Madyson scrunches her face us in disgust and shakes her head before eating a few skittles. "Ew, you guys are disgusting."

~ PRESENT TIME ~

Madyson walks up the few steps to the front of Shayla's house and knocks on her door. She was hoping Shayla was still at cheeleading practice so she could get some answers from Dena. She was trying to fix things and that meant leaving everything on the table; all of the secrets, all of the lies had to come out in the open.

Dena opens the door and her eyes widen in surprise. "Mads?"

She speaks quickly and tries to get a look past Dena. "Is Shayla here?"

"No, she's at cheer practice." 

"Good, I need to ask you some things. Can I come in?"

Dena slowly moves out of the doorway, allowing Madyson to walk inside. She shuts the door and turns to face her. "So, what's up?"

"I know what happened between you and my brother the day of the accident. I just want to know why, I want to know how you could do something like that to your best friend."

Dena's mouth slowly falls open as she stares at Madyson in shock. "How...how did you find out?"

"Lucas. He told me...right before..." She slowly trails off.

Dena looks down in sadness as guilt takes over.

"I just need to know why, I need to get all of this out in the open before I can move on." Madyson pleads.

"What does it matter, Madyson? He's gone."

"Look, I promise not to say anything to Shay. I just need to know, Dena...for me."

Dena shakes her head as tears begin to fall down her face and her anger and frustration get the best of her. "You have no right to come in here asking me about this! I'm not going to get wrapped up in the past just so you can move forward. I know you're dealing with guilt, but you can't pass it off on me!"

Madyson shakes her head and looks up at her with angry eyes, speaking without even bothering to think over what falls from her mouth and shatters like glass on a tile floor. "Oh really? Because if you weren't finding comfort in my boyfriend that night because of the mistake you made, I never would have gotten behind the wheel of that car!" She stands there for moment, watching as Dena's eyes fill with tears before turning around and walking out of Shayla's house, slamming the door behind her. 

Dena jumps slightly at the sound of the door slamming as tears stream steadily down her face. She looks down and shakes her head, bring her hands to her face as she begins to sob.

Madyson stands on the other side of the door, feeling like she just got the wind knocked out of her. How could she say that to Dena? She never wanted anyone to feel the guilt she had been feeling for the past year, especially not Dena. She shakes her head as tears fall down her face, she takes a deep breath before beginning the long walk home. It was a day full of mending bridges and burning a few. She thought things were finally turning around, she was finally starting to feel okay and alive but now...now she felt nothing but regret.