Maddie and Jessica walk into the classroom side by side and walk up to Marcus and Zach’s desk. “Hey where the hell is Justin?”
“I don't know Maddie.”
“You really don't know?”
“He’s probably just skipping first to sleep in like he usually does.” Zach said as he avoided eye contact from them.
She looks down at him. “I know for a fact that he didn't ride with you guys today so where the hell is he?”
Jess looked over at Marcus as he was pulling some papers out of his bag. “Marcus? Did you see him last night?”
Zach looked at Marcus. “Yeah. Yeah he was at practice.”
“Then why isn’t he answering either of us?”
Zach sighs. “I’m sure he’ll be here Maddie, just give him some time.”
“Oh you're sure.”
She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Thanks Marcus.”
Jessica leaned in closer and talked quieter so other people couldn’t hear her. “Mr Porter wants to see me now. He left a call slip in my homeroom.”
Maddie turned around seeing the teacher at her desk. “Miss Davis and Miss Abrams. Don’t you have a class to get to?”
She looks back at Zach. “If you see him. Tell him I need to talk to him. Now.”
Jess looked to her left to see Clay listening in on their conversation. “What are you listening to Clay?”
“Miss Davis and Miss Adam.” The teacher repeated which made Jess.
Maddie on the other hand looks back at Clay one last time. She panicked for a second thinking he might be on her tape but she took a breath before she finally walked through that door.
~~~
Maddie was walking through the hallway when she saw Clay and Mr Porter talking about something that probably wasn't good. She darted to the stairs but someone quickly caught up to her.
“Maddie!” Clay yelled as he ran down the stairs and grabbed her hand.
She stopped and bit her tongue before turning around to face him. “What is it Clay? I don’t exactly have time to talk right now so can you make this quick please.”
"Why are you avoiding Mr Porter. Does he know a-?”
“Who says I’m avoiding him?” She snaps at him and immediately looks at the ground. “What if I’m just avoiding you?”
“What… Why would you?”
"I don't know Clay just… Stay away from me." She looked down at the hand he was still holding. She jolted it away before she quickly went down the rest of the stairs.
~~~
Maddie watched the cheerleaders. She didn't really listen to the principal as he hyped up Bryce to come up and introduce the team.
She didn't really listen to him that much either though when he mentioned Zach she cheered for him.
“And Justin Foley.” She watched Jessica do her back flips but Maddie’s boyfriend wasn’t following her.
Jess and her locked eyes. She gets up from the bleachers and sneaks out of the gym.
“How could you do that to Jessica? You know how important this pep rally was for her. Can you call me back or hell even a text would be fine at this point.”
A voice came from behind her calling her name. “Mad? Maddie, wait.”
She turns around seeing Clay was the one walking out of the school too. “What do you want now Clay?”
“We need to talk.”
She takes a step back and shakes her head. “No we really don’t so just drop it okay?"
“But we need to tell someone about Justin. Like maybe Mr. Porter.”
“Mr. Porter?" She scoffs and covers her mouth. Even the thought of talking to him about this amused her. "That sounds like a fantastic idea. I mean why didn't I think of that sooner?”
“Wait does Mr Porter know about the tapes?”
She looks around and grabs him by the front of his shirt. “Keep your voice down.”
“Mad I.”
“Just stop it Clay.” She pushes him back once she notices people were leaving. “We can talk about this at Monet’s.”
~~~
Maddie sat down with her hot chocolate she got out her phone and started spamming Justin with a million messages hoping he would look at his phone at some point. “No hot chocolate?”
She looks up to see Clay sitting across from her. “I just didn’t feel up to one right now.”
“Oh.”
“It’s fine." She bites her bottom lip. "What tape are you on?”
“Jessica’s.”
“I’m surprised it’s taking you this long.” She looks down at her cup slowly stirring it up with a straw.
“I guess it’s just hard to listen to them all alone.”
“You don’t have to do it alone.” She took Clay’s hands and squeezed them. "I'm here for you."
“Did you listen to them alone?”
“I tried but once Hannah name dropped my tape it just made it feel all too… real, I guess. So I called Justin so he could be there while I listened to the rest of them.”
“When do you come in?”
She leans back in her chair and looks to the ground. “You’ll see soon.”
“What does she say?”
“About me or you?”
“Either.”
She looks down at the table. “You're gonna have to listen for yourself Clay.”
“Can I ask you something? Zach and Marcus really wanted to give me a ride just now at school.”
“So?”
“So… That’s never happened before. They even invited me to hang out at Bryce’s.”
“At Bryce’s. Oh my God. Of course he's there.”
“Any idea how I acquired these new friends?”
“Trust me. They aren’t your friends Clay.”
“And somehow they’re yours?”
“Just… Just listen to the tapes and please.” She looks back at him. “Don’t believe everything she says.”
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