CHAPTER TWO — THAT FATEFUL NIGHT
A New Start
"I don't understand!" Nate spat out the words.
"You don't?" Madison asked in a matter of fact way.
It surprised her how cool she felt about this. She and Nate had enjoyed some fun times in their three months together. Heck, the four of them had. Ethan and Peaches had become inseparable from them and most things were done as a foursome. But her mind was made up.
"I've explained it twice," she continued, keeping her voice calm and flat.
He ran a hand through his dark hair. Why did she want to end their relationship right now? It didn't make sense. Just because they'd got up to some drunken fun last night, she was coming over all high and mighty. What did it matter which of them fucked who? "Maddy, I can't believe you're doing this. You wanted last night as much as—"
The words were like presenting a red rag to a bull. "Don't!" she shouted, half rising up from the small couch. "Don't you dare! I've told you both time and time again, but no... Boys will be boys... you both had to push it until you got your way, didn't you?"
How many times did he need to be told? The frustrated teenager had thought it all through during her sleepless hours last night, and had made her feelings clear to him when he'd called round that afternoon. She'd just spent the last half-hour explaining it again. They'd both betrayed her trust.
What part of that continued explanation could his muddled brain not take in?
The youngster pushed a lock of dark hair back from his eye. His eyes widened as he searched for the right combination of words. He'd already apologised. What else could he do?
When he flopped down beside her and reached for her hand, Madison pulled away. There really wasn't much more to be said.
"Another chance..." he began. "Now that..."
"Now that?" she repeated, crossing both arms over her chest. "What, Nate? Do you mean now that you've had your fun? Now that you've fucked Peaches? Now that you know what it feels like? Is that what you mean?"
"It just happened. We were drunk..."
"How many times did we talk about it at the Fleece?" Her tone had changed. The anger had gone, replaced by bitterness and disappointment. "I'd said NO—"
Nate's hands were out in front of him, trying to add emphasis to his words. "But we were all fooling around, Maddy. I thought..."
"You thought what, Nate?" she spat. "That you wanted to fuck my best friend? What was it? Curiosity?"
"Of course not—"
"Then what?" Her voice was rising. The anger had returned. "The two of you manipulated Peaches last night. And then you did the same to me."
"Didn't you enjoy—"
"FUUUUUCK!" Madison yelled. In an instant she was on her feet. When Nate jumped up too, she placed both hands on his chest and pushed him across the room. "Have I been talking to myself all this time? I thought we were having a conversation where I was trying to explain how I felt? I might as well have talked to the frigging wall."
She flopped back down on the couch, burying her head in her hands. Nate just stood there, as if waiting her out would see her anger dissipate and they could then return to normal. But it was finally dawning on him that she was serious. This wasn't one of those arguments between couples that were resolved by going to bed, as he'd hoped. There was no going back.
He stared at her, at a loss to know what to say. His face was like a little boy lost. Then he bent down to pick up the flowers he'd brought for her. He hadn't expected her to throw them back at him. Ethan's suggestion that a bouquet would help smooth the way after last night had backfired. And he'd spent fifteen quid on those...
"Maddy, I'm so sorry," he tried again. He began to offer her the flowers again but the look in her eyes told him it was a bad idea. "Look, I just didn't think. Neither did Ethan. Please, tell me what I can do to make things right. Then tonight we'll—"
"It's been fun, Nate," she told him. Her voice was cold. Resigned. There was a hint of sadness around her eyes. "You're a nice young man and we've enjoyed ourselves. But it's over."
His gaze pleaded with her. "Maddy..."
"It's over, Nate. I want us to leave on good terms if we can. I only want the best for you. But I'd like you to go now."
His shoulders sagged. He stuttered a few times without saying anything. Then he fell silent, his defeated face staring at hers. He took half a step forward, as if wanting a final hug, but Madison just sat there, immobile. At long last, he let out a sigh that seemed to go on forever. Finally, he turned towards the door.
As soon as it was closed behind him, she took a long breath as the feeling of emptiness ran through her. Then she began to cry.
***
"You've had that whole bottle of wine?" Peaches asked incredulously. The petite blonde had pulled Madison into a consoling hug, even though she had to stand on her tiptoes to do so. Ethan had told her how badly the conversation with Nate had gone, and her subsequent brief conversation over the phone with Madison had suggested that her friend had been drinking.
"Exactly!" Madison exclaimed, her flushed face beaming as she stared into Peaches' soft blue eyes.
"But it's only eight. We have a long evening ahead."
"Yeah, I know," Madison laughed, unsteadily holding onto her friend. "But I wanted a drink after seeing Nate and one led to another. Besides, now I feel good again. So that's that."
Peaches grinned as she brushed one of Madison's sweeping black bangs from her eye. "So that's that? Okay, babe. But maybe some black coffee wouldn't go amiss?"
"Pooh, fooey!" her friend grinned, leaning forward. Her trembling hand picked up her unfinished glass, but before she could take another drink Peaches had taken it from her.
The blonde placed it back on the table and looked intently into Madison's brown eyes. Giving a soft giggle, she pulled her into another hug. Madison always looked adorable when she was inebriated.
"Black coffee," she said again, smoothing the black hair like a mother would. "You're drunk."
