Death Wish

12 | Beratings and Breakdowns

Chapter 12

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The afternoon sun was out as Raina McCoy and Madison Armstrong chatted while they sipped on some hot chocolate, both perched on the plush seats situated in the mansion's sunroom. The two had come to find comfort in talking to each other, both on their road to a strong friendship.

" I was adopted actually ", Madison started as she twirled the little marshmallows floating on the surface of the chocolate flavoured liquid. Raina's ears perked up in curiosity, her eyes leaving the contents of her cup to focus on Madison Armstrong's sapphire ones.

" I was adopted by the Armstrongs who were close friends of the Addingtons. At that time, I was just three and they already had a son. But the woman could not have more children and she wanted another child, a daughter precisely. They went looking for one in an orphanage and somehow I caught their attention. The little girl in her own bubble.."

" Own bubble? " Raina spluttered in surprise and Madison threw her head back as she laughed heartily, wiping the tears that formed at the corners of her eyes.

" Sounds lease, I know but I was actually a quiet and reserved child back then, gave the other orphans the invitation to bully me. I learned how to stand up for myself only because the Armstrong's son had taught me to " She twirled her half drunk liquid, her skinny finger curled around the curve of the mug, " He was not always nice, you know. In fact, Freddie Armstrong was a devil in disguise when I first came over "

" He hated me. Always felt like I came to steal all the attention from him. Well, in a way, I did. His parents were all over me " Madison flipped her hair off her shoulders playfully and Raina giggled, taking a sip of the cooling drink.

" Whatever I needed, they would get it for me in a heartbeat and that fueled his hatred for me. We grew up fighting like cat and mouse. I made his life miserable and he did same to me. When he turned sixteen, I was thirteen at the time and our parents finally got him the car he had been asking for after he passed his CBT tests and did all the necessaries. All this on the condition that he would drive me to school everyday "

" I am guessing he did otherwise? " Raina smiled as she watched Madison's eyes get clouded like she was in a reminiscence before the woman let out a scoff.

" Of course he did otherwise. That arse would pick me off and kick me out the car once we had driven some blocks away from home. He threatened to tell our parents about my crush on his best friend, Jackson if I spoke a word about his actions so I kept my mouth shut " Madison took a sip of her drink, a small smile stretching at the corners of her lips at the memory.

" One day, I was walking to school and got run over by a car. I can't really remember what happened next but when I woke up, I found myself laying on a hospital bed with Freddie standing by the window with a look of guilt on his face. He had always cared for me, was just too prideful to express it " Madison placed her cup down on the side table and lifted the sundress she wore above her left knee, tapping on the thick visible scar with her manicured finger.

" Weak knee "

Raina's eyes were glued to her scar. A lump formed in her throat at the slight similarity between both their stories. Clearing her throat, she begrudgingly tore her eyes away once Madison placed the silk fabric back in its place.

" Where is your brother now? "

" France. He is a successful videographer over there "

The duo sat in a thought filled silence, the drinks they sipped on turning tasteless at the intensity of both their thinking before Madison Armstrong snapped out of it and broke the silence, " What about you, Raina? Do you have any siblings? "