"What's wrong?" Maddy asked over to Alex. But the boy was mostly ignoring her, looking far into the distance.
It was lunch, and the group decided to sit inside that day because it was raining. The library was noisy, so they could barely hear each other. Maddy and Alex were on the beanbags together, close enough that their shoulders were touching.
"Nothing much..." Alex muttered, resting his chin on his hand. But Maddy knew better.
"It's obvious that something's wrong," she nudged. Alex shook his head.
"Well last night..." she noticed that Alex was staring over to Patrick. She cringed. "I actually saved Patrick."
"From what?"
"Himself," he shrugged. "He was at the public pool and he tried to drown himself."
It took a moment for Maddy to comprehend this. But when she did, she just sighed. She didn't know whether to feel bad for Patrick, or to feel jealous. At the end of the day, Patrick and her were friends. But Alex was her boyfriend, and she wanted him to herself.
"What?" she asked with a concerned tone. "Is he okay?"
"Well, he's okay now but..." he continued gazing at him from afar. "I don't know how long it will be until he's pulling that shit again. I just hope he's okay."
Maddy rested a hand onto his arm, and he looked at her with confusion.
"Do you...still like him?" she asked with a worried tone. He just shrugged her hand off.
"Not like that," he denied weakly. Maddy pursed her lips. "I-It's fine. Never mind, okay?"
She just decided to back off that time. But when Alex gazed over at Patrick like that, she just knew. She just knew the truth. They weren't what they used to be. No. Something must've happened the night before that changed everything in the group.
***
Maddy stood by the edge of the public pool. It was dark out. Completely. And the rain was still pouring.
She stared into her own reflection through the pool water. She looked so down. So broken.
Maddy was completely alone that night. No one was in sight. So she did it.
She dunked herself into the water and held her breath. It was so deep that even her 1.87CM body was floating in the water. Was she exhaled, she watched the bubble float to the top. Maybe she wanted to stay here. Even if she was choking. She liked it. Haha. Kinky.
But this time, no one came. Maddy reached with her open palm to the top of the pool but it was too late. She couldn't breath. She could feel all the air press out of her body. But maybe she was okay with it? To be sinking like this. In a public pool.
"I guess it's the end..." she breathes out, but no one heard because she's under water. "I wish I told Alex I love him."
YOU ARE READING
Love Games
Teen FictionAlex has a secret. He's had a long-time crush on his enemy Patrick, but he's a teenager so he can't express his feelings. When a little game of truth or dare starts between their group of friends, will his feelings be exposed? Does Patrick like him...
