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"I can't believe you're leaving us," Candace choked out, crying for the fifth time that day.
Madison forced out a laugh and swung her arm around both Jess and Candace, pulling them into her. She felt their heads rest in the crooks of her neck and the familiar tightness in her chest returned. She had promised herself she wasn't going to cry. It had been around a month since prom, and it finally felt like everything was set in place.
It was the last hour of school, and the seniors were still cleaning out their lockers. It was surreal. Even though all the stuff was only from this year, it felt like she was cleaning out years upon years of stuff. Polaroids stuck to the inside of the door, overflowing binders, thick textbooks. The hardest part was the tests, which she had placed so much importance on, that were now just a pile of paper in a recycling bin.
"Look at your boyfriend," Jess snickered as they pulled away from the hug.
Madison glanced over at Eric and let out a giggle. He was holding a puppet that was a spot on recreation of Mr. Feeny. She wasn't surprised to see Mr. Feeny's harsh reaction once he spotted it. The pair began to argue, and then talk back and forth. Madison returned a smile and waved once she noticed the two of them looking her way. Feeny said something to Eric that made him get that adorably dopey smile on his face.
She was gonna miss that smile.
"So, have you and Eric worked it out yet?" Candace inquired.
"Worked it out? What do you mean?" Madison retorted.
"Well, it's either long distance or break up. And most couples break up when they leave for college, especially if you're going international," Candace explained honestly.
Madison thought back to the conversation they had had earlier. No matter how many times she tried to solidify what he wanted, he changed the subject. She assumed they would just stay together and make it work. Right?
"I, uh- I think we're gonna stay together. We love each other," Madison said, trying to convince herself more than Candace.
"Ooh love, that's a strong word. Have you used it with each other?" Jess chimed in.
"For your information Jessica we haven't," Madison quipped, "But that doesn't mean we don't feel it."
"We? Or you?" Candace joked, nudging her.
She knew it was just a joke, but it still irked something within her. It was just a joke.
--
"So, after Florida we'll go to-" Eric explained.
"Well, you'll go to," Madison corrected, continuing to rub circles on his back.
They were currently situated at the Matthews' dinner table, with Amy, Alan, and Morgan listening attentively to their road trip plan. Cory was somewhere up in his room, sulking. She kind of felt bad for him, his two best friends ditching him for the summer, but her focus was with Eric at the moment. Eric had been dying to drive through all 50 states over the summer, and Madison had agreed to go with him. Unfortunately, she'd have to leave early to move to Oxford.
