Candid

Chapter 17

Don't mind me posting late but its still Wednesday so it counts!

I don't think you guys understand how much I love reading your comments they mean the world to me and it makes me so excited seeing you all freak out with me!

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I waited patiently just inside the main entrance doors to the school on Monday morning. The fact that I had to lower my self-importance to stand around hiding so that I could catch Natasha as she walked through the doors was really grating on my nerves.

Students wandered past, waving at me or just nodding their head in acknowledgment. Some even tried to start conversations with me but I just ignored them and stared at the door.

Five minutes later Natasha's signature white sneakers stepped under the archway and I took one step forward, stopping her in her tracks. "Lunchroom, now."

Her face didn't flinch at the attack. She stared silently before shrugging and gesturing for me to lead the way. It was tense. No one spoke for the solid three minutes it took us to get there. A few freshmen were sitting at one of the tables in the otherwise empty cafeteria. "Scram," I ordered.

Their eyes were wide as they packed up all of their things and rushed out of the cafeteria.

"What is this about Maddie, I'm supposed to meet Gabby by her locker," Natasha drawled, scrolling through her phone. The tap tap tap of her nails struck my patience with each passing second.

I whirled on her, my face frozen in rage. "The fact that I just had to lower my self-esteem to trap you into talking to me is pathetic." I dropped my bag on the nearest table.

Natasha lazily met my gaze. "Well I'm sorry you feel pathetic," she replied in a tone that was anything but regretful.

"I was calling you pathetic." Her mouth dropped open. "Are you really that absorbed into yourself that you can't ask me what happened instead of listening to the rumor mill? Instead of listening to Gabby of all people. I thought we were better than that?"

She folded her arms over her chest. "I saw the Instagram story with that bitch in it and that was enough for me."

"Why are you so pressed about an Instagram story? Who cares?" I threw my hands in the air, exasperated.

She stabbed a finger into her own chest, her silver bracelets jingling. "I care. Your siblings barely glance at me whenever I'm around and your parents struggle to hold up any sort of conversation." Her voice rose, echoing across the empty room.

"You can't blame them with the way you talk to them, I have to apologize on your behalf for most of the things that come out of your mouth," I retort.

She scoffed. "I'm sorry we're not all saints like you Madeline! It must be hard being the superhero every day, huh?"

"It's not hard to do what's right every now and then, you won't die from it." I took a deep breath. "Look, I don't want to fight with you but I am supposed to be your best friend-"

"-That's what I thought too before I saw Rosie and her pals at your barbeque," she cut off my words with a sarcastic bite to hers.

"It was last minute! They were in my driveway and I said they could stay, I didn't ask them to become part of the family. It was a barbeque," I reply in a bland tone.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why were they in your driveway?"

The question stopped my brain from connecting to my mouth. It lasted a second, less than a moment for her to realize the question stumped me. "Grayson came."