The worry was already eating away at me. I didn’t like the idea of leaving her in a house with a man like that, which was exactly why I was already trying to figure out a way to see her tonight.
As soon as I made it down Madeline’s front steps, I grabbed my phone out of my car and shot her a quick text, asking her to let me know when she woke up, and then scanned the group text from the night before.
Christian- Where did you go?
Ollie- I bet I know where.
Christian- Quit ignoring us. Are you with Madeline? Dude, don’t do it. Don’t get mixed up with her.
Ollie- For real. You’ll likely get cat scratch fever.
Christian- This is Hayley. Don’t listen to them. Do what you want.
Ollie- Or who you want. *devil emoji*
Christian- If you’re fucking her, fine. But don’t get wrapped up in her. Madeline is as unattainable as they come. She will burn you and laugh as your skin singes. And make sure you use a condom. I heard a rumor she fucked Benny Cline from Oakland High. He gets around.
I stopped walking. Was that who she fucked after everything?
Ollie- How do you know he gets around, Christian?
Christian- Stop while you’re ahead Ol. I see where this is going.
An hour later, Christian texted again.
Christian- Eric, why are you ignoring us? Afraid I’ll talk you out of fucking the girl you swore you hated?
Ollie- You swore you hated Hayley, and look at you now, big bro. Ready to propose.
Christian- Damn right I am. And you have no room to talk. You and Piper are the same.
Ollie- Da, da, da-dum. Da, da, da-dum.
Christian- Why are you so annoying? Even in text?
Ollie- Da, da, da-dum. OH! CAN I BE THE FLOWER GIRL???
Christian- You do not exist anymore.
I chuckled and continued reading the next texts, which came a couple hours later.
Ollie- ERIC! Someone stole your mom’s vase. The one that sat on the mantel.
Ollie- OH MY GOD. NOW THEY’RE PLAYING HOT POTATO WITH IT.
Ollie- And… it’s broken. Sorry, man. We tried.
Ollie- Okay, he must not have his phone. He would have flipped if he knew someone was messing with his mom’s shit.
Christian- Or he knows that we would break their arms if someone touched shit they weren’t supposed to.
Ollie- Truth. Alright, Eric. We’re done texting you. Have fun fucking Madeline even though you’ll deny it in the morning.
I shoved my phone in my pocket, ignoring my two best friends and their incessant texts, and started the trek back over to my house, which was a grand total of four yards away. Ollie and his wise cracks were nothing unusual, and I knew he probably didn’t give two fucks if I was involved with Madeline. But Christian was a different story. He wasn’t making light of the situation. He didn’t trust Madeline, and he was letting me know every chance he could. He knew I’d do what I wanted in the end, because that was who I was, but he also wanted to put the warning out there. I respected that. Christian was the king of English Prep, but I was the furthest thing from noble. I didn’t take orders from him. I did my best to turn off my feelings when he and Madeline were together, because he was my best friend and my ignorance for her turned into hate, but now things were different. They weren’t together anymore, and I didn’t hate her.
Madeline was fair game.
“Funny seeing you this early.”