Chemistry of a Car Crash

“Maybe next tour you can come out with us,” He said as she laid in his arms.
“Oh yes, because we should so let me and Jack in the same bus together!” Maddie joked.
“But then you’d be sharing a bunk we me,” He said leaning closely into her hair.
“Maybe next time,” She sighed.

“We should probably get back home,” Alex pointed out.
“We should,” Maddie said half heartedly. Alex stood up and reached his arm out for Maddie to take. She stumbled a bit, but regained her balance. Hand in hand, with fingers intertwined, they walked back to her house. He was the happiest he had ever been. Too bad it was going to end soon.

“You’re in a dress?” Taylor said shocked as Maddie and Alex walked in the front door.

“Morning Taylor!” Maddie grinned.
“You two snuck off and did the nasty,” Taylor said wide eyed, “Didn’t you?”

“No!” Maddie said offended.
“Good,” Taylor said and continued walking towards the kitchen.

“Hey Alex,” Rian mumbled as he walked past.
“He’s talking to you again?” Maddie said surprised.
“Yeah,” Alex smiled sheepishly.

They let go of each other and Maddie went to go sit on the couch. Alex, of course, went into the kitchen with everyone else.

Maddie heard them talking and she knew what they were talking about. Today was the day.

The dreadful day that they all knew was coming. Now Alex was going to be put to the test, and Maddie was hoping he would pass with flying colors.

“Maddie?” Taylor called.
“Yeah?” Maddie said turning the volume down on the tv.
“Can you come here?”

“Sure,” She said and got up off the couch, “What’s up?”

“You know what day it is,” Taylor said sadly.
“Yeah,” Maddie said looking down at the floor.
“I’m gonna miss all of ya’ll!” Taylor said dramatically, clinging on to Jack for dear life. He just chuckled and hugged her back.

“Matt said he’d be back with the bus in about and hour,” Rian said.

“We’ve got everything in the basement packed up,” Zack said and turned to Jack and Alex, “How bout you guys?”

“I’m ready!” Jack announced.
“Me too,” Alex said with gloomy eyes.
“We’ll tell you when Matt gets here,” Rian said and he and Zack shuffled out of the room. Taylor brought Jack down into the basement, leaving Maddie and Alex to either choose the backyard, or upstairs.

Maddie lead Alex out the back door, revealing her backyard wonderland. There was a small pond with a little river and waterfall. A swing set stayed in the back corner, and the grass was the brightest green anyone had seen.

“I’ve never been back here,” He said in amazement.
“It’s where I like to go when I need to get away from the world,” Maddie said and sat down on the wooden swing in the middle of the bushes with pink flowers.

“It’s pretty out here,” He said sitting next to her, rocking the swing back and forth a little.

Maddie gripped the edge of the swing with her hands, biting her quivering lip. Silently tears fell from her eyes, landing on the hem of her white dress.

“Mads?” Alex whispered, “Don’t cry.”

She looked up at him, he looked back with sympathy.

“I don’t want you to go,” She admitted with pleading eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer, into some sort of hug, “I don’t want to lose you to some girl on tour,” She cried.

“Hey,” He said lifting up her chin, “I’ve got Rian to make sure I’m in line.”
“It’s not that,” She said looking away from him, “I know you’re going to forget about me again.”

“No I won’t,” He reassured.
“Yes, Yes you will,” She took a deep breath, “Just like when you got famous, everyone called but you. I can’t put myself through that again. You broke my heart, and somehow in a week you managed to fix it.”

He gave a little smile at her, “I’m different now.”

“Because of me.”
“Maddie,” He sighed, “You just have to trust me.”

“I don’t know if I can. You broke your last promise.”
“I’ll love you forever,” he tried.
“Till you find something better,” She said coldly.

“I don’t want to leave with our first fight!” He said a little pissed.
“This isn’t our first fight Alex,” She reminded. Flashbacks of the night he took her home raced through his head.

“Well you know what Maddison!” He said his voice increasing in volume, “I love you and that’s all that matters to me!”

He let go of her and got up, walking back into the house.

“Fuck,” She muttered and the waterworks started again.