Chemistry of a Car Crash

“Thanks for coming to get me,” Lizz smiled warmly as she helped Maddie load her suitcases into her car.

“No problem,” Maddie replied, slamming the truck shut and opening the driver’s side door.

“I’ve been to this airport one too many times already,” She chuckled, starting the car.
“How are they boys?” Lizz asked.
“They just left yesterday with Taylor and Molly.”
“Miss him yet?” Lizz asked, fumbling with Maddie’s collection of CD’s that she always kept in the car.

Maddie nodded, gripping the wheel a little tighter and staring out in front of her.

“This is the first time you haven’t gone with.”
“No,” Maddie corrected, “I stopped going after high school.”
“Oh,” Lizz replied quietly feeling a little guilty for saying that, “Right.”
“It’s okay,” Maddie said with sadness in her voice.

“So if you went last tour, why didn’t you go this time?”

Maddie let out a heavy sigh, “Last tour we finally started talking again. He played a show here and Rian convinced me to come down and see it, so I did. There was an after party and I felt like shit, so I wanted to go home. I just didn’t want to see Alex and his whore anymore, but he offered to take me home anyway. Then we started arguing and I told him I loved him and he just looked at me like I grew three heads.”

Lizz closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the head rest, “All these years of keeping your love for him a secret and you finally go out and spill it,” She let out a sigh, “I miss a lot when I’m in college!”

“Yeah,” Maddie laughed, “You do.”
“So what else happened?”

“We came to our senses and figured out that we were meant to be together,” Maddie smiled contently.

Lizz turned her head and grinned at Maddie.

“Stop looking at me like that,” Maddie ordered.

“How long has it been since then?”
“About five months.”
“And you passed up a tour, why?” She asked dumbfounded.
“Because,” Maddie paused, turning on to her street, “I’m putting him to the test.”

“Test?”

Maddie nodded pulling up in front of her house.

“Well let’s get these bags inside and have girl talk!”

--

Falling on to the couch, Maddie prepared herself for the questions Lizz was going to ask.

“What kind of test are you putting Alex to?” Lizz asked, making herself more comfortable on the loveseat next to the couch.

“He flew me out to New York for my birthday, got me a necklace from Tiffany’s……”

“Even Garret didn’t do that for my birthday!” Lizz complained, “I wish I had your boyfriend.”

“Would you let me finish!?” Maddie asked impatiently.
“Alright, alright!”
“He gave me a promise ring,” She said slowly.

Confusion spread across her face before turning into happiness, “Oh my god Maddie, you really love this kid!”

Maddie nodded and felt her cheeks starting to burn.

“So is this what the ‘test’ is for?” She asked, including the air quotes around test.
“If he loves me and wants to be with me like he says he does, then he’s going to tough it up and wait to come home to me,” Maddie said confidently.

Not even five seconds later her phone began ringing.

Tay-Tay-Taylorrrrrrrrrr

“Hello?”
“Uh hey Maddie,” She began uneasily, “We have a little teeny weeny problem.”