Crash Into Me.

Another summer day begun in Newport, and it was another day that Madison was at work. Being a Monday morning there was an even less amount of teenagers out drinking coffee.

Ever since the night of the party Madison could not shake the feeling that Jake Morris gave her. As she lay with him in his bed, she felt herself in a comfortable feeling that she hadn’t had in a long time. A feeling that she wouldn’t mind having time and time again.

Sure she had stayed with him before, but this time seemed different. He seemed different. It was as if they were both vulnerable to some force, but there had been nothing to be vulnerable about. They were both nervous, but it seemed natural at the same time.

Sighing out of her thoughts, the bell above the door signaled. Patting her apron down, she looked up to the man of the hour.

“Have a new interest in coffee?”

He smiled and nodded to her. “It’s something like that.” He mumbled before looking up at the menu. “Just my usual.”

She nodded and turned to begin making the coffee that took just about nothing to make.

“By the way, your mom knows you were with me the other night.” Turning to face Jake, she raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

He blushed and scoffed his foot on the wooden floor. “Well not in that sense, but your mom was worried and when my parents came home last night she asked. I wanted to make the situation better, so I said you stayed at my house.”

“Oh, right. Well thanks.” Placing the plastic lid on the cup, and a holder to rid of the burning she handed him his beverage.

“See you later?” He asked leaving her with a ten-dollar bill, and a wink.

Jake Morris certainly knew how to play this game with Madison, and boy was she losing.

-*-*-*-*-

“I swear to God he’s playing some mind trick on me. I don’t actually know what he wants anymore.” Pulling the key from her car’s ignition, she got out and slammed the car door in a way that seemed unnecessary.

The phone that she held between her shoulder and cheek grew heavy and she sighed when she pushed through the garage door that led to their family kitchen.

Laughter filled her ears and made the young girl pause in the doorway. Slowly registering who was in her house, she sighed in recognition of the voice.

“Cara let me call you back.” Sliding her small silver phone shut without waiting for a reply she knew wouldn’t come; she closed the door behind herself and walked further into the room.

“Oh Madison dear! My little working girl.” Smiling at her mom she waved to Mrs. Morris. “I heard where you were the other night. Are you and Jake becoming best friends again, or maybe something a little more?” smiling and shrugging, which normally ended the conversation, did just the trick. Madison did not want to be having this conversation at this particular point in time. She didn’t want to say yes, and she didn’t want to say no. What she really wanted was to punch Jake Morris in the throat and figure out his little head games.

Grabbing a coke from the fridge, she escaped and rolled her eyes all the way to her bedroom.

-*-*-*-*-

“Jake man, you have been on top of your game with these songs. Where do you get all this time to write?” Jake smiled and shrugged but placed his guitar down.

“I don’t sleep at night anymore. I sleep during the day.” He stretched his arms out and absentmindedly looked out the garage window toward Madison’s house.

He knew his mom was there and thought of excuses to go over there to talk to her, to see if Madison was home from work.

“Well whatever you’re doing, keep doing it. The record rep will love this stuff.” Jake nodded and rubbed the back of his neck.

“What’s bugging you man?” Luke asked sitting on the drum stool. Shrugging he looked outside.

“I need to go for a walk.”

-*-*-*-*-

As Madison walked along the shoreline with her camera, she took a picture of a boy she knew.

Feeling the emotions she held inside from earlier, she marched over to him.

Smiling when he saw the girl walking towards him, he braced himself once he saw her expression.

“Jake Morris, I don’t know who the hell you think you are. But these head game you play with me are finished.”

“Why Madison, I have no idea what you’re referring to.”

“That,” she said pointing to his face. “That same exact crap you’re doing right now. It’s ending now. I’m so sick of the crap you’ve been feeding me.”

As she turned he grabbed her wrist. “Why is it bothering you so much then Madison?”

Her cheeks tinting pink from embarrassment and anger began to become more noticeable.

“I don’t know, but all I know is that I don’t like it.”

“I think otherwise.”

She opened her mouth but no words formed. Smiling in satisfaction, she resisted a scream.
“Well who cares what you think?”

Pulling her wrist away from him, she turned and began walking the same way she had previously came from.

“You do doll.” Stopping dead in her spot, she turned and walked back to him. Smiling sweetly at him, she smacked his cheek and left him with his mouth hanging open from shock.