Desires of the Soul

Madeline spent the majority of her time during the three weeks that Noah was gone doing only a few things that seemed to become a routine which never seemed to change. It was a rather tedious cycle, in fact. It included only three events that she once loved dearly, only to begin to despise them.

And of course, the three events were:

1. Sleeping

2. Eating

3. Watching television

She had only done all three in hopes of filling up the empty spaces between her farewell to Noah at the concert and her seeing him again. But as she waited, she couldn't help but find herself aching to see him again as she'd only saw him for approximately five minutes after so many years.

Of course she'd miss him. Noah was her best friend and the one guy she'd always loved. He had once owned almost her entire heart. If it hadn't been for friends and family, he'd have the entire thing, but of course she had those others who weren't nearly as special but special enough for amounts of her never ending love. Of course, they only had established this pie chart like thing in second grade.

“Oh, Noah. Come back,” She groaned and stared at the paper heart taped onto her mirror.

”Alright! Class! Come on, time for a new project. So as you all know, it’s Valentine’s Day! We’ll be cutting out paper hearts and decorating them with glitter and such. Okay, class? Alright. Get to work!” Ms. Williams ordered and passed out the construction paper, glue and other supplies.

Madeline knew exactly what she’d do. She had her heart planned out. Of course she did. She was bright and creative, but at the same time she was rather mature.

Madeline looked up at Noah as she picked up the scissors, meeting the eyes that had been staring at her for the last ten minutes.

“Yes, Noah?” She smiled as she began cutting along the line she’d traced.

“I don’t like sparkly stuff…” He whined and Madeline rolled her eyes.

“You don’t have to use sparkles, you know,” She said and put down the scissors, picking up a pencil.

She began drawing a zig zagged line that did a sharp turn and followed the right edge of her heart, only leaving a sliver left over. On the sliver, she separated it into two and grinned at her work. She then looked up to see Noah completely enveloped over his heart at another table, five away from hers. He was sitting with the other boys with a pink crayon in hand. She felt a tad bit lonely but brushed it off knowing that Noah had other friends as well.

She then resumed to her work, picking up a green crayon and writing ‘Noah’ inside the largest piece of her heart. In the last two, she wrote friends in one and family in the other. She then colored it lightly and grinned, proud of her work.

“Maddy!”

She turned to see Noah running towards her, heart in hand.

“Noah!” She cheered and picked up her heart to show him just as he showed her, and they both broke out in grins as they stared at each other’s hearts. If not the same, they were alike.

“You’re my best friend, you know,” Madeline whispered and Noah grinned.

“You’re my best friend too.”

“…Noah. Why don’t you keep my heart… and I’ll keep yours. That way, we’ll always love each other,” She suggested and Noah grinned at her, toothy.

“Best friends forever.”

Madeline pouted into her pillow.

"Madeline! Get up! Please? Tyler's here. He misses you!"

Madeline groaned and threw one of her more firm and large pillows at Kelly in hopes of either knocking her down or driving her to the point of annoyance she'd give up and leave. It never took too long to get Kelly there. She was, after all, a temperamental, hot head of a person who came off -inaccurately- as sweet and harmless.

"Ah! Fuck you, Maddy. Get up! Tyler? You're boyfriend? Yeah. He's here!"

Madeline groaned again while she sat up and groggily rubbed her eyes. “I’m up! I’m up!”

She kicked her covers off and flung her legs to the side of the bed, standing up. As always, she did the necessities of a morning and skipped downstairs to see her boyfriend of two years, Tyler.

“Look who’s finally come to see me,” Tyler chuckled and opened his arms as Madeline sauntered over and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I’ve just been tired,” She sighed and pulled away. She hadn’t seen him in weeks. She looked at him and her right hand ended up on his cheek as she looked at what’s changed. “Well isn’t someone dashing with his new tie?” She cooed and let her hand fall down to touch the silk tie.

“Tsk tsk tsk. How did Madeline Kline not notice my new suit?” He laughed and she grinned at him as she stepped backwards to examine him all together.

“Ty, I missed you,” She sighed and he gave her a small smile.

“I’ve missed you too, but I have to get to work. Do you need a ride?” He asked while he slipped back into his loafers by the door.

Madeline felt her heart sink and her eyes sting. Tyler had once been the sweetest, most playful and laidback guy around. He’d once been one of Noah’s best friends before his dad had sucked him into the business when they graduated. Now, he was all suit, briefcase, partners, and work, work, work. It seemed as though he never had time for anyone, but she knew he tried to spare time for herself and Kelly. They were the only true friends he had now since that hardly anyone kept in touch after high school. Kelly and Madeline had gone to college together while Tyler went to Harvard to become a lawyer to take over the family business. But in the end, they all came back to the same place. Where they all began, and that’s how they stayed such great friends. Well, at least Madeline liked to think so. She knew that Tyler was drifting off and that she and Kelly had been fighting a lot over nameless things. Finance being the biggest since the recession.

“Sure,” She said weakly and grabbed her bag with the graded papers.

Madeline was a teacher. Although she’d wanted to be a journalist for New York Times seven years ago, that dream died when Noah left and her new desire was to see him again. She thought that if she stayed that he’d come back to her at their hometown. But then those thoughts failed her, she moped and moved on with her life in Ottawa, Michigan while she waited for his return that seemed to never come.

As they neared Tyler’s silver Lexus, she heard a door slam and looked up to see none other than Noah himself, leaning against a red Ferrari.

“Maddy? Who is that?” Tyler whispered to Madeline as a grin grew upon her face.

She was very happy but at the same time, she was wondering how in the world had Noah come to her house. She hadn’t told him or anything. All they agreed on was meeting again down by their tree. She sighed a smile and let those thoughts slide off her shoulders as she began to stumble towards Noah.

“Hey there, gorgeous,” Noah chuckled as he walked up the driveway.

“Maddy. Who is that?” Tyler demanded.

“You came back!” She shrieked and leaped into his arms, smoldering him with her tight bear hug.

Noah chuckled and pulled away, rustling her hair in the process.

“Is that- Isn’t that Ty?” Noah asked and glanced at Maddy. She opeed her mouth to speak but instead, Tyler jumped into the conversation.

“Ty’s for close friends. Tyler’s what you’ll call me,” Tyler grumbled. He didn’t mean to be mean or rude but he wasn’t too happy with his girlfriend leaping into the arms of some guy he didn’t know.

“Is that right? Because last time I remembered. We were pretty damn close. Noah Harper at your service,” Noah smirked and Tyler’s face slowly changed to a grin.

“Holy crap,” Tyler sighed and shook his head in disbelief.

“So um…Why are you here? Not that I don’t want you here, but why?” Madeline questioned and looked up at Noah.

“I was wondering if I could take you to lunch?” Noah murmured and Tyler’s face hardened again.

“I-I’m sorry, Noah. I’m working today…”

“How about dinner?” Noah bargained.

“Well. I’m having dinner with Tyler,” Madeline sighed and Noah nodded.

“How about I drive you to work then?”

“I’m driving her to work,” Tyler stated. He knew the chemistry Noah and Maddy had once had and he wasn’t going to let them fall for each other again. Definitely not. Not now that he’d finally gotten her for himself.

Maddy knew Tyler was driving them but whenever he did, silence fell upon them and not even the sound of breathing was heard. It wasn’t that it was awkward, there was just nothing to say. Tyler would only talk about work and Madeline didn’t like to talk about work. Madeline would’ve liked to have a friendly conversation, like old times but instead, Tyler would’ve called her silly for even thinking that he could speak friendly words with whatever case he’s on. So silence was the last resort and they both chose it.

“Ty…” Maddy began. “Can he drive me today? I mean, he just got back…”

Tyler stared at Madeline as if she were some alien creature from outer space. Would she really choose Noah, the guy who left her and tore her apart over him? The guy who was there for her from the beginning? The guy she was supposed to be in love with? Was she kidding?

“Come on, man. I just got back. I want to catch up with my best friend,” Noah reasoned and Tyler frowned.

“Fine,” Tyler growled and rampaged to his car, getting in and slamming the door before racing off.

Madeline instantly felt bad. As if she’d hurt him, which she probably did. As they climbed into the car, Madeline couldn’t help but forget about feeling bad. She was in a Ferrari with her best friend who’d just come back. That was all she wanted for a long time.

“So, Maddy. What’s up with Ty being all…protective?”

Maddy stared at him for a second and spoke, “You don’t know? He and I have been going out for two years.”

It was then that Noah felt something break inside of him. It was the same break of when he moved. The break that his friends from Sanity Screams had to mend and fix for years. He’d guess that Maddy had moved on, but he hadn’t expected his best friend to take her. Tyler had been the guy he’d told everything. And that included his feelings for Maddy, too.

“Noah…?” Maddy whispered and laid a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off and she pulled back.

“…Congratulations,” He murmured and shut his mouth for the rest of the drive.

It was then that Maddy realized she’d broken a promise too.