Status: FIN (:

Weak, But Not Defeated

on your side

Maddie lay in the damp grass on her back as the trainer bound her knee in a beige wrap. “Brad just let me play,” she begged.

“Madeline, you already have a partially torn ACL, there’s no way I’m letting you play the rest of this game without some kind of protection,” he told her as he slid a knee brace over her leg.

“It’s probably not a good thing when you’re on a first name basis with the trainer,” Maddie’s coach told her.

She rolled her eyes and stood up. She took her substitution and ran up to the girl who had slide tackled her a few moments ago, causing her knee to give out.

Maddie openly let the girl receive the ball from her teammate, and even allowed her to run with it. But she quickly caught up with her, running at an angle. She took advantage of the traction her cleats lacked and slid in front of the girl, taking her legs out from under her and sending the girl tumbling a few feet ahead.

Maddie couldn’t help but smile as the referee flashed the crimson card in her face, scolding her for her inexcusable behavior. She walked to her bench, passing her coach. He gave her a nod of approval and she sat for the rest of the game smugly.

After the game she gathered her bag, walking to her friends side by side with Caroline.

Maddie dropped her bag and hugged Garrett, “Rough game, baby?”

She pulled away from him, “Nope, I’m great,” she lied.

She felt an arm wrap around her shoulder, “Her knee hurts,” John said.

“No it doesn’t,” she said, frustrated.

“You never were one to admit you’re hurt. But whatever, way to get a red card the first game,” Jared said, raising his hand for a hi-five.

She smiled, slapping his hand, “Caroline, you did great by the way.”

“You did excellent,” Kennedy told her.

Caroline blushed as she smiled, “Thanks.”

“Well we have got to get going,” Kennedy said, “Maddie, Caroline, we’ll see you at the show tonight, yes?”

“Well I’m doing merch aren’t I?” Maddie rolled her eyes.

John smiled and hugged her, “You’re awesome. Good game. Ice that knee, baby.”

“Will do,” Maddie told her friends as they all climbed into their separate cars.

Garrett drove Maddie home, rubbing his rough thumb over her small hand the entire ride. They reached her house after a stop for a Slurpee.

“Want to come in?” Maddie asked.

Garrett turned the car off, “I was already planning on it.”

Maddie noted that the driveway was missing her parent’s cars, and frowned that they had gone to New Mexico, missing her first soccer game.

Maddie sat Garrett in front of her Xbox, keeping him preoccupied while she showered. She washed her hair and body quickly, blow drying her long hair straight afterwards. She walked out of her bathroom wearing jeans and a bra underneath a silk robe, having forgotten to bring a shirt into the bathroom with her.

Garrett smiled as he placed his eyes on her and laid back on her bed, rubbing a hand over his face as Maddie searched for a shirt. “I’m tired, babe.”

“Well you better get pumped up, Nickelsen, because you’ve got fans!” Maddie said, punching his arm.

He laughed, “Everyone loves a lead singer, Madeline, you would know.”

“Oh, yeah?” Maddie teased, wrinkling her nose, “I like bassists.”

“I’m not sure I believe you…” Garrett shook his head, resting his hands behind his head.

Maddie smiled as she climbed onto her bed, crawling over to Garrett. She attached her lips to his, giving him a sweet kiss.

After she pulled away Garrett shrugged, “I’m still not sold.”

She laughed, pushing her lips against his forcefully. She could feel him smiling as he rolled over onto the top of her, laying her on her back.

He placed one hand against her hip and kept the other on the nape of her neck. Maddie let him part her lips with his tongue and involuntarily arched her back, pressing her chest against his.

Garrett laughed at Maddie’s predictable action. “Shut up,” she told him through staggered breaths, pulling him by his shirt back to her lips.

Eventually, Garrett’s hand found Maddie’s bare skin, pinching her hips lightly. Maddie got goose bumps but ignored the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach.

But as Garrett’s hand began traveling up her back she became more uneasy. She shifted uncomfortably beneath him but Garrett seemed to not recognize her small protest.

He moved his lips to her neck and Maddie took in a breath, “Garrett…” she said quietly.

“Hmm?” Garrett hummed against her skin.

“Garrett, stop,” Maddie pushed him away. Garrett hung his head as he rolled off of her. “Sorry,” she said quietly as she sat up.

He looked at her, “What are you sorry about?”

“I didn’t mean to let it go that far…” she said sheepishly.

Garrett sat up, crossing his legs like a five year old, “I think we need to talk.”

“Me too,” Maddie sighed.

“Where are you at… with the sex thing?” he asked.

Maddie stared at her white comforter, looking for the threads to tell her how to feel, “I’m not ready,” she finally concluded.

“Ever?” he asked.

Maddie rolled her eyes, “Well I guess I know where you’re at.”

He took her hand, “Maddie, I know Kenny kind of screwed you on this whole thing. No pun intended,” he laughed lightly, drawing a smile from Maddie’s lips.

“Garrett, we have not been dating long enough, it’s not even about Kennedy,” she lied.

“I like you, Maddie. I don’t want to tell you that I love you because I know it will freak you out. But I do love you. I love you as a best friend and someday I’m going to be in love with you. I’ll always do whatever you want me to,” Garrett said, taking the hand he was holding and kissing it.

Maddie felt the blood rush to her flushed cheeks, “You’re too perfect.”

Garrett smiled lightly, “I’m still a guy, Maddie, so no promises. But you just tell me when too much is too much and I’ll stop.”

“Gare, are you a virgin?” Maddie asked quietly.

Garrett let out a long breath and pursed his lips, “I’m not sure what the correct answer to this question is.”

Maddie broke into a laugh, “I’ll take that as a definite no.”

“Hey, you’re not either,” he countered.

“Let’s not compare experiences here, boyfriend. I’m not sure I want to know all the girls you’ve been with,” Maddie pretended to gag.

“I’m not some kind of whore, girlfriend. And an experience is an experience. One that I’ve heard you’re… kind of good at it,” Garrett said, muffling the last part under his breath.

But Maddie heard him as a feeling of panic rushed though her, “Excuse me?”

“Nothing,” Garrett said tightly. Maddie stood from her bed and walked to her closet, pulling out the first shirt she could find. She planted heels on her feet and walked to her mirror to put on some makeup. Garrett watched her in silence for about three minutes before speaking up, “Maddie? What are you going to do?”

She stood and took one last look in the mirror before turning to the alarmed boy, “Will you drive me to the venue? I need to go have a nice little conversation with Mr. Brock.”

*

“John, where is Kennedy?” Maddie asked politely as she found the rest of the band behind the stage.

“Do not tell her, John, I’m warning you,” Garrett called from behind her.

“Maddie, what’s going on?” Pat asked.

“Oh nothing, I just need to have a friendly chat with him,” Maddie smiled sweetly.

Jared laughed, “I thought I taught you how to lie, you can do better than that! He’s setting up merch, go easy on him.”

Maddie narrowed her eyes as she walked towards him. She saw him laughing with Caroline but didn’t even stop. He heard the clicking of her heels and looked up. His smile quickly fell into a confused frown.

“Hey Maddie…” he said cautiously.

Maddie kept walking right through him, pushing him against the wall, “Who the hell do you think you are?”

“What did I do?” he asked, panicked.

“How dare you tell Garrett and whoever else what I’m like in bed!” Maddie shouted.

Kennedy peered around Maddie to look at the crowd behind them, consisting of all his friends plus some of the other bands playing at the show, “Garrett, what the heck man?”

“I am not involved,” he said defensively.

“How could you ever think that would be okay?” she asked.

He sighed, “I’m sorry, Madds, I am so sorry. I… they asked! Would you rather have had me say that you were horrible?”

“You were supposed to say that it’s none of their business! How would you feel if I told everyone how you were?” Maddie challenged.

“Go ahead, if that will make you feel better,” Kennedy relinquished.

Maddie took a glance behind her, wishing she had anything to say, “I don’t have anyone to compare you to, I have no idea,” she whispered to him.

“Just go ahead and tell them I’m terrible. I deserve it,” Kennedy said with a weak smile.

Maddie smiled, standing up straight. She raised her palm, slapping him across the face, “Of course I’m good in bed, someone had to be.”

Maddie heard loud laughter behind her. She smiled triumphantly and turned to Caroline, grabbing her hand as she strutted away from the crowd.

She and Caroline stood outside as they grabbed more boxes full of merchandise. “So, you and Kennedy, huh?” Caroline asked.

Maddie dropped the box she was holding, “Oh crap.”

“I kind of figured as much,” she laughed.

“I’m sorry, that was so rude of me, I must have really embarrassed you,” Maddie said apologetically.

“It’s cool. You were kind of awesome. What happened with you guys?” Caroline asked.

Maddie pursed her lips, “I’m not sure I should tell you. But just know that Kennedy is a really great guy, and everything he did to me in the past… well, he’s just not the same person.”

Caroline smiled, “So I shouldn’t give up hope, then?”

“Definitely not,” Maddie told her, “I think he likes you.”

Caroline shrugged, “I don’t know, the being terrible in bed thing might be a deal breaker.”

Maddie laughed out loud, “Ah, Caroline, you’re my favorite. Now go get your man!”

Caroline walked inside and Maddie followed slowly behind, carrying in two boxes. John saw her struggling and took the boxes from her hands, “Thank you very much,” she smiled.

“So, were you really mad at Kennedy?” he asked.

She shrugged, “I don’t know, I mean it’s kind of screwed up, but at least it was something positive.”

“He only talked about it for a little, and it was very classy how he spoke of you,” John said.

Maddie looked at him, “He told you, too!?”

“Oh, um… no?” John laughed.

“I’m going to kill him,” she said, ready to find Kennedy and punch him.

John grabbed her wrist, “Wait, first tell me how it even came up,” he said.

Maddie stared at the ground, “Well, Garrett and I kind of… got a little more intense than usual, and then the topic just made its way into the conversation.”

“You didn’t… um… did you?” John asked awkwardly.

“No, no, no. That won’t be happening for a long time,” Maddie told him.

John didn’t even hide the relief he was feeling, “May I ask why?”

She sighed, “I’m just not ready.”

“Because of Kennedy?”

It isn’t because of Kennedy!” Maddie defended, “I’m not going to have sex with my boyfriend of two months.”

“No one would blame you, Madds. It’s not like you just met him or anything. You’re not being a slut, so tell me the real reason,” he pressed. Maddie stared at the ground, swaying from her left to right foot and back. “Don’t lie to me,” John said.

Maddie met his eyes and John swore he could see a tear forming in her blue irises, “I guess… Yeah, I guess it’s about Kennedy.”

John smiled sympathetically as he wrapped his best friend in his arms. She buried her head in his shoulder and he tried to not let his body go rigid from the sudden anger with Kennedy he had thought he had dissolved.

And it made his heart hurt that the girl in his arms hadn’t gotten to deal with her anger like he had. While Maddie was in Oregon, he and Kennedy had worked out their issues, and had become best friends again.

But Maddie still harbored that anger in her small frame, holding the pain barricaded in her infectious smile and the tears locked behind those blue gates.

And John knew that one day, someday soon, she would burst.
♠ ♠ ♠
I hope you enjoyed this!
Tomorrow is my birthday! So some nice feedback would be just awesome (:
Love you guys!