No One Knows You Like I Do

Nick’s alarm went off at 5:30 and he quickly rolled over to turn it off. He grumbled something inaudible and undeterminable. He shook Madison’s shoulder lightly. She groaned and rolled over so she wasn’t facing him.
“C’mon, Madison. If you want to go, you gotta get up now.” He maneuvered himself over her and onto the floor. He went to the bathroom and when he returned, Madison was still in bed.
“Madison, get up. We have to go.” He pulled on his jacket and slipped on his shoes. He started grabbing his and Madison’s bags and bringing them upstairs. The guys and Mackenzie were all awake and helping themselves to some coffee and cereal.
“Can someone please wake Madison up?” Nick sighed as he picked up the keys to the van. He went outside and started loading up the bags.
Mackenzie tiredly made her way down the stairs and saw Madison wrapped tightly in blankets on the bed. She rolled her eyes before jumping onto the bed and sitting on Madison.
“What the fuck, Mackenzie?!” Madison yelled.
“How’d you know it was me?” She frowned.
“Let’s see…no on else would do that to me? And I’ve learned from way too many sleepovers at your house that when you want me awake, you jump on me.”
“Well, it worked. You’re up now. Get ready because we’re leaving in like 15 minutes.” She hopped ff the bed and went back upstairs. Madison groaned as she threw the covers off her body and made her way to the bathroom. When she finished, she pulled on her hoodie and put her boots on. She dragged herself up the stairs and into the kitchen. She poured some coffee into a cup with a lid and rummaged through the cupboard for something to eat for breakfast.
“Hey, you’re up.” Nick chuckled as he entered the kitchen. He poured himself some coffee and leaned against the counter next to Madison. She looked up and glared at him.
“What?” He chuckled again.
“You sent Mackenzie to practically kill me in order to wake up.”
“Stop being so melodramatic.” Mackenzie laughed at the entrance of the kitchen. Garrett was at her side, yawning every two seconds.
“Is everyone ready t go?” Loren appeared. Everyone mumbled yes’s and headed outside. Halvo and Justin were already in the back of the van dozing off. Garrett shook his head with a laugh as hr climbed in, Mackenzie right behind him. Loren followed and shut the van door behind him. Nick went around to the driver’s side, climbing in, just as Madison did the same on the passenger’s side.
“New Jersey, here we come!” Nick said as he pulled out of the parking spot and went onto the road.

******

They arrived in New Jersey and met up with The Maine. Garrett hopped out of the van with his bags and threw them on the ground. “Movin’ on up.” He smirked as he helped Mackenzie out of the van. He dragged his bag over to The Maine’s bus and threw them into the storage spot with the rest of the guys’ stuff. He put Mackenzie’s in as well.
“Wait, MC, you’re staying with them and not me?” Madison asked.
“W-well, Garrett asked me to a-and…”
“I get it. Never mind.” She sighed. “It’s not like we won’t see each other anyway.”
“Exactly!” Mackenzie gave her best friend a hug before following Garrett onto the bus.
John made his way off the bus with Pat and Kennedy following behind. “Hey Madison.” He smiled. “How ya been? How was graduation?”
“Great. I’m so glad to be done with high school.” She grinned. “Thanks for asking.”
“No, uh, no problem.” He ran his hand threw his hair as Nick joined them.
“Hey guys!” He smiled as he pulled them each into a hug. “Ya ready for the first show?”
“You know it!” Kennedy yelled excitedly.
“This is gonna be a great tour.” Pat said as he started jumping up and down. He pulled hi drumsticks out of his back pocket and drumming on the side of Rocket’s trailer. Nick wrapped an arm around Madison’s shoulders and pulled her closer to him. He placed a kiss on the side of her forehead and turned back to John, whose smile had left his face. He looked pale.
“John, are you okay?”
“What?” He looked up. “Yeah, I’m fine. I, uh, gotta go find Garrett. I’ll see you guys later.” He turned on his heel and went up the bus steps.
“Garrett! I can’t do this! Garrett, where are you?” He shouted as he made his way to the back of the bus. Garrett stood and met him in the doorway of the back lounge.
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do this. I…I can’t be around them if they’re gonna be all…cute and shit.”
“Hey, relax. I have faith in you. You just gotta stay away as much as possible. And whatever you do, do not make a move, okay? She loves Nick.”
She loves Nick.
The last sentence repeated itself over and over in his head. She loves Nick. Not you, John. Get over it. He nodded and walked over to his bunk. He climbed in and decided he was going to nap before the show because there was nothing else he could do.

“Is he gonna be okay?” Mackenzie asked as Garrett returned.
“I don’t know, but I sure as hell hope so. Nick and Madison have already been through so much shit together; John can’t ruin what they have now. It’s not right.

******

Madison sat on a bench on the side of the stage, patiently waiting for Rocket to go on. Mackenzie had disappeared, saying something about needing to help Garrett mentally prepare for the show. In other words, the two were most likely making out in the back of The Maine’s bus until show time.
Madison heaved another bored sigh. She was sitting alone because Nick had forced her out of the small dressing room. Apparently, the band needed thirty minutes of prep time, alone. So, with Nick locked away in the dressing room and Mackenzie “helping Garrett,” she was left to herself and her thoughts.

John noticed Madison sitting alone and he could tell she was bored. He had just come from the bus, so he knew where Mackenzie was, but he didn’t know why Nick, who had constantly been at her side since they arrived, would leave her all alone now. His thoughts were telling him not to, but his heart, which usually wins most of the battles, told him to take a seat next t her. He didn’t look at her right away; instead he kept his eyes on his shoes. They seemed t be the only things not judging him. He cleared his throat, but kept his eyes on his feet. Madison took her attention off her thoughts and glanced in John’s direction. She watched him repeatedly fiddle with the bottom cuffs of his pants before she broke out into a giggle.
“You okay, John?”
He looked up and met her gaze. He was suddenly at a loss for words. His mouth hung open as if he were about to speak, but he said nothing.
“John?”
She’s talking to you, you idiot. Say something! He cleared his throat again and sat up straight.
“Yeah?” That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say? No wonder she’s dating Nick. He knows how to speak.
“Are you okay?” Madison asked again.
“I’m…fine. How about you?”
“I’m just so bored!” She groaned. “Nick kicked me out of the dressing room and I don’t know what to do. And my phone’s totally dead, so I don’t even know how long I’ve been sitting here or how long until they play.”
“It’s 6:10.” John replied as he looked at his phone.
“You’re kidding! I’ve only been sitting here for ten minutes?!” She groaned again. “This wait is endless!”
“Why don’t you go charge your phone?”
“Because I don’t have the keys to the van and it’s all locked up.” She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Well, come on.” He picked up her hand, but quickly moved to her wrist. “You can charge it on the bus.” They stood up and John led Madison by her wrist to the bus. He took her to the table and showed her all the places she could plug in her charger.
“Problem: my charger’s in the van.” John looked at her phone and saw it was the same kind as his. He pulled his charger out of a nearby drawer and plugged in the phone.
“All set.” He smiled as he set down the phone.
“You’re a life saver, John!” She pulled him into a hug just as Mackenzie and Garrett were walking in from the back lounge.
“Madison?” Mackenzie said at the same time Garrett said, “John?”
“Oh, done making out already?” Madison smirked after pulling away from John. Both Garrett and Mackenzie’s cheeks were bright pink.
“Uh, not sure what you’re talking about, Madison. I told you he was getting ready for the show.” Mackenzie couldn’t look Madison directly in the eyes. Madison and John burst out into laughter.
“Whatever you say, MC.” Madison stood and made her way off the bus, leaving John to laugh at a very pink color couple on his own. John’s laughing subsided as Garrett started to glare at him. He responded with a shrug of his shoulders. Garrett turned to Mackenzie and looked at her, as if telling her silently to give the two guys a minute. She nodded before pecking his lips and heading off the bus. Garrett took a seat next to John.
“So, uh, what were you two doing?”
“I merely helped her charge her phone while her charger is being held captive in the van.” He shrugged again.
“Mhm.” Garrett nodded suspiciously. “Then what was she doing with her arms wrapped around you?”
“She said I was a lifesaver then hugged me. Not that big of a deal.” Garrett just continued to look at him without saying anything. After a moment, John jumped up. “Look, it’s not my fault her boyfriend left her alone and unattended outside the dressing room door, okay?”
“But you didn’t have to go talk to her.”
“Garrett, we’re friends, in case you haven’t noticed. Get off my back!” He started for the door.
“Just be careful. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Me? Get hurt? Ha! Never.” He chuckled as he stepped down the stairs and got off the bus. The truth was, it didn’t matter what John, Madison, or Nick did. John would still end up hurt and without Madison. He just figured he might as well be Madison’s friend so the heartbreak wouldn’t be too painful.