No One Knows You Like I Do

“I love you, Madison, know that first.”
“I know that, Nick. What’s wrong?”
“Come over here,” he pulled her farther away from everyone else.

“Here comes the bomb.” John said to Garrett as he watched Nick walk Madison farther away.
“Shut up, John.”

“You what?” Madison asked, hoping what she just heard was wrong.
“I…slept with someone that wasn’t you.” Nick repeated himself and watched as Madison’s confused expression turned into hurt.
“You know, John told me you’d done something and I didn’t want to believe him because I figured he was just being jealous, but he wasn’t! He was just looking out for me! How could you do this to me? All that stuff about you loving me…it was all bullshit.”
“No, Madison, I love you so much. I was so fucking wasted, and I know that’s not an excuse, but John told me that you told Kennedy John was a good kisser. I wasn’t thinking clearly and I was just so upset. I didn’t even know what I had done.” He shook his head and took a deep breath. “There is no way I can ever express to you how unbelievably sorry I am, but I am sorry. I love you more than anything else on this planet and I will do anything to make you forgive me.”
“We started this on bad terms. I mean, I lied to my best friend to be with you. I could have been expelled because of dating you. I moved out of my house to be with you. I did so much just to be with you, Nick. How could I have been so stupid?” She took a breath as she shook her head. “I really thought you were it, you know, the one. Silly me, right? I didn’t think I needed anything else because I knew I had you. We haven’t even been together for a year! God, I don’t even know what I’ve been thinking these past months. We moved way too fast!” She sighed, doing her best to hold the tears back. “I…I trusted you and now that’s out the window. God, Nick, after every shitty thing we’ve been through. I have to get out of here. I can’t be here anymore.”
“We’ll go home, then. We can talk more in the morning.”
“No. We’re done with this conversation and we’re done with this relationship.”
“What…what are you saying?”
“I’ll move my stuffy out in the morning. I’ll sleep on the couch tonight and I’ll be gone tomorrow. We’re over, Nick.”
“Just like that?” His voice shook.
“Just like that.” She sighed and went back to everyone else to say goodbye so she could go home.

******

Madison lay on the couch and Nick came up the stairs. He knew she was still awake.
“At least take the bed.”
“I can’t sleep in that bed. It makes me feel disgusting just thinking about it.”
“Okay.” Nick sighed and went back downstairs. Madison waited a few minutes, so she knew he was definitely all the way downstairs, before she let the tears fall from her eyes. She quietly cried as memories of the last few months flooded her mind.

Morning came much too soon for Nick. He wasn’t ready for Madison to leave. He felt like he was losing a part of himself. He’d gotten so used to her always being around, he had no idea how he would be able to function without her.
Nick slowly pushed the blankets off his body and, just as slowly, made his way upstairs. He saw Madison sitting up on the couch, texting on her phone.
“Morning.” He said to break the silence. Madison set her phone down and stood up. She headed for the door to the bedroom. Nick let out sad sigh when she was out of earshot. He sat down n the couch and rested his head in his hands. There was nothing left he could say or do to get her back this time. She was leaving and didn’t plan to come back. They were over and that was the end of it.

******

Madison was gone and Nick looked around at, what felt like, an empty apartment. He didn’t even want to be there anymore. Everywhere he looked, he was reminded of her. He couldn’t even bring himself to go downstairs to his room because the memory of her things was still too new.
He lay on the couch staring up at the ceiling. He’d obviously never spent a lot of time staring at the ceiling, but now it was the only thing he had the energy for. He closed his eyes with a sigh before glancing at the TV. Right next to it was a DVD case. He sat up quickly. It was Madison’s. It was her Tower of Terror movie. Her favorite movie. He smiled at the thought of all the times he watched it with her. Now, he had an excuse to see her the next day.

Madison lay under her covers in her old bedroom. It was a weird feeling to be back. She thought she’d never have to return and here she was, back in this place. She looked around the room and, although it was familiar, it still seemed so new. The room was exactly the way she left it, but it just didn’t feel the same. It was going to be hard to get used to it again.
There was a knock on her bedroom door. She sat up and called for whoever it was to come in. Her mom entered and stood in the doorway.
“I thought you moved out, dear.”
“I did, but I came back.”
“What happened?”
“Life. Things just didn’t work out as I had planned them to.”
“Ah, well, I’m sorry about that.” Things got awkward because neither spoke for a moment. “Uh, well, what do you plan to do, now?” Madison shrugged. She hadn’t even thought that far ahead. “There’s an opening as a receptionist at your father’s firm, if you have nothing else to do.”
“Sure.” She sighed. It would be better than laying in bed everyday, thinking about Nick. At least it would give her a distraction for a few hours each day.
“Great! I’ll let him know. You’ll start Wednesday.” She smiled and exited the room, leaving Madison to her thoughts once again.