No One Knows You Like I Do

Madison walked into Nick’s room and looked around. Nick took off his shoes and his jacket and sat on the bed.
“You’re room is so cute! It’s just like you.”
“Thanks.” Nick chuckled. “Come sit with me.” He touched the spot next to him and gestured for her to come over. She smiled and rolled her eyes playfully as she sat next to him. He wrapped an arm around her pulled her close. He kissed her softly on the neck.
“I feel like this relationship revolves around only one thing. Hmm…” Madison said playfully.
“Oh. Well, we could do something else if you want.” He sat up straight.
“I don’t know, maybe I liked where you were taking this.”
“In that case…” He leaned down again and started kissing her neck. Madison closed her eyes and the memories from before returned. She pulled away and stood up.
“I don’t understand why this is happening.” She covered her face with her hands and took a few deep breaths.
“What is it? What are you talking about?”
“Okay, I wanted to wait longer, I didn’t want to scare you away with my past or something, but honestly, this is getting bad. Every time we….try to get intimate, these stupid pictures keep popping back into my head, reminding me….”
“Madison, you’re really confusing me. What’s going on?”
“Nick, the summer before my sophomore year….I was….I was dating this guy….he was my first boyfriend, but he wasn’t the nicest guy. I mean, he was when we first started dating, but, like, he changed. He changed that summer. I don’t know why, but it happened. Well….God….”
“Hey, it’s okay. You can tell me.” He stood up and pulled her into his chest.
“He wanted something I wasn’t ready to give him…..he said he was gonna break up with me, so I told him to leave, that I didn’t care, I just wasn’t ready. So, he left. I was heartbroken at first, but I got over it after a while, but then I was this party. I was with Mackenzie and were having a great time, when he showed up. It was obvious he was up to something, so we decided we were just going to leave. When we went to leave, he came to me all sad and…whatever. He said he wanted to talk, so I went with him to one of the rooms in the house. He said he wanted me back and he started kissing me. I was happy, because, at the time, I was convinced I was in love with him.” She took a breath and moved away from Nick. She was so scared to tell him. She was scared to say it out loud. It would be the first time since it actually happened, you know. When she tried talking to her mom, she never had the time to listen. “Well, he still wanted sex and I still wasn’t ready, so he decided he’d take it into his own hands….and he…..he raped me. Right there at that party. I didn’t know what to do. I said no.” She was crying now and Nick was once again at her side. She let him wrap his arms around her and comfort her. He pulled them to the bed so they could sit. “For months these stupid nightmares haunted me. I tried talking to my mom, but she never had the time. I felt worthless to her. She didn’t, and still doesn’t care that her only daughter got her first time stolen from her. And now, just when I forget everything about it, because I’m with you and I’m happy, these stupid nightmares have to come back and ruin everything!” Nick held her in his arms. He didn’t know how she felt or what it was like, he just knew he had to be there for her. She had been feeling hurt for so long and no one was there to listen to her, except for maybe Mackenzie. This made him think how terrible it was for Madison to not tell her the truth about dating him. That probably wasn’t helping with the nightmares.
“Everything’s okay, now. I’m here and I care about you and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here for you as long as you need me. I don’t ever want you to feel worthless or unloved, okay? I know this whole thing here with us hasn’t been going on very long, but you’re everything to me right now. I’ll do anything to help you forget.” He kissed her temple. “Anything.” He repeated in a whisper.
“Just….just hold me? Can I stay with you, here, tonight?”
“Absolutely. You’re welcome here anytime, okay? That goes for even if I’m off on tour or something, alright?” Madison nodded and a small smile spread across her lips.
“Thank you.” She pressed her lips to his and wrapped her arms around his neck.
After a while, Madison changed into one of Nick’s shirts and crawled under his covers. They had his smell, which was to be expected since it was his bed, but it made her smile nonetheless. He crawled in after her and she quickly cuddled up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. The two were fast asleep in no time.

With no alarms and no reason to get up early, the two slept in until way after noon. They had woken up a few times, separately and at the time, but went back to sleep in each other’s arms each time. At about one-thirty, they were woken up by Madison’s ringtone for Mackenzie.
“Shit.” She muttered under her breath as she crawled over Nick’s sleeping body to get to her phone.
“Hello?” She tried her best not to sound like she had still been sleeping.
“What time are you coming over?”
“Uhm, uh…what time should I come over?”
“Come over in half an hour. I’m so bored! I have nothing to do.”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll be there! I gotta go get ready, though.”
“Alright, see you later.” Madison hung up and threw her phone into her purse.
“Nick?” She nudged his shoulder gently. He rolled over and looked up at her with a smile.
“Morning.” He chuckled.
“More like afternoon. Anyway, I have to be at Mackenzie’s house in thirty minutes.”
“What? Why? I thought this was my time for you.” He frowned.
“Nick, ever since we started dating, I haven’t spent anytime with her, except for our classes and rides to and from school.”
“Fine.” He whined as he got out of bed.
“Don’t be like that! You’re making me feel bad!”
“I’m sorry. That’s the last thing I want.” He pulled her into him and placed a kiss on her lips. “Alright, let’s get you home.” He sighed. “You can take that shirt, if you want…”
“That’s a nice offer, but in case you haven’t notice, I have no pants on. I’d still have to change back into my dress to leave your house.”
“Here.” He tossed her a pair of his basketball shorts. “You can take those, too.” She slipped the shorts on and gathered up her dress and heels.
“Let’s go.” She walked over to him and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. They went up the stairs and into the living room where Justin was. He noticed them and started laughing.
“Oh, you crazy kids.” Madison’s cheeks turned a bright pink and she looked at the floor as she pulled Nick to the front door.
“Justin. Shut up.”
Justin put his hands up in defense. “Sorry, sorry.” He walked out of the living room and went into the kitchen to get some water.

They pulled in front of Madison’s house. She had to change and get a few things before going to Mackenzie’s, but she only had ten minutes to do so.
“I wish you could’ve stayed longer.” Nick whined.
“I promise, next weekend is all yours, okay?”
“Yesssss.” His excitement made Madison laugh.
“You’re adorable.” She poked his nose before giving him a quick peck. “I’ll see you Monday. And if you really miss me, I’m just a text away.” She hopped out of the car and went up the driveway to her house. She went up the stairs to her room and pulled out a bag. She threw in a changed of clothes, then took off Nick’s clothes and threw them in there for sleeping. She put on some clean clothes and brushed through her hair. It didn’t look perfect, but it looked decent. She slipped on her flip flops and ran back down the stairs to her car. She threw the back in her passenger seat and started the car.
She made it to Mackenzie’s by two-fifteen. She knocked on the door and Mackenzie opened the door right away.
“There you are!” She chuckled and pulled her in for a hug. “You totally smell like guy.” She stepped back and took a look at Madison. “And you’re hair is still curled from yesterday, which means you didn’t shower this morning. Which means you weren’t home to shower. You totally stayed at your date’s house. Holy shit!”
“What? Why would you ever think that?”
“Madison, I’m you’re best friend. I’m also not stupid. So give me details, now! And whatever cologne this guy wears, is amazing. He smells hot.” Madison’s face was expressionless as she nodded.