"I love you." Madison's dad kissed her mom before he left for work every morning, and Blair always replied the same thing.
"Not as much as I love you." Then her parent's proceeded to fight over who loved who more.
It actually made Madison feel a little bit sick, couldn't they do that elsewhere? But more than anything, it made Madison think about love. What it meant, who it should be given too and why they deserved it. She loved her family, and she loved her friends. And she loved both her boyfriend and her boyfriend's brother. She loved a lot more than she would ever let on, and she was pretty sure she knew the reason why.
*.*
Sixteen year old Madison Bass loved parties. She loved parties with her best friend even more, because when Madison and Aurora entered a party, all eyes focused on them. The way the both liked it. And this night wasn't any different. The girl's had spent all day preparing for this birthday party; bought new dresses and spent the day in the salon getting their hair and nails done. Madison wore a tight red dress that showed off her incredible figure, and had her nails painted red to match. Her long dark hair had been washed and blow dried, and her wide brown eyes were sparkling in anticipation.
Aurora had just broken up with her latest boyfriend, so she was on the rebound. The'd only been in the party for half an hour when her beautiful friend had attached herself to a college boy's waist, and he looked like he'd died and gone to heaven. Madison laughed when Rori caught her eye and winked. Aurora would play with him for the night, but when one o'clock hit she wouldn't go home with him. Aurora and Madison always left parties together; it was their unspoken rule.
"Hey, Mads." Dean Archibald touched Madison on the back and she spun around and smiled at him.
"Hey, you look bored." She laughed.
"I am! Tyler's with some girl, so what am I supposed to do?"
"You can hang with me." Madison smirked, locking eye's with Dean. She'd had a crush on him for as long as she could remember, but nothing ever had come of it.
"Hang with my baby sister's best friend? You'd cramp my style, Bass."
Madison laughed and moved a little bit closer to him. Even with her black heels on, she had to tilt her head to meet his eyes. "I'd earn you a style, Archibald."
Dean cocked his head to the side and grinned. "Alright, let's see what you've got. I'll get us a drink."
Madison watched him go to the bar and she tried to catch her breath and slow her heart rate, which worked until Dean returned. They sat at table with their drinks and Madison smiled as she sipped her cocktail.
"What are you smiling about?" Dean asked her.
Madison considered answering him honestly. "You." But she wasn't that drunk just yet. "Your drink, you're such an amateur."
Dean opened his mouth in mock protest and threw back his drink. "I'll admit it's not the most manly option. Drinks on you, Bass. Show me how you do it."
Madison laughed. "If you can keep up."
She walked back to the bar, and couldn't help but notice Dean's eyes following her. "Give me two of the strongest scotch you have." Madison threw some cash and the bartender, and lifted the glasses. She could actually smell the alcohol, and she loved it.
"On three." She set the drink down in front of Dean, and he considered her for a moment. Then, "one, two, three." They both knocked back the scotch, and Madison quickly followed with a sip of her cocktail because she forgot how much she hated the taste of scotch. Dean licked his lips and looked at Madison. "Impressive."
And that was that. The rest of the night, Dean and Madison were joined at the hip. They danced together for the next hour, and when a slow song came on, Madison hesitated. Dean placed his hand on her waist, and when he looked her in the eye, she knew she wasn't going anywhere. She wrapped her fingers through his, and there bodies touched while they danced. Madison could feel the electric go through her, and she knew Dean could feel it too.
But one o'clock came too quickly. Aurora came back to get Madison, who's hand was still interlocked with Dean's. Aurora didn't notice, but Dean loosened his grip on her anyway. "Let's go home, Maddie."
"I'm coming too." Dean said. "But we need to wait for Dylan."
Aurora groaned and turned to her brother. "I don't have to do everything with you two! I'm a big girl, Dean. I know how to get home."
Dean rolled his eyes at his sister. "Okay then. I'll see you soon."
Madison and Aurora took a cab back to the Archibald penthouse, and Madison text her mom to let her know she was home safe. "Are you hungry?" Aurora asked. "We could order Chinese food."
"Yeah, that sounds good."
Aurora ordered the food, and then went to her bedroom to change. After fifteen minutes, Dean and Dylan and another boy came through the doors. "Hey, Maddie. Where's Aurora?"
"Changing, I think."
"Oh, okay. Well hope you have a good night, we're away to bed. Night!" Dylan walked over and hugged Madison briefly, and Madison felt his gaze linger on her.
"Night, Dylan." He waved to the other boy, and they both headed upstairs. Madison heard Dylan explain about the new movie he'd got, which apparently made you so scared you couldn't sleep for nights. His friend actually looked a bit stoned, and Madison wasn't sure he was listening. It was only then Madison noticed Dean hung back.
"Um...hi."
It was like the last four hours hadn't happened. Madison felt so awkward, she wasn't sure what to say to him. "I'm gonna go check on Rori." But when she reached Rori's room, her best friend was lying on her bed sleeping, a little smile evident on her face. Madison placed a blanket over her. She knew she should stay with her, but she couldn't resist going downstairs to Dean.
"She's sleeping." Madison stated.
"Oh...well this food came. Did you order it?" Dean held out the box of greasy food the girl's had planned to eat.
"Yeah. You want to share?"
Dean seemed to think about it for a minute before he nodded. "Sound's good."
Madison pulled open the boxes and took one containing noodles. She could almost smell the fat coming off them, and she suddenly didn't want them. Not in front of Dean, anyway. He was already eating some chicken, and Madison wondered how boy's and girl's could be so different. He noticed she wasn't eating.
"Aren't you hungry?" He asked.
Madison waited a moment to long to answer.
"Girl's are so weird. You are all the same, never wanting to eat in front of us. Look at you, Mads. You're hot. You don't need to worry." Dean laughed, then froze when he realized what he said.
"You think I'm hot?" Madison lifted a fork and began twirling some noodle around it.
Dean bit his lip. "Don't tell you're brother I said that. If you were older..."
Madison ate the noodles, and a few strands fell from her mouth. She looked at Dean wearily, but he was smiling at her.
"There's only two years between us."
"You're my little sister's best friend."
"You're my big brother's best friend, so what?"
"I'm just saying."
Madison nodded, knowing where he was heading with this. She popped some more noodles into her mouth before speaking. "You're hot too."
She wasn't sure if he heard her or not, but the little smile on his face suggested he did.
Madison was shocked when the food was all gone, and touched her stomach after they'd finished. It was still perfectly flat. They both stood up, and Dean said he was going to go to bed.
"Yeah, same. Night, Dean." Madison said, but didn't move.
"Night, Mads." Dean said, but his voice faltered. They stood facing each other and they both knew what was coming, but neither of them were going to do it first.
Thirty seconds passed and Madison couldn't help but laugh. Dean joined in, and stepped closer to her. She tilted her head up to him, and he curved his hand around her neck. The both stopped laughing now, because there was no going back. It seemed like a lifetime before their lips finally connected, and Madison melted into him. He was soft and gentle, and when he pulled away he rested his head against her forehead.
"I better go."
Madison felt her head crumple. This had happened before. This was Dean and Madison's fifth kiss, including their first one when she was only twelve years old. And each and every time, he'd walked away without an explanation. But Madison wasn't going to let that happen again. Dean had already turned her back on her.
"So that's it?"
He turned around, a confused expression on his face. "What?"
"You're going to walk away again? You're going to keep pretending that there isn't something between us? I'm not the only one who feels this."
Dean ran his hand's through his hair. "You are." He said it softly, and Madison knew he didn't mean it.
"You're lying. I know you are. People don't kiss like that if they don't feel something."
Dean turned his head away from hers. "I don't know what you want me to say."
"I want you to tell me the truth."
"You're my best friend's sister, Madison. That's all."
That one hurt. Madison sucked in a breath and walked straight past him, but he grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry."
"Whatever, Dean. You're a bastard."
"You want the truth? Fine. I'm crazy about you, Mads. I always have been. But this,"- he gestured between the two of them- "can't happen. Too many people would get hurt. Tyler, Aurora, Dylan. You think they'd be happy with this? Aurora would kill me, and you know Dylan likes you too. Tyler would probably kill me. And what if it didn't work out? You think I'm ready for that?"
But Madison only heard one thing from that. "I'm crazy about you too."
And she kissed him. She didn't need to wait for him to make the move, because she knew he was scared. But it didn't matter, because they were crazy about each other. She kissed him, and this time it had all the passion they'd resisted for too long. He pushed her against the wall and pressed her arms above her head, kissing her down her neck and along her collarbone. She couldn't help but release a moan, which he silenced by capturing her lips again.
But it still wasn't enough for Madison. She unbuttoned his blue shirt, one by one. Her hand's ran down his sculpted chest, and she wondered why he even bothered to wear a shirt. He was so beautiful without one. His green eye's were burning and they held the answer to every question she'd ever asked. Madison kissed his shoulder and trailed her finger from his belly button to his belt, but he finally pulled back.
"I don't want you to regret anything."
But Madison simply smiled. "Not with you, I never could. I promise."
She kissed him before he could respond, and she pulled open his belt and pulled him to the couch, but he held her arms from him. "Not here, not like this." Dean led her to his bedroom and they kissed and fell into the bed together. He slowly slipped off Madison's dress and she wiggled with anticipation. Madison had never seen Dean be so tender with anyone, and she doubted he ever would be with anyone. This felt too special. It was too perfect when he traced the outline of her body and kissed every inch of her he could reach. He praised her, and Madison wondered if she'd ever feel this connected to someone. When he finally did slide into her, he held her as she tensed when he took her virginity, and whispered in her ear how beautiful she was. And with every thrust he gave her, she felt the electricity soar through her body and he never allowed their eye contact to break. He wondered why he'd waited to confess his feelings to her for so long.
After, she moulded herself into him and they lay side by side, his arms encircling her. Madison looked up at him. "I love you, Dean."
He knew it was coming. "I love you, too."
Madison hadn't thought about that night in a very long time, but hearing her parent's say the words to each other just brought the memories flooding back. And while she'd meant what she said, he didn't. Madison had returned to Aurora's bedroom soon after, and at breakfast the next morning there had been an awkward tension between Dean and Madison. Even Aurora's family picked up on it, but nobody commented on. She and Dean and never even spoken about that night. It broke Madison's heart how she'd completely given herself to him, only to be dropped. Time had passed and the only time it had ever come up was the game of Truth or Dare where Dean had asked her to confess who she'd lost her virginity too, and that was what brought her and Dylan together, which was ironic. Madison had always wanted to ask him about it, but she'd never had the courage too. It was their little secret. She kept good on her promise though, she'd never once regretted it.
A/N- I had to put this background in somewhere and thought it was best to get it done now! Didn't intend for it to take up a whole, chapter, but I just couldn't stop writing! The current story will continue in the next chapter anyway :) Reviews are always welcome :) xxx
