Author's Note: One day my life will be normal and I'll be able to write again. If anyone is even still interested in this story at this point, I, a) apologize profusely for making you wait so long for the continuation and b) appreciate the fact that you are still interested in Flack and Madison! Many hugs to you all!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Madison eyed her room for the next few weeks in wonder. The blend of sage green walls paired with chocolate and cream bed linens wasn't a color scheme she was familiar with, but it held a quirky appeal.
"It's lovely! Did you decorate it yourself?" Turning, she slowly absorbed the tranquility that the space represented. Here she would be safe, protected.
Flack watched her relax completely for the first time in days. Tension left her posture and her eyes caressed the room, memorizing its details. "Yeah. It was an experiment of sorts, I picked the bedding out, and then Lila got on me about not having any color on the walls, but I didn't want to paint them brown, so… I just kinda closed my eyes and pointed at the color wheel the woman at Home Depot showed me and voila!"
Tinkling laughter greeted his confession. "Next time I remodel my apartment I'll have to have you use that technique to help me choose my paint colors," Madison teased.
Flack dropped her bags at the foot of the bed and couldn't help but stare. Madison was actually teasing him. It was a glimpse of the Madison he remembered from before, when she and his sister were high school girls laughing over their crush of the week.
Madison could feel Flack's eyes assessing her. He's staring. What was I thinking making a comment like that? He's only letting me stay here out of pity, and here I am making future plan, when up until a little while ago we hadn't even spoken in ages. Why do I always end up feeling foolish?
Madison cleared her throat, shielding her embarrassment behind a cool veneer. She opened her mouth to speak as a shrill ring cut through the air. The phone rang once, twice, but Flack made no move to answer it. Three rings, four…
"Aren't you going to get that, it could be important." Madison glanced towards the door, hoping Flack would leave.
He shrugged. "If it's important they'll leave a message."
"Oh… alright, but what if-" Madison stopped mid-sentence as a clear female voice poured out of the machines speaker.
"Flack, it's me Devon. Just wanted to know if you'd be available for drinks next Friday at the Plaza? I figure we can relax a bit and let the evening… take its course. I've missed seeing you the last couple of weeks and…" The message droned on but Madison tuned it out. She felt sick to her stomach.
Watching the happiness fade from Madison's expression, Flack silently cursed. He had broken things off with Devon because she was immature and clingy. In fact, he hadn't spoken to her in weeks. That she should call now, of all possible times, was a giant cosmic joke.
"Madison, she's-"
"You should go return your calls and I should start unpacking. Don't worry about me; I'll be fine on my own for a little while. After all it's not like you need to be with me every second." She turned and unzipped her duffle bag effectively shutting Flack out. She didn't want to hear any excuses about how Devon was 'just a friend'.
Feeling the proverbial door being slammed in his face, Flack's irritation surfaced, "Fine. You unpack and I'll go return my calls." He closed the door behind him as he left, and headed towards the living room.
Grabbing the phone, he hastily punched in a number. I don't need to justify myself to her. My life is my life and it's not like I'm a monk. I can go where I want with whomever I want. Besides the Princess will probably be glad to get rid of me if I did go out, she couldn't wait to get me out of her room. Why does she always shut down that way?
Down the hall Madison heard the touch tones of the keypad as Flack dialed the phone.
Tears blurred her eyes and she reached for the TV remote, letting the numbing sounds of an infomercial fill the room. She didn't understand why the thought of Flack calling Devon back upset her so much. It wasn't as though she didn't know he went out with different girls on a regular basis. I guess knowing about it and actually hearing and seeing it are too different things entirely.
If only Madison could've heard Flack's side of the conversation…
"Hello, Mario's? Yeah, I'd like to place an order for delivery…Umm-hmmm, you've delivered here before, the name is Flack…okay…I'd like a lasagna special with a house salad, a calzone, extra cheese and a order of cannolis… Forty minutes?" Flack glanced at Madison's closed door. "Forty minutes sounds perfect."
Replacing the receiver, Flack grabbed the keys to go check his mailbox. Idly passing the blinking answering machine with Devon's message, he pressed the 'Delete' button without a moment's hesitation.