MADISON SAT ON HER BED IN THE ROOM SHE SHARED WITH ZOE, her knees pulled up against her chest as she stared out the window. She hadn't really been looking at anything specific; the window was a great excuse to use when she unintentionally zoned out. With her roommate gone for the day, it was much easier for the blonde to lose track of time. Her hand stroked Ophelia's back without thought, the repetitive motion calming her with each passing. She jumped at the sound of knuckles rapping against her door frame, pulled from the cloudy haze of thoughts that had previously occupied her mind.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Corey mumbled softly as she looked down at her feet with a shake of her head. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay." When she looked back up she watched the blonde with a furrowed brow and slight squint of her eyes. Madison clenched her jaw, her nostrils flared out as she let out a sharp exhale.
"I'm fine," the girl spat in response. "Absolutely no reason to worry about me." She hadn't intended to come off so harshly, clearing her throat as she rested her chin on her knees. She let one hand rest with her palm facing upward across the tops of her feet as she used the other to wave the girl off. She refused to look up at the redhead, instead opting to look down at her toes, flexing them anxiously. Corey continued into the room cautiously, her hands moving into her pockets. The closer she moved towards the blonde the more apparent it was that Madison had been crying.
"Mads, you don't have to put up a front, it's just me." Corey spoke softly. She took a seat at the foot of Madison's bed and tucked one foot underneath herself. She placed a palm against the bedsheets to support her weight, leaning to the side with a tilted head.
"What's bothering you, Montgomery?" She asked. She reached out with the hand that wasn't holding her upright to tuck a stray hair behind the blonde's ear. Madison sniffled in response, pulling her chin from her knees as she recoiled slightly. She pressed her nose against the divot created between her kneecaps.
"It's nothing," the blonde shook her head. Her gaze moved from her own toes to Corey's hand that rested beside her. The redhead's other hand lingered near Madison's ear for a moment. She wanted ever so slightly to caress the girl's face, to wipe away the tears that stained her cheeks. Instead, Corey let her hand fall to the girl's side, finding its home in the ditch of Madison's arm as the blonde took in a shaky breath.
"Is this about what happened earlier?" Corey asked. Her brow furrowed slightly. "With Spalding?" Madison could feel her lower lip quivering, unable to clench her jaw hard enough to make it stop. Corey rubbed small circles into the girl's upper arm. The blonde struggled to hold back her tears as she inhaled, her chest rattling ever so slightly. Madison swallowed hard, nodding. Her chin returned to its place upon her knees, her bottom lip trembling as she tried to regain enough composure to speak again.
A dry chuckle escaped through her teeth as she tilted her head. She squeezed her eyes shut as her words found their meek cadence in the silent yet comfortable void that surrounded the two witches in the stark white room that lacked its own personality.
One could argue that it felt more like a rehab facility than the last one Madison had found herself admitted to, but she kept that thought to herself. She bit the inside of her cheek, her bottom lip jutting out slightly as she sucked the corner of it between her teeth. With a slow exhale through her nose, she let her thoughts pour out.
"My mother put me to work ever since I could talk. I hated it." Madison shrugged. Her voice was quiet but full of emotion. Instead of talking about what had happened at the frat party and how what Spalding had done made her feel, she talked about her mother. Usually, she refused to talk about the woman. She chewed on her bottom lip slightly as she tried to find the right words to say.
"It's hard to stop when you're the only one in your family making money, you know?" Corey nodded, pulling herself slightly closer to the other girl as she continued. She tucked her other foot underneath herself and squeezed the hand that had previously rest on Madison's arm in between her own knees, using it to balance herself against the edge of the bed.
"She was always angry with me about one thing or another; something that wasn't within my control. It started out with raised voices and arguments over a missed audition because she had slept through alarms, neglecting to wake me. Or a physical altercation for not getting a role I had auditioned for." Madison let out a long sigh before reaching outward, her fingers tracing the outline of Corey's hand that rest against the bed.
"Once she had started with the drugs and alcohol, we fought over things as minuscule as the color of the sky. She would throw things and use force to prove her point — that I couldn't manage to do anything right, and she had to clean up the mess I left behind in the tsunami of emotions that poured out of me each and every time." She squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head as Corey sat and listened quietly. When Madison stopped tracing her knuckles, the redhead lifted her index finger and placed it on top of the blonde's hand to let her know she was still listening.
"It was one thing to blame me as the reason for her drug abuse, but it was a whole other thing to point fingers when the police arrived and let her only child take the blame for her own illegal escapades." The blonde paused. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter for a moment as she took a deep breath.
"That was the last time I talked to her," Madison admitted quietly. She slowly opened her gold eyes to meet Corey's green ones. "When you bailed me out, and I met your mom." Corey struggled to keep the frown from forming across her lips. She tried her hardest to keep her features light and welcoming so that the blonde wouldn't close herself off from the world again.
"Stevie taught me what having a mom was really like," Madison let the tears flow down her cheeks. A slight sniffle escaped as she finally gave in to her body's yearning to let out the emotions she had been bottling in for so long.
And you taught me what it was like to feel loved, she thought. She kept what she truly wanted to say to herself. She knew that Nan would be able to hear her, spilling the information to anyone who cared enough to listen, but in that moment Madison didn't care. For once in her life, she was opening up to someone that she cared about and that's all that mattered to her.
"I was envious for a while, that you had someone that cared so much about you, until she started treating me the same way. She's the closest thing I've had to an actual parent in a really long time."
"Oh, Maddie," Corey squeaked. She pulled her hand from between her own knees to reach out and pull the other girl into her chest. "If I had known sooner—" Madison cut her off, shaking her head. She looked up, wrapping her delicate arms around the other girl.
"You couldn't have known," the blonde's watery eyes said everything they needed to in that moment. "I've never talked to anyone about it, and I try not to think about it. Not only because Nan can hear what everyone in the direct vicinity is thinking, but because it wasn't a good experience and it doesn't put me in the greatest headspace." She blinked back her tears, clearing her throat. "I'd like it if we didn't talk about this any further." Corey nodded. She used her thumb to brush the hairs that had clung to Madison's face out of the way.
"In that case, why don't you go change," the redhead suggested with a sad smile. She knew not to push the blonde. Whatever the girl needed to say, she'd say it when she felt the time was right to do so. "There's a place close by I want to take you to. Maybe it'll help take your mind off of things." Madison nodded. She swallowed hard as she leaned back to take in a deeper breath.
"I didn't think they still had these places." Madison smiled wide. She tugged at the denim jacket over her bare shoulders as she leaned against a waist-height wall. Her black lace bustier corset top was tucked into her whitewashed denim jeans. It was secured with a black leather belt, cuffed at the bottom of the pant legs to show off the black cowboy-style boots with the pointed toe and chunky heels—which she would neither confirm nor deny came from Corey's closet. The sound of the arcade machines behind them caused her to whirl in the direction of the noise.
Skee-ball. Pinball. Claw machines. Street Fighter. Wall-to-wall prizes. The lights flashed from the miniature arcade in the corner, the teen near the rental skates watching with a raised brow as he ran a microfiber cloth across the counter in front of him. The blonde looked around with a sense of wonder and excitement that could only be compared to a kid in a candy store. Madison returned her attention to the redhead next to her as she heard her voice pulling her back, the colorful lights from overhead occasionally panning across her features.
"They don't, really. Not anymore," Corey spoke loudly in order to be heard over the 80s power ballad that played through the sound system. Her head turned towards the blonde as her eyes watched the crowd of people roller-skating on the other side of the wall they both leaned against. She smiled, shaking her head as Madison looked at her with a smirk, her eyes soft.
"Only a few left across the country; a dying breed, much like ourselves." Corey's eyes finally trailed back to look at Madison. The blonde pursed her lips and looked to her hands, fidgeting with the sleeves of her denim jacket. Don't let the others see you being so soft, she thought to herself; Madison Montgomery's image was not one of being kindhearted and heart-eyed.
She tried to hide the smirk on her lips but the redhead caught the bounce in her step as she shifted her weight. Corey placed a gentle hand on Madison's back and pinched the jacket with her thumb and forefinger, tugging the girl back as a light chuckle left her lips.
"Come on, let's get you skates," she walked backwards, watching the blonde as she cautiously moved toward the rental counter behind them. Madison pushed off the small dividing wall with a smirk. Her bottom lip quickly slipped between her teeth as she nodded her head.
By the time she reached the rental counter, Corey already had skates ready for them. Madison waited while Corey placed their things in a locker and found a seat near the opening to the roller rink. They couldn't help but bump into each other while they laced up their shoes, Madison's bare shoulder brushing against Corey's loose, weathered, rock band crop top with frayed edges.
Each time their shoulders brushed ever so slightly, it caused them to share small glances; soft smiles; quiet laughs. Eventually, one would brush up against the other just to get the opposite girl to look over; to share a not-so-secret glance in public. They intertwined their pinkies as they entered the rink, and Madison could feel the beet-red heat on her cheeks; the fear of wandering eyes realizing who they were. The truth was, within the age group they were surrounded by, Corey would be the first one to be recognized; her stature; her silhouette; her voice; all were reminiscent of her mother.
The girls unlinked their pinkies and Corey pivoted, skating backwards. She ran a hand across the blonde's side as she moved away, her fingers tracing the crevices between each corset bone as she pulled her hand back towards herself, giving the girl some space while still being able to keep an eye on her.
She couldn't hold in the laugh when she watched Madison struggle to maintain her balance. Once she felt confident, the actress stood taller and attempted a trick. The redhead pulled out her cellphone, recording the blonde as she struggled to skate while balancing on one foot. Madison started to fumble forward and Corey caught her without hesitation.
The blonde couldn't help but giggle as the musician helped her regain her balance. When the Fleetwood Mac song played through the sound system, Madison gasped. She pointed a finger to the redhead who rolled her eyes with a laugh. Corey began to skate around the blonde, singing to her at the opening of the first verse.
"So I'm back to the velvet underground. Back to the floor that I love; to a room with some lace and paper flowers." Madison threw her head back in laughter, her eyes following the redhead as she moved around her. "And it all comes down to you. Well, you know that it does. And lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice. Oh, and it lights up the night."
She made an attempt to mimic her mother's voice as well as she could, though it sounded more like a caricature which only made the blonde laugh more. "I see your bright eyes, and it all comes down to you. Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice, and it all comes down to you."
Corey moved ahead with a laugh, shaking her head, and Madison quickly caught up. The blonde wrapped her arms around the redhead's waist as she placed her chin against the slightly taller girl's shoulder. They hummed along to the music that played before Madison pulled away, holding Corey's hand as she made an awkward attempt at skating backwards. Knowing that her rendition of the Queen song that played over the speakers wouldn't have been as smooth on the ears as the redhead had been, the blonde smiled wide as she lip-synched.
This thing called love, I just can't handle it.
This thing called love, I must get 'round to it.
I ain't ready, crazy little thing called love.
Corey placed a hand against her heart, a mocking pout on her lips as she watched Madison struggle to dance in her skates.
I gotta be cool, relax, get hip and get on my tracks.
Take a back seat, hitch-hike, and take a long ride on my motorbike
until I'm ready— ready Freddie.
Crazy little thing called love.
The blonde couldn't help but feel like the DJ had the power to read her mind, knowing that the song portrayed exactly how she was feeling in the moment. Corey shook her head as she let out a laugh. She let go of Madison's hand, skating past the other girl to attempt to pick up some speed and lap her. Watching the redhead, a devious grin flashed across Madison's face.
She sped up, wobbling slightly as she tried to maintain her balance. She grabbed Corey's wrists as she moved closer, picking up speed the longer her strides became. Madison looked up, her fingers gently latched around the redhead's forearms. With a squeal, she used the other girl as a slingshot, coasting around the curve of the rink just as wobbly as she was at a normal speed. The taller girl let out a gasp as she struggled to remain on her feet.
"Oh, it is on, Montgomery," Corey fumbled backwards, scoffing. She watched as one hand flew up towards Madison's face to mask the giggles that erupted from her throat. Shaking her head, she regained her balance before quickly picking up speed. She swore she could hear a faint 'oh, shit,' coming from Madison but brushed it off as her own imagination.
The blonde squealed once more, this time struggling to gain distance between herself and the witch that followed her with a burning intensity. Corey quickly caught up, grabbing the belt loop of Madison's jeans as they moved. She pulled them both to the outer wall of the skating rink. They skidded to a stop and Corey quickly moved a hand to the side of Madison's face, pulling the blonde in for a kiss.
Madison pulled away, knowing it wasn't the time or the place for it. Her fear of getting caught kept her from giving in to the other witch even though she truly wanted to. Her bottom lip slipped between her teeth before she pushed off the half-wall and quickly took off with a squeal.
Corey scoffed, using her hand to push off the wall behind her and follow the blonde. They chased each other for a few laps before the smell of fresh pretzels and popcorn caused the shorter witch's stomach to grumble, having left the academy without lunch in an attempt to avoid Spalding. She slowed her stride, nearing an opening in the waist-level wall that they could exit through.
"Oh, shit," she muttered. The sentiment came from Corey's own lips as she struggled to slow down. She grew closer to the Montgomery girl at a faster pace than she had anticipated. Her arms waved in circles at her sides in an attempt to break her speed. Madison turned with a furrowed brow, not having realized that the redhead was so close to her when she stopped short.
When the two girls collided, collapsing against the barrier wall behind Madison, they erupted into a fit of laughter. The redhead stood up, extending a hand to the blonde, which she eagerly took. "You alright?" She asked. Immediately, she earned another laugh from the other girl in response.
"I'm fine," Madison's voice bubbled up from her throat in a giggle. Her words were softer than they had been earlier in the day. She brushed the dust from her back pockets, turning to check and make sure she had cleared it all.
"Just hungry," she smiled. She turned back to catch the redhead staring at her with a light smirk. This time it was Corey's turn to look away, her tongue running across her bottom lip as a sheepish grin accompanied a light pink blush across her cheeks.
"Well then let's get you some snacks," she looked back up at the blonde. Her head tilted to the side as she used a hand to steady the other girl, her other hand still locked with Madison's. The blonde nodded once, leading the other witch to the concessions.
Before they could make it all the way to the counter, a small group of girls ran out of the arcade calling out Madison's name. The witches reluctantly let go of each other's hands, remembering that they were out in public. The blonde turned in the direction of the small voices beckoning her. Corey stood back, her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against a pillar, watching the exchange with a soft smile on her face.
Madison dropped down to one knee, a small girl bouncing around in front of her waving a sharpie and a phone case in her direction. She looked back to Corey with a spark in her eyes as she interacted with the group around her. It wasn't long before the girls were able to get back to their previous task at hand, collecting snacks for the actress.
The redhead struggled to explain to the kid behind the counter that she wanted a soft pretzel, a combination between the volume of the noise in the building and the celebrities in front of them. When the girl finally understood and turned to grab what was asked for, Corey turned to look at the blonde beside her.
"You looked pretty good out there." The redhead stuck her hands into her back pockets as she leaned against the snack counter. She watched as Madison stuck her thumb nail between her teeth. Corey's voice pulled her from her internal debate between twizzlers or gummy bears, causing her to turn in the other girl's direction.
"Yeah? My back skate could use a little work, but, uh..." she paused, trying to keep her flirtatious smirk from taking over her full face. "You didn't look too bad yourself." She smiled up at the redhead, crossing her arms over her middle as the teen employee returned with Corey's pretzel. Madison pointed to the gummy bears, deciding that it was easier than dealing with the noise fiasco all over again. "Thanks, by the way. I needed this."
"Everyone needs a break sometimes," Corey popped a small piece of pretzel into her mouth before digging her wallet out of her pocket to pay for their snacks and shared soft drink. The blonde nodded in response as she pulled the gummy bears and cup from the counter before stepping out of the redhead's way.
The girls walked back to the seats they sat in previously as Madison struggled to open her bag of gummy bears. She made an attempt to balance the cup in the crook of her elbow while simultaneously struggled to tear the bag open without causing the snacks and drink to spill everywhere.
The redhead placed her soft pretzel in her lap, brushing off the light coating of butter that clung to her fingers against her black jeans. She reached over with a light laugh and opened the bag of candy for the blonde. They shared their snacks, the Montgomery girl making a game out of tossing gummy bears into the air for her girlfriend to catch in her mouth.
They tried to see who could catch the candy from different heights, leading to gummy bears bouncing off Corey's nose or Madison's forehead which caused a fit of laughter to erupt from the blonde's throat. Another group approached the couple as they laughed at each other, this time mostly male.
"Hey, you girls look like you're lonely," a tall blonde boy grinned down at them as he spoke, an open plastic bottle of cola in hand. Corey frowned in confusion and turned to look up at him, pulling her attention from Madison. She felt a gummy bear bounce off the side of her head, a sheer sign of the other girl trying to quietly gain her attention back as the other boy moved to sit in the open seat next to the actress.
"We're fine, but thank you," she denied his offer politely. She picked up the grease covered napkin from her lap where her pretzel once was and shook the salt onto the floor, drying off her fingertips as she raised a brow at him. He looked taken aback by how immediate and firm her rejection was. His brow furrowed as he fumbled with his words, causing a voice from the other side of Corey to chime in.
"Oh, uh, are you sure? You just, well, you girls seemed a little bored over here by yourself." His friend, a stocky brunette with a thick Cajun accent, reached over in an attempt to brush a stray hair out of Madison's face. She used the back of her hand to deflect him, a light scoff leaving her lips as he let out a chuckle before speaking again.
"Ooh, feisty. I like it." A disgusted groan left Corey's lips as she looked over at the boy, the blonde with the floppy hair still looming over her. Somehow, the day continued to devolve into creepy men thinking they have earned the right to invade their personal bubble.
"We're actually here together, but thank you so, so much for your concern." Madison swallowed hard as she tilted her head, looking up at the boy who had made an attempt to touch her. Her eyes were tiny golden daggers, causing the brunette to stutter. He placed the toothpick that he had held in his opposite hand between his teeth as he raised his brows.
"Oh, so," he turned his attention to Corey and ran his thumb over his lower lip. "Are you two friends or something?"
"Yeah, something," Corey replied. She rolled her eyes as she sat taller in her seat. Madison placed a hand on the redhead's thigh, her grip tight and protective against the two boys they couldn't seem to shake off. The brunette sniffled, scrunching his nose as Madison's gaze refused to leave his face.
"Scurry along now, bro," the blonde's grip tightened against Corey's thigh. She tensed as a slow stream of blood dribbled down from one of the boy's nostrils. "Jesus, did you have a stroke?" Madison scoffed. She leaned back against the redhead to keep the drip from touching her in any way.
She looked away, her eyes moving from her girlfriend to the blonde that stood above her. He remained still, looking dumbfounded over both the firm rejection from the girls and his friend's sudden predicament. As soon as she wasn't looking, the brunette's hand flew up towards his face. He fumbled his words in a panic. The blonde with the floppy hair groaned as he reached over and pulled his friend away. Corey and Madison shared a glance, both girls confused, before the actress let out a laugh once more.