Chapter 17
The next day, Nick came up to Madison. "Maddie, can I talk to you?" he asked her. "I need to tell you something," he said. "And here it is. I know what it's like to carry a lope with your friend, so it's okay. I mean, who are we trying to kit? You have the populars and I have… the non-populars," she said. "You have your group and I have mine, it's where we belong. And I'm sorry if I… did anything to-" she broke off as he interrupted. "Maddie, Kuinn didn't mean that stuff," he said. "Yes she did. And she's right. I am just an embarrassment, and I'm really sorry," she said. "Kuinn obviously doesn't like us hanging out together, so I'm just going to leave," she said and left before Nick could say anything.
Nick stood there, rooted to the ground. How was he going to tell her that he and Kuinn were over and that he wanted to still be her friend? But he couldn't help thinking about when she said that Kuinn was right. Kuinn had said Maddie had a crush on him. Had Kuinn been right about that? He shook his head. This was Maddie he was thinking about, not some girl like Kuinn or Leelee.
That night, Nick went over to Madison's house. He knocked on the door. Madison's mother opened the door. "Hello, Mrs. Rocca. I'm Nick, um, and I was wondering if Madison was home," he said. Mrs. Rocca smiled and looked up the stairs. Maddie was there and shook her head, signaling that she didn't want to talk to him right now. Nick couldn't see Maddie there. Mrs. Rocca turned back to Nick. "Um, she's busy with homework right now, Nick. But I can tell her you stopped by," she told him. He nodded. "Thanks," he said. "Oh, and can you tell her that I'm sorry," he said. Mrs. Rocca smiled softly. "I will," she said. Nick nodded his thanks and turned around to walk away. Mrs. Rocca gently closed the door.
"I don't see why you don't want to talk to him," said Maddie's mom. Maddie didn't say anything and walked back to her room and looked out the door to the patio beside her bed. She sighed. She wondered if Nick really did know that she had a crush on him. She bit her lip and she continued on doing her homework. She finished two minuets later and went to stand by the door to the patio. She looked at the picture on the wall and gingerly touched the frame. It was a picture of her and her sister with Xander and Chip. She smiled and felt like someone was missing from the picture. She shook her head, but still looked at the picture.
She then thought about all the things that had happened since Nick had moved to Briarwood. She had hated him only because he teased her about hiding behind her camera, but it was true. She felt uneasy, but then thought to herself. Had she liked Nick all along? Shrugging her shoulders, she walked back to her bed and sat down and thought some more. She just sat there… staring into nothingness, thinking…
Nick snuck into the backyard of the Rocca house. He looked up to see Maddie standing by the patio and touching a picture gently. Then she walked away. He thought about what he was going to say and then called her on her cell phone. He saw Madison walk up to the dresser and hesitantly answer the phone. "Hello?" she said. "Maddie, listen to me, what Kuinn said the other night. It wasn't true. She only said those things because she didn't want us to be friends," he said, climbing up the vines that lead up the wall to Maddie's bedroom.
"She sounded pretty convincing to me," said Maddie. "But they weren't true, I swear," he said to her. "You're my friend, Maddie, and I wouldn't talk about you behind you back. Besides, there's nothing bad to say about you," he said with a laugh. She sighed. "But Nick, what if Kuinn gets mad at you?" she asked. "That won't happen," he assured her. "How do you know?" she questioned. "Because I broke up with her," he said. "You did!" Maddie exclaimed. She then caught herself and then said, "Um, I mean… you did?" she asked in a serious voice instead of an excited voice. But she was smiling brightly. "Yeah," he said. "Now turn around. I have a… surprise for you," he said. She looked confused, but did as he said and slowly turned around. Her eyes grew soft and she smiled gently when she saw him. She opened the doors and stepped out to meet him, clicking the 'end call' button on her cell phone. "Surprise," he said. She smiled and she couldn't stop the small tears swelling in her eyes. Nick saw them, but she didn't let them come down her cheeks. Instead, they just made her pretty brown eyes shine.
The two leaned against the white wall of the patio and looked out at the stars. "It's a beautiful night, huh?" he asked. She nodded and looked at him through the corner of her eye. He noticed it and she instantly turned away. The two just stood there and admired the night. Finally, Maddie spoke. "I used to go out to the meadow with my dad when I was little, and we would just lay there and look at the stars," she said to Nick. He smiled. "I did that once, but I didn't do it often, though," he said. Their shoulders touched and Maddie and Nick looked at each other, and then away from each other, but they didn't break the touch of their shoulders. Maddie rested her head on Nick's shoulder and neither of them objected. Nick just turned a bit pink and so did Maddie.
Maddie then lifted her head and turned around and looked at the clock inside her room. Nick noticed the time and then said, "I'd better go." Maddie looked at him. "I wish you could stay," she said shyly, looking down. He smiled and put his hand on her cheek and looked at her. Maddie froze, but didn't protest when his hand touched her cheek. He then took his hand from her cheek and left. She touched her cheek in the spot where he had touched it. She smiled and went back inside her room.
The next day she saw Kuinn with some guy. He was one of the populars, Maddie was sure of it. Nick came up to Madison. "You sure you're not jealous?" she asked him teasingly, nudging him when she saw him staring at Kuinn. "I just can't believe that she did that to you. She's usually so nice and sweet," he murmured. "I can't believe I was so stupid," he said. "You weren't stupid. You didn't know… and besides, she's nice to everyone except the girls that aren't afraid of her," she said. "You're not intimidated by her?" asked Nick. Madison shook her head. "No," she said simply. Nick rolled his eyes with a smile. "Anyways, what are you doing after school?" he asked hesitantly. Maddie looked at him and said, "Actually, I promised I'd spend the day with my mother, this evening," she said. "Why?" she asked curiously. "Oh, um… I just, wanted to know," he said. She forced a friendly smile and they walked to the cafeteria. "Hey, Nick. Come sit over here," called one of his friends. Nick looked at Madison who was looking down with an uneasy expression. "I think I'm going to sit over there, so… um, see you later," she said with a disappointed, but understanding face, which showed him that she was okay and that she didn't mind, she smiled at him. He wanted to go after her, but she was already heading towards a table where her sister and Chip were sitting. Xander was sitting there too, but he came over to sit with Nick.
"Heard you broke up with Kuinn," he said. Nick nodded. "Did she dump you, or did you dump her?" he asked. "I dumped her," he said. Xander looked puzzled. "Why?" asked Xander. "She was a snob. She treated Madison badly and was a liar," he said simply. Xander and Nick both began to laugh. "So how did she take it?" asked Xander. "Not well, that's for sure," he said with a laugh. "Why did you break up with her just because she treated Maddie badly?" inquired Xander suspiciously. "Because she's my friend, why else?" he asked, looking puzzled.
Xander noticed how puzzled he looked and was a little bit convinced that he didn't like Madison, but he was sure that Nick had some feelings for Madison. Nick looked over at Kuinn who was kissing her new boyfriend. Nick felt a pang of jealousy, but then caught Madison's eye. She quickly turned away and he wondered if what Kuinn had said about Maddie liking him was true. No, she said so herself that she only wanted to be friends, and besides, nobody would ever expect it since we used to be complete enemies, he thought to himself. Anyways, I don't think I feel for Maddie that way, well, at least I don't think, he thought, an uneasy look coming onto his face. Xander noticed and asked, "You alright, Nick?" Nick nodded. "Yeah," he said and continued to think.
After lunch, Nick met up with Vida. "Hey, Nick, where's Maddie?" she asked. "I don't know. Why?" he asked. "Oh, I need to talk to her. I need some help in History. I wasn't paying attention during class, but keep that on the down low," she whispered to him. "Anyways, I thought she was with you," said Vida. "Why?" he asked. "Well, she always hangs out with you, doesn't she?" ashes Vida. Nick thought for a moment. "Yeah, sometimes," he finally said, realizing they did spend a lot of time together. Vida left and he walked over to his motorcycle after school. Maddie came up to him. "Hey, Nick," she said, greeting him with a warm smile. "Hey," he said. "So, I saw you eyeing Kuinn at lunch," she told him. He looked down. "You still have feelings for her, don't you?" she asked. He sighed. "I don't know what to feel, anymore," he said. She nodded. "I know what you mean," she murmured, but then realized what she said and then said quickly, "Are you going to talk to her?" Nick shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know… maybe, maybe not," he said. She opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't know what to say. "Your sister was looking for you," he told her. She nodded. "Thanks," she said. "Well… um, I'd better go," she said and walked away. He watched her go and smiled, and then put his helmet on and rode home.