There was no word from Jason. I sat with the girls in the coffee shop, sipping at my drink absentmindedly, not wanting to think about what happened in the hospital. Was he taken…did he run off? I was petrified for him. And then there was Toby…who had betrayed us all.
Detective Wilden came up to us right then, asking if we needed a ride home, and we all declined. He looked at me and asked again, but I shook my head.
"No thanks. I'll be fine." I muttered and he smirked, walking away. The second he walked out that door I put a few bills on the table and stood. "I should get home anyway…see you tomorrow Aria." Mike and I were having an old movie fest at his house all day tomorrow, which I needed, after all that was happening.
I got home and put my key in the lock to open the door, except the door was already unlocked. I pushed it open and walked inside, shutting and locking the door behind me. "Jason?" I called out in the dark. "I'm home." But I didn't get a reply, so I walked through the house, looking for any signs that the house had been disturbed while I was gone. There was none that I noticed, and so I climbed into bed, wanting to get a fresh start in the morning, not even bothering to change into pajamas.
I got to Mike's house around 11, and he welcomed me with a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek, then led me to the den to pick the first movie of the day.
Just as I opened the case the get the DVD out and put it in the player, I spotted a scarlet post-it note, written on in silver sharpie. I pulled it out and read, "Someone dear to you is going to pay for some loose lips –A."
"Did you pick one yet Mads?" Mike asked from the kitchen, the sound of popcorn popping in the microwave accompanying him.
I flipped around and called out an affirmative to him and to hurry up. I glanced back at the note and wondered who it could be...had Spencer told the girls about Toby? What if Jason was dead because of it? Or the A team turned on Toby and hurt him? What if they did something to Mike, I mean, I found the note here…so they'd obviously been here sometime recently too…did Aria know about this?
"I got some buttery popcorn for a beautiful girlfriend over here." Mike said, coming out of the kitchen into the living room. I stuffed the note into my hoodie's pocket and put the DVD in, then flopped down on the couch next to him, smiling, and grabbing a mouthful of popcorn.
"Mads…you forgot the remote." He noted, and I realized the remote controlling the DVD player and television was next to the TV. I laughed it off nervously and retrieved it, then settled back into his arms once I returned to the couch. I'd been so distracted about the note that I had forgotten. That wasn't like me at all, and Mike obviously thought the same, but he let it go, not wanting to pressure me, for which I was thankful. I lay my head down on his shoulder and tried to relax for a day, and just enjoy my time with my boyfriend, which sort of worked.
Then Spencer claimed she found Toby dead in the woods and everything just fell apart. So Mona and whoever else, killed Toby…because of Spencer…and possibly me.
I got the text saying an old friend was officially old and forgotten and gone, and then I got a call from Emily telling me about what Spencer had said.
I shut down completely. I got up, said I had to go, and without explaining anything, ran all the way back to my house, and then proceeded to lock myself away.
I ignored all calls, texts, doorbell rings…I just skipped school, and with no guardian or parent around…I wasn't forced to do anything. I worried about the school calling my mom, wherever she was now, but no one came, so I guessed they hadn't…or she just didn't want to return to town. And then Emily called the house, and left a voicemail which I overheard.
"Madeline, I know you can hear me…feel free to pick up the phone at any time…but…I have some bad news…I know I left a few voicemails saying that Spencer was wrong about the body but…they found a second body…it could be Toby's…so um…if you could call me back…it's important…" There was a pause. "Please Mads, you were his best friend…I know you loved him, and if you didn't, you wouldn't be hiding away, trying to ignore the fact he worked for A and everything…I'll call back tomorrow, and if you don't respond, I'm sending Mike over to take you to his house because you can't stay in that place alone."
She hung up and I groaned. She pulled the Mike card on me. I had listened to all the voicemails this morning, so I knew what she was talking about with Spencer…and Mike was worried sick…I'm sure all of my friends were worried sick about Spencer and I. The past tense about Toby shattered my heart.
I didn't know what to do though. I couldn't have Mike get involved though, so I went to school, and pretended nothing ever happened. All my friends asked, but I smoothly changed the subject every time.
Spencer soon came back to school, and she announced that her family was throwing a party for her, for getting well or whatever.
She then told us about Toby…and how he was alive. About how he was protecting us all.
She looked at me and told me that to meet him tonight at the motel at the edge of town to see him.
So, of course, for the first time in what seemed like forever, I grinned.
I got to the motel at the specified time that Spencer had told me and knocked on the door in the old secret code I used to use with Toby, notifying him that it was me.
He opened the door and shut it immediately behind him. Spencer had already explained everything so he didn't have to. So I dropped my purse and practically jumped on him as I threw my arms around him.
My hand on his head, touching his hair, his neck…he was breathing and hugging me back. "I missed you so much," was all I could say as I cried happily.
I could practically feel his smile as he stood there; squeezing me back just as hard I was grasping him.
"I'm so sorry I put you and Spencer through all that." He whispered into my ear and I told him that it didn't matter, because he was still alive, and he was truly still on our side.
"Do you really think I'd ever do anything to hurt my girls?" he joked as we pulled apart. I got a good look at his face, and then pulled him into another hug.
"Don't ever play dead again, do you understand me Tobes?" He nodded and we laughed. I had my best friend back.
But nothing really gets to stay happy for long does it?
Officer Wilden was dead. But that was least of my worries. My mother was moving back to town. She seemed strangely better…if that's the way to put it. It was like she over Ali's death completely, as if it never even happened.
"Mom, what are you doing here?" I had said as I walked outside, locking the house, ready to go to school.
She opened the door to her car and got in. "I'm taking you to school."
I opened my mouth to protest and she stated that she called my friends and told them I wouldn't need them today. Confused how she could have figured out who I carpooled with of all my friends, I hesitantly got in the passenger seat.
"Where's Jay?" I asked immediately, looking out the window to my side.
I saw her glance at me from the corner of my eye and she chuckled. "Why do you sound like you're afraid I got rid of him and came to replace him? I'm your mother Al-" She broke off midsentence and coughed. "Sorry…Maddie."
I put my head against the glass then, feeling the cold temperature of the window with my forehead. I closed my eyes to shut myself from all other senses and ignore everything except the glass. It was like Dad…well "Dad." I was just a carbon copy of Ali, just not…blonde to my parents. I might as well be the glass to my parents…transparent, and mirroring the image they want to see…not the thing that's actually in front of them.
"Jason is down by Gran's. Fixing it up for her." She answered. I opened my eyes and narrowed them. Then why wouldn't he answer any of my calls?
"Mom what are really here for? You didn't leave Dad just to come here and take me to school." I pressed.
"I'm moving back home."
I took my head off the glass and snapped my head over to look at her in disbelief. She had sworn she'd never live in that place again. "Why now of all times?" I protested in denial.
"You living alone is unacceptable. I can't believe I didn't know until now. How long have you been in that house by yourself? I'll be taking over for Jason. I don't know what he was thinking, leaving you on your own like this."
I looked down. It hadn't been his choice. I felt a lump at the back of my throat, thinking of the last image I had of Jason was him completely broken in a hospital bed. She didn't know because Jason paid for everything and somehow managed to catch everything from getting back to our mother.
"You're not here to try to get with…Mr. Hastings right? Is that why you came without Dad?" I accused.
"Madeline! No! Of course not, how could you even think something like that? That was years ago. It's over now."
"It better be. Last thing this town needs is another cheating spree."
"Oh the Montgomery's right? I heard about that. And their son? Michael? Angelo? I heard he got sick…like sick enough that he should be sent away from Rosewood. He's in your grade right?"
"Mom! It's Mike. It's not that hard. You didn't send Jay away when he was on drugs!"
"Yes but depression is something totally different. He's sick Maddie. Stay away from him. He could go crazy on you."
"Did you send me away because you thought I was sick or something?" I snapped.
"No, we were protecting you sweetie."
"From what?" I yelled.
"From the sociopaths you tend to relate to. Honey, you always try to take care of the…outcasts. You aren't the hero Maddie. Toby, Jason, Mike…they all have their issues, and you can't save them. The only way to keep you from becoming like them was to get you out."
"So you shipped me off not only because Jason was a druggie instead of sending him to rehab, you sent me all the way across the country because Toby's my best friend too?" my eyes welled up with tears.
She opened her mouth to speak , but I didn't want to hear anymore. She was just as cruel as Ali was. I opened the door, despite the car in motion. And I got out. My mom stomped on the brake and the car screeched to a stop. "Where do you think you're going? You could have gotten hurt just now! Did Jason let you do this crap?"
"I'll walk to school!" I screamed at her and walked onwards. Her car sped by me and once she was out of sight I felt the tears streaming down my face. She had just ripped apart the three guys in my life with her vicious words.
I fumbled for my phone and I heard a familiar vechile pull up beside me as I walked stubbornly towards the school.
"Need a ride?" I heard.
I kept walking, not wanting him to see me cry.
Next thing I knew, the truck door slammed and he was pulling me into his arms. "What happened?"
I sobbed into Toby's shirt and told him.
"C'mon," he finally said, "let's get you to school."
We both climbed into the truck and he drove me to the school, telling me that A was giving him a lead on finding what happened to his mom.
I looked at him and stopped mid-cry. The woman who treated me like her own. When she got sick, it killed both of us- Toby and I.
"Did you know Ali hit on me back then? She said things about Mom…and when I told her to get out, that's when she started writing me off as a loser." He sighed, recalling what must have been a terrible memory.
"I-I didn't know. Toby I'm so sorry. Ali had no filter, no consideration-"
"Don't apologize for her." He grumbled and I looked at him sadly. "Ali was a bitch. Your mom was great and so are you…don't let what she said back then get to you okay? I'm sure she influenced my mom to send me away. She was just spiteful towards me when I started drifting from becoming he perfect mini…her heir you could say." We both laughed, even though it wasn't really funny at all.
Toby pulled up to the school just as the first bell rang. "Better get a move on or you'll be late for first period." He motioned his head towards the school.
I grinned and leaned over to kiss his cheek. I got out of the truck and before I closed the door, I told him thanks. Then I started running so I wouldn't get in trouble for being late.
When I got home later my mom was unpacking all of Ali's things…as if Ali's ghost had moved with her. I managed to avoid her for a few days, eating dinner out as much as I could and saying I had too much homework to do anything with her.
Then I got a call one night from Mike. I perked up immediately, seeing his name on my caller ID and immediately answered. "Hey sweetie, what's up?" I grinned.
"Hey Mads." I heard in reply.
"Mike what's up? You sound upset? Do you need me to come over?"
"No. don't come over, it's fine. I just need to vent."
"Okay, go ahead then, that's what I'm here for." I swore and he talked abut how his mom was in the hospital and Aria was being a selfish bitch and that she was the reason why his parents broke up again because of obsession with Fitz and she was calling him the selfish one because he didn't want his mom to go to Europe for months with her new boyfriend."
Aria had mentioned earlier that she wanted her mom out of town because she didn't want A getting to her, but Mike wouldn't know that. But at the same time, I saw where he was coming from, and like a good girlfriend, I completely agreed with him. I was so caught up with talking to him I didn't hear my mom come into my room and come up behind me. Next thing I knew she snatched the iPhone away from her.
"Hey! I'm in the middle of a call!" I protested.
"This doesn't look like studying for an important trig test! Stop wasting your time with sociopaths Madeline! Do you want get depressed too?" she ended the call and took the phone with her out of the room.
Dumbstruck, I chased after her into the hallway and I yelled her from the top of staircase. "It's not contagious! When did you become so…so…awful? You're being so narrow-minded lately! And he heard that! I have to make sure he's okay!"
"You're going to break up with him Madeline." She told me calmly without looking at me. She was doing something with my phone and I realized she hacked it. She had texted my friends that I didn't need a ride that day. I had to change my password now. But that part didn't sink in.
"I'm going to what?" I laughed in denial. "What is this? Romeo and Juliet? Forbidden romance? What s with you?"
"I had to find out from someone at the club today that you've been dating that Montgomery boy for months now. You deliberately tried to hide him from me!"
"No, I didn't, honestly-" I tried but she ignored me. "You're losing all phone privileges until you learn your lesson. Do what you have to. If you want your phone back…"
"I'm trading Mike in for a stupid iPhone." I talked back.
She shrugged. "Too bad Madeline. Maybe you'll have to be shipped off again…maybe this time in Japan. As far from here as possible."
The angriest I'd ever been in my life, I ran into my room, packed my giant duffel bag with all my necessities and clothes and my laptop. I grabbed my bookbag too, and I grabbed a light jacket and I rushed out of the house.
"Where do you think you're going?" my mother sounded from the doorway.
"Anywhere but here." I snapped. "I would say call me, but you have my phone."
"You come back inside right now Madeline!" she screamed at me and I scoffed.
"You would let Ali run away for weeks at a time. And when she came home from the beach or wherever she was, you rewarded her with some sweet gift for coming home eventually. You never even called her to see if she was okay. Stop being a hypocrite. Maybe I'll come back in a few weeks." I then sprinted off as fast as I could with the bags I was lugging along with me.
I didn't go to Spencer's, that was too close. So I headed over the Montgomery place. I rang the doorbell and then I realized how insane I was being. Maybe I should have called Toby and stayed with him. Just as I was about to step off the porch and make my way through the town to Toby's place, the door opened. I turned towards the light and Mike was there.
"Mads, whats wrong? Why are you packed? Why are you crying?" he looked panicked.
I dropped my bags then and then rushed into his arms sobbing. "Can I stay with you for a while?"
"Mike what's up?" his dad came to the door and saw the sight. He picked my bags in and took them to the guest room. He came back and said, "It's family night, you're welcome to join."
I explained what happened, and they were willing to keep me there.
"I'm so sorry Mike." I whispered as I leaned in into his embrace as he moved his piece around the Monopoly board.
He looked at me and kissed my forehead. "What she said meant nothing. Do you know how amazing you are? Am I that important to you?" he whispered in my ear as his dad rolled the dice.
"I love you more than anything." I told him honestly, and he pulled me in even closer and rubbed my arm up and down with his hand. I guess I was joining the Montgomery family for a while. I put my head against his shoulder and relaxed.
REVIEW!
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FAV!
Was it too intense? Idk man. Just super glad Mike's back!
