King of Hearts (House of Cards Series 2) [Student/teacher]

Jack of Diamonds

Maddison walked into the highschool and into the teacher's lounge, trying not to let her face show the conflicting urges to scream and cry, as well as curse and throw a punch. She was off the troupe. Maddison's fists clenched, shaking with the combined heartbreak and pissed off fury. It wasn't even that Rafe had tried to get rid of her. He hadn't. Despite the smack down West laid on him, Rafe had called Maddison to APOLOGIZE. She couldn't believe it but it was no less true.

Rafe had called her up and gone on this long winded rant, apologizing for putting her in that kind of position, and how he wasn't that kind of guy and how he was sorry that she had had to lie to him, slap him etc.... He wasn't to press charges or tell.... But that b**** Esmeralda had somehow gotten her fangs into it and gone to the troupe leader. The glory hound had probably blown it all out of proportion too, and now Maddison was out a job. If West found out about this, he'd loose it, thinking it was all his fault.

Maddison was glaring death at the table top in front of her when someone put a tray down and sat across from her. With a startled jerk, Maddison looked up to see the kind eyes and smiling face of Mr. Vega.

"Hi Maddison, mind if I sit here? You look like you could use a friend." Malcolm sat down, not waiting for her to answer.

"I need a stiff drink, that's what I need." Maddison replied, keeping her voice low so no one else could over hear.

"Well it is noon, but the principal might get a little upset...." Malcolm's tone was joking.

"And I really can't afford to loose this job too." Maddison grumbled.

"You lost the dance troupe job?" Malcolm asked, voice sympathetic.

"Yea just...." Maddison trailed off for a second. The patient kindness in Malcolm's eyes just seemed to shatter the last of her resistance. So she told him about it. If West trusted and respected this man enough to call him friend, then Maddison wasn't going to be any less forthright. Maybe he had some advice for her even. So by the time the end of the lunch period bell rang, Malcolm had coaxed the entire story from her, even though he already knew a lot of the details from West.

"Do you feel better now?" Malcolm asked her, walking with ehr to the Performance Hall.

"Actually yes I do..... thank you Malcolm." Maddison gave him a real smile, a small one, but honest. He was a good man. Mad caught the look Alice shot over their way and had to bite her lip to keep from grinning. Now that she knew what to look for....

"It's not easy. Loving someone when it can cost you so much. But it's worth the risk if you think they might be the one." Malcolm said softly, eyes darting from Maddison to look at Alice.

Maddion looked at Malcolm, taking in his handsome face, his piercing eyes. And the absolutely, head over heels, life consuming in love look in his eyes. If nothing else could ever convince Maddison that his relationship with Alice was right, that look in his eyes would have. He loved that student as if she were a missing piece of his life's story. Age difference meant nothing when you had that kind of connection.... The bell rang and Malcolm waved goodbye, heading off to his own class to teach.

Mad looked at her students and it occured to her that maybe getting kicked off the troupe wasn't the end of her dreams. Because standing in front of her were dozens of eyes, all waiting to be inspired by her to become something greater than they were now.

"Ok guys, show me something impressive." Maddison challenged her class.

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West watched her all throughout the class, even if she never caught him doing it. He could see lines of saddness lingering around her lips and eyes. Faint traces of pain that had no buisness on his Angel's face. And he knew instinctively that it was his fault. His volence was gonig to cost her, he just didn't know that it already had.