❝In which two people call up a helpline in order to find someone just as broken as they are. ❞
"Does...does it bother you that my dad's in prison for murder?"
"Well, judging by the fact that I moved away from America to get away from the memory of a...
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Elliot passed Maddie on his way into the main college building.
"Are you okay?"
"'Course I am, Mads. Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know...I just haven't spoken to you for a couple of weeks."
"...yeah, about that...I...I know and I'm...I'm really sorry about that, honestly, but I...there's a lot of stuff going on right now."
"Don't worry about it, Spiderman. I know stuff has been difficult with your family and everything."
"...you do?"
"Yeah. Your mum came round my house and asked if you were there as soon as she realised that you were gone. I...I guess she just assumed you'd be there because...I guess my house was the place you always used to run off to."
"...I've been a really ***** boyfriend, haven't I?"
"What? No. Why on earth would you think that? I get that we haven't spent much time together since...it happened but...I get it. I do. You're going through a lot and I'm not going to be the pushy girlfriend who makes it harder for you. If you need your space, I'll give it to you but...if you do happen to want some company, I'm always happy to be a shoulder to cry on."
"...you're amazing, you know that?"
"You may have told me a few times before."
"Well, maybe I should say it more often because you, Madeline Pierce, make up for my ********* by being the most understanding girlfriend that a man could possibly ask for."
"Elliot, you are not a ***** boyfriend."
"Yes, I am, actually. I missed our anniversary, Mads. I was too bloody selfish to even turn up to my own anniversary party."
"You were going through a lot. You still are. It wasn't the right time for a celebration. I get that. I don't blame you for that."
"Well, maybe you should."
"Why? None of this is your fault, Elliot. Something terrible happened to you and I'm not going to be the screwed up, clingy girlfriend who blames you for not being completely okay afterwards."
"You can't be this forgiving, Mads. I don't deserve it."
"Elliot, I can't forgive you when there's nothing to forgive. You haven't done anything wrong."
"But I have, Maddie...I've done some really, really ***** things to people who don't deserve it."
"Elliot, it's all in your head. You haven't done anything."
"Don't you see, Maddie? I've done everything...to my family. To...to you."
"Elliot, you haven't done anything to me."
"Yet. But I will because that's just what I do, Maddie, I screw things up because I'm a really, really ***** boyfriend who's only ever going to make you feel ***** and I don't want to make you feel ****** because you're wonderful and awesome and amazing...but I will make you feel ****** because that's just the kind of person I am."
"Elliot...why are you...where is this all coming from?"
"Because it's time you saw the truth, Maddie. You don't realise it because you're too kind and loving and amazing but I am a really ****** up person who you really, really don't want to be around because I have a really nasty track record of ruining things."
"This isn't about us...is it?"
"..."
"You...you blame yourself for what happened with your dad, don't you?"
"..."
"Elliot...look at me."
"..."
"Elliot, look at me this instant. I am not going to let you beat yourself up for something that wasn't your fault."
"But Madeline...it is my fault."
"No it isn't."
"Yes, it is."
"...have you gone to see him?"
"...no."
"Well, maybe it would be a good idea t-"
"I've gotta get to class, Mads. I don't want to be late for my first class of the year, do I? I know I have a bit of a habit for attending detentions for tardiness but my mum's expecting a clean record this year, at least for the first week. I'll see you at lunch, yeah?"
