BOY KING (CFTM Prequel)

Chapter 64 (Part 2)

"No problem. Is this seat open?" She asks.

Guilt rises in my throat at the thought of how badly I wanted to block her out moments before, but I swallow it before she catches on.

"Sure. Let me just--"

"I got it."

Maddie takes my duffle bag and stuffs it into the storage rack overhead. She slides into the space next to me and the two of us sit in silence for a second or two as the bus pulls out of the parking lot. It's hard to know where to start with her now. The last time we spoke we fought. Neither of us made an effort to solve it because me dating Elias wasn't something to be solved. Last year, I thought Maddie of all people would be able to be happy for me, but she wasn't. I don't know if she ever was going to be.

I wring my hands together and force myself to hold back on old feelings from old fights that shouldn't matter anymore. I don't want anything to matter between us anymore, I just want my friend back.

"Hey, Lacey?"

"Yeah?"

"When did we get this awkward?"

Maddie asks and melts months worth of uncomfortable silence in seconds. The two of us laugh in unison and I finally let myself relax around her the way I used to.

"I don't know but I'm so sorry, Mads. Last year, with everything that happened with me and Elias, I didn't mean to push you away or make you feel like I didn't value you anymore I just-"

"Forget it. It's in the past, right? Besides you two are like the envy of the whole school now. It must be wild, right? Dating the most talked about guy on campus?"

Maddie stares at me with the same wide eyes that she used to, but something's different about them now. She used to be comfortable to be around. Warm and gregarious and kind. Now, there's a unsteadiness that didn't exist in her eyes before.

"I don't--really think about it that way. Elias is just Elias to me."

"I think he's a lot of things to a lot of people, Lacey. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Not really. I mean, everyone means different things to different people."

"You're right. It's just, some girls are weird about him, you know? I heard stories around about people who--are just too invested, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. I don't know. People are just crazy these days, I guess."

Maddie shifts her gaze away from mine and redirects it down to her phone. She furiously types out a text message to someone and sends it lightning fast.

"Boy trouble?" I ask hoping to change the subject.

"I wish. Girl-drama actually. I'm in a frenemie situation right now, but hey life sucks and then your friends stab you in the back, so what can you do?"

I place hand on Maddie's shoulder and hope I'm not crossing a line in comforting her.

"I'm so sorry, Mads. Do you--wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. Let's talk about light and happy stuff instead."

"Okay, so how are things with yearbook and the school paper?"

Maddie blows a loose strand of hair away from her eyes and tangles it around her finger.

"It's okay. I'm pretty good at it I guess. One of my ex-friends got me into photography so that's a new hobby."