It's six o'clock in the evening when Madeline knocks on her best friends door. Tomorrow Timothèe leaves for N.Y.C where he can continue to peruse his dream of becoming an actor.
" Maddie?" Timothèe asks opening the door for her and stepping ti the side to allow her in.
" Timmy can we talk?" She asks fiddling nervously with her fingers.
The two of them have been best friends since they could tie their shoes. They went to the same elementary, middle, and high school. For the past twelve years everything they have done, they have done together.
" Yeah of course we can talk" he making his way up to his room and glancing behind him to make sure she was following. He carefully shuts his door behind him and turns to face her.
" What's up?" He asks shooting her his signature grin. Madeline's eyes water. How could this boy possibly be so okay with leaving her within twenty four hours. The same boy she has spent every day with. The same boy she thinks about all the time. The same boy she fell in love with the moment she turned eleven.
" Your going to New York tomorrow" he states plainly as if that's all that needs to be said.
" I am" he says calmly, But she can't help but notice the way his eyes shift away from hers.
" Your just okay with that?" She asks searching his face for any once of the pain she's feeling.
" Do you want me to stay?" He asks as if she says the word he'll drop everything and stay here.
" W-what?" Madeline stutters incoherently.
" If your not going to be okay without me then I'll stay" he says blankly still not meeting her eyes.
" And let you give up your dreams? No fucking way" she says shoving his chest slightly earning the faintest of smiles from him. Madeline begins to realize that there's something more bothering him. Something separate from this move.
" Take me with you" she says suddenly. The words are sharp and serious. Her tone unwavering. Now pulling in Timothees full attention he looks her dead in the eyes.
" What?" He tries to act as if he must have mis heard but the pure panic is visible.
" Take me with you. I don't want to live in this shitty town without you here" she says crossing her arms.
" B-but w-what? No no you can't do that Maddie" he says sadly. " You have to stay here"
" Why can't I? What's stopping me?" she asks even though she's already made up her mind on what she's doing.
" Well for one thing you have a boyfriend now" he says through gritted teeth and now she can suddenly tell exactly what the problem has been all evening.
" No" she says a single tear spilling form her eye in frustration. " No you don't get to do that"
" Madeline it's true. You have him. You will not be alone without me." He sighs.
" Is that what this is about?" She asks raising her voice a little. " Your sad because when you leave I'll have someone and you won't? Or are you just mad at Carson, cause we both know you've hated him from day one"
" I don't hate Carson" he says avoiding the question with ease.
" Yes you do." She says countering.
" okay fine but in all fairness I don't trust my guys around you Maddie. But if Carson makes you happy then heck I love him" he says leaning against the wall a little realizing this conversation isn't ending anytime soon.
" I broke up with him" She states looking at her shoes not daring to see his reaction.
" Why? He was supposed to be your person. You were supposed to build a life with him while I built mine in New York. That was the plan." He says in distress.
" I would rather go to New York with you" she says again trying to re introduce the topic.
" I can't let you do that just because your going to miss me a little Maddie" he says sadly.
" But you would give up your dreams to stay here if I said the word?" She counters referring to the beginning of this whole interaction.
" Yes because as your best friend I want you to be happy." He says touching her shoulder slightly softening her expression.
" So I could be happy and you would be sad? You would give up everything to be miserable" Madeline can't figure when she started crying, or why but she certainly is and now Timothèe is wiping away her tears with the sleeve of his hoodie.
" When I'm with you I am happy" he says holding her face in his hands and smiling down at her.
" Take me with you" she repeats as more tears roll.
" I'm starting to think this has to do with something more your just not telling me" That's the problem with knowing someone for over a decade. You know what every single expression they make means.
" I don't want to build a fucking life with Carson, I want it build a life with you! I want to support your dreams. I want to stand by your fucking side just like I always have." She says shouting at him almost.
" Maddie let's be rational." He begins. " Are you saying you want to build a life with me in a friendly manner or...." He trails of releasing my face as his body reacts in confusion.
" You have been my end game since we were children Timmy. I can't just let you leave me here. I can't." She sobs harder. " Not when I've spent my entire life loving you"
" Maddie..." he whispers cupping the side of her face and once again wiping away her tears.
" I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I know" she says embarrassed trying to pull her face away but he holds her firmly.
" If that's honestly what you want I'm all in. But if your hesitant in any way I will not let you pick up everything and move to New York with me." He whispers lowly.
" I was always all in. That's why I came here tonight. The real question is, are you?" She sniffles finally as the tears stop rolling.
" Of course I am Madeline. I always wanted it to be us in the end" he whispers before ever so slowly leaning down to connect their lips.
He kisses her slowly letting his hands fall to her waist. This kiss is a decade over due and it only makes it that much better. When they eventually pull apart Timothèe chuckles and says,
" you were right. I always fucking hated Carson" he says and the two of them laugh together. Finally together.
