𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬

34

At lunch Maddie sat between Justin and Zach at their table. "Look, he's talking to Jensen." Justin says and the three of them turn back to watch them. "What if he does release them?" Maddie asks and looks down. "I didn't realize it would seem like I was that..girl." Maddie said looking down at her fingers then her breath hurt her chest and her eyes turn foggy. "Hey, hey are you good?" Zach asks looking at his sister who seemed to be in the middle of a panic attack. "Maddie, breathe." Justin says looking at her. "Was..was I that girl? J-justin? I-I can't remember that night..and I.." Maddie couldn't breathe at this point and Zach and Justin were panicing on how to handle the situation. "No, Maddie of course not, she was talking about Jessica, I told you it was her and Alex hooking up and I thought it was wrong since she was drunk, but then Jessica said it was fine, I didn't realize they were both drunk maybe I should have stopped it but it wasn't illegal and it wasn't about you." Maddie tried to slow her breathing while nodding but her chest was still tight and her mind felt groggy.
After getting Maddie back to normal Justin ran after Alex. "Watch her I'll be back. Yo! Alex! Hang back." Justin said and ran after the boy who just dumped his lunch tray that was full of food. "Listen, we need to talk about Clay."
"We already talked about him."
"Listen even if you're the pussy Hannah said you are-"
"You're calling me a pussy? After what you did, or well didn't do?" "Hey fuck you!" Justin says pushing Alex and Alex pushs back. "No fuck you!"
"Hey cut it out! You're going to get both of your asses thrown out right now and you should be with your girlfriend!" Zach shouts to Justin while he keeps a hand on both of the boys chests. "Whatever happens to us happens to you too!" Justin says and Alex being unbothered walks away. "What so if I kill myself do you die too?"

"What did Clay say?" Justin asks Marcus who walked back from talking to Clay. "Dude, he's freaking out about Jessica, and Maddie. He says he's gonna do something, maybe here at the school. He says he's worried that something actually happened, and he said that even if it wasn't to Maddie she's in danger when she's around you." Marcus says and Maddie sighs and takes Justin hand in hers while trying to keep her breathing steady. "If he tells Mr. Porter, or childs.."
"Yeah we're all fucked." Marcus agrees with a nod. "We just have to get them before he does." Justin says and the three beside him look to him with a nod.
--
Late that night Justin stayed home, he was quite like normal until a loud knocking came at the door. "He can't be prosecuted okay?" Clay asks out of breath and Justin squints. "What the fu-"
"She said he was your friend. I know it was Bryce. And I know it was Jessica, and sorry I went after Maddie this morning but that was my first instint." Justin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright come in."
"You have to tell her!" And before he could protest Clay spoke again. "I get it okay? You were trying to protect your friend, and your relationship so you lied to Maddie and said it was her and Alex and then you lied to Jessica and said it was you two cheating but she miss seen it." Clay was still out of breath and Justin was still defensive. "I did?" He asks stepping forward. "I guess it's just my word against Hannahs." Justin says and Clay speaks again. "Exactly. So the one witness is dead and you can stop protecting him. It's a legal fact." Clay explains.
"Did you talk to somebody? Tell me what the fuck you did." Justin asks on edge. "Are you even listening? I just told you, I can't go to the cops." Justin just stares for a second. "Then what do you want from me?"
"I want you tell Jessica the truth about what happened to her that night. And I want you to tell Maddie too, let her make her own judgement about you, let her know." Justin looks him up and down and then speaks. "They both know what happened." Clay scoffs. "They both know completely different stories! And neither of them are going to believe it unless it comes from you." Clay says while Justin goes to his frozen dinner.
"No, you see. We hooked up, but it meant nothing so we decided not to tell. There were no other guys so what's on that tape is a lie because she was a crazy fucking drama queen who just killed herself for attention and to hurt others." Justin shouts but after a few moments sighs. "Sorry man, look I know she was your friend." Justin says and Clay speaks with saddness. "And you were her first kiss."
"So she said."
"Whatever happened on those tapes, how will it help Jess now? What we all need is for this to be over with." Justin says and then Clay shakes his head. "How can it be done with if she doesn't even know what happened?"

"You can get me suspended, you can ruin my fucking life. But people are going to find out what you did."
"People are not going to find out." Justin says point his fork up at Clay.
"Why are you protecting Bryce? What does he have on you?" Clay asks and Justin snaps. "I'm not protecting Bryce you little fuck! God! I'm protecting Jessica, and Maddie. I care about Jessica more than I do about Hannah, but I care about Maddie more than I do anyone else, even more than myself. Alright? So just get the fuck out of here!" He shouts upset and Clay stays quite. "I want my bike." Justin laughs and looks up again. "Seriously?"
"Yes you fucking asshole I want my bike."
Justin sets his fork down and shakes his head. "It's out back behind the building. Go knock yourself out." Justin says annoyed and Clay leaves and slams the door.
--
"Where is it?" Maddie asked out loud while she looked for the tiny shoe box filled with the things that she got to keep when she was put into the system. "There." Maddie sighed when grabbing the box from the bask of her closet with teary eyes, Mackenzie, or at least the number Mackenzie called her on kept calling and Maddie was having a hard time trying to ignore it at this point. As she opened the box she let out a whimper at all the pictures of her with her mother, with her uncle and with her sister. "N-no. Why didn't you tell someone?" Maddie asked outloud to herself. Without her noticing Justin slipped through her window but stayed silent debating if he should just leave. "How did you not know?" Maddie cried out as a sob left her mouth and she dropped the box with the picture she looked at on top, it was a picture of Maddie on Halloween, she had a smile on her face but she had two black eyes. "Baby?" Justin asked but no words came out as Maddie looked at him, she couldn't speak and it hurt to even move. "Hey. Hey it's okay." He said coming up to her but she shook her head and he came up to her taking her into his arms, she cried even harder and he held her shaking body next to his own while he whsipered sweet things into her ear.

~~~Authors Note~~~
What do you guys what to see happen with Maddie birth family?

{6.19.19}