Honor Among Friends (NaNoWriMo14)

Chapter 11-A

“Hey, it’s me Avery. You didn’t pick up your phone…again.” She sighed, sounding resigned. “I know you’re avoiding me. I’m not sure what happened or what I did, but I got the hint. You don’t want to talk or see me. That’s fine. I get it. I just—”

Avery paused. When she spoke again, her voice was subdued. “I guess I just assumed after your visit to my house we reached a new level in our friendship—you know, really bonded. I thought you understood me, accepted me. I know my flaw can be difficult for some people, but I thought you’d be different. I guess I was wrong.”

She paused again, taking in a deep breath. “I just have one final thing to say.” Her voice was louder now, more rushed, more confident. “I think it’s pretty crappy of you to avoid me like this. I reached out to you, invited you to be my friend. You could at least have the decency to tell me you don’t want to hang out anymore to my face. The way you’ve been avoiding me has not only been extremely rude, but hurtful. And if this is how you treat a friend, then I don’t want any part of it. Goodbye Madison. I guess I’ll see you around…or not.”

In shock, Madison gradually pulled the phone away from her ear. She’d been so wrapped up in her own feelings she hadn’t considered anyone else’s. Mentally, she let out a string of curses then began berating herself. It seemed her selfishness had hurt someone yet again. When would she learn?

She was so caught up in her thoughts; she didn’t notice her bedroom door cracked open which she normally kept shut. Walking in, she stopped and blinked.

“Mom?” she cried out. “What are you doing?”

Although it was fairly obvious what she was doing since she was elbow deep in the drawer of her desk.

“Madison,” she said, jumping back. “I was just…cleaning.”

“You’re searching through my things,” she accused. Her eyes narrowed as they darted from her mother to the desk. “What were you looking for?”

“Now lets not blow this out of proportion, Madison,” her mother started, trying to placate her.

“You were invading my privacy! Of course I’m going to get mad! Why were you ever in there?”

Her mother’s spine stiffened as she squared her shoulders. “You’ve been acting weird lately.”

Madison’s pulse jumped. “Weird?”

“You’ve been walking around here like a zombie. You don’t eat. You don’t sleep and you haven’t been talking to your friends.”

An uncomfortable sensation spread down her back. She hitched her bag higher, thankful she removed the FEC coins from the desk when she did. “I’ve been grounded remember? Of course I haven’t talked to them.”

“We didn’t take away your phone and you haven’t been calling or texting them—”

“So you’ve been monitoring me like a criminal?”

“—and it’s my duty as a mother to make sure you’re all right.”

Feeling under attack, she crossed her arms and scowled. “You could have just asked me. I would have told you I’m fine.”

“Your fine and my fine are two very different definitions. And we haven’t exactly been on the best speaking terms recently. Somehow I doubt you would tell me the truth.” Her mother’s words were right on point. So much so that Madison was forced to look away.

Her mother’s expression softened as she crossed the room. She played with Madison’s hair, running her fingers through the tresses and then smoothing them down. “I wish you would tell me what’s wrong. Is it school? Are you having a hard time with the honor classes? Should we take you out? Get you a tutor?”

Madison shook her head.

“Is it boys? Friends? Bullies?” Each question was met with a firm no. Her mother paused, then asked hesitantly, “Is it me?”

“I’m fine, Mom.” At her mother’s skeptical look, she added, “Really. I’ve just been under a lot pressure lately with school and the newspaper and everything else, but my load should lighten soon. In fact, I should start studying. I have a big math test tomorrow.”

Her mother bit her bottom lip, hesitation pouring out of her. Clearly, she wanted to pursue the matter more, but after a few moments she moved to the door, letting the topic go. Stopping short of the hallway, she turned and said, “I know we have our differences, but you can come to me if you need to talk. I’m always here for you, Madison. It may not seem like it, but I’m here to help.”

Feeling too overwhelmed by the events of the past hour, Madison could only nod her head in response.

Her mother gave her a sad smile then patted the door. “Okay, well, dinner is in an hour.”

When Madison was sure her mother left, she crawled into bed. Hidden under her covers, she finally let go and cried.