*Madelane's room above*
Juniper POV
The first thing I did wen I woke up was to take a long, hot shower.
At exactly 7:00am.
After Madeline calmed me down, I had insomnia for the whole night. I tried to fall asleep, slip back in the dream to see them, to make sure they were okay. But I coudint. I would bet you anything that JJ had something to do with that.
Today I wore black sweats, a gray t-shirt and my runners. I also threw on Ty's hoodie, which I was very surprised to find in my duffel bag, since I don't remember packing it but hey I ain't complaining. And after brushing my damp hair, I pilled it up on a messy bun deciding I looked alive enough to not be mistaken for a walking corpse.
When I was finished, I packed everything and took my basket to the counter, grabbing Madelane's. I went back to our room to find her still sleeping. That's when I grabbed my very thin pillow and smacked her head as hard as I could.
"Wake up Madelane!" I yelled at her. She just grumbled and turned to the side. I kept hitting her until she grabbed the pillow.
"Madelane Stacy, If you don't wake up right now I swear to God, I'll push you off the bed." I warned her.
"Too early... five more minutes..." she murmured as she pulled the covers.
I shrugged. "You asked for it." I pushed her and, of course, she fell with a yelp.
"Juniper, what the hell!?" She yelled at me from the floor.
"Hurry up, you have half an hour before they take us up for breakfast." I said dismissively.
She muttered something under her breath, which I could only make it out stupid and sleepy.
~
"How did you end up here? " I asked her while she brushed her hair. She got ready in record time wearing exactly what I had on, except she had a white hoodie.
She froze, my question taking her off guard but then shrugged. "I relapsed." She answered vaguely.
"Can you please explain?" I asked.
She sighed and looked at me. We were sitting across from each other, her on her bed and me on mine. We had about 10 minutes until they called us for breakfast.
"You were pushing me to get help. Why focus on me when you had shit going on?" I asked.
"That doesn't make any sense." She said still looking at me.
"You know what I mean." I told her and she just sighed, her gaze dropping to the flor.
"My dad, he called my mom asking to see me." She said as she kept brushing her hair, an elastic band on her wrist.
I was taken back. Never in a million years would I have though that would happen. From what Mad's had told me, her father basically never cared no matter how hard she tried for him to. He was absent in the majority of her life and the few times he was, it cause Madelane to go into panic.
"I agreed. I mean its not everyday that I get too see my father whom I know nothing about, the first time that he asks to actually see me." She said and scoffed at her own words, as if they were the most absurd of thoughts.
She didn't say anything else as she piled her silky hair in a bun and tied it with an elastic. I stood up and sat next to her and when she was about to stand up to leave, I grabbed her hand and held it tightly in mine.
"Its okay Maddy." I said softly and she released a shaky, long breath.
"He has a new family ya know?" She said so quietly I almost didn't hear her.
"He owns this big, fucking mansion. He has a 'wife'" she air quoted. "that looks like a kardashian wanna be, she looks so plastic it's almost painful to stare at her." I giggle slightly and the corners of Maddy's mouth tilted up slightly. But just as quickly as they did, her little smile dropped.
"She has a daughter named Cleo. She looks like a model from Hollywood. There is no flaw when it comes to her, she's utterly perfect. And my father loves her." She said softly with a sad tone, and I squeezed her hand.
"Nobody is perfect, Madeline. That girl is no exception." I told her and she shook her head.
"I know but.." she trailed off.
"We were in the dining hall, and all Ratchel and my father could talk about was her. How she was named after the great Cleopatra, surrounded by ritches her whole life, very social at school, starting her studies at her local university to become a lawyer, a top model, emphasized on her weight. The whole thing was unbearable. I excused myself to go to the bathroom. And when I looked in the mirror I just-" it seemed like her mind woudint let her talk.
Her mouth was open but no words came out, it looked like she'd seen a ghost.
"I saw the failure I was. After all, dad had signed me up for modeling and I hated it, I found being a lawyer so boring I purposely stopped taking the classes he paid for, he was always complaining what an antisocial and shy person I was and he always had something to say about my weight. That I was too chubby, too skinny, too me. Nothing was enough for him, nothing. I was never enough for him. I didn't meet his standards and I never would." She sighed.
"And when I got out, when I was about to walk down the stairs, I heard them talking."
Flashback (Third Person POV)
"Daddy, why did you invite her over?" Said Cleo's annoying voice from down the stairs.
Typical, Madelane though, wait for me to leave so little miss perfect can drop the act. Eavesdropping was never her thing, her mother had taught her better. But something in her gut was telling her to hide and listen. So she did just that.
Trusting her intuition, Madelane crouched at the top of the stairscase and peered through the first baluster, being careful as to keep her body hidden.
"I invited her over, my little pearl, because I though by showing her all of this and telling her all about our new lives I could talk some sense into her. But I see I was wrong." Madelane could see his frown, and how he brushed his silver hair back.
"What do you mean?" Rachel chimed in. She too had a frown as she leaned forward, her chin resting on her jewelry covered hands.
"My darlings, you two are my greatest pride. Madeline on the other hand, has always been my biggest mistake and I am very ashamed of her." To this, Madelane gasped and quickly put her hand over her mouth. Madeline had always known her father disliked her, but to hear it come so naturally out of his mouth hurt more than she wanted to admit.
"My dear, it's alright. You can tell us anything. Cleo and I will support you and we are here for you." Rachel said sweetly.
"Ditto Daddy." Said Cleo and raised her glass as if to toast.
"I thought I could make her better, perfect, a goddess on earth. But she wasn't willing to even try to cooperate. I have an image, a title to maintain. Linda was never supposed to come out pregnant and damn it she did. What would people think of that? Me, a wealthy man with riches and on the path to greatness, with a low life therapist in a pathetic excuse for a home." He scoffed.
"It would have never worked out." Rachel agreed.
"You deserve way better daddy." Cleo chimed in. She had a stupid smirk on her face and Madelane wished she could beat the living crap out of her.
"Your right Cleo bear. I do deserve better. Madelane was never perfect, never worthy of being of a Price." Her father, the great Antonio Price, business man, boss of his own company, said in a disgusted voice.
Madeline hated the name Price. She wished with all her heart she never had it. It weighed on her like a curse she could never get rid off. Her father always said a Price strived to achieve perception and perfection, that we were Gods walking the earth. Was this man serious? If he even though for a second that all of that bullshit was true, he had serious mental problems.
"She doesn't see the bigger picture daddy. She's blind to it, you did all you possibly could." All mighty Cleopatra said and Madelane was one second away from losing it.
"And then she wonders why I never cared about her. Why would I care for an insignificant girl, with no future, no commitment. I watched her from afar, to see if my absence cause a change. The only good thing was that she started loosing weight by binging. Not the best method, but desperate times call for desperate measures." They all laughed and all Madelane could do is listen.
Her breathing hitched, her mind went black, her heart stopped. And everything became clear, more than it ever could have been.
Madelane came out from her hiding spot and slowly made her way down the stairs. They were still laughing, she though with disgust.
"My dear, you look pale. Is everything okay?" Rachel's faked concerned voice ringed in Madelane 's ears.
Madelane ignored her and looked directly at her father.
"I'm leaving. Thank you for dinner." She said in a cold voice. Without another word, she turned on her heel and marched to the door.
"But Madelane, its pouring outside. If you want I could give you my raincoat. It's very expensive and-" Cleo started but Madeline cut her off.
"Shut up bitch or I swear to God I'll throw you outside with the other trash like last seasons trends." Madeline growled, the surface of her emotions cracking. She didn't care she made a terrible pun or a ridiculously lame comment.
Cleo looked at her with wide eyes, as did Rachel. She didin't look at her father, she coudint. Madeline all but ran, shoving the door open and instantly getting drenched in the cold, icy water that fell from the sky. However that didin't stop her. She kept running blindly through the dim lit patio they had. She was so close to gate, she could feel the weight in her mind-
"Addy wait!" She hears her fathers close voice say.
She turned around and gave him a hateful glare.
"Do not call me that! My name is Madelane, the name my mother gave me!" She yelled at him. She hugged herself tightly to stop the wave of shakes that ran through her body.
"I always hated that name." He said through gritted teeth, his blue eyes flashing with anger.
"And I've always hated you!" She shot back and Antonio looked suddenly shocked.
"Addy, you don' mean that." He said sternly and Madelane laughed, the sound cruel and humorless.
"I'm not perfect Addy, you know that. I know I haven't been the best of father's, but I've tried to-"
"Don't!" She inturrupted, knowing what was to come. She angrily shoved her wet, tangled hair that covered her face, looking at her father as best as she could with the rain pouring almost as angrily as her words.
"Don't you dare say you tried to be there because you didin't! You were never there!" She yelled over the thunder, the hairs on her arms rising slightly as lightning struck close by. But she coudint care less.
"Did you ever stop and think how much your absence bothered me? How as a little girl, you completely ruined my life, how you broke me? Thanks to you, I now doubt that any man will ever love me. Thanks to you, I fear that everyone might leave me. Its your fault I have my doubts, insecurities, and lack of self love for myself. I deserve better, so much better than a monster as a father. Because that's what you are, a heartless, sick monster! And don't think for a second I need you because I do not, mom made sure of that. We are not the ritches, and our lifestyle may not be the best but she has given me love, showed me kindness, raised me with humility and has been there for me, something you were never capable and still arent of doing. I never want to see you again in my life. Nothing will ever satisfy you and I'm tired of feeling like I'm not enough!" She almost yelled.
"All I wanted was a brighter future for you, something that you can look back on and be proud of!" He yelled back at her, desperation in his tone.
"At what cost?! Starving me to death? Leaving me? Forcing me into stuff I didint want? Get this through your thick skull: I am not, will not ever be, you! I'd rather rot in hell first!"
"Come back inside. We can talk about this, start over. I can do better Madelane, for you and for our family." He pleaded with her and she almost agreed.
But then the image of her sitting with them in the dining room, with her hair up in an extravagant twist, diamonds all over her wrist and neck, laughing at whatever joke they made of the people beneath they're social status. That was enough to break her out of the trance. Her father never wanted her, and he never would. Simple as that.
"Go rot in hell. I let you ruin my life once, if you think it'll happen again, your way in over your head." was the last she told her father. And then she ran.
Her movements caught up with her and she found herself on the other side of the gate. She didn't stop to admire how fast she climbed it, or to look back at Antonio as he watched her flee. She kept running, faster and harder pushing her body to a breaking limit, making her lungs burn. But nothing could be compared to the pain her heart was in.
The night didn't intimidate her, and being alone out in the open, all alone in the middle of the street didn't scare her like it should have. She just wanted to get home. So she kept running, cutting through the woods for a short cut.
And then her phone rang. And when she got it out of her soaked jacket and went to decline the call, her phone glitched out and then someone started talking in the other line.
"Hello? Madelane can you hear me?" The voice said.
"Shit!" She cursed as she tried to hang up but coudint.
"Madeline what going on?" The voice asked, suddenly sounding very worried.
"Sebastian I'm fine, okay? Now can you please hang up? My stupid phone, which is supposed to be water proof, is not working." She said as she kept making her way through the tree's, occasionally tripping over rocks, branches and branches.
"What the hell are you doing outside?" He asked and then after a moment he added "why are you in the woods at this hour?"
"What did I tell you about having my location on your phone!?" She shot back, this time her tone angry.
"I'm coming to get you. Why are you out there in the first place Madeline?!" She could hear him rummaging through his drawers and the familiar sound of his keys mingling together.
"Dont! Do not come looking for me. Im almost home, I know where I am. Hell, I know this area pretty well." That wasn't a lie. She had to memorize every curve, short cut, trail and road near Dark Woods for when she went camping with the rest of the kids from support group. She didn't want to take any chances if any of the other kids got lost.
"Then I'll meet you at your house. " he said with determination.
"No you will not. Leave it alone Sebastian, I'm not in the mood for company." And with that, she finally managed to end the call. After that she kept running, seeing the familiar rooftop of her mothers house, her one true home.
Madelane was pretty sure Linda hadn't come back from the board meeting she was attending at the hospital but she didn't want to take her chances.
Like she had done a thousand other times, she expertly climber the tree closets to her window. Crouching on a branch, she slid her window open, the one that she always kept unlocked just in case. She got in her room, sliding the glass down. She hoped off, her feet making a wet sound when they came in contact with the flawless wood.
Her room always gave off that warm and cozy vibe, and Madeline was thankful for her always wise decision to leave the light in her room on.
She went downstairs and made sure the heater was on. She shrugged off her jacket and threw it in the laundry basket in the laundry room and placed her shoes there too. She ran upstairs into her room and slammed the door shut, feeling her pulse speed up. She went to her bathroom, locking the door and pressing her back against it. Closing her eyes, she drew out slow and shaky breaths.
"I told you, daddy never loved you." A voice said. Which was impossible because there was no one else in the house with her.
"Shut up." She said and she felt her face getting more wet.
She didn't realize she was crying until she looked at herself in the mirror. Her lips were cracked and slightly blue, her entire figure was shaking, her round blue eyes glassy and her face wet and dirty.
"Look at you, how could he love you?" Another voice said.
"I said shut up!" Madeline shouted once more.
She raked her hands through her hair and put her hand on her mouth, trying to muffle the sobs, trying to regain control.
But at that point, she was far too gone.
A sob escaped her mouth as she slid down to the floor and she closed her eyes tightly as the pain hit her, like a heavy object falling on top of her. It was as if all the oxygen had been cut off and she could no longer breath. She gasped as she kept crying, as she kept shaking, as she kept breaking.
Madeline had tried so hard, to pretend everything was alright, to act like she was over it, to be perfectly fine. But she coudint yet understand why her father never cared, never loved her. He was never there, she hadn't done anything and he decided that she wasn't good enough. And she suddenly coudint take it anymore.
The pain, the heartache and the broken dreams and expectations that she had as little girl, that someday she would find her prince charming for she was loved by the most greatest and powerful king. The happy fairytale was gone, and she would never live that kind of life.
*mayor trigger warning*
Ever so slowly, she reached in the basket she had beside her and dug her hand to the bottom corner. She felt its sharp edges before she could firmly grab ahold of it properly. She pulled it out completely.
"Do it Madelane, stop stalling and get it over with." The voice as she stared at razor blade.
She didn't want to listen and deep down she knew it was wrong, but that didn't stop her from pressing the blade to her skin.
One..
Two..
Three..
Four..
Five..
Six..
Seven..
She stared at her hand numbly. Through hed hazed eyes, all she saw was red. A puddle on the floor, her jeans, her shirt and her hands, it was all red. Her senses asked her why but she didn't have the energy too keep thinking. She was still shivering, still crying but now it was all quiet, all silent and immobile.
"You have a hollowed out heart, but it's heavy in your chest.
I try so hard to fight it, but it's hopeless
Hopeless, you're hopeless.
Oh father, please father.
I'd love to leave you alone but I can't let you go.
Oh father, please father..." she sang softly over and over again as her eyes grew heavy.
It seemed like hours passed, hours of fighting the dark that kept threatening her. She almost didn't hear when the door opened, when the keys were thrown on the counter, wen someone ran up the stairs and knocked on her door.
"Madelane?!" The voice asked and it had an urgent edge to it but Madelane coudint decipher who the voice belonged to. She heard it muffled, like she was underwater. She barely heard wen the door opened and the doorknob rattle. Then there was the puonding, but it sounded more like a faraway drum.
"Madelane open the door, I just want to check if your okay. Then I'll leave you the hell alone." The familiar muffled voice said.
"Sebastian." Madelane rasped out, her voice weak.
"Madelane please. I know your in there." Sebastian's voice said, but it felt like he was getting farther and farther away from here.
"Sebastian." She whisperd, her voice coming out somewhat louder, enough for him to hear.
He kept calling out her name, the fear in his voice turning into desperation. When he finally managed to break down the door, Madelane was almost gone. I just want to sleep, she though, just for five minutes...
"Madelane! Oh my god, Madelane please wake up! Stay with me flower, stay with me." He cried out as he held her in his arms. Gathering her strength, she was able to open her eyes enough to see him. His brown eyes were filled with tears, his chocolate body warm, his dark locks all over the place.
What a beautiful mess, Madelane thought.
"911 what's your emergency?"
"My name is Sebastian Woods, im at Willow Creak, with the girl that I love. She's lost a lot of blood, I don't what to do." He said desperately and Madeline could barely hear him giving the operator her address.
Sebastian Woods, the guy that had been paying extra attention to her, had comforted her when she had two panic attacks in the same day, had helped her study for the physics test. They had been friends since seventh grade, almost three and a half years ago, but Madelane was starting too see him as something else...
"Please don't leave me, flower. Please Maddy, I can't imagine a world without you. Please, please." He begged as Madelane touched his cheek softly and he leaned into her touch. He was warm, always warm, which cause her shivering to subside. And he always smelled like the forest, like candles, like home...
"Stay with me flower, stay with me." He said to her. But Madelane coudint. Darkness won the battle and despite Sebastian's cries, she gave in and everything went black.
End of flashback
Juniper gasped.
"I woke up in the hospital. I didn't get to see Sebastian because I wasent allowed to have visitors. And once the doctors declared I was stable enough, they moved me here. " Madelane said.
"Can I?" Juniper asked tentatively. Madeline nodded and rolled the sleeves of her hoodie up, showing Juniper the thin but deep lines that decorated her wrist, stopping just below her forearm.
She expected Juniper to yell, to scold her, to hit her. But she surprised her. Juniper hugged Madelane tight.
"I'm so happy that Sebastian guy found you because I honestly dont know what I'd do without you Maddy." She whispered in her ear. Her next words shocked Madelane to the bone.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't there, I should have been. I could have talked some sense into you and-" Madelane interrupted Juniper's babble.
"Juniper, you have a life, and your plate is already full. You have plenty with your dead brother and father, lets not add something else to the list." Madelane said, placing her hands on her best friend shoulder.
"Your not something else to the list, your my best friend. The one that knows me the best, who calls me out whenever I'm bluffing or lying, my sister. No matter whaf I say or do, I know you will never turn your back on me, no matter how much I deserve it. Your good, inside and out, your the fun in my life, that annoying bright sun in my cloudy days. I'm here for you, I will always be here with you. Forever. You will never be alone, not if I can't help it." She said and Madelane's heart felt like it would burst with the bond she shared with this girl. In so little time, they had become each others rock and safeplace.
"I love you, you loud ass crazy kid." Madelane said.
"I love you too, you annoying nerd." Juniper said in return.
"Okay, so can we stop with all this cheesy shit? The nurses will think we're lesbians." Madeline said after a moment of them just smiling at each other, causing Juniper to burst out laughing.
"Girls, up for breakfast!" Somebody yelled from outside.
"Yeah, let's go eat actual real cheese." Juniper agreed. Laughing, both of them exited their room. They punched each other playfully, fake fought and most of all laughed.
"Your the yin to my yang. " Juniper teased, bumping her hip with Madelane's. Maddy frowned at the statement but then she glanced at they're matching outfit and laughed.
"Your an idiot." She murmured while rubbing her teary eyes, tears from laughter.
Unconciosly, both girls were happy they had each other, that they were alive. And although the circumstances weren't the best, they were together.
"My sister." They both thought.
Edited