The Madison Jennings Series Box Set

by Kiara Ashanti

  Maddie sighed deep. Oh, the arguments Auntie Vonda and her mother would get into over Zavier. It made the pain worse. She missed Auntie Vonda.

  Maddie stayed in her staring pose for a full hour before stirring. When she did, she checked to see if her parents were still downstairs—they were, so she headed to the bathroom.

  She jumped into the shower and gave herself a true Navy-style wash down. Then she stepped out and shut the shower off, but she let the tub fill up while she got dressed. She was clothed within two minutes and sat on the toilet-seat lid to consider her exit possibilities.

  Leaving through the front door was out. Waiting till her parents went to sleep was also out. The party would probably be over by then. That left only one option, which she would have to execute fast.

  Seeing that the tub was half full, she sneaked a peak out of the bathroom then dashed back into her room. She grabbed her iPod and speakers, then rushed back into the bathroom not a moment too soon. As she closed the door, she heard footsteps go by. She moved a few random items on the cabinet so either parent would know she was in the bathroom. Then she shut off the water and turned on her iPod. She chose an audiobook her parents knew she liked to listen to when she soaked in the tub.

  A sharp rap on the bathroom door made Maddie snap her head backward. “What!” she yelled, adding a generous amount of indignation to her voice.

  “Madison,” said her father through the door, “I just want you to know your mom can’t say it right now, but she was very proud of you tonight . . . I mean, before the—”

  “Yeah, before. I get it, Dad.”

  “Honey, we love you. Your mom is . . . she just wants you to have the normal life she had in high school.”

  It was exactly the wrong thing to say. Maddie gritted her teeth. “I hear you, Dad.” She put a hand in the tub and splashed it around to fool him. Though she could not see him, she knew he wanted to say more but stood paralyzed in front of the door.

  After another few moments that felt like a million years to Maddie, she finally heard him walk away. She waited another five minutes before slipping out of the bathroom and into her parents’ bedroom.

  Two minutes later, she was out the window.

  When Maddie arrived at the party via a rideshare twenty minutes later, she stood dumbfounded. She had expected it to be at someone’s house or some weird place like in the woods at the nearby park. She expected a lot of things.

  The well-maintained but abandoned storefront of a closed golf driving range was not one of them.

  Lantern lights were strung all around the entrance. Through the large windows on either side of the doors, Maddie could see that the lights were inside the building as well, providing illumination and pockets of shadow at the same time. Given the large cups with frothy tops in the hands of kids standing outside, many might desire the shadows to hide throwing up or other distasteful things.

  Maddie walked through the doors into a multicolor-hued great room. All the accoutrements you would expect in the retail shop had been removed. This left a large open space big enough for people to dance in, yell to each other over the raucous music that was bleeding throughout the room, or just roam.

  Maddie elected to roam around while she searched the room for Tommy and Lilly. It did not take her long to wonder why she had risked life and limb to sneak out of the house. Everywhere she looked, kids were drinking. Her astute nose caught the whispering scent of Colorado’s most famous plant species wafting through the air. She also did not recognize half the people she passed as she made a circuit around the room. She did not have many friends, but she knew the faces of people in her school. She saw plenty of them; they were just outnumbered by everyone else. Many looked as if they had left the hallowed halls of Galvin High long ago.

  “Oh my God, Maddie. Are you OK?”

  Maddie turned right into a tight enveloping hug. Taken by surprise, she went rigid. She tried to step back to see whose octopus arms were around her. The body attached to the arms matched Maddie’s backward step, keeping her from seeing who was suction cupped to her. All she could see was the crown of a head cropped with short blond hair.

  “I’m fine, though with how you’re squeezing the oxygen out of me, that may change.”

  Over the music, Maddie discerned a slight giggle. The hugger released her, stepped back, and grinned widely.

  “Tiffani! What did you do to your hair?”

  “I cut it and colored it a little blonder,” Tiffani yelled over the music. “I needed a change. Do you like it?”

  The long, strawberry-blond tresses Tiffani had sported were toast. In their place was a short, boldly blond pixie cut that transformed her whole appearance. The pixie was not in the style of a Tinkerbell or Halle Berry. Rather than the front being styled flat, it was styled upward. It forced you to notice Tiffani’s eyes, which Maddie had not remembered looking this green before. The harder Maddie stared, the more Tiffani reminded her of a sexless anime character—still attractive, but with something that kept observers guessing.

  When Maddie did not respond to her question, Tiffani pouted. “You hate it.”

  “No, no, it’s just so different. It’s nice . . . Tommy will hate it.”

  “Good.”

  Maddie could feel the flatness in the response. She raised a questioning eyebrow that Tiffani did not seem to notice. Instead, she slid her arm around Maddie’s, as had become her habit. “Let’s go out back. I’m tired of yelling while trying to not sound like I’m yelling.”

  Maddie wanted to stay inside to find Tommy and Lilly but decided to go with the flow, so she allowed Tiffani to lead her outside. Something in the way Tiffani responded to the mention of Tommy told Maddie to not insist on finding him first.

  As they reached a door leading out to a covered patio, the guy Maddie thought of as the class clown walked in front of them. His hands held clear plastic cups filled with frothy golden liquid. Without an ounce of hesitation, Tiffani reached out and snatched one from him.

  “Hey!” he yelled. “Oh snap! It’s my girl, Mad Maddie.” He threw his head back, turning the yell into a howling scream. “Mad Maddie, the heavyweight champion, is in the house!”

  Partygoers hooted and hollered. Maddie pursed her lips—she had the good sense to feel embarrassed. Tiffani giggled and chugged down that half cup of beer she had filched. The class clown did a double take when he looked at her.

  “Tiffani? Damn girl, that cut is hot.”

  Tiffani’s face flushed red. “Thanks, Jason.” She blew him a kiss, then pulled Maddie outside. She herded the two of them to the far end of the patio, away from the mass of people who were clumped in groups near each of the two doors that led outside. She finished her drink and tossed it into a trash can.

  The sight was jarring. Maddie looked around. Sure enough, there were more trash cans located along the patio and others that she could see on the grass beyond it. “Tiffani, why are there trash cans at what I’m assuming is an elicit high school party?”

  “Dorete’s parents own it,” she answered. She said it like that explained everything, which in a way Maddie admitted it kind of did. She leaned her back against the railing and regarded her friend. “See, I told you the haircut looks nice. That . . .” She waved her fingers back in the direction they had come.

  “Jason.”

  “Yeah, that guy. He liked it. Sounds like he has the hots for you.”

  Tiffani snorted. “You can’t take him seriously about anything.” Her glowing party face dropped away like a mask taken off after trick or treating, and a solemn mask replaced it. She reached out and brushed her thumb along the side of Maddie’s bruised jaw. “You’re going to have to start wearing makeup if you keep this up.”

  “Nah, my mother’s going to send me away to heaven in a couple of days. So, I’m good.”

  “How did you get here anyway? I would have thought you’d be, you know—”

  “Yes, how did you convince your parents to let you attend the party? I’ve b
een wondering the same thing ever since I heard your name announced inside by a screaming, drunk banshee.” Aden had sidled up to them. Unbidden, a smile grew on Maddie when she saw him. She did not notice the pinched brow that Tiffani had formed.

  “I did what all teenagers do. I snuck out. Went out the window.”

  Aden did a double take. “Out the window? I’ve seen your house. How the hell did you get down? There’re no trees.”

  Maddie shrugged. “I used the gutters, then climbed down the downspout.”

  Aden’s and Tiffani’s mouths opened in disbelief.

  “What?” Maddie asked, suddenly defensive. “The former owner of the house kept bragging about how the gutters were triple rated above state regs for tornadoes. If the attachments can handle one-hundred-mile-per-hour winds, my hundred pounds is nothing.”

  “You’re fucking insane.”

  “I may be. Besides, I needed to come see if you were here and how your tender head is doing.”

  Aden waved the sarcastic question off. “I’m fine. Dad took me to a private doctor. Not sure how he got someone to see me at their house this late, but he said I probably don’t have a concussion. Looked worse than it was. Probably got yourself in trouble for no reason.”

  Aden raised his fist. Maddie raised her own, and they fist-bumped. Each knew words of thanks were not necessary.

  “Is your mom blowing up your phone?” asked Aden.

  “Can’t. She took my phone.”

  “Oh man, you snuck out and she can’t reach you. Let me take a good look at you, ’cause we’ll never see each other again.”

  Maddie tilted her head to the side and looked over Aden’s shoulder. Dorete was headed toward them. Aden turned when he saw her raised eyebrow, mirrored by Tiffani. He sported a sheepish look when he turned back to Maddie.

  “There you are. Hey, Madison.” The acknowledgment of Maddie’s presence came off like someone calls an adult “sir” or “madam”—a show of respect given out of habit, but nothing more. Then Dorete gave Tiffani a once-over. “You cut your hair.”

  “Yup.”

  “The style is an . . . interesting choice.” Formalities over, she slid one hand into Aden’s and the other she slid from his waist up to his chest. “Aden, come on, I want to dance. I’ll show you how.”

  Aden gave Dorete a sidelong glance and smiled. “Maddie, I’ll catch up with you later. Glad you were able to sneak out.”

  When the pair were out of earshot, Maddie turned to Tiffani. “What. Ever.”

  “What’s the deal with you two?”

  “I thought that would be obvious. Dorete’s a bitch. She just forgot Andre in a blink of an eye, and oh yeah, she’s a bitch.”

  “Not her. Him. You’re not in school a good four hours before you’re trying to kick his head off. He literally stands by and watches you get ganged up on by his football buddies, but tonight you stick up for him when the same thing happens to him. What am I missing?”

  Maddie shifted her feet in discomfort. Everyone kept asking her the same damn question. The answer—the real one—was not something she could explain, especially to anyone in school. Understanding would require too much other information she could not share.

  “You got to give me something,” Tiffani continued, pressing the point. “Why do you care?”

  “I just do. I . . . let’s just say that someone I knew once helped me when I needed it. I saw some kids, including Aden, who I thought needed help. That’s all.”

  “Paying it forward, huh?”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “And this person,” Tiffani said as she held her hands out. “Who was it?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Tiffani’s sudden hard-lined scowl made it clear she was not happy with Maddie’s answer. Sensing the night was in danger of going sideways, Maddie decided she preferred the slightly tipsy and openly gregarious Tiffani she had seen earlier much better. She rushed in to salvage the night and even possibly, she realized, their friendship.

  “Tiffani, I know you’ve told me—trusted me—with some of your personal stuff. That was probably hard, and you probably think I’m being secretive like I don’t trust you.”

  “That may have occurred to me,” said Tiffani, her voice hard.

  “It’s not a matter of trust. It’s a matter of . . . pain. I don’t like talking about it. It was an awful period in my life that I just cannot discuss with anyone. Not even my parents.”

  Tiffani weighed her words for a moment. Finally, she said, “OK, I get it. But let me ask you, would you help me if someone was mean to me?”

  Maddie smiled. “Right cross, right in the nose.”

  “Good, ’cause here comes Tommy.”

  Sure enough, Tommy was headed in their direction while holding out his phone like he was recording video of the party. Maddie quickly turned her back to him.

  “Hey, I saw that. You’re giving me the cold shoulder,” he said once he reached them.

  “No, I’m not,” Maddie shot back over her shoulder. “Turn that phone off. My face is in enough videos tonight as it is.”

  “Not that I can find.” When Maddie did not turn around, he sighed loudly. Maddie glanced at Tiffani, who was staring Tommy down.

  “All clear,” she said.

  Maddie turned around and spoke before Tommy could say a word. “Choose your words carefully. I just promised Tiffani I’d give anyone who’s mean to her a right cross in the nose.”

  “Of course you did,” said Tommy, his eyes focused on Tiffani. “It makes your eyes pop, but I don’t like it. I like playing in your hair.”

  “You haven’t done that since middle school, Tommy.”

  “Whose fault is that?”

  Maddie could feel tension building. She stepped in to redirect the conversation. “Tommy, where’s Lilly and the girls?”

  “They left the game with some band members, I think. They usually disappear on me when they sing. I sent them a text but haven’t gotten a response.”

  “Is that normal for them?”

  “Normally, no. After singing, totally. They don’t do it often, which I can’t understand. They could be making some bank I bet with a YouTube channel. Anyway, when they do decide to sing, it’s like all they want to do all night long. It’s weird.”

  “You’re right,” said Tiffani. “Obsessing over one thing all the time is weird.”

  “Jesus, what is it with you two?” asked Maddie.

  “Hell if I know what’s wrong with her,” said Tommy. “The last few weeks is the most any of us has spoken to Tiffani in years.”

  Suddenly, Tommy reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He flashed a wide smile.

  “Lilly and the girls?” asked Maddie, hopeful.

  Tommy shook his head in the negative, then stepped away, eyes tethered to his screen.

  Maddie watched her small friend jump back into the digital world, leaving her and the rest of the real one behind again. She shook her head in amused disbelief, then shot Tiffani a crooked grin. “Two years? Hands playing in your hair? And you’re asking me what’s the deal with Aden? What’s up with that?”

  Tiffani’s eyes stared straight ahead, glued to Tommy’s receding back. “Sometimes people change. Sometimes when they do, it’s because they’ve discovered new things.”

  Well, that’s cryptic, thought Maddie.

  Tiffani pushed herself from the railing. “Let’s go get a drink and dance.”

  “Why would we do that?”

  “Do you mean drink or dance?”

  “Both.”

  “Because both are fun. Hold on—”

  Tiffani had felt her phone vibrate, and she pulled it out. Her eyes grew large and round as she read the message on it. She looked up at Maddie, eyes suddenly vacant. “I gotta go. Sorry.”

  “What’s wrong? Is everything alright?” Maddie asked as Tiffani brushed past her.

  Tiffani took several steps before stopping. She waited till Maddie
caught her before speaking again. “No, it’s not. But it will be.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  Tiffani gave Maddie a limp smile, hugged her tight, then leaned close to her ear. “I’m sure you’d love to try, but no, it’s not anything you can do anything about.”

  Then she was gone, rushing through the crowd and out of the party. Maddie stood dumbfounded and concerned. The words had carried a haunting tone—so much so that they distracted her from the light kiss Tiffani had placed on the side of her face.

  Chapter Sixty-Six

  Aden just stared. He had not seen his old friend, the whipped and creamy goodness, in weeks. He missed the blue, purple, and pink sweetness speckled on top of the white awesomeness before him. Anticipated satisfaction warmed his belly and made him smile.

  “Are you gonna drink that thing or just stare at it like it’s a prom date?”

  Aden raised a hand to shush his father. “You don’t drink a Cotton Candy Blizzard, Dad. You experience it, savor it, like you old people do with a glass of wine. Except this is better and healthier.”

  “Red wine is known to prevent heart attacks. That has enough sugar to be a cup of diabetes.”

  Aden sucked in a mouthful of his favorite milkshake and let loose a loud “Mmm” as he felt its sweet coldness slide down his throat. “Aah, sugar and ice cream—a teenager’s primary food groups in today’s modern world.”

  Father and son were sitting inside the local Dairy Queen, which had been banned as a place of culinary goodness for Aden since his father’s arrival. The physical routine Mr. Kent had initially forced his son into had gone beyond lifting or running. The only milkshakes Aden was allowed were whey protein smoothies, which, to him, did not count as shakes. Really, whose idea had it been to ruin a perfectly awesome American drink by making it healthy?