Chapter Ten Madison

T he moment he’s gone, I all but collapse onto the boxes that are already packed. My heart races as my fingers brush over my bottom lip thinking about what almost just happened. To think that once upon a time, I used to dream about kissing him. And now…

It wasn’t just my imagination, was it?

Jaxson Rivers really just tried to kiss me?

To think I almost fell and completely busted my ass in front of him. But he stopped it. He wrapped me within his grasp, his arm around my waist as he pulled me close to him. Thinking about it now makes me wonder what my fingers would have felt like brushing against the hard ridges of his stomach.

Holy shit…

“Madison!” Knox’s voice pulls me from my thoughts of Jaxson that were tempting to the point of insanity, and my composure in Mrs. Kendall’s house. Standing quickly, I straighten myself out, my hands smoothing down my hair as I make my way towards the top of the stairs only to find him looking up at me with a gaze of confusion.

“Yeah?” I ask, trying to keep myself together so I don’t give away that something sort of just happened between Jaxson and I.

“Did Jaxson just leave?”

I open my mouth to speak, but don’t get a word out before Kylie appears and looks between Knox and I. “Jaxson left? But the pizza hasn’t even gotten here yet.”

“I know,” Knox replies, shaking his head. “He was supposed to hang out with us longer.”

Kylie seems to take a moment, her eyes drifting towards the front door before gazing up at me once again with slight scrutiny. “What did you say to him?”

“What?! I didn’t say anything,” I scoff, shaking my head. “He got a call from work and needed his laptop or something… I don’t know.”

“Oh,” Knox sighs, nodding his head once more. “Well, I guess that just means more for us.”

Knox’s eyes shift from me towards the floor as he clears his throat and glances back at me once more. It’s clear that Knox was hoping to spend more time with his friend, and though he is trying not to show that Jaxson leaving isn’t bothering him, he doesn’t hide it well. The two of them were close, and when you added Asher into the mix, they were inseparable.

Like the three musketeers, they did everything together.

“Exactly!” I exclaim as I fidget in place. “Also, I will say that Jaxson and I did find something… Something that I think you’re really going to like Kylie.”

Her eyes light up as she pushes past Knox, who stumbles with laughter before he follows us up the stairs. I’ve known Kylie my entire life and one thing she loves more than anything, are secret treasures.

The memory of her antique shopping with me and my mom when we were in high school quickly floods my mind the moment we step into the room. And just like then, her eyes go wide with excitement as her hands fly to her mouth.

“Oh, my God… This is so pretty!”

Thereupon the bed is the worn white hope chest with painted floral designs that Jaxson had pulled down from the top of the closet. Kylie doesn’t hesitate in rushing to it, her fingers brushing over the design as she admires every single detail of it.

“This is all hand-painted,” she murmurs. “I wonder if Mrs. Kendall painted this herself.”

“Maybe,” Knox replies. “She did like to paint at one point. Remember, she bought us all that painting stuff when we were kids.”

“That’s right…”

“Jaxson said he thought you would like it,” I mutter, Kylie’s shoulder bumping into mine as the smile spreads further across her face.

“He was right… I love it.”

The sound of the doorbell causes the three of us to turn, the soft touching moment over the hope chest dying out as Knox makes his way towards the front door. More than likely to greet the pizza guy who was due to deliver at any time.

“You okay?” Her voice pulls me from the deep trance of thoughts I’m in.

“Yeah,” I quickly reply before letting out a dramatic sigh. “Just so much to do around here.”

As much as part of me wants to jump right out and tell Kylie about what happened, I don’t.

There was something about the moment with Jaxson that made me want to keep it a secret. Was it hesitation because I’m unsure? Maybe. But then again, it could also be that I’d waited so long for something to happen with him that now I want to keep it to myself.

“You’ve got that right,” she laughs. “Come on, let’s go get some food before Knox eats it all.”

She turns, brushing her fingers over the chest once more before exiting the bedroom and making her way downstairs. My feet, unwilling to move initially, find the reluctance needed to follow behind her. Every step I take reminds me that my life is more complicated than it should be.

“Omg, do you remember when you first introduced me to Jaxson and Asher?” Kylie says to Knox as I enter the living room to find the two of them sprawled upon Mrs. Kendall’s sofa, diving into the pizza face first .

“Hell yeah,” he laughs. “It was the summer before second grade I believe… you were what… seven or something?”

“Yes! You and I were coloring with chalk outside and Asher and Jaxson came over to see if you wanted to play soccer with them.”

“That’s right,” he laughs again, taking another bite of his pizza. “It was the first time I realized how much you like art. Because you said that you’d rather color with chalk than play soccer.”

My mind drifts back to that day, back to when our lives were carefree and things made more sense.

“Coloring is for babies,” Jaxson says to Kylie as Samantha and I walk up to see what everyone’s doing. “Soccer is way more fun.”

The look of defeat and shock that fills Kylie’s eyes at Jaxson’s words makes me angry. My heart hurts that he would say something so mean to her. Just because he doesn’t like coloring doesn’t mean he has to be mean about it.

“Don’t listen to them,” I speak up while turning my frown to Jaxson for being so mean. “They’re just stupid boys… We’ll color with you.”

Everything about that day was perfect. It was the day that defined my, Kylie, and Samantha’s friendship. No matter what anyone said or did from that day forward, the three of us were inseparable. Asher, Knox, and Jaxson were the infamous trio. And us three girls helped to keep them in check.

“Madi, are you sure you’re okay? You’re really quiet.” I glance up at Kylie, rolling my eyes with a smile as I plop down on the sofa next to her.

“Yeah, I was just thinking about that day…” I reply before turning to Knox. “You remember when we became friends?”

He hesitates for a moment. His nose wrinkles as he ponders over the question and then nods with realization of what I’m talking about. “I think so… wasn’t that in kindergarten when that boy who used to bully you was about to put gum in your hair?”

Scoffing, I take a bite of my pizza. “Yeah, it was. He was mean to me all the time. But that was the day that Jaxson stopped him from doing that. You guys came to my rescue and Jaxson pushed the kid out of the way so he couldn’t do it.”

“That’s right! Gosh, it was so long ago, I can’t believe you remembered that,” he replies, shaking his head. “You know what I remember the most about when we were growing up? ”

Kylie and I both look at Knox, who shoves the last part of his pizza into his mouth before taking a sip of his sweet tea. “The day the treehouse was done being built.”

“Ugh, you boys got there first and then wouldn’t let us come up. I think it was Asher who ended up being the nice one. He had a crush on Sam, even back then. And honestly, I bet he still does now.”

“You know…” Knox says, leaning back into his spot on the sofa. “I always thought those two were meant to be.”

“Really?” Kylie asks, shaking her head. “I mean I know they were together for a long time, but he really hurt her back then. Even if Asher says he didn’t do anything.”

“I know, but just because he made a mistake once doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve a second chance. Who knows, maybe seeing Sam again was just what he needed.”

As soon as I’m done eating, I glance down at my phone and take note of the time. It’s already getting late, and as much as I’d love to carry this on all night, I can’t. The bakery needs me tomorrow, as does my mother.

“I’m going to have to get going in a minute,” I tell them, standing to my feet as I make my way towards the large black trash bag we’d been filling since I got here.

“Oh dang, that sucks,” Kylie pipes up. “I was hoping we could hang out a little longer.”

“I know, but Mom really needs me tomorrow. I might be able to cut out after eleven though if you’re free to hang out.”

She smiles as she stands to her feet and pulls me into a tight embrace. “I’m so glad that we got to spend time together today. Even if it was packing up Mrs. Kendall’s old things.”

“Me too.”

“Hey,” Knox says, wagging his finger at me with a mischievous grin on the corner of his lips. “Before you go, I want you to answer me one thing.”

Growing up, when Knox would ask questions like that it was typically not a good thing. The last time he had asked me a question like that it was at the coffee shop—and Mrs. Rita, the lady from the church, was standing behind him when he asked me what I thought about cupping balls when giving a blow job .

Every time I see the woman now, my face instantly turns red.

“I’m hesitant to ask, but go on.”

“Do you believe in soulmates?” His question throws me completely off guard because it isn’t something I’d ever seriously thought to consider. Of course, I’ve always wanted to be with someone but it’s not like where we live is streaming with sexy individuals looking to hook up.

It’s Willowcreek for God’s sake.

“I like to think soulmates exist, just that sometimes we are all too oblivious to who they are,” I reply as I grab my purse and start making my way towards the door.

The idea of soulmates and fated relationships is not exactly what I learned growing up. Though, part of me can’t deny the possibility because the moment Knox asked me that question, my mind instantly drifted to Jaxson.

“Who knows…” I finally let out, stopping in my tracks to glance at him from over my shoulder. “Maybe one day we will all have found ours. Just like you have, Knox. Not all of us are as lucky as you right off the bat.”

“Very true,” he replies, leaning back into his spot once more. “But I’m sure you will.”

The cryptic message refuses to unroot itself from my brain as I walk out the front door. I’m not entirely sure why what he says bothers me as much as it does, but I can’t help but wonder if maybe he knows something I don’t.