Page 29 of Love me, Maddie Mendoza

“Not Aisha?”

“She’s too invested in the opposition.”

I snickered. “And what makes you think I’m not?”

As if the thought never occurred to her, Maddie straightened up and watched me for a second too long. “Are you?”

I rolled my shoulders back, ignoring the question. “Want some pros and cons?”

“Maybe. I’ve never broken up with anyone. Actually, he is my first boyfriend.”

“You dated Adam in our senior year.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

She chuckled. “I never gave poor Adam a chance.”

“You gave Peter a chance.”

“I did.” She nodded thoughtfully. “And I thought we synced but now…”

She trailed off and stared at the ground, which was odd. Maddie was usually very talkative.

“Just put it into words, Maddie. I’m dying to go for a shower.”

“Don’t rush me, Z.”

We stared at each other and she lost, “Ok, ok.” Her hands went up. “I feel like I should like Peter a lot more than I do. At first I thought he was going to grow on me but…”

“He didn’t.”

“No, he didn’t. And he’s so jealous of you, Z. It bugs me.”

I swallowed. “I can stay back, Maddie.” I lied. I’d hate to lose her, but I had to offer. “I don’t like messing with your life.”

“Don’t you dare. Besides, we live together now. Are you kicking me out?”

I moved my head side to side like I was thinking about it and she let out a laugh.

“Things got worse since you moved in, though.” I sobered her up.

“Yes. I told you I had no option, and it’s not like he offered. He doesn’t get it. It’s been a year and I’m tired of being with someone that doesn’t get it.”

By the sound of it, her house situation wasn’t the only thing Peter didn’t get. I shrugged. “So don’t.”

Maddie bit her lip. I didn’t tell her she could do a lot better than the douche she currently called her boyfriend. I wouldn’t point out all times he pissed me off. But at the end of the day, relationships weren’t supposed to be that hard. She shouldn’t be sitting there exhausted because of her boyfriend.

“Yeah… I know what I have to do.”

She looked extremely unhappy, so I waited for the words to form. Maddie shifted on the seat, turning to me with one foot under her body. “What if I’m throwing away something good for an image of how life is supposed to be? If whatever little I feel about Pete is the best that I will ever get? It’s not like there're men knocking on my door, Z.”

“So will you stay with someone just to have someone?”

“No.” She replied too fast. “But I like Pete.”

“It’s been a year Maddie, do you love Pete?”

I asked again in less than a week since I’d asked the first time. It should be simple. She loved him or she didn’t. I couldn’t understand why it was taking so long just to admit that she was probably better off alone.

“No, I don’t love Pete.” She sighed.

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