Chapter Four

Madisyn spent the rest of the day feeling like she was walking on a tightrope, balancing between pretending everything was fine and the gnawing fear that it wasn't. Every time she passed Chris in the hallway, his eyes followed her, lingering just long enough to make her pulse quicken.

By the time the final bell rang, she had already come up with three different excuses to avoid meeting him after school. But none of them felt convincing enough. And deep down, she knew he wouldn't accept them.

She was at her locker, stuffing books into her bag, when Malika and Rosetta appeared on either side of her.

"You're not actually going, right?" Malika asked, arms crossed.

Madisyn hesitated. "I-"

Rosetta groaned. "Madi, come on. You don't owe him anything."

"I know that," she snapped, then sighed, running a hand through her curls. "I just… I need time to figure this out."

Malika scoffed. "Figure what out? He's controlling, and you're scared of him. That's enough reason to leave."

Madisyn pressed her lips together. She hated how easily Malika saw through her. How obvious her fear must have been.

"You don't get it," she muttered, slamming her locker shut.

Rosetta touched her arm gently. "Then help us understand."

Before Madisyn could answer, she spotted Chris down the hall, leaning casually against the wall, waiting. Even from a distance, she could feel his presence like a weight pressing down on her.

"Just go home with us," Malika whispered.

Madisyn's heart pounded. She wanted to. But Chris had a way of making things difficult when he didn't get what he wanted.

She inhaled sharply, squared her shoulders, and turned to her friends. "I'll text you later, okay?"

Malika frowned. "Madisyn-"

"Please. Trust me."

Reluctantly, they stepped back, but their worried expressions stayed with her as she walked toward Chris.

His lips curled into a smirk. "Ready?"

No.

"Yeah," she said instead, forcing a smile.

They walked out of the school together, side by side, but every step felt heavier than the last.

The air outside was crisp, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the parking lot. Madisyn hugged her arms around herself, though she wasn't sure if the chill she felt was from the breeze or the growing unease in her chest.

Chris led her toward his car, a sleek black sedan that always looked freshly washed. He opened the passenger door for her, the perfect gentleman on the surface. But Madisyn hesitated before getting in.

Chris noticed. "Something wrong?"

She forced a small laugh. "No, just tired."

His eyes lingered on her for a second too long before he nodded. "Yeah, practice must've been exhausting."

She slid into the seat, and he shut the door behind her. The moment the lock clicked, her stomach twisted. She kept her hands in her lap as he got in and started the engine, the low hum filling the silence between them.

They pulled out of the parking lot, the familiar streets passing by in a blur. Chris drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "You've been different today."

Madisyn's breath hitched, but she kept her expression neutral. "What do you mean?"

Chris glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road. "You're quiet. Distant." His grip on the wheel tightened. "Like you don't want to be around me."

Madisyn forced a soft smile. "I told you, I'm just tired."

Chris hummed, unconvinced. "You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"

She nodded quickly. "Of course."

He reached over suddenly, taking her hand in his. His fingers were warm, strong, wrapping around hers in a way that made her feel trapped.

"Good," he murmured. "Because I don't like when you keep things from me."

Madisyn swallowed hard. "I know."

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Chris turned onto a familiar street.

Not the way to her house.

Madisyn sat up straighter. "Where are we going?"

Chris smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Thought we could spend some time together. Just us."

A pit formed in her stomach. "Chris, I have homework. My mom's expecting me-"

"I already told her we were hanging out."

Madisyn's heart pounded. He called her mom?

When?

How?

"Relax," he said smoothly. "It's just a little detour."

She forced herself to breathe evenly, but every instinct screamed at her to get out. To run.

But how?

Madisyn's pulse thundered in her ears as she stared out the window, watching familiar houses disappear, replaced by a stretch of quiet road leading out of town.

She gripped the edge of her seat. "Chris, where are we going?"

Chris let out a soft chuckle. "Why are you so tense? You trust me, don't you?"

She swallowed hard. No. Not anymore.

"Yeah, of course," she lied, forcing her fingers to unclench. "I just... wasn't expecting this."

He glanced at her, dark eyes scanning her face like he was reading her mind. "You've been acting weird all day, Madisyn. Like you don't want to be around me."

She forced a laugh, hoping it sounded natural. "That's not true. I told you, I'm just tired."

Chris exhaled sharply. "You're lying."

Her stomach dropped. "I'm not-"

"Don't do that," he interrupted, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "I can tell when something's off."

Madisyn's mind raced. She needed to diffuse this before it got worse. "Chris, I promise I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind."

Chris was silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled the car to the side of the road. The tires crunched against gravel as they came to a stop.

Madisyn's breath caught in her throat.

Chris shifted in his seat to face her. "Then talk to me. What's going on?"

She could feel the tension radiating off him, the barely concealed frustration in his posture. If she said the wrong thing, she didn't know how he'd react.

Think, Madisyn. Think.

She forced a small smile. "It's just school. Cheer. My mom's been on my case about college applications. It's a lot."

Chris studied her for an agonizing few seconds before his grip on the wheel loosened. His expression softened-just a little. "You should've told me."

"I didn't want to dump my stress on you."

He sighed and reached for her hand again. "You don't have to keep things from me, Madisyn. I don't like feeling shut out."

She nodded, though every part of her screamed to pull away.

Chris squeezed her hand, then let go, turning back to the road. "Let's go somewhere to clear your mind. Just us."

Madisyn forced herself to smile. "Okay."

But inside, panic clawed at her. She had to get out of this.

Before it was too late.

Madisyn's hands curled into fists in her lap as Chris drove deeper into the outskirts of town. The houses and streetlights faded, replaced by thick trees and the quiet hum of the car's engine.

"Chris," she tried again, her voice tighter this time. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he said, offering her a smile that didn't feel comforting.

Her heart pounded harder. She glanced at her phone, but the signal bars flickered.

No reception.

A few minutes later, he turned onto a narrow dirt road leading to an empty clearing. He parked and killed the engine, silence swallowing them whole.

Madisyn's breath hitched. "Chris, why are we here?"

He leaned back in his seat, eyes tracing her face. "You've been acting different, distant. I thought maybe we needed some time alone."

"We could've gone to a café or something," she said quickly, forcing a light laugh.

Chris exhaled, shaking his head. "You don't get it, do you? You've been pulling away from me." He reached for her hand, but this time, she pulled back.

His jaw tightened. "What's going on, Madisyn? Are you seeing someone else?"

"What? No!" she blurted, fear spiking through her veins. "Chris, I-"

Before she could finish, he reached across the seat, grabbing her wrist. Hard.

"Then why are you lying to me?" His voice was low, controlled, but the grip on her arm betrayed his frustration.

Madisyn's pulse skyrocketed. "Chris, you're hurting me."

He didn't let go. Instead, his grip tightened as he leaned closer, his breath hot against her skin. "I don't want to fight. I just want you to show me that you still care about us."

Madisyn's stomach twisted. "Chris, stop."

He ignored her, his free hand brushing against her cheek. "You used to love when I touched you. What changed?"

Panic surged through her. She shoved at his chest, trying to put space between them, but he barely moved.

"Chris, stop!" she said louder, her voice shaking.

His expression darkened. "Don't act like you don't want this," he muttered, grabbing her thigh.

Madisyn's fear turned to adrenaline. She had to get out.

Without thinking, she swung her elbow up, hitting him hard in the ribs. Chris let out a sharp grunt, his grip loosening just enough. She didn't hesitate. She lunged for the door handle, yanking it open and tumbling out onto the cold dirt.

She scrambled to her feet, sprinting toward the road, heart slamming against her ribs.

Behind her, Chris cursed loudly, the sound of the car door slamming echoing in the emptiness.

"Madisyn, get back here!"

She didn't look back. She couldn't.

All she knew was that she had to run.