Chapter Six

A soft knock pulled Madisyn from the fragile edges of sleep. She blinked against the morning light spilling through her curtains, her body still heavy with exhaustion.

"Madisyn?"

She recognized Lucian's voice instantly. For a moment, last night felt like a dream—until the memories came crashing back. Chris. The car. The fear. Lucian finding her.

She sat up quickly, her heart racing, but Lucian's voice was calm. "Relax. It's just me."

Madisyn took a deep breath before pulling herself out of bed. She cracked open the door, finding Lucian standing there in a black hoodie and ripped jeans, his usual effortless look.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

He smirked. "You forgot? I said to call if you needed anything. You didn't, so I figured I'd check on you."

Madisyn sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "I'm okay. Just… tired."

Lucian studied her for a moment, then tilted his head. "You going to school?"

She hesitated. The last thing she wanted was to see Chris. But if she stayed home, it would be obvious something was wrong.

"I guess," she mumbled.

Lucian nodded. "Cool. I have to go by my aunt's before school. She lives near, so I can drop you off if you want."

Madisyn blinked. "You're offering me a ride?"

Lucian smirked. "Unless you'd rather take the bus?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, no thanks."

"Then hurry up," he said, leaning against the doorframe.

Madisyn rushed to get ready, throwing on a simple outfit—jeans, sneakers, and a cropped sweater. She grabbed her bag, took a deep breath, and followed Lucian outside.

His car-a sleek black Challenger, the kind that practically growled when it moved—was parked by the curb. She hesitated for only a second before climbing into the front passenger seat.

The second they pulled into the school parking lot, she felt the stares.

People turned. Some paused mid-conversation. A group of juniors practically gawked as Lucian's car rumbled past.

Madisyn, the good girl, sitting in the bad boy's front seat? Yeah, this was definitely going to be a thing.

Lucian parked near the entrance, completely unbothered, while Madisyn's stomach twisted. She could already hear the whispers as she stepped out.

"Wait=Madisyn?"

"No way. What is she doing in Lucian's car?"

"I didn't even know they talked."

"Did she spend the night with him?"

"Oh my God, does she have a thing for bad boys now?"

Madisyn gritted her teeth, her face heating up. Great. Just great.

Lucian, on the other hand, smirked like he found the whole thing hilarious. "You good?" he asked.

She shot him a glare. "You think this is funny?"

"A little." He shut his car door and slung his bag over his shoulder. "People talk, Madisyn. Let them."

She exhaled sharply. He was right-rumours would spread no matter what. But with Chris already mad at her, this was only going to make things worse.

Lucian walked beside her as they headed toward the school entrance, completely unfazed by the attention.

Madisyn squared her shoulders and did the same. If people wanted to talk, let them.

She had bigger things to worry about.As soon as Madisyn stepped inside the school, she was greeted by Rosetta and Malika, who rushed toward her with concerned expressions. Without a word, they both pulled her into a tight hug.

"Girl, what the hell happened last night?" Rosetta whispered, her voice full of concern. "Are you okay?"

Malika squeezed her tightly, her touch reassuring. "We've been worried sick about you, Madisyn."

Madisyn let herself relax into their embrace for a moment before pulling back, looking at them with tired eyes. "I'm okay. I mean… I will be."

"You're not okay," Malika insisted gently, her brows furrowing. "You're still in shock. You need to talk about it."

Rosetta nodded. "The guidance counselor. You should go during lunch. Just talk to someone, get everything off your chest."

Madisyn opened her mouth to protest, but they were already pulling her toward the hall. She didn't have the strength to argue.

"I don't know if I can," she murmured. "It's… embarrassing."

"You've been through something traumatic," Rosetta said softly, her voice firm. "Talking to someone isn't a sign of weakness. It's a step toward healing."

Madisyn didn't respond, but the quiet support of her friends gave her some comfort. Maybe they were right. Maybe talking to someone would help.

The bell rang, and they parted ways, going to their separate classes. Madisyn couldn't focus on anything—her mind was a whirlwind of memories from last night, still fresh and raw. She barely noticed the murmurs and stares from her classmates as she walked to her next class.

Lunch came quickly, and Rosetta and Malika were waiting for her by the guidance counsellor's office. They didn't say much, just nodded in encouragement as Madisyn walked into the counsellor's office.

The door clicked shut behind her, and she sat in the chair, looking at the woman behind the desk. The counsellor smiled kindly at her, but Madisyn could feel her nerves tightening.

"I'm glad you came in, Madisyn," the counselor said softly, her voice gentle. "You don't have to talk about anything you're not ready to, but know that I'm here if you need to."

Madisyn swallowed, staring at her hands. "I don't even know where to start," she whispered.

The counsellor nodded. "We'll take it slow. Just tell me what you feel comfortable sharing."

Before Madisyn could respond, the sound of a loudspeaker crackled to life over the intercom.

"Attention, faculty and students. We have an important announcement. Please be aware that officers from the local police department are on campus to speak with a few individuals. We ask that you remain calm and cooperative."

Madisyn froze, her heart hammering.

The counsellor looked up at her, her expression concerned. "It seems there's been some kind of incident. Do you know anything about this?"

Madisyn's stomach dropped. She knew exactly who they were here for.

"Yes," she whispered. "It's about Chris."

Minutes later, the door to the counsellor's office opened.

A police officer stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Madisyn. "Madisyn Jacobs?"

She nodded, her throat tight.

"Can we speak with you?"

Madisyn stood on shaky legs, nodding again, and the officer gestured for her to follow him.

As they walked down the hall, she saw a few teachers standing near the principal's office, watching curiously. When they reached the office, another officer was talking to Chris, who was sitting across from him, his face red and angry.

The officer turned to Madisyn, giving her a sympathetic look. "We need to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?"

Madisyn nodded, her voice too shaky to speak.

She sat down next to the officer, and Chris's eyes locked with hers. His jaw clenched, but he said nothing.

The officer started asking her about what happened last night, and as she recounted the events, Chris's expression shifted from anger to something darker. He was seething, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles went white.

When she finished, the officer turned to Chris, who hadn't said a word since Madisyn sat down.

"Chris, we need to talk to you about your actions last night."

Chris stood suddenly, his chair scraping across the floor. "This is ridiculous!" he shouted, but the officer didn't flinch.

"Sir, please remain calm," the officer said firmly.

But Chris wasn't listening. His anger flared, and before anyone could react, two more officers entered the room, flanking him.

"Chris, we're taking you in," one officer said, his voice cold. "You're under arrest for assault"

Chris's face twisted with rage. "You can't do this!"

But it didn't matter. The officers grabbed his arms, pulling him toward the door.

Madisyn's chest tightened as she watched, her heart pounding. It was happening. He was being taken away, just like she'd always feared.

Just as Chris was escorted out of the office and out the front doors of the school, Lucian walked into the hallway. He had a takeout bag in his hand and a relaxed, almost amused expression on his face—until he saw the scene unfolding.

"What the hell?" Lucian muttered, his gaze locking onto Chris being shoved into the back of a police car.

"Lucian," Madisyn said quietly, her voice trembling as she stepped toward him. "It's over."

Lucian nodded, setting the takeout bag down on a nearby desk. He moved toward her, his expression softening. "You're safe now, Madisyn."

But as she looked back toward the police car, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was far from over.