Chapter Seven

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Madisyn moved through her classes like a ghost, her mind perpetually drifting back to Chris, to Lucian, and to the events that felt too surreal to comprehend. The tension was palpable in the air, thick with rumours that only seemed to grow more ridiculous as the hours ticked by.

By the time the final bell rang, signalling the end of the school day, Madisyn felt mentally and emotionally drained. She needed a moment to herself, away from the whispers and the glances that followed her every move.

As she gathered her things in the hallway, she spotted Lucian leaning against the lockers, his arms crossed, waiting for her. The sight of him was a comfort, though a small part of her still felt guilty for involving him in her mess.

"You ready?" Lucian asked, his gaze softening when he saw her tired expression.

Madisyn nodded, trying to smile, but it came out weak. "Yeah. Let's just go home."

Lucian didn't respond, just fell into step beside her as they walked out of the school. The chatter in the parking lot was deafening, and she could feel eyes on her as they headed toward his car.

"Hey, Madisyn!" a voice called out, making her freeze.

It was Rosetta, her face flushed from rushing to catch up. "You okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine," Madisyn replied, though her voice didn't sound convincing. "Just… tired."

Rosetta studied her for a moment before nodding. "I get it. You know you can talk to me, right? Anytime."

Madisyn forced a smile. "Thanks, Rosetta."

Lucian's eyes flicked between the two girls, and he gave a small, knowing nod before opening the car door for Madisyn. She slid in, and as Lucian got behind the wheel, Rosetta lingered, still watching them with a mix of curiosity and concern.

The drive home was silent, save for the hum of the engine and the occasional shift of gears. Madisyn leaned her head against the window, watching the blur of houses and trees pass by.

When they reached her house, Lucian pulled into the driveway, parking the car with a soft squeak of the tires.

"Thanks," Madisyn murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucian glanced over at her. "You sure you're okay?"

Madisyn hesitated, biting her lip. "I don't know," she admitted. "I thought things would be easier, you know? I thought I could just move on, but… it feels like it's just starting."

Lucian studied her for a long moment before nodding. "I get it. It's not going to be easy, but you're not alone, Madisyn. You've got me."

Madisyn looked at him, a strange warmth spreading in her chest. She had to admit, his words meant more than she expected. In the midst of everything—her chaotic thoughts, the tension with Chris, the uncertainty about what would happen next—Lucian's quiet support was a steady anchor.

"Thanks," she whispered, stepping out of the car. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Lucian gave her a small smile and nodded before driving off, leaving Madisyn standing alone in front of her house. The front door creaked open, and her mother stepped out, her face lit up with a tired smile that quickly faded when she saw the way Madisyn was standing.

"Hey, sweetheart," her mom said, her voice soft but laced with concern. "How was school?"

Madisyn shrugged, pulling her bag tighter over her shoulder. "Same as usual. Nothing special."

Her mother didn't buy it. She reached out, gently guiding Madisyn inside. "Come on, let's get you settled in. I'm sure you're exhausted."

They walked inside, and Madisyn dropped her bag near the door, heading straight for the kitchen where her mother was already putting a kettle on the stove. The quiet of the house felt too heavy, the silence pressing in on her from all sides. As her mother busied herself, Madisyn couldn't help but glance toward the living room, where the pictures of happier days—the ones before everything had spiraled,still hung on the walls.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

"Are you going to talk to the police?" her mother asked softly as she placed a cup of tea in front of Madisyn. "About what happened last night?"

Madisyn shook her head slowly, her fingers curling around the warm cup. "I don't know. I told them everything I could, but it feels like it's just the beginning. I keep thinking about Chris—about what he's capable of."

Her mother nodded, her face pinched with worry. "I understand, honey. It's hard to know what the right thing to do is, but you've done what you could. You're safe now, and that's what matters most."

"I guess," Madisyn muttered, her eyes drifting to the window. The street outside was quiet, the soft glow of the fading daylight offering little comfort.

Before she could say anything more, her phone buzzed on the table. She grabbed it quickly, her heart skipping when she saw the message was from Lucian.

Lucian: Hey, just checking in. How are you holding up?

Madisyn stared at the message for a moment, her fingers hovering over the screen. It had been a simple question, but there was something about it that made her feel seen, in a way no one else had. She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear that, how much she needed the reassurance that someone cared beyond the mess of everything that had happened.

She typed back.

Madisyn: I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out.

A few moments later, his reply came,

Lucian: Take it one step at a time. I'm here if you need anything.

Madisyn exhaled slowly, feeling the weight on her chest lift just a little. She tucked the phone back in her pocket and took a slow sip of her tea.

Her mother watched her for a moment before speaking again, her voice softer this time. "You don't have to go through this alone, Madisyn. I know things are hard right now, but you've got us—me, your friends, and even Lucian, if you need him."

Madisyn's eyes flicked to her mother, a fleeting mix of emotions crossing her face. "I know.

, Mom. It's just… it's hard. I don't know how to make sense of all this."

Her mother reached over and took her hand, her touch warm and comforting. "I know, sweetie. But you're stronger than you think. You've been through a lot, but you're still standing. And you don't have to have it all figured out right away."

Madisyn nodded slowly, taking another sip of her tea as she tried to ground herself. She wanted to believe her mother's words, but everything felt so tangled. How could she move forward when Chris was still out there, angry and unpredictable? And now there was Lucian—who was proving to be something more than just a passing distraction.

Her phone buzzed again, pulling her from her thoughts. It was another message from Lucian.

Lucian: You're stronger than you think, Madisyn. Trust me on that.

She felt a small spark of something...hope, maybe? in the pit of her stomach. It felt strange, yet oddly comforting, to know that Lucian had such faith in her.

Just as she was about to type a reply, her phone rang, startling her. It was an unknown number. Hesitant, Madisyn answered.

"Hello?"

"Madisyn Jacobs?" a deep voice asked on the other end.

"Yes," she replied, her heart skipping. Was it the police again? Was something else happening with Chris?

"This is Officer Martinez. We need to ask you a few more questions about last night. Could you come down to the station?"

Madisyn froze, her mind racing. The station? She hadn't expected this, not after her initial statement.

"I… I don't know if I can. Is this really necessary?" Her voice was shaky, the fear creeping in again.

"We're just trying to follow up on a few things," the officer explained, his tone professional but firm. "It won't take long."

Madisyn closed her eyes for a moment, feeling overwhelmed. The thought of going back to the police station, reliving everything, made her stomach churn.

"Okay," she whispered, finding the strength to agree. "I'll be there."

As she ended the call, her hands shook, and she felt her world tilt again. The last thing she wanted was to go back there, but she knew she couldn't avoid it forever.

Her mother noticed the change in her posture. "What happened?" she asked gently.

"That was the police," Madisyn said, her voice barely above a whisper. "They want me to go down to the station again."

Her mother's face tightened with concern, but she nodded, squeezing Madisyn's hand. "I'll go with you. You don't have to do this alone."

Madisyn shook her head quickly. "I can't. It's… my thing. I need to face it myself."

Her mother hesitated, then gave a small nod of understanding. "I know you're strong, Madisyn. Just… don't carry everything by yourself, okay? You have people who care about you."

"I know," Madisyn said softly. "Thanks, Mom."

After a few moments of silence, Madisyn grabbed her coat, slipping it on as she headed for the door. Her mother watched her go, the concern still evident on her face, but she didn't try to stop her.

The drive to the police station was quiet, each mile stretching out like a knot tightening in Madisyn's chest. Her mind replayed the events from the previous night over and over, and each time, she felt that familiar rush of fear. She wasn't sure she could face it all again, but she had no choice.

When they arrived at the station, the air felt different—heavier, like the weight of everything that had happened was pressing down on her. Madisyn took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, her legs shaky but determined.

Inside, Officer Martinez was waiting for her in a small, sterile room. The overhead lights hummed quietly, casting a harsh glow over the table between them.

"Thanks for coming in," Officer Martinez said, his voice steady but with a hint of empathy. "We just have a few follow-up questions about Chris. It's important that we get everything right."

Madisyn nodded silently and sat down, trying to steady her racing heart. The officer sat across from her, his notepad ready.

"We know that last night's incident was intense, but we need more details," he began. "Chris has made some claims that are different from what you told us earlier. We want to make sure we have the full picture."

Her stomach twisted. Chris's claims? What could he possibly say to make this worse?

"Claims?" Madisyn echoed, her voice barely a whisper.

"Yeah," Officer Martinez said, tapping his pen on the table. "He's saying you provoked him—said some things that escalated the situation. Is that true?"

Madisyn stared at the officer, her thoughts scattered. "I didn't provoke him," she said, her voice firming. "He just… snapped. I didn't do anything to deserve what happened."

Officer Martinez paused, watching her closely. "Okay, we'll make a note of that. But we need to know if there's anything more you remember—anything at all that might help us understand why this happened."

Madisyn's mind raced. What was there to say that she hadn't already said? She didn't know what had triggered Chris, and she was still struggling to understand it herself. But something—something about the way the officer was asking—made her hesitate. Was he trying to get her to blame herself?

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to focus. "I don't know why he did it," she said, her voice steady. "But I never wanted things to get like this. I never wanted to make him angry."

The officer made a note in his pad. "Okay. I think we're almost done here. But before you go, Madisyn, we need to ask—do you feel safe? Do you think Chris might try something again?"

Her heart skipped at the question. She wanted to say no—she wanted to believe that it was over, that Chris would face the consequences for his actions and leave her alone. But deep down, she knew better. There was a part of her that still feared what he might do next.

"I… I don't know," she admitted, her voice breaking slightly. "I'm scared, but I can't keep living in fear. I have to move forward."

The officer nodded, his expression softening. "I understand. Just remember, you're not alone in this. We'll do everything we can to keep you safe."

After a few more questions, Officer Martinez let her go. She stood up slowly, her body feeling heavier with each passing moment. As she left the station, the night seemed even darker, as if the weight of her conversation with the officer had made everything more real, more suffocating.

When she got home, her mother was waiting for her in the living room, her eyes filled with concern. "How did it go?" she asked.

Madisyn sank onto the couch beside her, exhausted. "They asked more questions," she said, her voice tight. "They're trying to figure out if there's more to it… like I somehow provoked Chris."

Her mother frowned. "That's ridiculous. You didn't provoke him, Madisyn. You never deserved any of this."

Madisyn nodded, but the doubt still lingered in the back of her mind. "I know. But I still can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something."

Her mother wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. Just focus on what's in front of you—what's best for you."

Madisyn sighed, resting her head against her mother's shoulder. "I don't even know what's best for me anymore."

"You'll figure it out," her mother said softly. "Just take it one step at a time."

The weight of the day hung over her, but for the first time in a long while, Madisyn felt like maybe—just maybe—she wasn't as alone in this as she had thought. She wasn't sure what the future held, or how this would all play out, but at least she wasn't facing it on her own.

The sound of her phone buzzing broke the silence. It was another message from Lucian.

Lucian: You did the right thing, Madisyn. Take care of yourself tonight. I'm here if you need to talk.

A small, grateful smile tugged at her lips as she typed her reply.

Madisyn: Thanks. I'm glad you're here.

As she hit send, she realized that no matter how messy everything felt, she wasn't going to let fear control her anymore. She had people in her corner now. And for the first time in days, she felt a flicker of hope.