Always together (Fragment 1) : Maddy

One time, Maddy had isolated herself by the edge of a river, a place she often visited with her friends to relax. It was a peaceful spot, where the water gently lapped against the stones, creating a pleasant sound to the ear. That day, something seemed to have pushed her to stay there alone.

It was Stacy who found her first. As soon as she spotted her, she quickly texted Emilie, who was searching at the other end of the city, to tell her there was no need to look further and to share her location. Then, Stacy approached Maddy, a little hesitant, and gently tapped her shoulder.

— What are you doing here ? We were worried about you. You didn't answer the phone.

— I just wanted to know what it felt like to be alone… just for a day. Sorry. If I had told you, you would have definitely come to check on me.

Stacy sat down beside her, and the two of them silently watched the river. Ducks were swimming peacefully. One of them seemed to be looking for its chicks. They quickly spotted them, but one had lagged behind. It had taken a little longer to catch up and had been alone for five minutes. Stacy watched it closely, worried. Eventually, the mother turned back, and the duckling rejoined its family.

Stacy let out a quiet sigh of relief before turning her gaze toward Maddy. She waved her hand in front of her face to get her attention.

— Being alone is sad and scary.

— Yeah... That's exactly how I feel. I don't want to know what that feels like.

— Then why did you come here ?

— My parents got divorced today. They'd been fighting for a while, but now it's official. The saddest part is that neither of them wants custody of me. (She picked up a stone and threw it as far as possible into the river). They want to live their own lives, be free, apparently… So, they decided to leave me with my grandmother, and as if that wasn't enough, they both went abroad. My mom says she'll be back soon, but I don't believe her.

— I'm so sorry… Your parents are assholes, they don't deserve you ! But you won't be alone. I'll always be here for you.

— Haha, you're right. They can go fuck themselves !

Stacy looked at her for a moment, then moved closer and hugged her.

— What's going on all of a sudden ?

She gently stroked her back while holding her tightly, as if fearing that she might fly away at any moment, trying to comfort her. Maddy, who had held it together until then, suddenly felt tears roll down her face. Everything came out at once, as if someone had just removed the cap holding back the water accumulated in a faucet. It was impossible to stop. Everything had to come out.

Stacy was crying too. She could feel Maddy's pain through the heartbreaking sound of her sobs.

After a long moment of reflection, Stacy clapped her hands together, having made up her mind.

— Come live with me, for as long as you need. My mom won't say anything.

— I can't just crash at your place like that !

— You're like a sister to me. You don't need permission for anything. You'll always have a place at my house. Anytime, anywhere.

A beautiful smile lit up Maddy's face.

— Thank you.

— Come on, let's hurry up, Emilie's waiting for us !

Stacy grabbed Maddy's hand and pulled her along. The two of them ran through the streets at full speed, not because they were in a rush, but simply because it was more fun.

In the end, the duckling had indeed rejoined its family.